Andy, they could be doing two things:
(1) Cutting across the extensor and other distal "straps" which are part
of the suspensory apparatus. The suspensory "ligament", actually anciently
the interosseous musculature which in horses is converted to
non-contractile yellow tissue, is very stretchy and strong, and could be
used to make bowstrings.
(2) General cuts or chops made in an effort to recover either the hoof
cartilages or the hoof capsule, both used in making glue. I think this
less likely than the above, however, since it's simpler to just
disarticulate the foot at the metacarpo-phalangeal joint and toss the lot
into a boil-pot, rather than try to cut, chop, or pull the hoof capsules
off, as they adhere very strongly. When I take them off as a demo for my
anatomy classes, the trick to making that easy is to pop the foot into a
bucket of boiling water, and for 20 minutes let the heat denature the
"rivets" (short collagen-fiber units that look like little dots) that
attach the sensitive and insensitive laminae together, then remove the
capsule with a pair of shoe-pullers after first having cut the buttresses
vertically up from the ground level to the heels. Then you push one jaw of
the pullers under the keratinous capsule, clamp down on the wall, and then
remove the capsule by using a rolling motion as if opening a can of
sardines. But I doubt the Romans ever did it that way!
Cheers -- Deb Bennett
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a small Roman assemblage and the single Horse bone I have is a
> complete first phalange that has repeated small cut/nick marks on both the
> medial and lateral surfaces.
>
> What are your thoughts my friends?
>
> Thanks
> Andy
>
> Andy Clarke
> Post-Excavation Archaeologist
> t 01285 771022
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