Fragmentation in zooarchaeological assemblages: The role of equifinal, random processes

Bone fragment-size distributions from three archaeological sites were examined in relation to a general model of mechanical fragmentation. The results show a close fit between archaeological bone size distributions and the model for all sites and skeletal elements, regardless of bone marrow content, shape, and recovery/recording procedures. The results suggest that the role played by general equifinal fragmentation processes in archaeological bone assemblage formation may be important, and deserves further study. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.