Gone to the Dogs: a Study of Bone Attrition at a Central Australian Campsite

Abstract

This is a study of bone discard at a contemporary archaeological site. It assesses the accumulation of bones in the face of destruction by scavenging animals. Three per cent by numbers and two per cent by weight of discarded bones survived to be collected in a six month study period. It is suggested that patterns of scattering by scavengers may help in the interpretation of prehistoric sites, and in particular may allow the prediction of attrition of bone by dogs.