This study reports the discovery of a fossilized left scapula of the extinct Miocene seal Cryptophoca maeotica within Hellenistic layers of Panticapaeum, an ancient Greek city on the Kerch Peninsula, Crimea. Excavated from a 4th-century ad water cistern repurposed as a refuse deposit, the scapula represents a rare instance of fossil remains in an urban archaeological context. Morphological and biometric analyses, supported by the region's Miocene geological context, confirmed the species identification. The absence of human modification suggests that it was probably not used as a tool or ritual object. The find indicates that Hellenistic communities in Panticapaeum, a key center of the Bosporan Kingdom, may have collected such fossils as curiosities or symbolic items, reflecting engagement with the region's paleontological heritage. This discovery underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches to studying ancient human–fossil interactions.
{"title":"On the Discovery of a Fossil Seal Scapula in Ancient Panticapaeum (Crimean Peninsula)","authors":"A. V. Zinoviev","doi":"10.1002/oa.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study reports the discovery of a fossilized left scapula of the extinct Miocene seal <i>Cryptophoca maeotica</i> within Hellenistic layers of Panticapaeum, an ancient Greek city on the Kerch Peninsula, Crimea. Excavated from a 4th-century <span>ad</span> water cistern repurposed as a refuse deposit, the scapula represents a rare instance of fossil remains in an urban archaeological context. Morphological and biometric analyses, supported by the region's Miocene geological context, confirmed the species identification. The absence of human modification suggests that it was probably not used as a tool or ritual object. The find indicates that Hellenistic communities in Panticapaeum, a key center of the Bosporan Kingdom, may have collected such fossils as curiosities or symbolic items, reflecting engagement with the region's paleontological heritage. This discovery underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches to studying ancient human–fossil interactions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 4","pages":"33-36"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p>Breslawski et al. (<span>2020</span>) estimated seasons of death for foetal bison (<i>Bison antiquus</i>) at two early Holocene archaeological sites in North America: Casper and Horner II. These estimates were based on growth rates and gestation ages derived from the antero-posterior depth (APD) values of foetal bison long bone diaphyses. Breslawski et al. assessed each site based on APD values originally published by Wilson (<span>1974</span>, 150) for Casper and Todd (<span>1987a</span>, 133) for Horner II, confirming that the Casper foetal bone is inconsistent with previously hypothesized fall mortality and the Horner II foetal bone is consistent with previously hypothesized late-fall or early-winter mortality. Following this finding, present author Wilson identified a discrepancy in the APD measurement procedure used by Breslawski et al. (<span>2020</span>) versus Wilson (<span>1974</span>) and Todd (<span>1987a</span>). Given this discrepancy, both present authors agreed that Breslawski et al. must be updated, and we therefore chose to collaborate on a note that explores and resolves the issue. In the course of this work, we also updated the foetal age estimation method to inform users whether a measured specimen may be neonatal rather than foetal, as is detailed at the end of this comment.</p><p>The measurement discrepancy arose due to author Breslawski misreading the original APD measurement procedure outlined by Todd (<span>1987b</span>); to avert future confusion, we reiterate that procedure here. Todd's procedure requires that the minimum medio-lateral diaphysis breadth is first measured. The caliper jaws are then rotated at that anatomical breadth location until they rest on the anterior and posterior aspects of the specimen, providing an APD value at the same place on the shaft. Coincident locations for breadth and APD allow cross-sectional area to be roughly estimated from a modeled ellipse. They were also defined such that measurements are taken near the midshaft, as far as possible from the more complex articular stress environments that characterize each end. Although postnatal stresses will be much greater, foetal limb movements and associated stresses must already influence bone morphology in utero. The initial APD landmark location was defined at the point of minimum breadth to ease replicability, because terminal damage usually prevents a true element-midpoint from being located. Going forward, we refer to this APD dimension as APDminBR.</p><p>Todd provided APD dimension codes for the humerus (HM10), radius (RD6), femur (FM17), and tibia (TA9). For the single Horner II humerus, Todd (<span>1987a</span>, 133) indicated that dimension HM13 [sic: HM10 was intended] was for the “minimum antero-posterior diameter of the diaphysis,” though a clearer description would be “antero-posterior diameter at the point of midshaft minimum breadth.” In describing the foetal bison metrics for Casper, Wilson (<span>1974</span>, 151) stated th
