Anatomical classification of animal bone relics excavated from the well area of Gasan-ri in Jinju

ABSTRACT

The classification of the bone pieces excavated from Gasan-ri archaeological site Ⅰ in Jinju, presumed to be relics was investigated macroscopically. The remains of the animal bone were 3 classes (Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia), 5 orders (Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Passeriformes, Rodentia, Salientia), and 6 species (Sus scrofa, Cervidae sp., Nyctereutes procyonides, Passeriformes sp., Rattus norvegicus caraco, Rana nigromaculata). The total weight of the animal bone remains was 1,002.80 g, with the identified bones comprising 975.30 g and an identification rate of 97.26%. A total of 447 animal bone fragments were identified, including 204 bone pieces of S. scrofa (468.00 g, 47.99%), 102 bone pieces of Cervidae sp. (453.79 g, 46.53%), 68 bone pieces of R. nigromaculata (4.69 g, 0.48%), 59 bone pieces of N. procyonides (47.14 g, 4.83%), 9 bone pieces of Passeriformes sp. (0.98g, 0.10%), and 5 bone pieces of Rattus norvegicus caraco (0.70 g, 0.07%). The bone pieces of the animal relics consisted of 81 skull (18.12%), 161 axial skeleton (36.02%), 64 forelimb (14.32%), and 141 hindlimb (31.54%) fragments. The archaeological significance of the animal bones excavated in this investigation was that wild boars and deer were presumed to have been mainly used animals in the Gasan-ri area of Jinju during the Three Kingdoms period.