C-06 William Bradford II Faunal Analysis

C-06 (c. 1730)

The C-06/ William Bradford III site is located in Kingston, Massachusetts. Local tradition said that this
was the homesite that Mayflower passenger William Bradford established in the second quarter of the
seventeenth century. A stone marker was even placed on the site by the Society of Bradford
Descendents? stating the same. The late Dr. James Deetz was given the opportunity to excavate this site
in 196x. During the course of the excavations he identified a typical hall and parlor house plan, two
rooms flanking a central chimney and a lean-to addition on the rear, that had been robbed of its
foundation stones, and a cellar hole. The majority of the material recovered came from the cellar hole.
Stratigraphy within the cellar hole showed that the house had been dismantled in the 1730s and the
cellar hole subsequently partially filled in. Later in the nineteenth century, more household rubbish was
thrown into the depression left by the filling of the cellar hole, essentially filling the hole up.
A total of 149 fragments of mammal and bird bone were recovered from he C-06 (Bradford) site during
Deetz's 196x cellar hole dig. These fragments represent faunal remains deposited into the cellar hole
during and immediately after the demolition of the house in circa 1730. From these 149 fragments, 15
individuals were identified, three domestic mammal and three bird species (Table 1). As there was little
evidence of rodent
Table 1. Species Represented

Species NISP/ % MNI/ %

Bos taurus 39/ 26% 3

Ovis aries 40/ 26.7% 3

Sus scrofa 33/ 22% 3

Medium Mammal 16/ 10.7%

Chicken 14/ 9.3% 3

Duck 3/ 2% 2

Goose 4/ 2.7% 1

TOTALS 149/ 100% 14/ 100%

gnawing and little for carnivore chewing present, it is likely that the bones did not lie exposed outside
of the cellar hole for any great length of time before being deposited in it (Table 2). The deposit looks
fairly uniform across the cellar with no piles; possibly indicating it was filled as soon as the house
above was dismantled.
Table 2. Bone modifications

