Hi,
I can think of two reasons why they would be less fragmented than the
human bone. Sheep bone in cremations is typically less fragmented than
that of larger animals; I have seen this in Bronze Age, Anglo-Saxon
and Roman examples. As long ago as 1989, Buikstra & Swegle (reference
below)
noted that bones from larger animals fragmented more than those from
smaller ones. This may be because of the structure of the bone itself,
or it may be (as I think they suggested) that there is less meat and
fat and therefore less 'fuel' around the bones of smaller animals, and
the burning and contracting muscle might itself add to the stresses on
the bone, increasing the breakage. The other reason these bones may
have survived better follows on from this; as Julia suggested, a
defleshed and marrowless bone used as a tool may not have burned as
well as a 'meaty' one.
Best wishes,
Julie
Buikstra, J.E. & Swegle, M. 1989. ‘ Bone Modification Due to Burning:
Experimental Evidence’. In Bonnichsen, R. & Sorg, M. (eds) Bone
Modification. Maine: Peopling of the Americas Publications Edited
Volume Series. P.247-258.
>
> I have just looked at a group of cremations from the entrance graves on
> the Isles of Scilly for a RC dating project (probably Bronze Age - but no
> dates) and we found a number of small sheep tibia gouges/pins. These were
> from tiny individuals, a number had the distal end intact with the shaft
> worked to an open point. The artefacts were calcined. They accompanied
> four cremations in one tomb with a number more recorded from another (the
> majority of tomb contents from the isles are unfortunately lost). Does
> anyone know of parallels?
>
> One individual was accompanied by faience and glass beads. The burning of
> the pins/gouges suggests they were burnt with the individuals, however
> they were much less fragmented than the human bone? Were they treated
> differently? Were they dress pins?
>
> Any sheep/human cremation parallels from prehistory welcome.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Small pic of one pin/gouge on facebook page -
> http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=260206660697897&set=pu.253287838056446&type=1&theater
>
>
> Jacqui Mulville (PhD),
> Cardiff Osteoarchaeological Research Group
> www.facebook.com/CORGROUP
>
>
>
> On research leave Sept 2011 to Sept 2012
>
>
> School of History, Archaeology and Religion,
> Cardiff University, Humanities Building, Colum Drive, CARDIFF, CF10 3EU
> http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/share/contactsandpeople/academicstaff/K-O/mulville-jacqui-dr-overview_new.html
>
> Tel: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4247
> Fax: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4929
>
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