Well...I know about the preservation there...but, this skeleton was
buried for a while (who knows how long) BEFORE the house was ever buried
by the mud slide that caused the anaerobic conditions.  It should have
been exposed to "normal" decomposition processes for at least some time.
I meant, if my dog's skeleton didn't 'survive' after only a few yrs
buried...why did this dog's bones...assuming it was not buried
immediately prior to the mudslide...sealing it in.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On 
>Behalf Of Ron May
>Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 7:15 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: poultry consumption - missing bones ?
>
> 
>In a message dated 8/30/2007 2:53:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight 
>Time, [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>an  articulated dog skeleton at Ozette,
>WA...over 500 yrs old...buried under  (in) the (dirt) house 
>floor.  Why did it preserve  (perfectly)?
>
>
>
>Carol, 
> 
>This is because Ozette was an anaerobic condition. The 
>microbes used up the oxygen and the organics preserved. Burial 
>in acidic dirt with aeration from insects, worms, and other 
>critters causes decomposition. 
> 
>Ron May
>Legacy 106, Inc.
>
>
>
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