Bighorn sheep and the bugas-holding site, Wyoming: a study of bone breakage

The identification of the patterns of bone fragmentation in archaeological faunal assemblages is useful in attempting to discern the possible agent or agents of bone destruction. Much work has been accomplished in the attempt to define the signature traits of animal destruction, but the pattern of human activity has yet to be defined. The unique formational history of the Bugas-Holding site in northwestern Wyoming and the quality of the bone recovered indicates that the breakage pattern is primarily referable to human activity. A description of this breakage pattern is the primary focus of this thesis, as this information will prove useful as a comparative example of cultural processing of bone. A number of measurement techniques, some of which were newly designed for this study, are used to characterize the assemblage. The most important of these techniques is an actualistic study which quantifies the levels of identifiability the various elements undergo when reduced to fragmentary form. In this study, the majority of the elements underwent a 90% taphonomic loss due to fragmentation. Within the appendicular elements, when broken for marrow extraction, the general level of identifiability of the metatarsal, humerus, tibia, and femur is approximately equal. The radius and metacarpal are less recognizable. The Bugas-Holding site sheep breakage pattern shows a tendency for a greater processing of the humerus and femur with mixed results for the metatarsal. This difference is attributed to the preferential selection of these elements for grease processing.