Dear Colleagues,
on two postmedieval sites in Brussels we found a cock tarsometarsal of
which the spur has saw marks. In one case the spur has been completely
sawed off, close to the shaft. In the other specimen only the tip has
been cut of. I believe I have seen a specimen (of the first type) in a
publication but cannot find it back. Has anyone seen such
tarsometatarsals? We were wondering whether these spurs were removed to
protect the other fowl or if we may see these traces as evidence for
practices related to cock fighting. In THE GAME COCK FROM THE SHELL TO
THE PIT. A Comprehensive Treatise on Gameness, Selecting, Mating,
Breeding, Walking and Conditioning. Etc. By Geo. W. Means., I read that
steel gaffs are put over the stub of the sawed off natural spur.
A picture of the two specimens can be found on BoneCommons.
Thanks in advance for your comments,
Wim
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Wim Van Neer
Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen
Afdeling Antropologie en Prehistorie
Vautierstraat 29
B-1000 Brussel
tel: +32(0)2 62 74 438 fax: +32(0)2 62 74 113
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.natuurwetenschappen.be
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