{"title":"Comment, Correction, and New Findings for “Foetal Bison Long Bones and Mortality Season Estimates at the Early Holocene Casper and Horner II Sites, North America”, by Ryan P. Breslawski, Tomasin Playford, and Christopher M. Johnston (2020), International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, Vol 30, 425–434","authors":"Ryan P. Breslawski, Michael C. Wilson","doi":"10.1002/oa.70000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70000","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Breslawski et al. (<span>2020</span>) estimated seasons of death for foetal bison (<i>Bison antiquus</i>) at two early Holocene archaeological sites in North America: Casper and Horner II. These estimates were based on growth rates and gestation ages derived from the antero-posterior depth (APD) values of foetal bison long bone diaphyses. Breslawski et al. assessed each site based on APD values originally published by Wilson (<span>1974</span>, 150) for Casper and Todd (<span>1987a</span>, 133) for Horner II, confirming that the Casper foetal bone is inconsistent with previously hypothesized fall mortality and the Horner II foetal bone is consistent with previously hypothesized late-fall or early-winter mortality. Following this finding, present author Wilson identified a discrepancy in the APD measurement procedure used by Breslawski et al. (<span>2020</span>) versus Wilson (<span>1974</span>) and Todd (<span>1987a</span>). Given this discrepancy, both present authors agreed that Breslawski et al. must be updated, and we therefore chose to collaborate on a note that explores and resolves the issue. In the course of this work, we also updated the foetal age estimation method to inform users whether a measured specimen may be neonatal rather than foetal, as is detailed at the end of this comment.</p><p>The measurement discrepancy arose due to author Breslawski misreading the original APD measurement procedure outlined by Todd (<span>1987b</span>); to avert future confusion, we reiterate that procedure here. Todd's procedure requires that the minimum medio-lateral diaphysis breadth is first measured. The caliper jaws are then rotated at that anatomical breadth location until they rest on the anterior and posterior aspects of the specimen, providing an APD value at the same place on the shaft. Coincident locations for breadth and APD allow cross-sectional area to be roughly estimated from a modeled ellipse. They were also defined such that measurements are taken near the midshaft, as far as possible from the more complex articular stress environments that characterize each end. Although postnatal stresses will be much greater, foetal limb movements and associated stresses must already influence bone morphology in utero. The initial APD landmark location was defined at the point of minimum breadth to ease replicability, because terminal damage usually prevents a true element-midpoint from being located. Going forward, we refer to this APD dimension as APDminBR.</p><p>Todd provided APD dimension codes for the humerus (HM10), radius (RD6), femur (FM17), and tibia (TA9). For the single Horner II humerus, Todd (<span>1987a</span>, 133) indicated that dimension HM13 [sic: HM10 was intended] was for the “minimum antero-posterior diameter of the diaphysis,” though a clearer description would be “antero-posterior diameter at the point of midshaft minimum breadth.” In describing the foetal bison metrics for Casper, Wilson (<span>1974</span>, 151) stated th","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 4","pages":"29-32"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70000","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The investigation of activity patterns has consistently been a significant objective in bioarchaeological research. As distinct skeletal markers, entheseal changes (ECs) have been extensively used to reconstruct the habitual behaviors of ancient populations. In this study, we conducted an analysis to identify differences in physical activity between sexes and across two distinct socioeconomic groups at the Jiaojia site (ca. 2911–2491 b.c.) during the late Neolithic period in eastern China. This analysis was based on data obtained through the Coimbra method from eight entheses. The findings derived from the ECs support the existence of a sexual division of labor. Comparison between those from different socioeconomic backgrounds did not show a statistically significant difference in ECs data, suggesting that they engaged in physical activities with comparable intensity. These results imply that daily life may be structured around patterns of routine labor. However, the interpretation of EC data must be approached with caution and should be supplemented by further theoretical and methodological research to accurately reconstruct habitual activities.
