When archaeologists find faunal remains at archaeological sites, they often assume that humans brought them there in their quest for animal protein and other animal products. There is an exception to the rule, though, when it comes to bones found at rock-shelter and cave sites, because humans were not the only users of these sites. Some carnivores and birds of prey such as owls also used them and, like humans, they sometimes brought back body parts or whole carcasses of animals that they had hunted or scavenged. Identifying remains brought in by humans is usually easy because humans butchered the animals and roasted the meat on a fire before eating it. These processes often left cut, burn or scorch marks on the bones. Archaeologists view the marks as evidence that the animal remains went through what some have referred to as a ‘cultural filter’. In other words, the marks on the bones are evidence that humans rather than animals of prey handled these bones.

Meat was not the only useful animal product obtained from animal carcasses. Archaeological evidence shows that humans also broke the limb bones to extract nutritious bone marrow. They used animal skins too for a variety of purposes, such as bedding, carrying children around and for clothing. During the Iron Age, animal skins and some horns were trade items too and people traded these with foreign traders, some of whom had established settlements along the coast of the Indian Ocean starting from the eighth century. Further, people modified bones, ivory and shells by shaping them into useful cultural objects. Among the objects they made from bones were needles, awls, ‘beads and ornaments, tubes for smoking pipes and musical instruments’. From shell and ivory, they made beads, pendants, bangles and other objects.

In general, however, archaeologists tend to find more objects made from bone at Stone Age rock-shelter or cave sites than at Iron Age open sites. The reason for this is that, apart from ivory, most Iron Age people had no need for bone tools and ornaments because they had iron implements for tools, and glass beads, copper and gold jewellery for ornaments.

Success in obtaining information from faunal remains depends on how well preserved the remains are at the time they are recovered by archaeologists.