Dear All, Thank you for all the goodadvice. I have added a few more pictures (sharper ones) including ones of theocclusal surfaces of the teeth and a picture of the well preserved hypocaustwhere it was found in one of it's heating canalsIndeed I'm a bit more infavour of the theory with the mineral (iron dioxide of manganese) on the bonesand teeth. And I have found some of this mineral depositions in other pits ofthis excavation. However these bones where extremely covered with mineralscompared with the rest of the bones found.
Particularly the location of the bones, in a heating canal of the hypocaust gotme wondering. Once more thank you all forthe good advise and for the literature on burning. This is exactly why I lovethis list so much. Kind regards
Emmy Nijssen
Belgium
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 10:44 PM, "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Emmy
It doesn't look like charred bone to me. The black seems to have flaked off the bone in places, whereas charring decreases with depth, but does not form a discrete layer.
Mineral deposition looks more likely to me. Manganese and iron are frequently deposited on teeth, with greater intensity on teeth than on the surrounding bone.
Here is some useful reading on an archaeological, human example:
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/janthro/2014/859153/
Richard
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From: "Emmy Nijssen" <[log in to unmask]>
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Sent:Mon, 12 Dec 2016 22:20:43 +0000
Subject:[ZOOARCH] bruned or miniral stained Roman Cattle
Dear Zooarchs,
I have come upon a context of roman bones found in a hypocaust canal.
The majority of the bones are from cattle (sub adult). Normaly these stains I would say that it are post-depositional miniralisation on the bones. However since this is a context conected with fire and since some of the few scheep bones found in the context are burned. I started doutbting. Especially since mainly the crown of the teeth seem to be blackend, not the parts where the gum usually is to be found.
In addition I can say that the bones are less well prserved than the rest oh the context found in and near the hyposaust. But they are more complete (individual bones) than the rest.
So if anyone has suggestions, or has come across a similar context. Don't hasitate to let me know.
Pictures can be found on zoobook.
http://zooarchaeology.ning.com/photo/albums/burned-or-miniralisation-on-hypocaust-bones
Kind regards
Emmy Nijssen
