Bone on Thames

[Jason Green]

I saw this bone washed up on the Thames at around 4pm and wondered what it is. Any ideas?


Here it is...

Thankyou

[Paul mabbott]

What size is it?

[Jason Green]

I really couldn't say, perhaps 12 inches or less, perhaps more... maybe if you identify the straw nearby you could guess. Probably 12 inches or less.

[coasty]

Definately part of a big cat probably a leapord . Lots of them about

[Jason Green]

How would it end up on the Thames, UK?

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

How would it end up on the Thames, UK?

Washed out of the gravels - don't forget that hippos used to wallow and tigers used to prey in Trafalgar Square!

[petermcgain]

A couple of years ago in Tate Modern I saw an exhibition of things found on the banks of the Thames and it included, amongst many other items, lots of bones. If I remember correctly, many were from old slaughter houses in the area! If the exhibit is still there you might be able to find out what yours is.

[Jason Green]

I will look as soon as I can What type of bone is it? I guessed at a hip... its in Greenwich.

[zek]

I think it's the atlas bone - the first vertetra that joins unto the back of the skull. The part in the lower right of the photo is the bit that fits into the brain opening (foramen magnum). The 'wing' (I'm sure there's a proper name) on the side of the vertebra has been broken/worn off as in the top left of the picture, exposing the honeycombed pattern of the bones internal structure. If I'm right then it belongs to a mammal, tho' of which species I'm not sure. Near home (N. Ireland) we get quite a few old cow bones washed out of the mud, but we also get Giant Irish Deer too, so keep your options open!

Zek.

PS. Looking again at your photo, I'd guess the atlas vertebrae is sliced in half (butchers saw). If you turn it over, you should be able to see the clean saw cut. The water action will have then smoothed it off somewhat. Sorry if I'm rambling - also is the singlular vertebrae or vertebra?

[Lance Morgan]

I do not think this is part of the vertebral column although it has obviously been in the water sometime and has been smoothed off by the action of the waves and gravel.
I would say imo it is a pig bone probably part of the hip (Os Coxae).

In the spine the vertebrae (vertebra - singular) have wings called transverse processes and the hole is where the spinal cord runs. The foramen magnum is a hole at the base of the skull where the spinal cord exits attached to the brain. In a human the top two cervical vertebrae are called C1 & C2 the atlas and axis respectively. The axis has a peg called the odontoid peg which fits into a small opening in the atlas allowing frontal, dorsal, lateral and rotational movement of the head (skull).