Not a reference as such, but I seem to remember that there is a floor
'paved' with bones (I think metapodials) in a building at Uppark House,
South East England. I think the building was for game or meat storage or a
dairy of some sort. I don't think any explanation was offered as to why
this was done.
Sue Archer
University of York
-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jacqui Mulville
Sent: 30 June 2005 12:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Cattle metapodia in linear structures
Please reply to Margaret and zooarch.
Dear all,
Ongoing excavations at a post-medieval site in the centre of Cork city have
revealed curious lines of upright cattle metapodia that are arranged in rows
across a substantial area of the site. In most instances the distal portion
of the bone faces upright and despite an initial suspicion that there was a
certain patterning in the arrangement of meatacarpals and metatarsals, this
does not now prove to be the case. In one area the bones enclose a square
area * almost like box hedging for herb gardening!
I seem to recall on line discussions about this bone phenomenon before *
anybody out there can point me to some references or explanations for such a
configuration of metapodia?
Looking forward to your responses!
Margaret McCarthy
PS
There are pictures available of the finds and I have already mentioned our
IA scottish hearth surrounds (Mulville, J. et al 2003 Quarters, Arcs and
Squares: Human and Animal Remains in the Hebridean Late Iron Age. ed J.
Downes and A. Ritchie Sea Change: Orkney and Northern Europe in the later
Iron Age AD 300-800 The pinkfoot press, Balgavies, Angus)
Jacqui
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