{"title":"Exploring Division of Labor at the Jiaojia Site in the Late Neolithic Period, Eastern China Using Entheseal Changes as Proxy","authors":"Yueming Niu, Wen Zeng, Zhangqiaochu Yang, Fen Wang, Yongsheng Zhao","doi":"10.1002/oa.3417","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3417","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The investigation of activity patterns has consistently been a significant objective in bioarchaeological research. As distinct skeletal markers, entheseal changes (ECs) have been extensively used to reconstruct the habitual behaviors of ancient populations. In this study, we conducted an analysis to identify differences in physical activity between sexes and across two distinct socioeconomic groups at the Jiaojia site (ca. 2911–2491 <span>b.c</span>.) during the late Neolithic period in eastern China. This analysis was based on data obtained through the Coimbra method from eight entheses. The findings derived from the ECs support the existence of a sexual division of labor. Comparison between those from different socioeconomic backgrounds did not show a statistically significant difference in ECs data, suggesting that they engaged in physical activities with comparable intensity. These results imply that daily life may be structured around patterns of routine labor. However, the interpretation of EC data must be approached with caution and should be supplemented by further theoretical and methodological research to accurately reconstruct habitual activities.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 4","pages":"19-28"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ulla Nordfors, Alžběta Danielisová, Heli Etu-Sihvola, Lukáš Ackerman, Kristiina Mannermaa, Laura Arppe
We used stable (δ18O) and radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr) isotopic proxies to investigate the origins of dogs (Canis familiaris) buried in Viking Age graves at Luistari, Finland. While all 13 dogs exhibited oxygen isotope values compatible with local surface waters, 87Sr/86Sr ratios for two of the four dogs analyzed (graves 289 and 480) were compatible with a likely origin in southern Scandinavia. The findings align with previous evidence of the mobility of Viking Age dogs. The results highlight the importance of dogs in trade, exchange and social networks between communities in southwestern Finland and the Baltic Sea coastline during the Viking Age.
{"title":"The Origins of Viking Age Dogs in Luistari, Eura, Finland","authors":"Ulla Nordfors, Alžběta Danielisová, Heli Etu-Sihvola, Lukáš Ackerman, Kristiina Mannermaa, Laura Arppe","doi":"10.1002/oa.3419","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3419","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We used stable (δ<sup>18</sup>O) and radiogenic (<sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr) isotopic proxies to investigate the origins of dogs (Canis familiaris) buried in Viking Age graves at Luistari, Finland. While all 13 dogs exhibited oxygen isotope values compatible with local surface waters, <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr ratios for two of the four dogs analyzed (graves 289 and 480) were compatible with a likely origin in southern Scandinavia. The findings align with previous evidence of the mobility of Viking Age dogs. The results highlight the importance of dogs in trade, exchange and social networks between communities in southwestern Finland and the Baltic Sea coastline during the Viking Age.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 4","pages":"13-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3419","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p>The hard parts of animals that commonly preserve on archaeological sites can inform on the diets of past human communities (Egeland <span>2018</span>). Beyond understanding of general sustenance, food can be a symbol of cultural identity and expression and can reveal diverse ways in which communities interact with their environment and each other (Messer <span>1984</span>). Zooarchaeological studies of taxonomic abundance, skeletal part representation, taphonomy, demography, and context can provide detailed insights on food production, preparation, and consumption, as well as sometimes associations of status and social access to a resource (Twiss <span>2012</span>). In this issue, Valenzuela (<span>2025</span>) critically analyses a unique assemblage that brings fresh light to the diversity of social contexts for the consumption of thrushes in Roman Europe.</p><p>The assemblage derives from a cesspit associated with a food shop (<i>taberna</i>) in the Roman city of Pollentia on Mallorca (Valenzuela <span>2025</span>). Thrushes are the most abundant birds amongst the assemblage recovered. Osteometrical analysis reveals the song thrush (<i>Turdus philomelos</i>) as the most likely species match for the archaeological material (Figure 1), although other thrush species could also be present. With its archaeological context, the analysis of skeletal representation and taphonomy also supports a commercial kitchen waste disposal interpretation. Valenzuela argues that the thrush assemblage aligns well with the expectations of a food retail assemblage, for example, with the removal of the sternum to flatten the birds and enable rapid cooking for fast street food.