66 



P. ANDREWS AND Y. FERNANDEZ- JALVO 

















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Fig. 5 A, Distal metapodial of Equus ferns, M50043. Deeply incised cut- 

 marks can be seen around the edge of the articular surface. B, Three 

 distal metapodials of Equus ferus, from left to right ventral view of 

 M49834, dorsal views of M49977 & 49950. In each case, the shaft is 

 split up to the articular surface with oblique fractures, curved, smooth, 

 and shaft circumference 2. On M49834 there are cut-marks on the 

 terminal end of the central ridge of the trochlea and a conchoidal scar on 

 the dorsal side of the oblique fracture (not seen here); M49977 has 

 percussion marks on the central ridge of the trochlea, visible here on the 

 dorsal aspect as discolouration of the articular surface, conchoidal scars 

 along the oblique break, and cut-marks on the shaft; M49950 also has 

 cut-marks on the shaft along the ridge bordering the post-articular sulcus 

 and conchoidal scars along the oblique break, and there are extensive 

 percussion marks on the distal (terminal) part of the articular surface. 

 These modifications appear to be concerned with breakage of the shaft 

 for extraction of marrow and disarticulation of the foot. A, x 0.7; B, 

 x0.4. 



attachment of the medial ligament of the hock joint. Cuts are 

 therefore aimed at disarticulating the tarsal bones and tibia. Most of 

 the marks were distributed in clusters of short incisions but no chops 

 or percussion marks have been recorded. The lateral surface is 

 smaller and has a wide rough fossa in which the lateral ligament is 

 attached, and only isolated incisions have been found on the lateral 

 trochlea. No human activity has been observed on these bones, so 

 that there is no evidence of percussion or conchoidal scars. There is 

 also no evidence of peeling, flakes removed or adhered flakes. 



Carnivore chewing marks are present on two specimens, one of 

 them heavily chewed (M50003, lacking cut-marks). The chewing 

 marks are mainly on the articulation with the calcaneus (type b, 

 average 1.9mm, N = 2 and type c, average 2.8mm, N = 14) 



Summary of astragali. Total 15 specimens, 10 equid, 5 cervid 

 Cut-marks: 7 specimens (5 equid, 2 cervid). 



Third tarsals: Seven specimens of equid tarsals have been seen, 

 all complete. Cut-marks are present only on two specimens, trans- 

 verse incisions across the dorsal surface. Three of the tarsals are 

 slightly cracked by weathering, and two have manganese stains. 



Other podials: There are a magnum and a scaphoid of equid, two 

 naviculars ( 1 equid, 1 cervid) and a central tarsal of horse, all of them 

 complete. Human-induced damage is evident on the scaphoid that 

 has cut-marks on the dorsal surface, and on the central tarsal that 

 bears an adhered flake on a lateral broken surface on the articular 

 dorsal ridge. All of them are slightly cracked on surface. 



Metapodials: There are five human metatarsals, twenty four 

 metapodials of equids and six of cervids. They have mostly come 

 from the earlier excavations, with only three of the human metapodials 

 coming from the 1987 excavations. 



Human metapodials are mainly shafts, sometimes with one end. 

 They have no cut-marks on their surface or articulations. Animal 

 metapodials are all distal ends, except for 1 3 lateral metapodials of 

 equid that are complete. All human and equid lateral metapodials 

 have length category 3 (almost complete). Medial metapodials have 

 circumference almost complete with the exception of three of them 

 that have circumference 2, but they have length values that are 

 mostly category 1 (less than l/4th of the length) or category 2 (less 

 than half of the original length) (Villa and Mahieu 1991 ). Cut-marks 

 are present on 1 8 of the 30 animal metapodials (6 cervids, 12equids), 

 but they have been found on none of the humans. Cuts are located on 

 the trochlea, all round the articulation (Fig. 5A) or on the dorsal/ 

 ventral surfaces close to the articulation. Medial metapodials of 

 horse have a consistent pattern of breakage (Fig. 5B) indicated by 

 breakage on the shaft close to the distal articular end and extensive 

 percussion marks providing similar bone fragments. 



Human metatarsals are all crushed on one or both ends. The ends 

 show evidence of chewing marks, peeling or percussion marks on the 

 edge of the articulation. Two human metapodials appear chewed (a 

 5th and a 2nd left), although no actual clear puncture mark can be 

 measured. The 2nd left human metatarsal shows strong similarities 

 with a suid rib experimentally chewed by humans (Fig. 6). In 

 contrast to this, no carnivore tooth marks have been recorded on any 

 other animal metapodial surface. 



With regard to lateral metapodials of equids, they show similar 

 crushing on articular ends to that seen in humans. Lateral horse 

 metapodials have a consistent pattern with percussion marks on 

 proximal ends on the outer (lateral) surfaces and only rarely on the 

 inner articular surface with the medial metapodial (only 1 specimen). 

 Percussion marks appear on one specimen distally as well. Some- 

 times, percussions are associated with chop marks (2 cases) and/or 

 cut-marks (3 cases) trans versally to the length of the bone. Percussion 

 marks are located on the lateral tuberosity of the proximal end. One of 

 the bones has three chewing marks, type b averaging 1.4mm, N = 3. 



The length of metapodials is variable, but none has been split 

 longitudinally. Percussion marks on 21 of the metapodials, however, 

 are located at one side (ventral or dorsal) or distributed on lateral, 

 ventral and dorsal surfaces or, more exceptionally on the articula- 

 tion. A distal metapodial of cervid has a percussion triangular shape 

 as observed in mandibles (see below). Some metapodials have been 

 seen to have scratches on the opposite side of percussion marks, 

 probably as result of anvil effect on the bone during breakage. Four 

 metapodials show conchoidal scars and flakes removed on the 

 broken edge. 



