Laserfiche WebLink
Historic Properties Treatment Plan, Collom Mine, Colorado 42 <br />Assignment of ages to individual animals is based upon several different criteria, including <br />degree of epiphyseal union of bones, tooth eruption and wear schedules, and bone <br />developmental stages of fetal material based on comparison to known age samples within the <br />UWCOC specimens. Determination of ages of individual animals from cultural contexts in <br />archaeological sites can indicate season of occupation within reasonable time spans. <br />Length is measured to the nearest 0.5 cm. In cases where numerous unidentifiable elements are <br />grouped on the same analysis line, the largest specimen is measured. All other specimens within <br />that line are smaller. Spiral fractures, calcined or burned bone, and other cultural modification <br />of bone will be noted where appropriate. <br />Natural weathering of recovered bone specimens is analyzed using six categories based on <br />visible attributes of the bone. The categories are described below: <br />• Stage 0 - surface of bone dried, intact, excellent preservation; <br />• Stage 1 - surface of bone root- etched, good to excellent condition; <br />• Stage 2 - minor drying cracks evident on the bone surface, slight exfoliation of <br />bone exterior, fair condition; <br />• Stage 3 - deep cracks evident over much of the bone surface, extensive <br />exfoliation of bone exterior, moderately weathered; <br />• Stage 4 - very deep surface cracking, exfoliation has removed most of the surface <br />of the bone, radial cracking around bone evident, heavily weathered; and <br />• Stage 5 - bone retains very little structural integrity, is extremely friable, and has <br />broken into numerous fragments along cracks, extremely weathered. <br />In cases where: unidentifiable bone fragments are analyzed as a group, separation into distinct <br />weathering codes will be attempted. <br />General comments will also be recorded regarding carnivore activity, possible differential <br />natural modification, and possible relations between. specific bones or bone groups. <br />47599 TRC Mariah Associates Inc. <br />