Abstract

Quantitative measures of marrow and bone grease for bison have been produced by Emerson (1990) and Brink. Combined, these indices provide a new tool for the examination of faunal utilization at bison kill/butchery sites from the North American Plains. It is assumed that bones with the greatest amount of marrow and grease were preferentially processed. Testing this assumption for marrow at a number of bison kill sites reveals a large number of sites that conform to the prediction but a substantial number that contradict the expected pattern. Comparing bone grease content with faunal representation indicates a similar pattern of conformance with expectations at some sites but not others. Further analysis reveals that sites where optimal utilization of marrow is not evident are the same sites where maximum grease extraction was conducted. It is concluded that: (1) indices based on food quantity have the potential to elucidate seemingly contradictory patterns of faunal use, and (2) that subsequent stages of faunal utilization, such as grease rendering, can obliterate patterns of primary use, such as marrow extraction.