Banfield Emily, Stoll Alexander, Thomas Richard
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Veterinary Pathology Centre, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Francis Crick Road, Guildford, GU2 7AQ, UK.
Int J Paleopathol. 2019 Mar;24:197-200. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.11.001. Epub 2018 Dec 3.
Trauma associated with slaughter is identified occasionally archaeologically in the cranial remains of domesticated animals, with evidence for pole-axing occurring in Europe, especially from the Roman period onwards. The injury typically extends through the frontal bone and sinuses to penetrate the braincase, causing haemorrhage, loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death. Evidence for slaughter methods in the British Neolithic, however, is lacking. We report such evidence from a healed blunt-force impact trauma to the frontal bone of a domestic cattle skull from Beckhampton Road Neolithic long barrow, Wiltshire. The injury suggests a failed attempt at slaughter. To our knowledge, this is the first such report for domestic cattle from the British Neolithic. We contextualise this discovery, drawing on research into the role and meaning of faunal remains from Neolithic long barrows in Wiltshire. This work has been undertaken from a posthuman perspective. Thus, we demonstrate the opportunities for paleopathologists to inform and engage within posthumanist interpretative frameworks.
与屠宰相关的创伤偶尔会在考古发掘的家养动物颅骨遗骸中被发现，在欧洲有证据表明从罗马时期起就出现了用斧背击头的情况。这种损伤通常会穿过额骨和鼻窦，穿透脑壳，导致出血、失去意识、脑损伤和死亡。然而，英国新石器时代屠宰方法的证据却很缺乏。我们报告了来自威尔特郡贝克汉普顿路新石器时代长冢的一头家牛颅骨额骨上一处钝器撞击伤愈合后的此类证据。该损伤表明一次屠宰尝试失败。据我们所知，这是英国新石器时代家牛的首份此类报告。我们结合对威尔特郡新石器时代长冢动物遗骸的作用和意义的研究，对这一发现进行了背景分析。这项工作是从后人类视角开展的。因此，我们展示了古病理学家在以告知并参与后人文主义解释框架方面的机会。