</p><p>The study also argues that the migration of song thrushes in large numbers to Mallorca in the winter months would have made wild bird exploitation a predictable seasonal resource. This indicates an example of the adaptability of urban food economies and communities and how they may have exploited the local ecosystem to make cities more sustainable for themselves, as is known from contemporary contexts (Bharucha and Pretty <span>2010</span>; Garekae and Shackleton <span>2020</span>). It also adds an original case study of wild-caught foods to our understanding of the diversity of products sold by urban retailers (Ellis <span>2018</span>, 228–239) and the wider patterns of Roman food production (Kron <span>2012</span>).</p><p>As Valenzuela outlines, scholarship has traditionally linked thrushes with the upper echelons of Roman society, due to descriptions in classical sources of them as a delicacy consumed by elites: a picture challenged by the Pollentia evidence. Beyond the rich details of the case study itself, this meticulous analysis is an excellent example of how archaeology can help illuminate the lives of non-elites (e.g., Carroll <span>2000</span>) and combine with historical sources to reveal wider and more representative patterns of past behaviors.</p><p>The authors declare no co
{"title":"Who Ate All the Thrushes? Roman Urban Street Food Consumers as well as Elites","authors":"Robin Bendrey, Piers D. Mitchell","doi":"10.1002/oa.3418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3418","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The hard parts of animals that commonly preserve on archaeological sites can inform on the diets of past human communities (Egeland <span>2018</span>). Beyond understanding of general sustenance, food can be a symbol of cultural identity and expression and can reveal diverse ways in which communities interact with their environment and each other (Messer <span>1984</span>). Zooarchaeological studies of taxonomic abundance, skeletal part representation, taphonomy, demography, and context can provide detailed insights on food production, preparation, and consumption, as well as sometimes associations of status and social access to a resource (Twiss <span>2012</span>). In this issue, Valenzuela (<span>2025</span>) critically analyses a unique assemblage that brings fresh light to the diversity of social contexts for the consumption of thrushes in Roman Europe.</p><p>The assemblage derives from a cesspit associated with a food shop (<i>taberna</i>) in the Roman city of Pollentia on Mallorca (Valenzuela <span>2025</span>). Thrushes are the most abundant birds amongst the assemblage recovered. Osteometrical analysis reveals the song thrush (<i>Turdus philomelos</i>) as the most likely species match for the archaeological material (Figure 1), although other thrush species could also be present. With its archaeological context, the analysis of skeletal representation and taphonomy also supports a commercial kitchen waste disposal interpretation. Valenzuela argues that the thrush assemblage aligns well with the expectations of a food retail assemblage, for example, with the removal of the sternum to flatten the birds and enable rapid cooking for fast street food.</p><p>The study also argues that the migration of song thrushes in large numbers to Mallorca in the winter months would have made wild bird exploitation a predictable seasonal resource. This indicates an example of the adaptability of urban food economies and communities and how they may have exploited the local ecosystem to make cities more sustainable for themselves, as is known from contemporary contexts (Bharucha and Pretty <span>2010</span>; Garekae and Shackleton <span>2020</span>). It also adds an original case study of wild-caught foods to our understanding of the diversity of products sold by urban retailers (Ellis <span>2018</span>, 228–239) and the wider patterns of Roman food production (Kron <span>2012</span>).</p><p>As Valenzuela outlines, scholarship has traditionally linked thrushes with the upper echelons of Roman society, due to descriptions in classical sources of them as a delicacy consumed by elites: a picture challenged by the Pollentia evidence. Beyond the rich details of the case study itself, this meticulous analysis is an excellent example of how archaeology can help illuminate the lives of non-elites (e.g., Carroll <span>2000</span>) and combine with historical sources to reveal wider and more representative patterns of past behaviors.</p><p>The authors declare no co","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3418","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this paper, we present 13 pathologically changed animal bones from cattle, caprines, pig, and domestic chicken, which were recognized among 1341 identifiable remains in the recently studied late medieval (first part of the 16th century) and Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Period (from the second part of the 16th to the beginning of the 18th century) assemblages found in the castle of Dombóvár-Gólyavár in Southern Hungary, a site turned from an aristocratic residence into a Turkish fortress by the Ottoman occupation. The pig remains with anomalies represent important findings since the eating of pork was minimal or avoided at the places inhabited by Muslims.