Species Gnawing Chewing Cutting Chopping Sawing

Bos taurus 1 11

Ovis aries 3 4 16

Sus scrofa 2 5

Mammal 1

Totals 0 6 3 32 0

Unidentified
Sixteen fragments of unidentified medium mammal long bone and flat bone were recovered from the
cellar hole. These likely represent fragments of swine and sheep but were too small to identify
positively. The high level of identification (89.3%) is a good indicator of the primary depositional
nature of the assemblage. The faunal elements were not exposed to weathering, trampling and rodent or
carnivore damage to the extent that yard scatter or secondary depositional assemblages are. This
resulted in a higher than average level of identification.
Cattle
Thirty-nine fragments identified as coming from domestic cattle were recovered. These fragments
represent three individual cattle, one aged approximately one year old, and two over 31/2 yeas old.
Elements from most body parts except the ulna, radius, sternum and pelvis were recovered with the
majority of the fragments being identified as cranial, rib and upper forequarter elements. This likely
indicates a mixture of butchery and consumption waste.
The butchery marks present on the cattle remains predominantly took the form of chop marks (11 of 12
identified marks) with only one cut mark being identified on one rib. Cattle cranium fragments bear
evidence of chop marks to the posterior portion while the atlas vertebra was being removed from the
rear of the skull. The lumbar vertebra bear evidence of the division of the carcass in half down the
midline, probably as one of the first steps in the butchery process. This was done to reduce the carcass
into more manageable pieces. The chopping appears to have been done off to one side of the vertebra
resulting in the spinus processes being separated from the vertebral bodies. It is unknown if the bodies
were also split in half or cooked as such. The scapula shows chopping through the neck of the
articulating end to create a shoulder cut. One scapula present bears evidence of two chops to it, one that
did not penetrate deeply enough to separate it. The other scapula shows evidence of the division of the
scapula blade into smaller portions by chopping. The humeri bear evidence of chopping through the
articulating end that corresponds with the scapula distal articulating end to create a stewing cut. The
other humerus fragment has been chopped just above the distal end and may show evidence of the
breaking of the bones to remove the marrow. Ribs have been chopped just below the articulating ends
with those ends remaining with the thorasic vertebrae and also a chop along the midpoint of the shaft to
create racks of ribs. One femur fragment shows evidence of having a piece of the proximal articulating
end chopped off, probably when the femur was being separated from the pelvis. The tibia shows
evidence of chopping just proximally from the distal end of the tibia possibly to create a shank cut
while the proximal end would remain with the femur to create a "round' for roasting. The calcaneus
shows evidence of being chopped through at the articulating facet and at the distal end. The distal cut
probably resulted from the chopping of the distal tibia while the other cut may have bee to remove the
distal tibia "shank" from the astragelous and metatarsal. All of these butchery marks appear to relate
either to primary gross carcass division or to secondary cut creation. Only one possible consumption
mark appears present on one rib possibly indicating that this assemblage was the result of consumption
activities centering on the boiling of meats as opposed to roasting and carving.
Swine
Thirty-three fragments from three swine were recovered. By combining the epiphyseal fusion and tooth
eruption and wear ages together the minimum ages for the individuals present in the assemblage were
arrived at as two female swine: one just over one year old and one well over one year old and one male
swine under 22 months old. The identification of male versus female swine was based on the presence
of sexually dimorphic canines. The majority of elements present appear to be from craniums and
associated mandibles or metapodials and phalanges with some ribs, vertebra and one scapula present.
This assemblage is likely the result of butchery waste being thrown into the cellar hole with much of
the remainder of the carcass being preserved, eaten or sold elsewhere. This hypothesis is supported by
the lack of any cut marks on the bones. Some evidence of carnivore damage was found on two of the
bones indicating that carnivores did have access to them before they were buried.
Butchery marks were found in the following locations. The thorasic vertebra bear evidence of the
dividing of the carcass in half with an off center chopping through a portion of the vertebral body. The
ribs were chopped just below the articulating end so that as a result the articulating end would remain
with the vertebral body. The scapula shows evidence of chopping through the neck of the articulating
end and through the blade to create a small stewing cut while the articulating end would remain with
the proximal end of the humerus. The metatarsal shows evidence of having been chopped through at
midpoint to remove the phalanges from the metatarsals.
Sheep
Forty fragments were identified as caprine, and as far as could be identified, sheep. These fragments
represent three individuals with the ages of one under 3 years old, one over 55 months old and one over
70 months old. This distribution of ages likely indicates a husbandry system that focused on wool
production with some lambs being consumed. Once the older sheep stopped producing good wool, they
would have been killed. The majority of the sheep elements present came from the fore and hind limbs
with some ribs, vertebra and mandible fragments also being present. This seems more indicative of
consumption waste with some butchery waste mixed in as well.
Butchery evidence took the form of predominantly chop marks (16) with only four cut marks present
on one mandible, one radius, one ulna and one tibia. Carnivore chew marks were also present on three
bones. The butchery chop marks appear to be related to the following butchery techniques. Three
mandible fragments bore butchery marks, one being a portion of the upper ramus bearing a cut mark
resulting from the disarticulation of the mandible from the cranium and two bearing chop marks
anteriorly and posteriorly of the tooth rows resulting from the breaking of the jaw for the removal of
the tongue after the head had been separated from the body. One thorasic vertebra fragment had chop
marks on both sides of the vertebral spine indicating that the carcass was split in half and then possibly
further divided to remove the ribs or reduce it to smaller pieces.
Lumbar vertebra showed evidence of the division of the carcass by means of splitting and the possible
chopping off of the vertebral spinus processes on the sides to isolate the vertebra. The ribs show
evidence of possibly being broken from the vertebrae and being chopped 1/2 way down their length.
Two scapula fragments show evidence of the division of the scapula through the neck of the
articulating end by chopping to separate the forequarter from the shoulder possibly to create a
"shoulder roast". The humerus was chopped just above the distal articulating end to create a roast
shoulder of the upper part and this lower part possibly being part of a shank roast or a division of the
leg into smaller portions for boiling. The butchery of the ulna and radius seem to support this with the
ulna being chopped through the proximal end possibly as a result of chopping through the humerus
near the distal end while the leg was fully extended, and of chopping distally of the proximal end which
correlates with the chop marks on the radii to crate smaller portions for stewing. All four of the radii
bear evidence of chopping just below the proximal end with the proximal end remaining with the ulna
and distal end of the humerus and the distal end remaining with the distal portion of the ulna and
probably with the proximal end of the metacarpal. The femur shows evidence of chopping through the
mid-shaft to divide the leg into 2 portions. The proximal end remaining with the pelvis and the distal
end remaining with the proximal end of the tibia. The tibia was chopped through the mid-shaft with the
proximal end remaining with the distal end of the femur and the distal end remaining with the
astragelous and calcaneus with the metatarsal being removed. Tibia also bears one cut mark from
consumption of the mid-shaft.
Table 3. Element Distribution by Species

