Cattle Skull

Object/Artifact

-

Trimontium Museum

Name/Title

Cattle Skull

Entry/Object ID

L.2021.42

Description

Skull of Cattle , Bos taurus, Roman Camp, Newstead, Melrose, Roxburghshire

Use

The skull is to protect the brain. The cattle as a whole would have been a good source of meat/food for the soldiers and their families at the fort.

Context

Found at Trimontium

Collection

National Museums Scotland

Category

Cattle remains
Skeletal Remains

Acquisition

Accession

Z.1929.40.68

Source (if not Accessioned)

National Museums Scotland

Notes

Loan

Made/Created

Time Period

1st - 2nd century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Europe

Culture/Tribe

British

Lexicon

Getty AAT

Concept

cattle

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

Previous Accession Number

Other Number

1042

Material

Bone

Color

Brown

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Exhibition

Permanent Exhibition

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Caption

Label

The regiment would have kept animals for food. These bones, found at the fort, come from sheep and pigs, and the skull is from a cow. Bones of other animals were occasionally found, including deer and badger, perhaps from hunting for sport or fur. As meat goes off quickly it was smoked to preserve it. The pig shoulder blades with holes in them may have hung on a hook whilst being smoked.