The pathologically changed bones were studied macroscopically and microscopically alike. Healed fractures represented the most frequent type of lesions, suggesting that animals were cared for either to achieve the optimal size for slaughter (e.g., cattle and pigs) or for secondary exploitation such as cockfighting. Other diseases such as uneven tooth wear, arthropathy, nonspecific infection, and bowed bones occurred sporadically in the bone material. A bone from caprines reflected age-related disorder, a result which was consistent with the age structure of sheep and goats suggesting the exploitation of these small ruminants for a longer time than cattle and pig.
Our results were interpreted within the context of other coeval bone materials originating from both Buda, the former capital of Hungary, and fortifications located in the northern and southern periphery of the country alike. They indicated that certain features such as the age and sex of animals, the species composition of the assemblages, as well as the rank and location of sites, might greatly define the frequency and nature of displayed lesions on the animal remains.
{"title":"Bone Diseases as Indicators of Animal Health in the Early Modern Age Assemblage From the Castle of Dombóvár-Gólyavár in Context With Other Coeval Cases From Hungary","authors":"Erika Gál, Adrián Berta","doi":"10.1002/oa.3412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3412","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this paper, we present 13 pathologically changed animal bones from cattle, caprines, pig, and domestic chicken, which were recognized among 1341 identifiable remains in the recently studied late medieval (first part of the 16th century) and Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Period (from the second part of the 16th to the beginning of the 18th century) assemblages found in the castle of Dombóvár-Gólyavár in Southern Hungary, a site turned from an aristocratic residence into a Turkish fortress by the Ottoman occupation. The pig remains with anomalies represent important findings since the eating of pork was minimal or avoided at the places inhabited by Muslims.</p>\u0000 <p>The pathologically changed bones were studied macroscopically and microscopically alike. Healed fractures represented the most frequent type of lesions, suggesting that animals were cared for either to achieve the optimal size for slaughter (e.g., cattle and pigs) or for secondary exploitation such as cockfighting. Other diseases such as uneven tooth wear, arthropathy, nonspecific infection, and bowed bones occurred sporadically in the bone material. A bone from caprines reflected age-related disorder, a result which was consistent with the age structure of sheep and goats suggesting the exploitation of these small ruminants for a longer time than cattle and pig.</p>\u0000 <p>Our results were interpreted within the context of other coeval bone materials originating from both Buda, the former capital of Hungary, and fortifications located in the northern and southern periphery of the country alike. They indicated that certain features such as the age and sex of animals, the species composition of the assemblages, as well as the rank and location of sites, might greatly define the frequency and nature of displayed lesions on the animal remains.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the Roman city of Pollentia (Mallorca, Western Mediterranean), an exceptional zooarchaeological assemblage was recovered from a cesspit dated between the first century BC and the first century ad. The structure, situated in a commercial area adjacent to the forum, was connected to a food shop (taberna) via an underground drainage system used for waste disposal. The faunal remains from the cesspit include mammals, fish, reptiles, and birds, with song thrushes (Turdus cf. philomelos) constituting the most abundant avian species. The unique depositional context and zooarchaeological indicators, such as skeletal part representation, provide valuable insights into the preparation and consumption of these small birds. This evidence suggests that thrushes were commonly sold and consumed in Roman urban spaces, challenging the prevailing notion based on written sources that thrushes were exclusively a luxury food item for elite banquets. The study offers new perspectives on the role of street food and everyday culinary practices in the Roman Mediterranean.
