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Herbivore chewing is an interesting suggestion, but the individual tooth marks from herbivore chewing appear narrow (though of variable width) and wandering. By contrast, the marks on Sylvia's bone are well-defined, sub-parallel scoops out of the bone, each two cm wide or so. There is a picture of a similarly chewed bone, assertively attributed to beaver or muskrat, at http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-artifacts/326260-buffalo-bone.html Scroll to about three quarters down the page. Returning to Sylvia's bone, which she says was found on the surface in Wales. I see that the proposed reintroduction of beavers into Wales is a topic of environmental and political controversy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19194917 In 2011, two beavers "introduced into a 2.5 acre enclosure over a weekend in Cwm Einion near Machynlleth, Powys, which conservation volunteers said was 'like Fort Knox'." Assuming the bone is chewed by beaver, and found in Wales, two hypotheses come to mind - an escape, or a bone planted in an attempt to derail the proposal to return breeding pairs of beavers to Wales. The origin of the bone itself could probably be settled by stable isotope analysis. By the way, what is the width of the pair of upper and lower incisors in the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). I am supposing that they are much to narrow to be the cause of the marks in question. Richard On 20/05/2013 18:36, WARMAN, Sylvia wrote: > Thanks for all the suggestions. > > The item was found in Wales and picked up from the ground surface. > > So it probably is modern and I'm guessing the provenance rules out some of the more exotic species. > > Thanks again > > Sylvia > > Dr Sylvia Warman | Science Advisor, London > Direct Line: 0207 973 3733 > Mobile Phone: 07881805347 > > English Heritage | 1 Waterhouse Square > 138-42 Holborn | London EC1N 2ST > www.english-heritage.org.uk<http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/> > > > This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of English Heritage unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system and notify the sender immediately. Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it. Any information sent to English Heritage may become publicly available. > > Portico: your gateway to information on sites in the National Heritage Collection; have a look and tell us what you think. > http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/archives-and-collections/portico/