Reimagining Methods in Historical Zooarchaeology: Applying the Pathological Index (PI) to Historical Assemblages in North America

Summary

Since Bartosiewicz, Van Neer, and Lentacker published their ground-breaking research on the osteological identification of draught cattle, zooarchaeological studies of traction animals have proliferated.  Whereas most of these studies draw from Old World assemblages, this research applies Bartosiewicz, Van Neer, and Lentacker’s (1997) methodology for assessing draught cattle to eighteenth-century assemblages from Drayton Hall, South Carolina, and Oxon Hill Manor, Maryland.  In assessing the pathological manifestations present on complete metapodia and phalanges from these sites, this research reveals the applicability of Bartosiewicz et al.’s pathological index (PI) to studies of traction animals and animal husbandry in historical North American faunal assemblages.  This research also tests the newly-established modified pathological index (mPI) as a means of assessing incomplete elements for possible pathological signatures of traction, thus allowing for larger sample sizes and the inclusion of more sites into studies of traction animals at historic North American sites. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Poster Submission 2016   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 559