COMPARATIVE OSTEOLOGY
IS IT BONE?
Look for typical bone microstructure using
a light microscope or eye loop.
BONE HISTOMORPHOMETRY
IS IT HUMAN BONE?
COMPARATIVE OSTEOLOGY
• Having a comparative reference collection is essential! Must
consider a variety of non-human possibilities:
• wild animals such as bear, deer and fox
• domestic pets such as dogs & horses
• livestock such as cattle, pigs, goats & sheep
MAMMALIAN OSTEOLOGY
AVIAN OSTEOLOGY
REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
DO THE ELEMENTS RECOVERED LIE OUTSIDE
THE RANGE OF HUMAN MORPHOLOGY ?
• Begin with overall size.
• N.B. small mammal bones can be confused with young human bones;
look to see whether bones are ‘fused’ or not.
• If the bones are about the same size as a human's and are adult,
then have to rely on architecture and shape of the bone(s) to tell it
apart.
AXIAL SKELETON-SKULL & DENTITION
• The most frequently
recovered skeletal
element and fortunately
the most distinct.
• It can be tricky, however,
when fragmentary. The
best shot is to look at the
teeth.
• Adult dentition: 2 incisors, 1
canine, 2 premolars, 3
molars.
• Primary dentition: 2 incisors,
1 canine, 2 molars.
• Non-human teeth often
exhibit pointy cusps and
large canines (on carnivores)
or incisors (rodents).
POSTCRANIAL AXIAL ELEMENTS
APPENDICULAR SKELETON-LIMB
GIRDLES
APPENDICULAR
SKELETONPROXIMAL LIMB
BONES
APPENDICUL AR SKELETON-DISTAL LIMB
BONES
BEAR PAW
RELATIVE CORTICAL BONE THICKNESS
Cow
Human
Bird
OSTEON PATTERN
• Human have a non-linear, random pattern.
• Non-Human bone displays osteons in rows or bands.
END LECTURE HERE