Mystery phalanx from Roman Vindolanda

Mystery phalanx from Roman Vindolanda

mystery phalanx

The bone was excavated from a 2nd-century ditch at Roman Vindolanda in Northumbria, England. Measurements are given on two of the views. We have extensively compared this bone and are certain that it is not human, although it does fairly strongly resemble a human toe-bone. Neither is it a bear, a big badger, or any type of porpoise, dolphin, seal, or manatee. It is bird-like in some ways but it is not a swan, eagle, gyrfalcon, large owl, or large vulture. Could it be a tortoise? Never mind that Britain has no native tortoises -- perhaps the Romans imported one as a trophy or as "smoked leg of tortoise."

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