1

SHW13 Osteological Report

Anna Bloxam 2013

Introduction

Faunal remains were identified in 11 test pits dug in Athersley, Barnsley. The remains were mostly

highly fragmentary mixed deposits, but the articulated remains of a domestic dog (Canis familiaris)

from a modern burial were also uncovered in context TP15. The mixed faunal remains will be

described here first, with a detailed analysis and discussion of the dog burial following.

Methodology

Finds of bone, bagged by spit and context, were received by the author for analysis. Following

cleaning, the faunal assemblage was assessed for identifiable fragments that could be assigned to a

species (common names given). Many identifiable skeletal elements could not be securely assigned

to any species due to their fragmentary state; these were assigned to categories by animal size. The

categories used were ‘micro’ (small rodent sized), ‘small’ (cat or dog sized), ‘medium’ (sheep/goat or

pig sized), and ‘large’ (cattle or horse sized). Individual fragments were counted to give the Number

of Identified Specimens (NISP) and the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) was assessed by

checking for duplications of skeletal elements or incompatible developmental stages within a species

in each sample. Fragments that could not be assigned to any particular animal were not given a MNI

figure. Fragments were weighed to an accuracy of 0.01g using digital scales to provide a measure of

quantity. All fragments were assessed for evidence of taphonomic or pathological changes. Any

modifications to the bone, such as evidence of butchery or burning, were recorded. The recorded

data can be found listed by context in Appendix 1.

The dog skeleton was assessed separately from the mixed faunal assemblage, as it represents an

intentional deposition of a ‘known individual’ (known to have been called ‘Chippy’) rather than food

remains or other domestic refuse. A skeletal inventory was first taken of the remains to assess the

level of completeness and any patterning to the elements present.

The sex of the individual was established due to the presence of a baculum, but was also assessed

through observation of elements of cranial morphology including the basioccipital (following The &

Trouth, 1976 and Trouth et al. 1977). The age of the individual was assessed through observation of

dental wear and age-related degeneration. All cranial sutures and epiphyses were fully fused,

indicating the individual was an adult.

2

The withers (shoulder) height of the individual was assessed following the methods of Harcourt

(1974). This paper was also followed for the measurements taken of the skeleton and in the

calculation of a number of indices to qualitatively describe the skull and limb bones; the

measurements and indices are detailed in Appendix 2. Measurements were taken using digital

sliding calipers to an accuracy of 0.1mm and, where elements were too large for this, using an

osteometric board to an accuracy of 1mm.

A variety of pathological changes were observed to the skeleton; these are described in terms of

their appearance and an assessment of their probable impact on the individual in life is made.

The Mixed Faunal Assemblage

Elements and Species Present

A variety of domestic and wild species were represented in small quantities within the sample,

including sheep/goat, cattle, probable deer, dog or cat, domestic bird, and rat, as well as various

unidentified small- and medium-sized mammals. Most test pits contained several bone fragments

belonging to multiple species. In no context was the MNI ever greater than 1. This suggests that the

remains are from small domestic contexts and the locations were not used as refuse sites over

extended periods of time. The skeletal elements identified came from across the body, with

dentition and fragments of long bone, phalanges, ribs and pelvis being identified. Mature and

immature individuals were identified, with all teeth identified being well worn. Fragments of rib

belonging to a large cat or small dog were identified in TP15, suggesting that Chippy may not have

been the only pet to be buried in that location.

Taphonomic changes

Much of the bone was highly fragmentary, with some being heavily weathered, making species

identification or assessment or surface features difficult.

Contexts TP5 and TP6 both contained fragments of burned bone, though in both cases not all the

bone present had been exposed to high temperatures, suggesting more than one deposition event

was represented in each. The burned bone in each context indicated variable temperature exposure,

with some fragments white and calcined and others charred black or red (figure 1). No charcoal or

ash was included with the bone samples for analysis, but the mixed and fragmentary nature of these

deposits and their exposure to varying temperatures is suggestive of built-up domestic cooking

refuse.

3

Evidence for butchery was found on several fragments across four contexts (Test pits 2, 6, 15, 26).

These were primarily cut-marks, though evidence of chopping was also observed (figure 2).

