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Faunal Remains from Jebel Qa'aqir

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Faunal Remains from Jebel Qa'aqir Appendix IB: Faunal Remains From Jebel Qa'aqir LIORA KOLSKA HORWITZ Department of Zoology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Introduction Table la. Sheep/Goat Bone Skeletal Element Representation (Bone Counts-NISP) by Tomb AUNAL remains were found in 10 of the 38 tombs excavated Tomb# 43 47 48 51 53 54 54a 54b 55 57 58 59 Fat Jebel Qa'aqir. They were both recovered from within Skeletal Element the tombs, comingled with the human remains, and from the Atlas Axis entrance areas. With the exception of two skeletal elements Cervical vertebrae 6 representing domestic cattle (Bos taurus) and Persian fallow 2 deer (Dama dama mesopotamica), all the remains identified Thoracic vertebrae 2 4 11 were either domestic sheep (Ovis aries) or domestic goats 4 (Capra hircus). A minimum number (MNI) of sheep and goats Lumbar vertebrae 2 10 5 3 was estimated as 20. A detailed breakdown of the 202 identified Sacrum caprine remains by skeletal element and body part categories Rib is given in Tables 1 and 2. 2 Scapula 2 1 3 1 2 I. Methods Humerus 4 3 3 2 3 2 Radius 2 2 4 2 2 Ulna 4 2 1 Morphological criteria proposed by Boessneck (1969) and Metacarpal 2 2 Lawrence ( 1969) were used to separate the domestic sheep Pelvis 2 4 3 2 (Ovis aries) from the domestic goats (Capra hircus), as well Femur 2 4 3 3 2 as to sex the animals where possible. Given the absence of Tibia 2 5 2 3 5 2 Astragalus 2 teeth, age was determined according to the state bone fusion Calcaneum 2 based on Silver (1969) for domestic sheep and Noddle (1974) Metatarsal 3 2 for goats. For those caprines where species could not be deter­ Total Bones 22 5 8 25 4 7 8 61 34 7 6 15 mined, an estimated age based on the average of both sheep and goats was used. The published age estimates are however based on European breeds, so that their application to animals respectively. In addition, an unfused distal metatarsal belong­ from other regions may be less precise. Minimum number of ing to an immature bovid, identified as domestic cattle (Bos animals (MNI) counts were based on the most common sided taurus), was identified. skeletal element taking into account species identified as well Tomb B53 contained the remains of a sheep aged 2\/2-3 as age and sex. None of the caprines aged less than one year years. old were identified as to species or sex, due to the similarity Tomb B54 contained the remains of one sheep aged 2-2½ of unfused bone shafts of such young animals. years. The animal was identified as male. Tomb B54a contained a 1½-2 year old caprine of indeter­ II. Inventory by Tomb minate species and sex. Tomb B54b contained two animals: one aged less than one Tomb B43 contained the remains of two caprines: a goat year that was probably male, while the other was a goat aged aged 1½-2 years, and a very immature caprine under 1 year. 1½-2 years, identified as female. Tomb B47 contained only one animal, a goat aged 2½-3 Tomb B55 contained three animals: one adult sheep aged years. 2-2½ years, probably male; one goat aged 1½-2 years; and Two animals were present in Tomb 48, one less than a year one immature caprine less than one year old. old, while the other was a sheep aged 2½-3 years. The sheep Tomb B57 contained two animals: a sheep aged 3-3½ years, was identified as female. and another of indeterminate species or sex aged 1-1 ½ years. Tomb B51 contained the remains of three caprines. The Tomb B58 contained the remains of a goat aged 2-2½ years. oldest, aged 3-3½ years was identified as goat, while the Tomb B59 contained the remains of one animal, a sheep younger animals were aged 1½-2 years and under one year, aged 1½-2 years, identified as a female. 244 Appendixes Fig. IB.1. An antler base of Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) from the tomb entrance T. E2. Table lb. Sheep/Goat Representation (Bone Counts) by Tomb and Body Part Category Tomb# 43 47 48 51 53 54 54a 54b 55 57 58 59 Bod Parts Cranial Trunk 6 4 1 8 5 30 14 - 2 Upper Forelimb 9 5 5 2 13 8 3 3 7 Lower Forelimb - 2 2 Upper Hindlimb 3 6 Lower Hindlimb 3 6 Feet Total Bones 22 5 8 25 4 7 8 61 34 7 6 15 Fig. IB.2a. Atlas vertebra (goat) from Tomb B51 with cut marks on the edge of the cranial articular surface of the ventral aspect. The tomb entrance of T. E2 contained a caprine proximal radius as well as a number of tine fragments and an antler base of Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) (Fig. IB.1). III. Bone Pathology and Modifications A pathological caprine rib was found in Tomb B54a. The inner corpus of the rib exhibited ridging and resorption, pos­ sibly as a result of pressure exerted on it by a blood vessel during and after development of the animal. No burnt bones were found, but six bones exhibited butch­ ery damage. 1\vo atlas vertebrae exhibited cut marks. The atlas of an adult (possibly female) sheep from Tomb B51 had cut Fig. IB.2b. Atlas vertebra from Tomb B55 (goat) with a cut mark on the marks on the edge of the cranial articular surface of the ventral anterior aspect where the tuberculum ventrale was cut away. aspect (Fig. IB.2a). Likewise, in Tomb B55 a caprine atlas had a cut mark on the anterior side where the tuberculum ventrale was cut away (Fig. IB.2b). Binford (1981) has interpreted the left pelvis exhibited cut marks on the rim of the acetabulum, presence of cut marks on the anterior ventral surface of the as did the right pelvis from Tomb B59. Butchering marks on atlas as indicating the cutting of muscular attachment to facili­ the ventral surface of the pelvis anteriorly or posteriorly to tate the removal of the head from the neck during dismember­ the acetabulum are associated with primary dismemberment ment. It is interesting to note that no cranial remains of caprines of the rear leg from the skeleton. Marks elsewhere on the pel­ were found in any of the Tombs (Table 1). vis are associated with what Binford (1981) terms secondary Three caprine pelvic bones showed signs of butchering. butchering entailing the processing of body parts. This indi­ One was from Tomb 51, where an X-shaped cut mark is visible cates that both primary dismemberment and the processing of on the ventral side of the ilium (Fig. IB.3). In Tomb B54 the body parts took place at or near the site. .
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