Zooarchers,
I have just looked at a group of cremations
from the entrance graves on the Isles of Scilly for a RC dating project
(probably Bronze Age - but no dates) and we found a number of small sheep
tibia gouges/pins. These were from tiny individuals, a number had
the distal end intact with the shaft worked to an open point. The artefacts
were calcined. They accompanied four cremations in one tomb with a number
more recorded from another (the majority of tomb contents from the isles
are unfortunately lost). Does anyone know of parallels?
One individual was accompanied by faience
and glass beads. The burning of the pins/gouges suggests they were burnt
with the individuals, however they were much less fragmented than the human
bone? Were they treated differently? Were they dress pins?
Any sheep/human cremation parallels
from prehistory welcome.
Best wishes
Small pic of one pin/gouge on facebook
page -
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=260206660697897&set=pu.253287838056446&type=1&theater
Jacqui Mulville (PhD),
Cardiff Osteoarchaeological Research Group
www.facebook.com/CORGROUP
On research leave Sept 2011 to Sept 2012
School of History, Archaeology and Religion,
Cardiff University, Humanities Building, Colum Drive, CARDIFF, CF10 3EU
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/share/contactsandpeople/academicstaff/K-O/mulville-jacqui-dr-overview_new.html
Tel: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4247
Fax: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4929
