Where the snags are: Looking into bird bones. (10th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wertz, Krzysztof; Tornberg, Risto; Huhtala, Kauko; Diakowski, Marcin; Kotowski, Jakub; Kot, Małgorzata
• Is Part Of: International journal of osteoarchaeology. Volume 31:Number 4(2021)
• Page Start: 663
• Page End: 669
• Publication Date: 2021-03-10
• Subjects: bird bones -- cave archeology -- intratendinous ossification -- scientific inquiry -- taphonomy -- zooarcheology; Physical anthropology -- Periodicals; Human remains (Archaeology) -- Periodicals; Paleopathology -- Periodicals; Paléontologie -- Périodiques; Paléopathologie -- Périodiques; Anthropologie physique -- Périodiques; 930.10282
• DOI: 10.1002/oa.2976
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1047-482X

Abstract

Abstract: A study of bird remains from the Koziarnia Cave (Poland) revealed the presence of nearly a dozen bony shreds ( snags ) projecting from the natural canals in bones; the snags were made of a material that accumulated during the Late Pleistocene. This paper describes this phenomenon and determines the most probable agent responsible for its occurrence by utilizing observations of snag microstructure, taphonomic analysis of bird assemblages from Koziarnia Cave, and surveys of collected bird remains (modern and fossilized). The presence of snag may be a good qualitative indicator of an agent responsible for the accumulation of bird bones at archeological sites and could be useful in future taphonomic studies.