02011nas a2200145 4500008004100000022001400041245010400055210006900159300001400228490000700242520152100249100002001770700001901790856005601809 2019 eng d a1866-955700aCan metric data be an effective tool for galliform skull identification in archaeological contexts?0 aCan metric data be an effective tool for galliform skull identif a5617-56300 v113 aGalliforms, or game birds, are commonly found in zooarchaeological assemblages but several taxa within the order (e.g. chicken, pheasant and grouse) are difficult to distinguish from one another morphologically. Osteometrics is a tool for understanding skeletal variation in animal populations that has been shown to be useful in distinguishing between closely related genera in galliform post-cranial elements. In this paper, we test whether metrics are also effective in identifying galliform skulls (crania and mandibles) to the genus level. Using osteometric data collected from nine North American gallinaceous genera, we found that size was the greatest source of variation within the order. Several dimensions (greatest height, smallest breadth between orbits and length of incisivum) on the cranium were successful in distinguishing Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), while measurements on the mandible were not very effective in separating closely related taxa. The application of osteometrics to fragmentary bird skulls from an historic era site assemblage in New York was not effective in identifying birds beyond general size-classes even with the aid of morphology and comparative collections. This suggests that previous work identifying fragmentary skull remains to the species level is not accurate, and that more advanced methods need to be developed to identify morphological and metric variation between taxa in these fragmentary elements.1 aLedogar, S., H.1 aWatson, J., E. uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12520-019-00899-002053nas a2200181 4500008004100000245011600041210006900157300001200226490000700238520130000245100002001545700002001565700001901585700001601604700002401620700002001644856020701664 2019 eng d00aNew AMS Dates for Verteba Cave and Stable Isotope Evidence of Human Diet in the Holocene Forest-Steppe, Ukraine0 aNew AMS Dates for Verteba Cave and Stable Isotope Evidence of Hu a141-1580 v613 a

Excavations at several locations in Verteba Cave have uncovered a large amount of human skeletal remains in association with faunal bones and Tripolye material culture. We aim to establish radiocarbon (14C) dates for eight sites and to evaluate whether these deposits are singular events, or slow accumulations over time. 14C measurements, along with stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data from human and faunal remains, were collected from 18 specimens. Stable isotope values were used to evaluate human and animal diet, and whether freshwater reservoir effects offset measured dates. We found diets of the sampled species had limited to no influence from freshwater resources. Human diet appears to be dominated by terrestrial plants and herbivores. Four new sites were identified as Eneolithic. Comparisons of dates from top and bottom strata for two sites (7 and 20) reveal coeval dates, and we suggest that these deposits represent discrete events rather than slow continuous use. Lastly, we identified dates from the Mesolithic (8490±45 BP, 8765±30 BP), Iron Age (2505±20 BP), Slavic state era (1315±25 BP), and Medieval Period (585±15 BP), demonstrating periodic use of the cave by humans prior to and after the Eneolithic.

1 aLedogar, S., H.1 aKarsten, J., K.1 aMadden, G., D.1 aSchmidt, R.1 aSokohatskyi, M., P.1 aFeranec, R., S. uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/radiocarbon/article/new-ams-dates-for-verteba-cave-and-stable-isotope-evidence-of-human-diet-in-the-holocene-foreststeppe-ukraine/63EB7AAABE385EB67B93A0A1B0828A50