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Dear Ian,

 

I quick look in “Untersuchungen an Skelettresten von Rindern aus Haithabu (Ausgrabung 1966-1969) by Friederike Johansson in 1982 suggests that both conditions are probably named spavin (or Spat in German). On page 59 she quotes the definition of spavin by others as being the fusion of tarsal bones to the metatarsus followed by a sentence stating that the condition is rare in the metacarpus. On page 60 she calls spavin of the metacarpus “Arthropathia deformans carpi”. Johansson did not find fully fused metacarpi in the Early medieval cattle bones from Hedeby, but came across five metacarpi (on a total of 175 metapodia) with deformed proximal articulations) which had exostosis along the proximal articulation.

 

Best wishes, Jessica Grimm

 

From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ian L. Baxter
Sent: 01 July 2008 13:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Spavin in the foreleg

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

I have a cattle fragment from a Roman deposit at Chester which has C2+3 ankylosed to the proximal metacarpal. Exostoses indicate that the missing upper row of carpals was similarly affected. I have also seen a completely fused sheep foreleg joint from another site. The condition is clearly the same as that which would be described as spavin if it affected the hock joint in the back leg. Can the same terminology be accurately used to describe the condition in the foreleg, would the causes be the same or similar and does anyone know of other examples affecting the foreleg?

 

Ian L. Baxter  

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