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Intertaxonomic Variability in Patterns of Bone Density and the Differential Representation of Bovid, Cervid, and Equid Elements in the Archaeological Record

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Y. M. Lam ,
Xingbin Chen  and
O. M. Pearson
Y. M. Lam
Affiliation:
Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794–4364
Xingbin Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794–8081
O. M. Pearson
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, 2110 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
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Abstract

Intertaxonomic differences in skeletal element representation in archaeological faunas may reflect preferences in the procurement, processing, transport, and/or consumption of these species by prehistoric foragers. However, the possibility that they also may result from preservational bias must be addressed before behavioral attributes of human hunters may be inferred. For example, at many archaeological sites, the remains of equids exhibit a different pattern of skeletal element representation than those of bovids and cervids. To evaluate the significance of such differences, this study examines intertaxonomic variability in patterns of bone density, the attribute most commonly employed as a proxy measure of resistance to destructive processes. Density data derived for a bovid (Connachaetes taurinus), a cervid (Rangifer tarandus), and two species of equid (Equus burchelli and E. przewalskii) exhibited very similar patterns, suggesting that values for one species may be used to interpret the survival patterns for other species of generally similar morphology. The differences in skeletal element representation between bovid, cervid, and equid species observed in archaeological faunas do not correspond with bone density and thus likely indicate selective treatment by human or other biotic agents.

Résumé

Résumé

La variabilidad intertaxonómica en la representatión de elementos óseos arqueológicos puede reflejar preferencias en el procuramiento, procesamiento, transporte ylo consumo de estas especies por forrajeros prehistóricos. Sin embargo, esta variabilidad intertaxonómica puede también darse como resultado de la preservatión partial del material óseo. Este factor necesita ser investigado antes de intentar establecer los atributos de la conducta humana que ha dado origen a la representatión ósea en cuestión. Por ejemplo, se ha observado en varios sitios arqueológicos, que la representatión de elementos óseos de equinos es distinta a la de los bóvidos y a la de los cérvidos. Con el propósito de evaluar la importancia de este tipo de diferencias, en este trabajo se estudia la variabilidad intertaxonómica en la densidad ósea de estas especies. Este último atributo es una medida aproximada que ha sido usada con más frecuencia para estimar la resistencia ósea a los procesos destructivos. Los resultados de este estudio muestran que las observaciones de densidad ósea obtenidas para una especie de bóvido (Connachaetes taurinus), una especie de cérvido (Rangifer tarandus), y dos especies de equinos (Equus burchelli y E. przewalskii) son muy similares. Esto sugiere que los valores de densidad ósea de una especie podrían ser usados para interpretar el patrón de supervivencia ósea de otras especies que mostrasen, en general, una morfología similar. Las diferencias en la respresentación ósea observada entre especimenes arqueológicos de bóvidos, cérvidos y équidos no se relacionan con la densidad ósea, lo que indicaría conductas selectivas por parte de seres humanos u otros agentes bióticos.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 64 , Issue 2 , April 1999 , pp. 343 - 362
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1999

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