Element Bos Sus Ovis

High 7/ % 2/ % 6/ %

Vertebra 2/ 2 1/ 1 2/ 2

Humerus 1/ 2 1/ 1

Femur 2/ 2 1/ 1

Scapula 2/ 3 1/ 2 2/ 2

Pelvis
 Medium 12/ % 5/ % 9/ %

Tibia 1/ 3 1/ 1

Fibula

Ulna 1/ 1

Radius 2/ 2

Cranium 1/ 8

Mandible 2/ 4 3/ 5 3/ 3

Ribs 8 2 2

Sternum

Low 4/ % 8/ % 4/ %

Caudal Vertebra

Maxilla 1/ 1 2/ 2

Metapodials/ Tarsals/ Carpals 1/ 1 5/ 5 1/ 1

Calcaneus/ Astragelous 1/ 1 3/ 3

Phalanges 1/ 1 1/ 1

TOTALS 23 15 19

Table 3 shows the relative occurrence of the various elements recoevred from the cellar hole and how
they relate to the meatiest areas of the body (more meat equals a higher ranking). Swine remains had
the greatest amount of low meat bearing elements, a finding that supports the notion that the swine
remains represent butchery waste as opposed to consumption or butchery and consumption. The sheep
and cattle remains are almost the same, supporting the interpetation that these represent both
consumption and butchery waste
Birds
Table 4. Bird elements recovered

Element Chicken Duck Goose

Coracoid 1R

Humerus 1R 1L, 1R

Radius 1L

Ulna 1L 1R

Metacarpal 1L

Sternum 1

Pelvis 1

Tibia 1L, 1R 2L

Metatarsus 3L, 1R

Chicken
A total of fourteen fragments identified as having come from eleven elements of three chickens were
recovered from the cellar hole (Table 4). Two of these chickens were immature individuals under 1 year
old and one was an adult. This age distribution may reflect a preference for young chickens, possibly
even gelded roosters, as well as the consumption of one older individual, possibly a female no longer
laying eggs. The occurrence of elements from most parts of the body for the adult bird and only the
tibia and metatarsals for the immature birds may indicate that the adult bones represent a bird butchered
and consumed at the site while the immature individuals were only butchered here.
Duck
Three fragments from three elements of two individual ducks were recovered (Table 4). It is unknown
if these ducks were raised or wild. The presence of only the tibia and ulna, elements bearing very little
meat, may point to these pieces having been deposited during butchery and not consumption.
Goose
Four fragments from four elements of one goose were recovered (Table 4). Like the duck present, it is
unknown if this is a wild or barnyard raised individual. The presence of only wing bones may indicate
that the goose arrived at the site either butchered or in pieces and that it was not raised here.
Conclusion
The species represented in the C-06 cellar hole probably are individuals that were butchered at or near
the site in the fall or winter with the butchery and consumption waste being thrown into the cellar hole
to fill it up. If the house had been dismantled before the animals were butchered then the assemblage
may have come from one of the neighbors who helped dismantle the house and may not be directly
associated with the occupants of the house itself. If on the other hand the refuse, ceramics, pipes,
faunal, metal, that was thrown into the cellar hole after the house was dismantled represent material
found in muck piles or piles used to fill the occasional hole around the house, then we should expect
more evidence of rodent and carnivore damage to the bones. As there was not a great deal of this type
of damage it may be assumed that he assemblage was created not long after the house was removed.
The species present are typical of the numbers and types that would be expeceted to be found around
and eighteenth century farmyard. Their presence in the cellar hole indicates that it is likely the hole was
filled during the fall to winter when these species would have been killed with less of a fear of the meat
spoiling. The individuals present appear to represent a mix of those slaughtered at the prime age of
slaughter, such as any of the younger ones, and those that had outlived their usefulness on the farm and
were slaughtered because they no longer were good milkers (cattle), layers (chickens), farrowers
(swine) or wool producers (sheep). Removing these older "worn out" individuals, the kill-off profile
that is left may represent individuals killed at the most popular slaughter ages for their species at the
time: cattle under 1 year old; swine over 1 year under 22 months; sheep under one year (lamb?);
chickens under one year.

