Hi, it is a benign bone cyst, if there is abscess you can se sinuses of surface and  lytic proces, sometimes fistule formation. Fistule or abscesses are rare in low limb bones. Furthermore, i think it is not neoplasm - benign bone tumors have proliferative nature.
Regards,

Oliver

On 6.11.2015 18:19, Pajx wrote:

Hi

Any kind of cyst, such as a ganglia, or a tissue encapsulated abcess (as already mentioned), or a benign neoplasm can create circular, smooth sided bone depressions without additional signs of infection - but probably more likely the first and last. Take a look with a microscope and see if you can see graduated rings - this would suggest a slow-growing neoplasm.

Pamela J Cross
PhD researcher, Zoo/Bioarchaeology
Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford,  BD7 1DP  UK
p.j.cross (at) student.bradford.ac.uk  / pajx (at) aol.com
http://www.barc.brad.ac.uk/resstud_Cross.php
http://bradford.academia.edu/PamCross

Life at the Edge  "liminality...enable[s] evolution and growth ... Boundaries and edges also characterize the dynamics of landscapes ... environments..[both intellectual and physical]." Andrews & Roberts 2012, Liminal Landscapes

-----Original Message-----
From: Burke Ariane <[log in to unmask]>
To: ZOOARCH <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Fri, Nov 6, 2015 5:38 am
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Mystery depression on a phalange

Hi Christian,
Smooth, well-defined lesions on bone are fairly typical of
long-standing, or slow-developing processes such as infection (abcess) I
believe.
Cheers,
Ariane


Dr. Ariane Burke, Professeure
Titulaire,

Universite de Montreal, Departement d'Anthropologie,

C.P. 6128,
Centre-Ville,

Montreal, QC,

Canada H3C
3J7

http://archeozoologie.anthro.umontreal.ca/


<http://archeozoologie.anthro.umontreal.ca/>

Laboratoire
d'archeologie prehistorique

Institut J.-A. Forel, Sciences de la
Terre,

Universite de Geneve

________________________________
From:
Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [[log in to unmask]] on
behalf of Christian Gates St-Pierre [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: November 6, 2015
7:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Mystery depression
on a phalange

An abcess was also my first thought, or some other kind of
pathology. But then the depression seems quite regular, with smooth surfaces,
which is odd...

Christian

Christian Gates St-Pierre, PhD
Chercheur invité
/ Invited Researcher
Département d'anthropologie
Université de
Montréal
[log in to unmask]

________________________________
De
: fiona beglane <[log in to unmask]>
À :
[log in to unmask]
Envoyé le : vendredi 6 novembre 2015 4h40
Objet : Re:
[ZOOARCH] Mystery depression on a phalange

Abcess?
Fiona

Fiona Beglane
PhD
Animal Bone Specialist
Licensed Archaeologist
Donegal, Ireland
074 97
21937
087 686 3914 (M)
Alternate email address:
[log in to unmask]
Institute of Technology,
Sligo
http://itsligo.academia.edu/fionabeglane







________________________________
From:
Charlotte Leduc <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent:
Friday, November 6, 2015 8:01 AM
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Mystery depression on a
phalange

Dear Zooarchers,

I would like to get your opinion about a mystery
"hole" on a bone.
I found a phalange from a pig  (abbaxial phalange 1) with a
small circular (very) regular) depression (not a hole in fact as the medular
cavity is not reached) on the plantar side. This depression seems to be
non-anthropic and likely occured when the animal was style alive? Have you ever
seen thing like this? Do you have any idea about what it could be?
It is from a
medieval site in eastern France.

Please find the pictures from the links
below:
or on Zoobook
(http://zooarchaeology.ning.com/forum/topics/mystery-depression-on-a-phalange)


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ybdjz1xJAbQWFqZ1ZyNWxWWVE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ybdjz1xJAbR0phaTd3Z3FwejQ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ybdjz1xJAbUHB1UV9nTjhhdms/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ybdjz1xJAbZXdsd2pndWxNYjQ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ybdjz1xJAbRE85TWtSbnJLNk0/view?usp=sharing


Thank
you very much for your help!
--
Charlotte Leduc
Archéozoologue
Inrap
Grand-Est Nord - 12 rue de Méric - 57063 Metz
UMR 8215 - Trajectoires. De la
sédentarisation à l'État.
Tél. : 03-87-16-42-15 / 07-62-01-27-69