Avifauna discard packages and bone damage resulting from human consumption processes

Few actualistic studies of the patterns resulting from human preparation and consumption of birds inform interpretations of archeological avifauna assemblages. This study focuses on developing new and adding to existing interpretive models. We examine differences in bone modifications produced by a culturally homogeneous group of eaters consuming medium-sized birds cooked using three cross-culturally common methods. We use the analytical concept of discard packages to capture variability in how groups of skeletal elements might be deposited into the archeological record. We also examine chop/cut marks, burn marks, and chew marks as these are variables that archeologists frequently use to identify and interpret anthropogenic avifaunal assemblages. We find that the creation of discard packages appears to be culturally motivated and varies little within our group of eaters, but the degree to which the associated elements are disaggregated during consumption is highly variable and depends on individual preference. Additionally, we find that while the presence and locations of chop marks are consistent across cooking methods and individual consumption preferences, the presence and locations of cut marks, burn marks, and chew marks are affected by cooking methods, individual preferences, or both.