New Criteria for the Archaeological Identification of Bone Grease Processing

Abstract

Bone grease processing is frequently used in archaeology to investigate human diet breadth because it constitutes a costly mode of lipid procurement. However, problems of equifinality often complicate the identification of this activity. This paper develops new criteria focused on morphology, the presence of micro-inclusions, and forms of damage that were derived from a bone grease rendering experiment that involved red deer(Cervus elaphus)long bones. Because they are poorly represented in a distinct experiment focused exclusively on marrow extraction, the criteria presented here appear to provide robust signatures of bone grease processing. A survey of the actualistic literature shows that certain bone processing activities, such as stewing and soup making, mostly involve coarse spongy fragments. Because these fragments are too large to be ingested, grease can be extracted from them only through heating or boiling. In contrast, bones ingested in bone meal or as flour necessitate pulverization. A high percentage of coarse fragments may therefore provide a proxy for cooking technology or, minimally, the use of fire, if other patterns are consistent with grease extraction. Given the evolutionary significance of these innovations, the criteria presented here may help to strengthen arguments about dietary shifts during the Paleolithic and later periods.

Revisiting Bone Grease Rendering in Highly Fragmented Assemblages

“…Humerus M3-H: olecranon fossa and adjacent articular surface 1 M5-H: isolated capitulum humeri 5 *M7-H: subconical head/condylar fragment 56 *M8-H: fragment of condylar ridge 4 Radius M1-R: medial portion of the fovea capitis radii 6 M2-R: lateral portion of the fovea capitis radii 4 M3-R: posterior articular surface of the radial styloid process 3 M4-R: articular surface for the ulna on the distal radius 1 Ulna M2-U: isolated lateral coronoid process 6 M3-U: isolated ulnar styloid process 6 *M4-U: medial articular surface for the radius 5 *M5-U: anterior portion of the sigmoid process Note: New criteria are identified by an asterisk. The other criteria are those defined by Morin and Soulier (2017). 82.8%), the difference is not significantly different (t s = 1.68, p = 0.09).…”

“…As in blind test experiments, bones in the BGRE2 were struck with a hammer stone following the routine described in Morin and Soulier (2017), with the surface opposite to the point of impact resting on the anvil. The periosteum was not scraped off.…”

“…In an attempt to improve our identification of bone grease rendering in archaeological contexts, Morin and Soulier (2017) presented new, bone-specific criteria that focus on the morphology of bone fragments and the distribution of crushing and tear marks on particular anatomical features. Lithic micro-inclusions-defined as microscopic stone fragments from the hammer or anvil that become embedded in the bone matrix during the comminution process-provide an additional line of evidence, as they have been observed at high frequencies in experimental samples associated with bone grease rendering.…”

“…In the BRGE2 assemblage, tear marks were most commonly observed on the ulna and metapodials. These marks are important, as they appear to be rare in contexts other than those involving dynamic loading with tools or bending force applied on green bones (Morin and Soulier 2017). Unlike the preceding forms of damage, lithic micro-inclusions are ubiquitous in the BGRE2 collection (28/30, or 93.3%, of the specimens, random sample drawn from all six categories of long bones).…”

Estrategias de aprovisionamiento de guanacos y uso del bosque Magallánico por cazadores-recolectores costeros

“…Por último, es necesario también considerar que la presencia de falanges, metapodios y calcáneos puede responder a razones no siempre vinculadas al deseo de optimizar los recursos transportados al sitio. Por un lado, estas porciones pueden ser percibidas como reservas energéticas dado que son una de las últimas fuentes de grasa en ser metabolizadas por el organismo del animal en momentos de estrés nutricional (Binford, 1978;Lupo 1998;Jin y Mills, 2011;Morin y Soulier, 2017). Entonces, estas partes pueden ser utilizadas como alimento confiable cuando los recursos escasean.…”