Figure 1 – burned fragments of bone from contexts TP5 (left) and TP6 (right).

Figure 2 – Left: Cut mark to the midshaft of a long bone, possibly deer humerus, from TP2. Right: Rib fragment belonging to a ‘large’ mammal with chop mark across vertebral end (TP26).

4

The Dog Burial

Completeness and Preservation

The skeleton was around 50% complete, with elements present being primarily from the skull and

forelimbs (table 1). The elements present were largely complete and in a good state of preservation,

in contrast with the bones from the mixed assemblage, which were fragmentary and poorly

preserved. The feet (manus and pes) were nearly complete, with the small phalanges and

metacarpals/metatarsals being largely present and intact. The minimal weathering and the presence

of these small elements suggests that the burial was of a complete animal and that the remainder of

the skeleton may be absent due to sampling bias (i.e. they may have been outside the area of the

test pit). The marked contrast between the bones of this burial and other bones from the same

context also suggest that the burial is relatively recent and/or that some form of protective covering

was provided at burial.

Table 1 – The skeletal inventory for the dog burial from TP15, showing the elements present, how complete each of these were, and any comments about their appearance.

Element

Presence and % Complete Comments

Left Right

Skull 90+

Damaged zygomatic arches, fragments of frontal/maxilla and basicranial elements absent. Maxillary dentition complete.

Mandible 100 100 Dentition complete

Clavicle x x

Scapula x 50 Blade fragmentary

Humerus 100 100 Left notably more robust

Ulna 100 100 Right radius & ulna fused due to malunited fracture; multiple pathological changes to the limb Radius 100 100

Carpals 7 of 14 2 x scaphoid, lunate; 1 x pisiform, capitate, trapezium

Metacarpals 8 of 10

Os Coxa x x

Baculum 50

Femur x x

Tibia x 100

Fibula x 90+ Proximal articular surface absent

Patella x x

Tarsals 5 of 14 1 x calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, 3rd

cuneiform

Metatarsals 7 of 8 +1 fragment

Cervical vertebrae 5 of 7 First 5 vertebrae (including atlas & axis)

Thoracic vertebrae 0 of 13

Lumbar vertebrae 0 of 7

Coccygeal vertebrae x

Sacrum x

Sternum x

Ribs 5 of 13 4 of 13 + 16 x unsided rib fragments

Proximal phalanges 16 of 18

Int. phalanges 16 of 16

Distal phalanges 4 of 18

5

The maxillary and mandibular dentition were both complete, with an additional maxillary first

premolar being present (table 2). These teeth are very small and the presence of a second one

would have had little or no impact on the individual. All teeth were moderately worn, with the

pattern of wear being even across them, suggesting that the wear was due to ‘normal’ chewing

activity. Dental calculus was present on the buccal (cheek-facing) side of the right maxillary canine

and in very small amounts on the lingual (tongue-facing) side of the mandibular right canine and

second premolar and left first and second premolars (figure 3). No caries or abscesses were present.

Table 2 – The dental inventory of the dog burial from TP15. Top half: maxilla, Bottom half: mandible. A tick indicates the tooth was present in the jaw; all teeth were present.

Right Left

- M2 M1 P4 P3 P2 P1 C I3 I2 I1 I1 I2 I3 C P1 P2 P3 P4 M1 M2 -

M3 M2 M1 P4 P3 P2 P1 C I3 I2 I1 I1 I2 I3 C P1 P2 P3 P4 M1 M2 M3

Measurements and Indices

Measurements taken following Harcourt (1974) and indices calculated from these are shown in table

3. The Snout Index (SI) and Snout Width Index (SWI) were calculated to indicate snout shape; the

cranial index could not be calculated because the zygomatic arches were incomplete. The Mid-Shaft

Diameter Index (MSDI) was calculated for the humeri to indicate limb robusticity.