Appendix I
Faunal Catalog
Cattle
Mandibular Pm2 left old
4244 Mandibular I1 left old
4452 Mandibular Pm2 right young
6340 Maxillary M1 right old
4241 M fragment
3870 Mandible fragment
3271, 3272 Calvarium rear portion
3868 Cranial fragment
4106, 4xxx Cranial fragments
4095, 4102, 4098 Cranial fragments
4034 Thorasic vertebral spine
4216 Lumbar vertebra ½ chopped fused
3866 Rib midsection
4099 Rib midsection
3863 Rib midsection
4064 Rib left midsection
4227 Rib right cut
4104 Rib Right proximal
4096 Rib midsection
4097 Rib left midsection
3665 Rib proximal right chopped
4329 Scapula Right midsection
4222 Scapula right midsection chopped
4214 Scapula right proximal chopped
4220 Humerus right proximal partially fused
3663 Humerus right distal fused, chopped
3864 Femur right proximal epiphysis fused
4218 Femur right proximal partially fused
4481 Tibia midsection
4549 Tibia left distal fused chopped
3918 Tibia midsection
3667 Carpal
4553 Phalange 1 fused
4219 Calcaneus right
Total: 39
MNI: 2
Sus scrofa
4450 Mandibular I2 right no wear
4243 Mandibular C right female slight wear
3661 Mandibular C right female worn
4445 Mandibular Pm2 right
4447 Mandibular Pm3 right
4448 Mandibular M2 right
4446 Mandibular M3 right unworn unerupted
4110 Mandibular M2 left unworn unerupted
4558 Mandibular Pm4 left slight wear
M1 left g
M2 left d
3316 Mandibular M1 left e
4035 Mandibular M3 left unerupted
3873 Mandibular Pm2 left unworn
4245 Maxillary C left female
4449 Maxillary C right male unworn
4451 Maxillary Pm4 right unworn
4482 Maxillary M2 right a
4559 Maxillary M2 left d
4550 Mandible left ramus fragment
4558 Mandible left fragment
3871 Mandible right fragment
4239 Thorasic vertebra fused
4235 Rib Right proximal end
4233 Rib right proximal end
3862 Scapula Right midsection
4224 Scapula midsection
4217 Metatarsus IV proximal
4440 Metatarsus Unfused
4223 Metacarpus IV unfused distal
3428 Carpal
3428 Carpal
4443 Phalange 1 unfused
Total: 33
MNI: 2
Ovis aries
4232 Mandible ramus cut
4242 Mandible right midsection chopped
Pm1
Pm2
Pm3
 Pm4 14s
M1 14a
M2 9a
M3 11g
3657 Mandible Left Midsection
Pm2
Pm3
Pm4 9a
M1 9a
M2 9a
3921 Mandibular M2 left 8b
3659 Mandibular M3 left 4a
3920 Mandibular M3 left 4a
3660 Mandibular M2 right 5b
3922 Mandibular M1 right 9a
3580 Thorasic vertebra spine
4238 Lumbar vertebra ½ chopped unfused epiphysis
4236 Rib right midsection
3867 Rib right midsection
4221/ 4225 Scapula Left midsection chopped
4557 Scapula right proximal chopped
4094 Humerus left distal fused chopped
4551 Ulna right proximal fused cut
4100 Radius Midsection
3338 Radius right proximal fused
3865 Radius right proximal fused
6209 Radius right distal unfused
4215 Radius Right distal Fused Cut
3337 Femur Left midsection
3367 Tibia left distal fused
4442 Astragelous right
4228 Calcaneus Right
3426 Calcaneus left midsection
4552 Metatarsus Left Fused
Total: 40
MNI: 2
Chicken
4330 Coracoid right
4066 Humerus right distal adult
3872 Radius left proximal
3669 Sternum
3670 Pelvis
4226 Tibia left midsection
4246 Tibia right distal adult
3315 Tibia midsection immature
6341 Metatarsus left distal immature
3869/ 3427 Metatarsus Left immature
3430 Metatarsus Right distal adult
4108/ 4109 Metatarsus left proximal adult
Total: 14
MNI: 3

