Butchered bone
- Title:
- Butchered bone
- Collection:
- Selections from the Cornell Anthropology Collections
- Donor:
- Prof. Emeritus Robert Ascher, one of the principal excavators
- Date:
- 19th century
- Site:
- Cumberland Island,Camden,Georgia,United States
- Location:
- Cumberland Island,Camden,Georgia,United States
- Country:
- United States
- ID Number:
- Anthr1983_002_0011_01
- Old Catalog Number:
- 983.2.11
- File Name:
- Anthr1983_002_0011_01.jpg
- Culture:
- antebellum
- Work Type:
- bone (material)
food - Materials/Techniques:
- bone
bovid (cow) - Subject:
- slavery
georgia
plantations
georgia
georgia
diet
slaves (people)
food
slaves (people)
animal remains (archaeology) - Measurement:
- 21.5 x 7 x 4.5 (centimeters)
- Description:
- Large fragment from the pelvis of a bovid (cow or steer), with lerge butchering marks from being hacked with a cleaver or ax-like tool. Originally identified as from a "large pig" and possibly used to remove bone for making bone buttons (Ascher and Fairbanks 1971:12-13), this is actually from a bovid, not sus, species. It is possible it was kept for making buttons, but the marks present all can be accounted for by butchery for meat removal. While beef is in general a high-value meat, the pelvic section (rump) is one of the lower-value parts, which may explain its presence in a slave cabin site.
- Bibliography:
- Robert Ascher and Charles H. Fairbanks, "Excavation of a Slave Cabin: Georgia, U.S.A." Historical Archaeology 5 (1971), pp.3-17.
- Archival Collection:
- Georgia Slave Cabin archaeological collection
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- The images in the Collection 'Selections from the Cornell Anthropology Collections' are protected by copyright, and the copyright holders are Cornell University Library and the Department of Anthropology. Physical artifacts from the Cornell Anthropology Collections were photographed by Cornell University Library in 2012-13 for inclusion in this image collection. Cornell is providing access to the materials for research and personal use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.
Cornell would like to learn more about items in this collection and to hear from individuals or institutions that have any additional information. This collection is funded by an Arts and Sciences Grant to Frederic W. Gleach, Curator of the Anthropology Collections. Please contact him for more information about this collection, or to request permission to use these images.