CANNIBALISM IN BRITAIN: TAPHONOMY OF FAUNAL AND HUMAN REMAINS FROM GOUGH'S CAVE 



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Fig. 6 A, a suid metapodial; and B, a second left human metatarsal, 

 GC87-30. The suid metapodial was experimentally chewed by humans. 

 The extensive fracturing of the proximal ends, with depressed flakes of 

 bone and splaying of the ends, is extremely similar in both bones, and 

 may indicate human chewing on the metatarsal from Gough's Cave; 

 x 1.2. 



Only three metapodials have trampling marks and five have 

 evidence of wet abrasion. One metapodial is weathered in stage 3 or 

 4 and two are in stage 1 or 2. Manganese oxide stains affects 1 of the 

 35 metapodials. 



Summary of metapodials. Total 35 specimens, 5 human, 24 equid, 6 



cervid 



Cut-marks: 18 specimens (12 equids, 6 cervids). 



Percussion: 22 specimens (1 human from the 1987 collection, 19 



equids (11 lateral metapodials), 2 cervids) 



Conchoidal scars: 4 specimens (4 equids) 



Flakes removed: 2 specimens (1 equid, 1 cervid) 



Peeling: 1 specimen (1 human) 



Phalanges: There are 22 proximal phalanges, one human, 20 horse 

 and one cervid. The only human phalanx here studied is from the 

 hand and it has the proximal end smashed and the distal end intact. 

 This is similar to patterns observed in the human collection of 

 Atapuerca, Mancos and the Anasazi pueblos (Andrews & Fernandez- 

 Jalvo 1997). 



Most horse proximal phalanges are intact except for M49945, 

 which has the proximal end removed by heavy percussion impacts. 

 A flake has been removed on the medial edge, and the shaft is 

 cracked both longitudinally and transversely with percussion marks 

 on the broken edge. Another horse phalanx (M49788) is complete, 

 but shows very heavy percussion marks on ventral (palmar) surface: 

 two multiple marks on the distal articular surface (Fig. 7B) and two 

 extensive percussion marks on the proximal articular end. In general, 

 percussion marks may occur on the lateral, dorsal or ventral surfaces, 

 as well as proximal and distal ends. Cut-marks are oblique to the 



length of the shaft on both dorsal and especially on ventral surfaces 

 (Fig. 7 A). Carnivore chewing appear on two phalanges (M 49787) 

 showing four carnivore pits on the surface (type a, average 1 .7mm, N 

 = 4), grooves on the surface (type b, average 1.4mm, N = 14), and 

 eight carnivore pits on articular surfaces (type c, average 1 .65mm, N 

 — 8). The average width of carnivore gnawing grooves that affect the 

 proximal phalanx M49958 is 0.72mm. Manganese staining affects 

 eight proximal horse phalanges on the surface. There is no evidence 

 of water damage observed on other phalanges from this study 

 collection. The only proximal cervid phalanx is longitudinally bro- 

 ken with grooves and percussion marks on both sides of the fracture. 

 Cuts affect the phalanx on the dorsal surface and on the articulation. 



There are 13 middle phalanges, 1 1 of horse and two of cervid. 

 Fewer cut-marks and percussion marks are present on the middle 

 phalanges, and where they occur they tend to be at the end of the 

 bones near the articular surfaces. Two of the horse phalanges show 

 percussion marks, but both of them are complete. One of them 

 (M49921) has extensive percussion all around the dorsal (proxi- 

 mally on articular surface) and lateral surfaces. The horse phalanx 

 labelled as number 23 from the excavations of 1987 shows also 

 extensive percussion marks on the dorsal surface. Cut-marks are 

 abundant and very marked on M50030 (Figs 7B, 7C) affecting dorsal 

 and ventral surfaces on the shafts, proximal and distal ends and 

 articular surfaces. Manganese stains cover all over the surface of 

 three medial horse phalanges. Both second phalanges of cervid are 

 complete. Phalanx M49758 shows deep cuts on the ventral side on 

 the shaft and a couple of small incisions on the lateral side of the 

 articulation (distal end). 



There are 18 terminal phalanges of horse and one of cervid. 

 Eleven of the horse phalanges have percussion marks and cut-marks 

 on the flexor surface, hoof surface and dorsal surface (Fig. 8). Six of 

 horse and the cervid phalanges have no modifications. Cuts on the 

 ventral side affect the deep flexor tendon, although this would seem 

 to be an uncommon area of cutting related to dismemberment of the 

 hoof. Two horse phalanges (M49959, M49879) show water damage. 



Summary of phalanges . Total 54 specimens, 1 human, 49 equid, 4 



cervid 



Cut-marks: 31 specimens (29 equid,. 2 cervid) 



Percussion marks: 29 specimens (27 equid, 2 cervid) 



Anatomical elements: axial skeleton 



Ribs: The human ribs from Gough's Cave are attributed to three 

 individuals (Churchill 2000). The first individual has lightly con- 

 structed ribs and must have been relatively small. The associations 

 between ribs are based on size, curvature and morphology of the 

 iliocostal line, which is superoinferiorly compressed in this indi- 

 vidual (Churchill 2000). The heads of all but one rib are missing from 

 this individual, perhaps because it represents an immature indi- 

 vidual. The ribs of the second individual are more robust, with 

 heavier muscle markings, and again the heads are missing from all 

 but one rib. The ribs from these two individuals were found in partial 

 association during the 1986-1987 excavation, in close proximity 

 although not articulated (Fig. 9, data from 1987 excavation). A third 

 individual is represented by six fragments forming parts of three ribs 

 from the left side, and a further ten fragments that could not be 

 further identified are also present (Churchill 2000). The 40 human 

 ribs contrast with only five of large mammal. Individual two is the 

 more complete, with 18 ribs, 6 of them complete. Individual one has 

 16 ribs, 6 of them complete. Human induced damage on the ribs is 

 very extensive (Table 3), with 30 of the 45 total number of ribs 

 (animal and human) showing human-induced damage. Of the 