Figure 3 – Calculus deposit on the right maxillary canine of the dog from TP15

6

Table 3 – Measurements taken and indices calculated from these for the dog burial from TP15, following Harcourt (1974)

I II III IV IX X XI XII XV

Length (mm) 206.62 125.57 80.84 - 98.75 50.07 68.26 39.16 76.78

SI SWI MSDI

Index value 38.95 48.66 L: 11.22, R: 10.08

Pathology

A number of pathological changes were observed to the skeleton, the most severe being those

affecting the right forelimb. The radius shows evidence of a severe oblique fracture approximately at

the mid-shaft level (figure 4). This fracture is clearly very old as it has healed completely, with

extensive remodelling taking place around the bone. This remodelling has fused the radius and ulna

together, and is probably the result of the limb being held in a cast for an extended period of time.

The overlapping sections of bone resulted in the right forelimb being notably shorter than the left.

Though the bone had healed, there is evidence that the use of this limb was permanently affected.

The coronoid process and trochlear notch of the ulna have been displaced, and a pseudoarthrosis

(false joint) has been formed from the head of the radius. This area is not designed to be a mobile

joint surface, and eburnation (deep grooves) to the side of the olecranon process of the ulna and the

trochlea of the humerus indicate that the cartilage around the elbow joint had been worn away,

resulting in bone rubbing together during movement (figure 5). This would have made the limb

painful to use.

Figure 4 – The right radius and ulna of the dog burial from TP15. The two bones are fused together by an extensive bone plaque formed during remodelling following an oblique fracture to the midshaft of the radius.

7

There is osteophytic growth around the distal articular surface of the right humerus as a result of the

continued wear to it. The Mid-shaft Diameter Index of the right humerus is lower than the left,

indicating that the right humerus was less robust. This is consistent with the right forelimb being less

actively used than the left, with the left limb having to become more robust to take more of the

animal’s weight. The left forelimb has a small amount of osteophytic growth at each of the joint

surfaces, which may be associated with its increased usage. Likewise, there is a small amount of

osteophtic growth to several proximal phalanges. There are minimal osteophytic changes to the

glenoid fossa of the right scapula or the right humeral head, indicating that the shoulder joint of the

right limb was relatively unaffected and the main problems were confined to the elbow.

The second area showing significant pathological changes is the skull, with deposits of periosteal

new bone (PNB) being present around the rims of both orbits (figure 6), on the left frontal (the right

is absent) and the occipital, along the zygomatic arches, in both auditory canals, and along the

alveolar bone of the mandible (figure 7). PNB formation is caused by the inflammation of the

periosteum surrounding the bone as a result of trauma or infection (White & Folkens, 2005: 318).

The absence of any signs of trauma to the area and the bilateral spread across the cranium suggest

that the cause was infection rather than trauma. The rough appearance of the bone indicates that

the infection was active at the time of death and had not healed. The spread across the cranium

indicates that both eyes, both ears, and the gums of the lower jaw of the individual were affected by

the infection.

Figure 5 – The pseudoarthrosis formed from the head of the radius and the trochlar notch of the ulna on the right forelimb of the dog burial from TP15. The grooves (arrowed) are eburnation caused by friction between bones; the ‘lumps’ are areas of osteophytic growth.

8

Figure 6 – Periosteal new bone formation around the left orbit of the dog burial from TP15

Figure 7 – Periosteal new bone formation on the left mandible of the dog burial from TP15.

9

Age

All epiphyses were fully fused indicating the long bones had stopped growing, and cranial sutures

were fully fused, indicating the individual was fully mature at the time of death. The teeth are

moderately worn, with the cusps being blunted, but the crowns are still high (figure 8). Rates of wear

vary greatly between individuals depending on factors such as differences in diet and whether they

habitually chew other non-food items, making tooth wear an unreliable indicator of age. The lack of

any age-related degeneration (all degeneration appears to be secondary to trauma) suggests that

the individual was not very old at the time of death. As such, the individual is best described as

simply an ‘adult’.

Sex

The presence of a baculum (Os penis) indicates that the individual was male. The shape of the base

of the skull also suggests a male individual.

Stature

The height of a dog is assessed by estimating the height of its withers (shoulders) through measuring

the length of the long bones in its limbs. The measurements taken are shown in table 4. There is a

clear difference between the length of the left and right forelimbs, with the left radius being 15mm

longer than the right. If the individual’s other limb bones were healthy, it could be anticipated that

they would produce a similar height estimate to those from the healthy limbs here, being around

50cm. This is about the same height as a border collie or a springer spaniel (Kennel Club, 2013).

