Okay then, I admit it, I know about all that and can use the word 'gastrolith' whenever required in conversation. I was just surprised by how much of the stuff was in there and the circumstances under which I discovered it, although as I type I'm suddenly realising why, or at least coming with my own theory as to why, I should have discovered it. The pigeon in question had been caught by some cat (possibly mine, although it's quite a catch if he managed it. I could provide a report on the broken bones at some point too if required) and buried by me for a few months in a specially crafted little shroud so that I could get at the bones. Most of the soft tissue was gone, apart from what seemed to be the stomach, which was full of the little stones. Of course the stomach has to resist the acidic gastric juices that the bird does produce, so that would explain its survival.
My other little bit of surprised discovery was the size of the pigeon's sternum compared to the only other bird skeleton that I have, which is unidentified, but about sparrow sized.
I've never really been a biologist, but zooarchaeology entrances me no end...
So lets get this straight. You bury stuff in your back garden just so that you can dig it up again. That's fantastic! What an archaeologist!
James had hours of fun on the beach on holiday once burying my hand in the sand and then excavating it over and over again. We don't have a garden at the moment, but I can see I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on him when we do, this career obviously isn't one you can leave at the office.
It's not really the process of digging them up that I do it for, but so that I can study the bones once they've been dug up. But it's true, being an archaeologist is the sort of thing that you don't stop doing when you stop being paid. It's the sort of thing that I'm always amazed that people will pay you to do. There are very few careers where you actually get given money to have fun.
My other little bit of surprised discovery was the size of the pigeon's sternum compared to the only other bird skeleton that I have, which is unidentified, but about sparrow sized.
I've never really been a biologist, but zooarchaeology entrances me no end...
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James had hours of fun on the beach on holiday once burying my hand in the sand and then excavating it over and over again. We don't have a garden at the moment, but I can see I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on him when we do, this career obviously isn't one you can leave at the office.
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