Dear Zooarchers,
At an excavation this week I came across a complete sheep metatarsal filled with lead. A small hole was made in the proximal part of the metatarsal and a few small holes at the shaft part (mostly at the top part of the shaft). It was found in a 13th century medieval urban deposit. I was wondering if anyone came across this before, although I’m sure it exists elsewhere. Does anyone know the/a function of a lead filled sheep metatarsal. Other than just to make things heavy like a weavingweight.
I have found a paper (in a Dutch book) where they explain a similar phenomenon when using cattle, horse or pig phalanges in a children’s game / gambling. Where after throwing the several (lead filled) phalanges in the air they had to land on the proximal side. If they would land on any other side the game would be lost.
Van den Heuvel W., 1994: 8.5 Speelkoten en speelschijven in: Krauwer M., Snieder F., (ed), Nering en vermaak : de opgraving van een veertiende-eeuwse markt in Amersfoort . 159-161.
However I find it hard to imagine trying to let a long object like a metacarpal land on its proximal side.
Kind regards
Emmy
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