THE ANIMAL BONES FROM A BRONZE AGE CAIRN AT HARDENDALE NAB, CUMBRIA, 1986.
Author(s): S Stallibrass
A small number of hand-recovered animal bone fragments (868, mainly deriving from domestic cattle, sheep/goat, pig and horse) was supplemented by a large number (>40,000) of small vertebrate, bird, fish and unidentified bones, mainly recovered from numerous wet-seived soil samples. Some of the domestic animal bones are thought to represent food associated with the human burials (either food offerings for the dead, or 'party food' for the living). The suites of small vertebrate and wild mammal species represented indicate that the environment surrounding the cairn was very open - probably consisting mainly of rough grassland. The vast majority of the animal bones are thought to be the remains of in situ deaths, owl pellets and carnivore faeces. Water vole bones were numerous, and support evidence from other sites that water voles have changed their habits in England since the Bronze Age. The types of animal bones and their preservation states (including burning) are discussed together with their stratigraphy to suggest possible interpretations of the functions of some of the cairn's contexts. It is clear that the site was utilised by a wide variety of animal species, besides humans.
- Report Number:
- 89/1991
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 31
- Keywords:
- Animal Bone Animal Remains Bird Bone Fish Bone
