I would check after one summer. I have made the mistake of leaving them for too long and soil acids getting to the bones. Particularly relevant for an otter, which probably has quite a bit of fat in it (which seems to speed up the process). If it isn't ready, then that's fine: you just check it and rebury for another season.
Small items probably only need one warm season.
Try to avoid burying anything just before a cold, wet season: you will probably end up with adipocere on the bones and it's very difficult to shift. If an animal dies and becomes available during such weather, try to ensure that you can keep it somewhere warmer (eg in a container in a shed/cellar).
Nylon tights/stocking are good.
Even better if you don't want to lose bones is to bury items in plant pots. I have several containers of flower bulbs/pot plants outside my kitchen. One bird/small animal in each. They provide fertiliser for the tulips or whatever, with little chance of disturbance by dogs/coyotes. DON'T FORGET to put an indestructible and indelible marker with each one though (there speaks the voice of experience), wherever you bury it. You will still need to sieve the soil (household flour sieves are good for birds and small mammals) but if it is in a container, you know exactly what soil to sieve (in a garden or in a compost heap, if it isn't in a stocking/mesh container you can end up sieving a lot of soil to make sure you get everything)
Enjoy!
Sue
Dr Sue Stallibrass direct phone: 0151 794 5046
English Heritage Science Adviser for North West England
Department of Archaeology, ACE,
Hartley Building, Brownlow street,
University of Liverpool
LIVERPOOL
L69 3GS
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Please note that on Mondays I am in the English Heritage office in Manchester on 0161 242 1409
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-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ylva Telldahl
Sent: 17 February 2012 03:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Decay rate - otter
Hello Lanoë!
When I burried medium small and small animals such as birds, rodents,
hares and badger I actually put them in nylon stockings and it works
perfect. In that way all the small bones will be found.
Best regards,
Ylva Telldahl
On Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:14:15 +0000, Nerissa Russell <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Or, proactively, wrap it in fine plastic mesh (at least the feet) before
> burial to keep the little bones together. I tend to wrap each foot so I
> can easily keep them together and sided. Wire or twist ties work well
to
> hold the mesh on. The kind that is used as window screening in some
parts
> of the world works well.
>
> Nerissa Russell
> Associate Professor and Chair
> Department of Anthropology
> Cornell University
> Ithaca, NY 14853
> (607) 255-6790
>
> On Feb 16, 2012, at 7:43 PM, "[log in to unmask]"
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> ....but Francois, I would also add, if you bury small animals (or even
>> large animals) in dirt, you will be very fortunate to recover all of
the
>> bones. Apart from the excellent chance that dogs or coyotes may have
>> gotten to it, in my experience it is very difficult to find all of the
>> smaller skeletal elements, i.e. carpals, tarsals, tail bones, and so
>> forth.
>>
>> Therefore, when you go to dig it up, you'll be wise to have a kitchen
>> sieve on hand, or else a piece of window screen that's at least a foot
>> square. Dig with a garden trowel or even a tablespoon, and put every
bit
>> of dirt through the screen. Have a hose nearby running at low volume.
Put
>> the dirt in the screen, and put that over a bucket. Run the water over
>> the
>> dirt in the screen, gently pressing with your fingers, until all the
dirt
>> has passed through the screen, hopefully leaving bones behind.
>>
>> Do not get discouraged if this takes quite a while, many little loads
of
>> dirt. Cheers -- Dr. Deb
>>
>>
>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I burried a decaying otter (Lontra canadensis) in order to get the
bones
>>> without having to deal with the nauseous smell.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know how much time you would typically wait before organic
>>> soft tissues disappear ? One year, 2 years, ... ten years ?
>>>
>>> context: temperate environment (Iowa), clay to clayey sand, humid
>>> (flood
>>> plain, ponds closeby), abundant vegetation (birches roots, tall
>>> grasses).
>>>
>>> Thanks for your help,
>>>
>>> François
>>>
>>> François Lanoë
>>> Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>>
|