Table 4 – The length of long bones measured in mm and the height estimate each produces using the formulae of Harcourt (1974).

Humerus Radius Ulna

Humerus + Radius

Femur Tibia Femur +Tibia

R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

Length (mm)

154 151 143 158 173 183 297 308 - - 170 - - -

Height Estimate (cm)

50.2 49.1 47.4 52.2 48.7 51.5 48.6 50.3 - - 50.6 - - -

Figure 8 – Attritional wear to the mandibular dentition of the dog burial from TP15

10

References

Harcourt, R.A. 1974. The dog in prehistoric and early Britain. Journal of Archaeological Science 1:

151-75

Kennel Club Limited, The. 2013. Breed Information Centre (Online)

[Accessed 30/11/13]

[Available at: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/Default.aspx]

The, T.L. and Trouth, C.O. 1976. Sexual dimorphism in the basilar part of the occipital bone of the

dog (Canis familiaris). Acta Anatomica 95: 565–71

Trouth, C.O., Winter, S., Gupta, K.C., Millis, R.M. and Holloway, J.A. 1977. Analysis of the sexual

dimorphism in the basioccipital portion of the dog’s skull. Acta Anatomica 98: 469–73

White, T.D. and Folkens, P.A. 2005. The Human Bone Manual. London: Elsevier

11

Appendix 1

Faunal remains by context

Context Animal Elements Weight(g) NISP MNI Comments

TP2 Deer? Incisor; Humerus shaft frag.

15.9 2 1 Cut mark transverse across shaft

TP2 Medium Vertebral frag. 0.9 1

TP5 Small and medium

Unknown 9.2 13 Burned (calcined and scorched); cut marks

TP6 Sheep/goat Cheek teeth 9.5 2 1

TP6 Rat Femur, rib 0.3 2 1

TP6 Dog? radial shaft fragment; carpal

2 1 Carpal scorched, radius unburned

TP6 Small Phalanx 0.3 1 Immature

TP6 Medium Unknown 22.2 23 19 fragment burned (calcined and scorched); cut marks

TP7 Medium Ribs & long bones 9.3 5 Heavily weathered, root action

TP13 Cattle Pelvic fragment (acetabulum)

17.0 1 1 Weathered, root action

TP13 Sheep/goat Tooth 1.3 1 1 Worn

TP14 Large Unknown 5.3 1 1 Heavily weathered

TP15 Cat/Dog Rib fragments 1.0 4 1 Heavily weathered

TP15 Rat? Small animal limb bones

0.6 6 1

TP15 Sheep/goat Tooth 1.3 1 1 Worn, fragmentary

TP15 Medium Phalanges 2.2 5 Immature

TP15 Medium Unknown 17.6 9 Butchery marks

TP15 Small and Medium

Rib fragments 4.2 24

TP16 Bird- goose? Humerus 2.8 2 1 Weathered

TP17 Medium Unknown 4.8 3

TP18 Sheep/goat Rib fragments 4.8 2 1

TP25 Rat Mandible 0.3 1 1 Adult, worn teeth

TP25 Unknown Unknown 1.0 2

TP26 Large Rib fragment 0.8 1 Butchered

TP32 Unknown Unknown 2.1 2 Weathered

12

Appendix 2

The measurements and indices of Harcourt (1974).

Measurement Definition

I The most posterior aspect of the occipital protuberance to the anterior margin of the medial incisor alveoli between the central incisors (alveolare).

II Occipital protuberance to junction of nasal and frontal bones (nasion)

III Nasion to alveolare.

IV Zygomatic width (maximum).

IX Palatal length.

X Palatal width between PM4 and Ml.

XI Maxillary cheek tooth row length.

XII Snout width across the outer margins of the alveoli of the canines.

XV Mandibular cheek tooth row length.

Index Calculation Indicates

Cephalic Index IV x 100 / I Width of the skull relative to its length

Snout Index III x 100 / I Length of the snout relative to that of the whole head

Snout Width Index XII x 100 / III Width of the muzzle relative to the length of the nose

Mid-Shaft Diameter Index MSD x 100 / Length ‘Stoutness’ of the bone