Paleozoology of Unit J3

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Introduction

For the most part, excavated animal bones are collected in the field the same way ceramics are collected, i.e. bagged as bones of a distinct q-lot and removed to the house to await analysis by a subject matter expert. In special cases such as incorporation as grave goods an individual bone is assigned an item number (i or qi) and held in unit storage.

Generally speaking, there were relatively few animal bones excavated in J3, probably because the entire area was ceremonial, not devoted to domestic or commercial activities. However there were two sets of animal bones associated with burials; one a skull and long bones in burial aggregate a1, and the other a long bone associated with burial aggregate a22.