J Archaeol Sci 34 (6)

Economic utility indices provide a means of interpreting butchery and transport decisions reflected in the relative abundance of skeletal elements. Because of destructive taphonomic processes, interpreting skeletal element abundances in terms of carcass transport strategies requires that faunal analysts consider only those elements which accurately reflect their original abundances following human discard. In this study the authors use resampling techniques to examine the impact of sample size on correlations between high-survival skeletal element frequencies and economic utility in four simulated population assemblages reflecting distinct carcass transport strategies. Correlations alone do not accurately reflect the true relationship between bone abundance and economic utility as particular transport strategies have a tendency to generate high frequencies of Type II errors as sample size decreases. It is shown that the Shannon evenness index can be used as a quantitative means of distinguishing between bone assemblages characterized by subtle variations in skeletal element abundances. The evenness index can also be used to evaluate whether observed correlations reflect sampling error. Results from simulations are applied to three published faunal assemblages to evaluate likely carcass transport strategies.

The paper presents the results of a study of teeth as a potential source of information on sex. The research was performed on the total of eighty-six skulls excavated in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century from a medieval cemetery (tenth and eleventh century) near Osijek in Croatia. Sex was determined on the basis of twenty osseal craniofacial, as well as odontometric features. Sexual dimorphism of the odontometric features was tested by the Students' t-test method. Determining sex on the basis of craniofacial features was possible in 55.8% of the cases. Combining the craniofacial and odontometric features it was possible to determine sex in 86% of the cases. It was concluded that in cases where ante-mortem data on sex are not available it is best to combine a number of different methods in order to raise the level of confidence and the level of success in sex determination.

The taphonomic or formation processes of desiccated and carbonized plant remains are reviewed and compared. Both types of assemblage frequently consist of material of mixed origin, but despite a high degree of mixing, the various routes of entry are still identifiable, and it is concluded that archaeological plant assemblages are more robust than often assumed. Case studies where the accurate identification of the formation processes has been critical are examined and guidelines on how to assess the formation processes are presented. It is argued that the coherence of archaeobotanical assemblages is due to the fact that they represent day-to-day routine behavioural practices. As these routine practices are socially and culturally structured, the identification of formation processes of plant remains can help identify social and cultural behaviour and changes therein.

Response to a critique by Crowther and Haslam (same issue, pages 997--1000).