Broken Bones: Taphonomy vs Cultural Modification in North and Central Texas

Summary

Until recently, highly fragmented bone assemblages in Texas were almost all attributed to poor preservation. A review of assemblages, however, indicates that while there are a high percentage of heavily fragmented medium-sized and larger mammal bone at many of these sites, bones associated with small mammals, reptiles, avian, and fish have only minimal fragmentation. A review of bone from a variety of sites with deep temporal and well-stratified context and of varying degree of preservation and fragmentation from Central and North Texas including 41DL436 (Fish Creek Slough Site), 41TR203 (Mercado Site), 41HM51, and 41WM1126 (Siren Site) are examined and contrasted. Differences in taphonomic versus human imposed bone breakage for each site are presented. Patterns in temporal variations and overall frequencies of fragmentation combined with evidence for intentional fracturing are identified to examine trends and shifts in, and methods for, marrow and bone grease extraction in Central and North Texas through time. These trends are placed within a greater context of environmental changes and reviewed as potential indicators of dietary stress and shifts in subsistence resource availability.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22230