Biometric Measurement of Bones

Definition

Biometry is the taking of detailed measurements at certain points on bones such as greatest length, greatest width, narrowest shaft diamter and so on. These measuring points are now standardised in two archaeozoological publications (see third section) so that methods and results can be replicated by workers around the world.

Uses

Biometrical analysis of animal bones can be useful in a number of ways. Detailed measurements of bones can separate species such as sheep and goats, and in some cases differentiate between sexes and also between adults and juveniles. These analyses can prove very useful to archaeologists, zoologists and other scientists. Archaeologists can use biometric data, particularly where a large number of bones of the same species occur, to work out patterns of animal husbandry, levels of stock nutrition, development and change in size and proportion, for example between Mediaeval and Post-Mediaeval stock improvments. It is also possible to seperate wild and domestic forms of certain species such as pigs and geese, useful for tracing the development of domestication.

BtB Biometrics

BtB offers a bone measuring service, both for archaeological and modern material. Measurements are taken with a precision dial calliper, measuring to 0.02mm. Measuring points follow "A guide to the measurement of animal bones from archaeological sites" (Angela Von den Driesch) and the "Manual for the identification of bird bones from archaeological sites" (Cohen and Sarjentson), although clients can specify their own sets of measurements and skeletal elements if they wish. All data is recorded on BtB biometric sheets, and can also be supplied on 3.5" disks in the following formats: ASCII, all versions of MS Word (up to Word 2000), MS Excel (up to Excel 2000), Lotus Word Pro (up to Word Pro 97) and Lotus 1-2-3 (up to 1-2-3 97).