Emily, please say hello to Jerry Smith for me if you're working in the
museum at A-squared.
The first thing to say about your mystery coracoid is that it does rather
resemble pheasant -- longer in the shank and 'drier' looking than domestic
chicken. However, my experience with the Roman-era stuff from Vindolanda
indicates that their chickens were quite pheasant-like and the difference
can be pretty fine. We published some good photos, in color, in the
Vindolanda Research Report that came out in 2007 covering excavation years
2005-2006. You can get this by going to www.vindolanda.com.
Second thing is that the other commonest chicken-like gallinaceous bird is
Tetrao tetris, the black grouse. I do not know whether this bird's range
ever extended to Italy. I happen to know that you don't have a skeleton of
this species in your collections, and the reason I know is that we only
have half of a skeleton at K.U. and we therefore did a serious search for
others held in U.S. museums. Closest to you would be Chicago -- so when
you call up there, say 'hi' for me to Larry Heaney, too.
One further favor I would ask you: if you find a complete skeleton of
Tetrao tetris anywhere, would you please make a complete set of
photographs of the skeleton, i.e. of the most diagnostic bones --
coracoid, tibiotarsus, tarsomet, sternum, humerus, radius, ulna, femur --
and then post the whole set to bone commons, so that those of the rest of
us who also need this bird can use 'em? Thank you and best of luck with
your project. -- Deb Bennett
> Dear Zooarchers,
>
> Ok, finally I've got it right. Below is a link to the two Phasianidae
> photos on Bone Commons. Any suggestions for identifications would be
> greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone who directed me how to do images
> on Zooarch (I'm new), and thanks to Sarah Kansa for helping me post the
> photos to Bone Commons.
>
> Best,
> Emily
>
> http://alexandriaarchive.org/bonecommons/items/show/1831
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