Applications of Bone Histology in Tracking Exploitation Markers: From the Site Inamgaon, Maharashtra

Abstract

: Bone Histology, particularly the study of osteon morphology and morphometry is used extensively by palaeontologists to reconstruct pre-mortem conditions in large vertebrates. The skeletal system is dynamic and undergoes modification throughout an animal’s life cycle in response to various physical and environmental stimuli, most notably in the remodelling and reconfiguration of skeletal tissue at the microscopic level. The size, shape and distribution of osteons in the long bones of a vertebrate animal have often been proved to reflect various changes engineered by adverse environmental conditions. The present work assumes that the exploitation of domestic animals - especially when carried out intensively over a relatively short period - can engender similar changes in the osteon microstructures of these animals through activity such as herd migration, fattening, confinement and so on. Taking the Late Jorwe phase at the Deccan Chalcolithic site of Inamgaon as a case study, the present work carries out a histological examination of bone samples of Sheep ( Ovis aries ) and Goat ( Capra hircus ), which were intensively exploited at the site during this period. The shape, frequency and configuration of osteons (and other histological features) are recorded and correlated with the different phases of exploitation in order to determine their effect on the skeletal tissues.