Bone Summary

Considerable amounts of bone, including burnt bone, were found in T103 in 2023. In total, 895 bone fragments were found this season. The vast majority of the bone recovered in 2023 came from deposits associated with the habitation and destruction of the OC2/Workshop structure, particularly Loci 4 (OC2/Workshop collapse) and 5 (OC2/Workshop burn layer), which together account for 845 pieces or just over 94%. Locus 5 in particular was heavily included with bone accounting for just under 84% of the bone recovered in the trench. Notably, this includes a cut bone fragment (PC20230079) and a bone fragment with butcher marks (PC2023116).

Locus 3, a layer of accumulation prior to 1980s backfill which may have included some of the backfill, contained the next largest amount of bone at 22 or 2.46%. Locus 1 (another accumulation prior to backfill layer) contained the least amount of bone with 14 pieces (1.56%). Locus 2, an Archaic fill layer, contained the same amount of bone as Locus 1, but was notable for the recovery of a cut horn fragment with cut marks (PC20230033) and a possible neonate bone fragment (PC20230007).

Loci 6 (Orientalizing occupation layer) and 7 (linear carbon feature) yielded no bone at all as they were not excavated.​​

All bone recovered in T103 in the 2023 season was animal bone, except the possible neonate bone fragment from Locus 2. Most bone appears to be deer, pig, or sheep/goat. We await further analysis of faunal remains, which will occur in 2024.