Duck
4444 Ulna left proximal
4240 Tibia left midsection
3581 Tibia left midsection
Total: 3
MNI: 2
Goose
3868 Humerus left midsection
4554 Humerus right midsection
4441 Ulna right proximal
3429 Metacarpus left proximal
Total: 4
MNI: 1
Age Profile
By tooth eruption and wear
Bos taurus (2)
3658 mandibular M1 left young +6mo-1year?
3662 Mandibular Pm2 left old +2 ¼ years
4244 Mandibular I1 left old +1 ¾ years
4452 Mandibular Pm2 right young +2 1/4 years
6340 Maxillary M1 right old +6mo
One about 1 year old
One over 2 ¼ years
Sus scrofus (2)
4450 Mandibular I2 right no wear 17mo
4243 Mandibular C right female slight wear +12mo
4445 Mandibular Pm2 right +16mo
4447 Mandibular Pm3 right +16mo
4448 Mandibular M2 right +13 mo
4446 Mandibular M3 right unworn unerupted -22mo
4558 Mandibular Pm4 left slight wear +16mo
M1 left g 10-26mo
M2 left d 10-26mo
3873 Mandibular Pm2 left unworn -16mo
3316 Mandibular M1 left e 10-26mo
4110 Mandibular M2 left unworn unerupted -13mo
4035 Mandibular M3 left unerupted -13mo
3661 Mandibular C right female worn +12mo
4245 Maxillary C left female +22mo
4449 Maxillary C right male unworn -22mo
4451 Maxillary Pm4 right unworn -16mo
4482 Maxillary M2 right a 5-14mo
4559 Maxillary M2 left d 10-26mo
One around 17 months
One under 13 months
2 females: 1 just over 1 year
1 over well over 1 year
1 male under 22 months
Ovis aries (2)
4242 Mandible right midsection chopped
Pm1 +30mo
Pm2 +30mo
Pm3 +40mo
Pm4 14s +40mo
M1 14a +6mo/ 50-70mo
M2 9a +18mo/ +25mo
M3 11g +48mo/ +70mo
3657 Mandible Left Midsection
Pm2 +30mo
Pm3 +40mo
Pm4 9a +40mo
M1 9a +6mo/+25mo
M2 9a +18mo/ +25mo
3921 Mandibular M2 left 8b +18mo/ +50mo
3659 Mandibular M3 left 4a +48mo/ +55mo
3920 Mandibular M3 left 4a +48mo/+55mo
3660 Mandibular M2 right 5b +18mo/+28mo
3922 Mandibular M1 right 9a +6mo/+25mo
One over 70 months
One over 55 months
By fusion ages
Bos taurus (2)
4220 Humerus right proximal partially fused +4years
3663 Humerus right distal fused, chopped +18mo
3864 Femur right proximal epiphysis fused +3 ½ years
4218 Femur right proximal partially fused +3 ½ years
4549 Tibia left distal fused chopped +2 ½ years
4553 Phalange 1 fused +1 ½ years
Two over 3 ½ years
Sus scrofus (2)
4440 Metatarsus Unfused -2 ½ years
4223 Metacarpus IV unfused distal -2 years
One under 2 years
Ovis aries (2)
4094 Humerus left distal fused chopped +10mo
6209 Radius right distal unfused -3 years
4215 Radius Right distal Fused Cut +3 years
3367 Tibia left distal fused +2 years
One under 3 years
One over 3 years