While I have encountered this generalization before, I am not sure what to  
make of it. A lot of food preparation is cultural, so the use of saws versus  
hammers and knives is also cultural. Sherry Gust has said a lot of disparaging  
things, both about what archaeologists find and the archaeologists 
themselves,  not that what she says is always accurate. I have seen saw cut bones deep 
in an  18th century architectural feature (not bandsaw cut) and have pondered 
what that  really meant. But how people apply those cuts and where on the 
animal the cuts  were made is also cultural.
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
 
 
In a message dated 1/22/2009 9:04:35 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Thanks  to everybody who provided input on the bandsaw question.  I 
think the  general consensus was that certainly a post-Civil War 
phenomena, with an  introduction associated with the large-scale 
slaughter houses of the  era.  Whether this occurred before the 
introduction of electricity  seems to remain an open question ...

Mark
-- 

Mark C.  Branstner, RPA
Historic Archaeologist

Illinois  Transportation
Archaeological Research Program
University of Illinois at  Urbana-Champaign
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium  Drive
Champaign, IL 61820

Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax:  217.244.7458
Cell: 517.927.4556
[log in to unmask]


"I hope  there's pudding" - Luna Lovegood (HP5)

"If you only have a hammer,  every problem looks like a nail"-  Anonymous


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