I'm having trouble with the scale but think you should try ostrich.
Good luck!
Kate Moore
Quoting [log in to unmask]:
> Dear Zooarchers: I've got a real poser of a phalanx and would greatly
> appreciate help in identifying it. The bone was excavated from a
> 2nd-century ditch at Roman Vindolanda in Northumbria, England.
> Measurements are given on two of the views (posted at Bone Commons, see
> link below).
>
> Before appealing to the List, we have extensively compared this bone and
> are certain that it is not human, although it does fairly strongly
> resemble a human toe-bone. Neither is it a bear, a big badger, or any type
> of porpoise, dolphin, seal, or manatee. Neither is it a lion, a big lynx,
> or a cheetah. It is bird-like in some ways -- particularly in the
> configuration of the proximal end, with the shallow double facets and the
> long extensor process, but it is not a swan, eagle, gyrfalcon, large owl,
> or large vulture.
>
> Could it be a tortoise? Never mind that Britain has no native tortoises --
> perhaps the Romans imported one as a trophy or as "smoked leg of
> tortoise."
>
> Here's the link to see the images -- many thanks for taking a look!
>
> http://alexandriaarchive.org/bonecommons/items/show/1830
>
>
Zooarchaeology Laboratory
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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