DOI issue:
Sudan
DOI article:Osypińska, Marta: Animal bone remains from the cemetery in el-Zuma (2007 season)
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42093#0497
MtoM - EL-ZUMA
SUDAN
ribs were divided into sections of similar
length, oscillating around 12 cm.
TUMULUS 10
Animal bones in tumulus 10 were found in
one chamber only [Fig. 4\. They were identi-
fied as belonging to cattle [cf. Table 1], more
specifically, the proximal part of limbs
[cf. Table 2\. No butchering traces were
noted.
TUMULUS 25
The burial contained the most abundant
animal bone assemblage [Fig. 5], altogether
60 osteological fragments from two chambers
[cf. Table I]. The bones represented both
cattle and a small ruminant. In anatomical
terms, the cattle bones were identified as
proximal parts of limbs; those of the small
ruminant were limited to the vertebrae and
ribs [cf. Table 2\. Butchering cuts were noted
only on the bones of the small ruminants,
testifying to filleting of the meat and
chopping ribs into sections an average 6.5 cm
long [cf. Table 3].
DISCUSSION
Animal remains as part of the burial
provisions are a common find on Early
Makurian cemeteries (Osypihska 2006).
The faunal assemblage from the El-Zuma
burial ground corresponds well with the
present state of knowledge on the subject in
terms of species distribution. Small
ruminants predominate, sheep being found
frequently in tombs in El-Zuma, Tanqasi
and Safifi, and goats in El-Sadda. Remains of
large ruminants, like cattle and camel, are
not as frequent. Deposits of this kind were
more likely to be noted in large tumuli with
more elaborate underground parts. Outside
of the El-Zuma cemetery, cattle remains
were discovered on Tanqasi Island. The
cattle remains were identified as the African
short-horn variety.
Table 3. Osteometry of the animal remains from
tumuli excavated in 2007
Bosprimigenius f. domestica
Radius
Bd
60 mm
Tibia
Bp
83 mm
-
SD
—
37 mm
Bd
—
58 mm
Talus
GLI
62 mm
65 mm
GLm
58 mm
60 mm
Bd
36 mm
40mm
Camelus dromedaries f. domestica
Radius
Bp
84 mm
SD
46 mm
Bd
72 mm
GL
32 mm
Ovis orien
tabs f. domestica
Humerus
SD
18 mm
Bd
34 mm
GL
165 mm
Tibia
Bp
44 mm
SD
12 mm
Bd
27 mm
GL
o\
3
3
Calcaneus
GL
62 mm
Talus
GLI
28 mm
GLm
27 mm
Bd
17 mm
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007
491
SUDAN
ribs were divided into sections of similar
length, oscillating around 12 cm.
TUMULUS 10
Animal bones in tumulus 10 were found in
one chamber only [Fig. 4\. They were identi-
fied as belonging to cattle [cf. Table 1], more
specifically, the proximal part of limbs
[cf. Table 2\. No butchering traces were
noted.
TUMULUS 25
The burial contained the most abundant
animal bone assemblage [Fig. 5], altogether
60 osteological fragments from two chambers
[cf. Table I]. The bones represented both
cattle and a small ruminant. In anatomical
terms, the cattle bones were identified as
proximal parts of limbs; those of the small
ruminant were limited to the vertebrae and
ribs [cf. Table 2\. Butchering cuts were noted
only on the bones of the small ruminants,
testifying to filleting of the meat and
chopping ribs into sections an average 6.5 cm
long [cf. Table 3].
DISCUSSION
Animal remains as part of the burial
provisions are a common find on Early
Makurian cemeteries (Osypihska 2006).
The faunal assemblage from the El-Zuma
burial ground corresponds well with the
present state of knowledge on the subject in
terms of species distribution. Small
ruminants predominate, sheep being found
frequently in tombs in El-Zuma, Tanqasi
and Safifi, and goats in El-Sadda. Remains of
large ruminants, like cattle and camel, are
not as frequent. Deposits of this kind were
more likely to be noted in large tumuli with
more elaborate underground parts. Outside
of the El-Zuma cemetery, cattle remains
were discovered on Tanqasi Island. The
cattle remains were identified as the African
short-horn variety.
Table 3. Osteometry of the animal remains from
tumuli excavated in 2007
Bosprimigenius f. domestica
Radius
Bd
60 mm
Tibia
Bp
83 mm
-
SD
—
37 mm
Bd
—
58 mm
Talus
GLI
62 mm
65 mm
GLm
58 mm
60 mm
Bd
36 mm
40mm
Camelus dromedaries f. domestica
Radius
Bp
84 mm
SD
46 mm
Bd
72 mm
GL
32 mm
Ovis orien
tabs f. domestica
Humerus
SD
18 mm
Bd
34 mm
GL
165 mm
Tibia
Bp
44 mm
SD
12 mm
Bd
27 mm
GL
o\
3
3
Calcaneus
GL
62 mm
Talus
GLI
28 mm
GLm
27 mm
Bd
17 mm
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007
491