La representación de partes esqueléticas de aves. Patrones naturales e interpretación arqueológica

Abstract

Bird skeletal part representation, along with the taphonomic processes that may account for the various archaeological and natural patterns, have been discussed in several studies, but their results are not conclusive. Natural patterns of avian anatomical representation were surveyed through actualistic studies in different environmental settings in Southern Patagonia, band are described and discussed here. Livingston (1989) has suggested that bird functional anatomy and bone structure are important factors impinging upon skeletal part representation. In order to test this proposition, the survey presented here considered three taxon-free categories defined according to their locomotor patterns: “flying birds”, “strictly running birds” and “strictly swimming birds”. When the results of the actualistic survey are compared, each of these categories displays a differential characteristic pattern of skeletal part representation. Locomotion conditions bone structure, bringing about variations in bone density, which result in differential preservation. Since anatomical representation is commonly used to infer archaeological site function, as well as aspects of the economy and mobility of past human populations, it is suggested here that the interpretation of avian zooarchaeological assemblages should take these results into consideration.