The only formal early historic domesticated cat burial in the SW of which I
am aware was uncovered during the excavations at the 17th century Spanish
mission of Awatovi in Eastern AZ in the late 1930s. I don't have my
references at hand, but will supply those tomorrow to those who wish to
know. In 1915, while excavating in the convento at Pecos, NM, Jesse Nusbaum
uncovered one of the greatest artifacts of all time--a life-sized ceramic
cast of the head of a house/barn cat with a mouse in its mouth. This
incredible object has traces of lead glaze in a sort of floral design on the
face of the cat and is my all-time favorite artifact in the collections of
the Lab. of Anthro./Museum of New Mexico. Then, several years ago while
working with Dave Thomas at the 17th century mission of San Marcos, about 15
or so miles south of Santa Fe, NM, we uncovered the paw prints left by a cat
on the surface of several adobe bricks close to the entrance to the
sacristry. As best I can tell, domesticated house/barn cats were introduced
by Juan de Onate, more than likely for rodent/pest control--anyone with
further information, please write to me off list.
Cheers!
Dedie Snow
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Sterner" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 3:39 PM
Subject: Re: Felines
> Dog burials are actually not uncommon on prehistoric sites here in the
> Southwest. Not sure about cats though. Will have to ask a couple of
> colleagues and get back to the list on that one!
>
> mas
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert L. Schuyler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 2:30 PM
> Subject: Re: Felines
>
>
> > WHAT! Did you open the bag to see if there were any "grave goods" or
> > perhaps, if you were very lucky, an identifying "Dog Tag"
> > (woops, I meat a "Cat Tag."). Of course, I assume you saved the plastic
> > bag, labeled and inventoried it.
> >
> > Did people consider cats to be pets in the colonial period or just tools
> > (rodent killers)? I know there is some evidence of people
> > eating cats (e.g. 19th century Cannon Point Plantation). Any cat or dog
> > remains from early sites like Jamestown or Quebec
> > or St Mary's City?
> >
> > RLS
> >
> > At 05:12 PM 6/5/2005, you wrote:
> >>Robert L. Schuyler wrote:
> >> > We seem to drifting away from the subject of HISTARCH, so to get it
> >> > back on
> >> > topic: Has anyone ever found a modern historic period
> >> > (i.e. !400-present) cat burial? Also when did the first Pet
Cemeteries
> >> > appear in the US and elsewhere?
> >>
> >>Yes! I found a cat burial on a farm site in Michigan. It was buried not
> >>very deep in the landscaping along the back of the house (or, at any
> >>rate, what was left of it). The 'body' was in a plastic bag, and was
> >>relatively recent since it was still a little -- well -- greasy. I
> >>refused to collect it as an 'artifact' and we gave it a nice reburial
> >>without touching or moving it.
> >>
> >>Carol
> >>
> >>--
> >>Carol A. Nickolai
> >>
> >>Anthropology Anthropology and Geography
> >>University of Pennsylvania Community College of
Philadelphia
> >>email: [log in to unmask] email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> > Robert L. Schuyler
> > University of Pennsylvania Museum
> > 3260 South Street
> > Philadelphia, PA l9l04-6324
> >
> > Tel: (215) 898-6965
> > Fax: (215) 898-0657
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
>
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