Hello Melinda,
this is a problem we face with cattle and sheep so I have mused on this a
little. Tooth eruption and wear is useful if you have mandibles preserved
(and some comparative data sets - Dale Serjeantson did some excellent
research on tooth wear in neonatal cattle) alternatively I suggest
measurements - this is a techniques commonly used in estimating the age of
foetal humans in vivo using long bone length and linear/logorithic
regression.
Of course for this to work you can either establish an internal reference
standard - e.g. the ones you may have with tooth wear/eruption information
could be measured or find published data elsewhere.......? Does anyone know
of the latter?
Of course there are issue to do with sexual dimorphism, nutritional plane
etc etc - maybe someone has a better solution?
Jacqui Mulville (PhD),
Osteography
http://osteography.wordpress.com/
Future Friends/Future Animals
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/hisar/archaeology/futureanimals/
http://futureanimals.wordpress.com/
School of History and Archaeology, Cardiff University,
Humanities Building, Colum Drive, CARDIFF, CF10 3EU
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/hisar/people/archaeology/jm1/
Tel: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4247
Fax: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4929
-----Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
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To: [log in to unmask]
From: "Zeder, Melinda" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent by: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: 05/02/2010 13:10
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Distinguishing etal from Neo-Natal Bones
Dear Zooarchers,
I am working on an assemblage that contains a good deal of fetal/neo-natal
bones - especially of pigs. I am looking for some references that will help
me determine whether these bones are fetal or neo-natal. I am familiar with
the Prummel Archaeozoologia 1987 article and with the Amorosi 1987 BAR
volume but these don't deal with this issue. Any tips on how to age these
very young bones?
Many Thanks,
Mindy Z.
Melinda A. Zeder
Senior Scientist, Archaeobiology Program
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
PO Box 37012
Washington D.C. 20013-7012
Office: 202 633-1886
Lab: 301 238-1024
Fax: 202 357-2208
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