Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7442683 | Journal of Archaeological Science | 2014 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Zooarchaeologists have traditionally largely ignored ungulate ribs because they are seldom identifiable to genus or species, and they cannot be sorted as to which rib is represented (first, seventh, twelfth). Measurements of six dimensions of 287 ribs from 15 individual white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) reveal that four dimensions do not differentiate ribs as to position. The ratio of costal facet height to costal facet width, however, gives a >90 percent chance of correctly categorizing proximal ribs as either anterior (ribs 1-6) or posterior (ribs 9-13). Future research should incorporate frequencies of anterior and posterior ribs into studies of skeletal part frequencies. The metric technique of rib seriation could be applicable to other ungulate taxa.
Keywords
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Materials Science (General)
Authors
Heather L. Ramsay, R. Lee Lyman,