Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

FOURTH CATARACT — EL-SADDA

SUDAN

APPENDIX 1
FAUNAL REMAINS FROM THE NEOLITHIC SITE
OF EL-SADDA 28
Marta Osypinska

Archaeological testing at the site of el-Sadda
28 (trenches 28 and 28A) brought an
assemblage of 564 osteological animal
remains. Practically the entire material was
fossilized. The presence of all elements of the
skeleton, meaning bones of different density,
indicates that the remains were not moved by
water. The state of preservation and the
presence of diagnostic features lead to the
assumption that they were buried fairly
quickly in a depositional setting. The black
and brown surface of the fossils was proof of
iron and manganese being present in the
environment and of oxygenic conditions of
deposition (Denys 2002: 469-484). Despite
the relatively good condition of the bones,
only 32% of all the remains could be
identified by taxon, species and anatomy.
In many cases, only the class or order could
be determined.
The majority of the remains (96%)
belonged to mammals {Mammalia). Other
identified remains included birds (Aves),
reptiles (.Reptilia), fish {Pisces) and mollusks
{Molusca). Most of the unidentified bones of
mammals are fragments of long bones and
parts of the spongy matter. All the bird
remains are ostrich eggshell fragments.
The one identified remnant of a reptile is
a piece of the skin of a Nile crocodile
{Crocodylus niloticus). One vertebra of fish
from the catfish family {Siluriformes sp.)
was recorded. The mollusk shells include
16 shell fragments of Nile oyster {Etheteria

nilothica) and three fragments of shells of an
unidentified snail.
The remains recorded in trench 28
represented mostly cattle {Bos primigenius
f. domestica). These were fragments of
premolars, molars, mandible, vertebrae, tibia,
digits and metapodium. Unidentified bones
comprised mainly parts of the dense matter
of long bones. Also recorded were six ostrich
eggshell fragments, most probably raw
material for making beads, and fragments of
oyster shell.
The catalogue of remains from trench
28A was slightly more varied. The species
distribution permitted two levels to be
distinguished. The upper layers 0-10
contained mainly the bones of ruminants:
cattle and the small ruminants, including one
sheep bone. In anatomical terms, the remains
were quite varied. Fragments of teeth, ribs,
vertebrae and long limb bones were all
recorded. Whole digits were also noted,
permitting measurements to be taken
{Table 1]. Two of the cattle bones from this
level bore traces of damages — one femoral
epiphysis fragment was burned, another
epiphysis fragment from a distal long bone
had a hole in it about 1.5 cm deep. The
symmetrical position and relatively large
diameter of this hole suggests its intentional
nature; it may have been prepared for use as
a handle for a sharp tool, an awl or chisel.
Two bones of predators, foxes in this case,
were recorded, but they appeared to be

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Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007