Bisecting carcasses is documented in Roman Britain, I believe, I can't remember the exact details but it may only have been in urban settings only. The practise could be described here if you are interested:
M. Maltby, Urban-rural variations in the butchering of cattle in Romano-British Hampshire, in: D. Sergeantson, T. Waldron (Eds.), Diet and Crafts in Towns, B.A.R. British series, Oxford, 1989, pp. 75-106.
Dr. Ariane Burke, Professeur Titulaire,
Dept. d'anthropologie,
Université de Montréal,
C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville
Montreal, QC
Canada, H3C 3J7
Tel. 514-343-6574
http://archeozoologie.anthro.umontreal.ca/
________________________________
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites on behalf of V. Rajkovaca
Sent: Fri 2012-11-09 11:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] butchered sheep vertebrae
Dear Zooarchers,
Here is an easy question for a Friday afternoon:
You know how vertebrae, be it cattle or sheep, often show signs of
carcasses being split down the sagittal plane into left and right portions?
You know how it is suggested that this butchery practice does not really
come into fashion until 16th century? (Is this true?) Now, we regularly
find them from Early Iron Age deposits here in East Anglia, two of which we
have secure 14C dates from. And then they are also common from assemblages
of post-16th century date.
Has anyone else come across these from similary dated deposits (EIA)? I am
curious mainly because I do not have any recollection of finding them in
Roman assemblages, for instance...So, is it exclusively EIA and
Post-Medieval trait? If yes, why? Would carcasses have had to be hung to
achieve this? What does it mean?
Ah- so many questions.
Any thoughts on this - much appreciated.
Happy Friday one and all!
Vida
--
Vida Rajkovaca
Zooarchaeologist
Cambridge Archaeological Unit
Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
34a Storey's way
CB3 0DT
Cambridge
+44 1223 327802
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