Jesper, Fiona's reply is good but leaves out some fiats. Degree of
permineralization is not an indicator of antiquity. There are places, for
example in the southern U.S., where oil naturally bubbles to the surface
and runs off into streams, creating what are called 'black tar' rivers.
Any bone that falls into this environment will quickly become
permineralized, i.e. within weeks or months.
There are other environments, as for example dry caves, where bone may lie
for millennia and not become permineralized at all.
The term 'sub-fossil' designates age, and to some extent, context. As to
age, by convention, paleontology (and its purview which is fossils), stops
with the beginning of agriculture (or some say with the beginning of
written history). Equally by convention, archaeology (with its
'sub-fossils' and 'non-fossils' or 'recent' material) begins at whichever
point you pick. The line is somewhat blurry and if I needed to use the
term in a published paper, I would cite prior references most relevant to
your particular study area.
As to context, you will have noted that pristine-looking, light-colored,
lower-density bones hardly ever get called 'fossil' or 'sub-fossil'. In a
somewhat sly way, this sneaks in the confusion over age vs. degree of
permineralization. It's more likely that you would hear a darker, heavier
bone called 'sub-fossil' than one that carbon-dates to the same range
which is blonde & beautiful. But an assembly which comes from a stratum or
horizon that is known to lie at the beginning of recorded history, or (let
us say) early in the Neolithic or in the Paleolithic, is legitimately
referred to as 'sub-fossil.'
Hope this helps. -- Deb Bennett
> Hello Jesper
> My understanding is that whereas a fossil has become
> entirely mineralised and has in effect turned to stone a sub-fossil is
> basically old but not yet fully mineralised. So bones or beetle
> remains from archaeological sites are sub-fossil as they are old and
> have preserved rather than disintegrating, but are not made of stone.
> Hope this helps.
> Fiona
> Fiona Beglane MSc
> Animal Bone Specialist
> 074 97 21937
> 087 686 3914 (M)
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jesper Ostergaard <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 7:42:50 AM
> Subject: [ZOOARCH] subfossils
>
> Can anybody please help to define and explain what a subfossil is.
> I often find it in the zooarchaelogical literature.
>
> Like for example "this bird bone of a blackbird is the first subfossil
> found in the neolithic"
>
>
>
> Jesper S. Østergaard
> Hessensgade 22, 2tv
> 2300 Copenhagen S
> DenmarK
>
>
>
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