At all times the bones were identified as if
they were archaeological specimens. The results for all elements are presented in Table 1.
Key
Not side specific or identifiable
Left-hand side of skeleton
Right-hand side of skeleton
Name of Bone
25 ... 75 ... 175 ... 375 Paces
Index of Robustness
Neurocranium
Basioccipital
1
Ethmoid
5
Frontal
3
Opisthotic
5
Otolith
2
Parasphenoid
1
Prefrontal
5
Squamosal
5
Supraoccipital
3
Vomer
1
Suspensorium
Angular
5
Articular
3
Dentary
1
Ectopterygoid
4
Entopterygoid
5
Maxilla
1
Metapterygoid
5
Palatine
4
Premaxilla
1
Quadrate
2
Interopercular
4
Lacrymal
5
Nasal
5
Opercular
2
Preopercular
5
Subopercular
5
Hyomandibular etc.
Ceratohyal
4
Epihyal
5
Hyomandibular
4
Hypohyal
4
Stylohyal
3
Symplectic
5
Urohyal
5
Branchial Region
Upper Pharyngeals
4
Lower Pharyngeals
5
Cleithrum
3
Coracoid
5
Post-cleithrum
5
Post-temporal
2
Scapular
5
Supracleithrum
3
Name of Vertebra
25 Paces
75 Paces
175 Paces
375 Paces
Index of Robustness
First Vertebra
1
1
1
1
1
Precaudal Grp 1
4
4
3
3
2
Precaudal Grp 2
6
5
1
1
4
Precaudal Grp 3
10
7
2
0
5
Caudal Grp 4
19
19
8
4
3
Caudal Grp 5
10
8
7
6
2
Table 1: Breakage patterns of bones in a large cod, Gadus morhua
(Total Length of cod=109cm)
Some bones quickly became so damaged that they were not
recognisable, while others persisted as
identifiable fragments until the end of the
experiment.
It was possible to determine an 'Index of
Robustness (IR)' for the bones in this
experiment. Bones that remained in an
identifiable form after the experiment were
assigned the value 1. Those which disappeared
from the record after 175 paces trampling were
assigned an IR of 5. Intermediate gradings were
assigned for other elements, depending on when
the bones became 'archaeologically invisible'.
