Articular lesions in domestic cattle phalanges and their archaeological relevance

Niels Johannsen (University of Aarhus, Denmark), Sue Stallibrass (University of Liverpool, UK) and Richard Thomas (University of Leicester, UK)

While palaeopathological bones are frequently recorded during zooarchaeological analyses, they are all too frequently diagnosed rather than described and treated as “interesting cases of x”, without any analysis of prevalence (Thomas and Mainland 2005, 1). Moreover, and perhaps more critically, little use is often made of these data in addressing archaeological questions. This situation has partly arisen through the use of the only published synthetic work on animal disease in archaeology (Baker and Brothwell 1980) as a diagnostic tool. It also partly reflects the fact that the aetiologies of many pathologies are still poorly understood.

One such abnormality is the presence of depressions and slits in the articular surfaces of domestic cattle (Bos taurus) phalanges. These lesions were described by Baker and Brothwell (1980, 109-114) as comprising three different types:

Type 1 - shallow depressions typically ovate in shape that can occur anywhere on the articular surface of a phalanx (Figure 1). They tend to be orientated antero-posteriorily and can occur on either articular facet, although Baker and Brothwell (1980, 110) note they are generally found on the lateral facet of lateral phalanges and on the medial facet of medial phalanges.

Type 2 - a narrow slit of variable length located between the articular facets

Type 3 - a narrow slit of variable length running obliquely across the medio-lateral axis of the facets on the articular surface of third phalanges.

While Baker and Brothwell (1980, 109-114) provide details of a number of British archaeological sites on which these lesions have been identified, no explanation is given to account for their occurrence. It is the purpose of this project to analyse data on the prevalence of these lesions in different archaeological contexts (Medieval England, Roman England, and Prehistoric Denmark) and to explore their archaeological relevance.

References:

Baker, J. and Brothwell, D. 1980. Animal Diseases in Archaeology. London, Academic Press.

Thomas, R. and Mainland, I. 2005. Introduction: animal diet and health – current perspectives and future directions, pp. 1-7, in Davies, J., Fabiš, M., Mainland, I., Richards, M. and Thomas, R. (eds.), Diet And Health in Past Animal Populations: Current Research and Future Directions. Oxbow, Oxford.