Cooked Bones? Method and Practice for Identifying Bones Treated at Low Temperature

Is it possible to determine low‐temperature cooking in archaeological bones? The indirect exposure of bones to fire at low temperature (≤ 100 °C), linked to cooking, produces macroscopic modifications on these bones. These modifications have not been clearly or systematically described previously. Instead, physicochemical changes at nanometric level are only now beginning to be understood. In this paper, our principle aim is to explore new methods and techniques that correlate macroscopic features such as smoothness or light transparency with physicochemical characterization results that could aid towards detecting cooked bones in the archaeological record. This study then selected 11 archaeological samples, both human and non‐human. Bones were considered to be thermally treated or not, on the basis of macroscopic criteria. Complementary characterization techniques were used to study morphology (scanning electron microscopy and small angle X‐ray scattering), structure (X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy), local composition (energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy) and texture (gas adsorption). Indeed, fractal dimension, particle size, crystalline percentage or specific surface area may well explain some of the macroscopically observed modifications on these samples. The possibility that such apparent modifications may also be due to diagenesis is also considered. From an archaeological point of view, the results are promising. Our characterization of human and non‐human bones demonstrates that physicochemical techniques are complementary and provide good criteria against which to distinguish boiled from un‐boiled archaeological samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hallux Valgus among an 18th Century Population of the Canary Islands

Hallux valgus is defined as the lateral deviation of the great toe. It is considered a disease mainly related to the use of boots or shoes that constrict the foot. This process usually ensues along many years and is accompanied by changes at the metatarsophalangeal joint, which serve to make the diagnosis on bare bones. Diagnostic criteria include lateral deviation of the metatarsophalangeal joint (1), lateral subluxation of the first phalanx, degenerative changes of the sesamoid articular facets, and exostosis or remodelling of the medial tuberosity. Following other authors, we have defined hallux valgus as the presence of (1) and any of the other three criteria. In a series of the 18th century burials from the church La Concepción, in Tenerife, Canary Islands, we found 35 cases of hallux valgus out of the 117 cases for which necessary data for the diagnosis could be recorded (29.91%). A significant association was found between changes in the left toe and burial site near the altar, where priests and other people of the high social status were interred. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fragmentation and preservation of bird bones in uneaten food remains of the Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus

This paper presents fragmentation patterns of bird bones in uneaten food remains of the gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus. The victims' bones show a relatively low degree of fragmentation. Elements of the pectoral girdle and wing predominate while head and leg elements are poorly represented.     

殷墟H3卜辞主人“子”为太子再论证

殷墟花东H3卜辞主人“子”身份的确定是H3卜辞研究的难点,目前有9家之言,其中,“子”为沃甲之后或武丁太子——孝己的观点影响最大。本文从马克思关于人的社会属性的观点出发,以“子”活动事项为依据,结合先秦文献中有关太子职责的记载,对“子”的身份为太子做进一步论证。     

《小屯南地甲骨》缀合拾遗

本文试缀了三例《屯南》甲骨,并作了释文。     

“Numbers of individuals” in faunal analysis: the decay of fish bone in archaeological sites

Although quantifying animal remains in archaeological sites is best done by way of bone counts, there are several mechanisms that can cause distortions in the relative frequencies of different species. Some of these problems can be avoided by relatively minor modifications to standard methods, but the situation where bones have decayed since deposition cannot be controlled by methods currently in use.To overcome this a new technique is proposed. This involves comparing the relative frequencies of different anatomical elements across a number of sites, so that the extent of the dispersion of the frequencies of different bone classes at a site can be used as a guide to the extent of attrition there. This approach is illustrated by application to fish bones from sites in New Zealand.     

甲骨学发展的新总结——评《中国甲骨学》

一在甲骨文发现110周年之际,王宇信先生的新著——《中国甲骨学》问世了。该书是阐述110年来甲骨学发展历程与成就的煌煌巨著,全书分上、中、下三篇,共28章,总计90余万字。王宇信先生长期关注甲骨学的历史发展状况。他曾先后出版过两本专著———《建     

释殷墟卜辞中的“■”字——兼论“羑里”

殷墟甲骨卜辞中有一字,见于《甲骨文合集》(简称《合集》)和《殷墟花园庄东地甲骨划》[1](简称     

Childhood trauma in the archaeological record

Childhood trauma is an important class of pathology that is only occasionally discussed in the anthropological literature. As palaeopathologists, we usually analyse archaeological collections that consist of adult skeletons presenting healed injuries, with no real clues as to the timing of the associated traumatic events. We believe that with certain types of trauma, it maybe possible to determine if the injury was acquired during childhood. Clinical data show that evidence for childhood trauma is documented in unique patterns of injury that target particular bones, segments of bones, leading to changes in the orientation or alignment of bones. This presentation provides examples of two types of trauma found in an ossuary population from Ontario, Canada. On the basis of the skeletal evidence and clinical data, childhood trauma may be inferred for each example. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.