{"title":"Urban Consumption of Thrushes in the Early Roman City of Pollentia, Mallorca (Spain)","authors":"Alejandro Valenzuela","doi":"10.1002/oa.3416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3416","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In the Roman city of Pollentia (Mallorca, Western Mediterranean), an exceptional zooarchaeological assemblage was recovered from a cesspit dated between the first century <span>BC</span> and the first century <span>ad</span>. The structure, situated in a commercial area adjacent to the forum, was connected to a food shop (<i>taberna</i>) via an underground drainage system used for waste disposal. The faunal remains from the cesspit include mammals, fish, reptiles, and birds, with song thrushes (<i>Turdus</i> cf. <i>philomelos</i>) constituting the most abundant avian species. The unique depositional context and zooarchaeological indicators, such as skeletal part representation, provide valuable insights into the preparation and consumption of these small birds. This evidence suggests that thrushes were commonly sold and consumed in Roman urban spaces, challenging the prevailing notion based on written sources that thrushes were exclusively a luxury food item for elite banquets. The study offers new perspectives on the role of street food and everyday culinary practices in the Roman Mediterranean.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3416","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Excavations at the Chega Sofla Cemetery in southwestern Iran, fifth millennium BCE, revealed intentionally modified skulls, including BG1.12, a young woman with cranial binding and hinge fractures. Cranial bandaging changes the morphology of the skull, which affects biomechanics. Based on these factors, this study investigated fractures and objects involved in trauma. The impact fractured both the left parietal and frontal bones. CT scan images and various sectional slices of BG1.12 were used for analysis. This method obtained detailed insights into changes in cranial bone thickness, the nature of skull fractures, and deposits within the cranial vault. The fractured bones remained connected, and the lack of evidence for bone remodeling and regular deposits within the cranial vault suggests that the fracture occurred perimortem. The severity of the impact can be seen as a triangular fracture along the sagittal border of the left parietal bone. According to CT scan analysis, the fracture was caused by an object that did not penetrate the cranial vault or have sharp edges. According to observations, an object with broad edges severely fractured the cranium of this young woman during the final moments of her life.
{"title":"A Young Woman From the Fifth Millennium BCE in Chega Sofla Cemetery With a Modified and Hinge Fractured Cranium, Southwestern Iran","authors":"Mahdi Alirezazadeh, Hamed Vahdati Nasab","doi":"10.1002/oa.3415","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3415","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Excavations at the Chega Sofla Cemetery in southwestern Iran, fifth millennium <span>BCE</span>, revealed intentionally modified skulls, including BG1.12, a young woman with cranial binding and hinge fractures. Cranial bandaging changes the morphology of the skull, which affects biomechanics. Based on these factors, this study investigated fractures and objects involved in trauma. The impact fractured both the left parietal and frontal bones. CT scan images and various sectional slices of BG1.12 were used for analysis. This method obtained detailed insights into changes in cranial bone thickness, the nature of skull fractures, and deposits within the cranial vault. The fractured bones remained connected, and the lack of evidence for bone remodeling and regular deposits within the cranial vault suggests that the fracture occurred perimortem. The severity of the impact can be seen as a triangular fracture along the sagittal border of the left parietal bone. According to CT scan analysis, the fracture was caused by an object that did not penetrate the cranial vault or have sharp edges. According to observations, an object with broad edges severely fractured the cranium of this young woman during the final moments of her life.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bird bones are generally scarce in zooarchaeological assemblages in the medieval and early modern period from Finland and Sweden. To obtain new information on bird products and the role of water birds in the Baltic Sea during this period, zooarchaeological assemblages and historical documents were studied from these two countries. The aim is to identify chronological and regional differences and similarities in the materials and understand if there is different evidence of historic utilization of water birds in the Baltic Sea area than zooarchaeological evidence suggests. The materials show that ducks were found in most environments compared to other species found mainly in coastal regions. High frequencies of water birds were identified in the central part of the Baltic Sea, on the Åland Islands. Relatively large frequencies were also identified in nearby Stockholm and Lake Mälaren area. Historical documents from the early 17th century suggest that trade in water birds, specifically common eiders, long-tailed ducks, velvet scoters, and mergansers, was conducted from the archipelago area around Stockholm and from the Åland Islands. The zooarchaeological assemblages suggest that this trade had been ongoing for centuries before it was documented in the administrative records.
{"title":"Birds of Trade: Availability of Water Birds and Bird Products During Medieval and Early Modern Period in the Baltic Sea","authors":"Hanna Kivikero","doi":"10.1002/oa.3405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3405","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bird bones are generally scarce in zooarchaeological assemblages in the medieval and early modern period from Finland and Sweden. To obtain new information on bird products and the role of water birds in the Baltic Sea during this period, zooarchaeological assemblages and historical documents were studied from these two countries. The aim is to identify chronological and regional differences and similarities in the materials and understand if there is different evidence of historic utilization of water birds in the Baltic Sea area than zooarchaeological evidence suggests. The materials show that ducks were found in most environments compared to other species found mainly in coastal regions. High frequencies of water birds were identified in the central part of the Baltic Sea, on the Åland Islands. Relatively large frequencies were also identified in nearby Stockholm and Lake Mälaren area. Historical documents from the early 17th century suggest that trade in water birds, specifically common eiders, long-tailed ducks, velvet scoters, and mergansers, was conducted from the archipelago area around Stockholm and from the Åland Islands. The zooarchaeological assemblages suggest that this trade had been ongoing for centuries before it was documented in the administrative records.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3405","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucie Biehler-Gomez, Daniele Maria Gibelli, Lucrezia Rodella, Giorgio Manzi, Cristina Cattaneo
This study aims to analyze secular changes in craniofacial morphology over 2000 years in Milan, examining variations in cranial dimensions across historical periods and between sexes. It utilizes standard anthropometric techniques to provide insights into the evolution of craniofacial morphology within this urban population. The study includes 213 crania from five historical periods, with 29 craniofacial measurements selected based on established bioarchaeological practices. These measurements are commonly used in bioarchaeological and forensic anthropological research, as outlined in standard data collection procedure manuals. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, z-scores, and post hoc comparisons, were performed to identify significant temporal changes and sex-specific differences in cranial dimensions. Significant secular changes were detected in eight craniofacial measurements: Maxillo-Alveolar Breadth, Foramen Magnum Breadth and Length, Biasterionic Breadth, Orbital Breadth, Parietal Chord, Cranial Base Length, and Bimaxillary Breadth. Variations between sexes were noted, with Biasterionic Breadth showing significant change in females, and Foramen Magnum Breadth, Orbital Breadth, and Bimaxillary Breadth in males. Post hoc analyses highlighted shifts in cranial dimensions from the Roman to the Contemporary era, suggesting consistent trends towards broader foramen magnum and midface dimensions over time. This study is the first to comprehensively document craniofacial morphological changes across all major historical periods in Milan, revealing significant diachronic trends likely driven by environmental, cultural, and demographic factors. The findings underscore the dynamic nature of cranial morphology as it adapts to changing lifestyles and conditions, reflecting Milan's complex history of biological and cultural transformations. Further research is needed to corroborate these trends and explore their underlying causes.
{"title":"Secular Changes in Craniofacial Morphology Over the Last 2000 Years in Milan, Italy","authors":"Lucie Biehler-Gomez, Daniele Maria Gibelli, Lucrezia Rodella, Giorgio Manzi, Cristina Cattaneo","doi":"10.1002/oa.3414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3414","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aims to analyze secular changes in craniofacial morphology over 2000 years in Milan, examining variations in cranial dimensions across historical periods and between sexes. It utilizes standard anthropometric techniques to provide insights into the evolution of craniofacial morphology within this urban population. The study includes 213 crania from five historical periods, with 29 craniofacial measurements selected based on established bioarchaeological practices. These measurements are commonly used in bioarchaeological and forensic anthropological research, as outlined in standard data collection procedure manuals. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, z-scores, and post hoc comparisons, were performed to identify significant temporal changes and sex-specific differences in cranial dimensions. Significant secular changes were detected in eight craniofacial measurements: Maxillo-Alveolar Breadth, Foramen Magnum Breadth and Length, Biasterionic Breadth, Orbital Breadth, Parietal Chord, Cranial Base Length, and Bimaxillary Breadth. Variations between sexes were noted, with Biasterionic Breadth showing significant change in females, and Foramen Magnum Breadth, Orbital Breadth, and Bimaxillary Breadth in males. Post hoc analyses highlighted shifts in cranial dimensions from the Roman to the Contemporary era, suggesting consistent trends towards broader foramen magnum and midface dimensions over time. This study is the first to comprehensively document craniofacial morphological changes across all major historical periods in Milan, revealing significant diachronic trends likely driven by environmental, cultural, and demographic factors. The findings underscore the dynamic nature of cranial morphology as it adapts to changing lifestyles and conditions, reflecting Milan's complex history of biological and cultural transformations. Further research is needed to corroborate these trends and explore their underlying causes.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3414","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144300356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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