Article Title

Military Diet on the Border: Butchery Analysis at Fort Brown (41DF96) Cameron County, Texas

Authors

Crystal A. Dozier, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M UniversityFollow

Agency

Journal of Texas Archeology and History

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21112/ita.2017.1.67

Abstract

Archaeological investigations at Fort Brown (41CF96) have provided a wealth of information about military life in south Texas. This re-analysis of the faunal material recovered by the Archaeological Research Laboratory’s survey efforts in 1988 investigates butchering patterns found at the site. While evidence for modern European American cuts are present, processing of beef os coxae and sacrum are inconsistent with current European American butchery practices. The assemblage is dominated by inexpensive cuts of meat that would have allowed for easy cooking within stews or soups. The butchery patterns seen at Fort Brown are compared to early twentieth century military standards as well as local, and particularly Mexican, influences on Fort Brown foodways.

Licensing Statement

Reproduction, posting, transmission, or other distribution or use of the Journal volume, individual article or any portion of the material therein, in any medium, is permitted strictly for personal, non-commercial purposes via a personal-use exemption under a Creative Commons license granted by JTAH.org, Inc. This license exemption requires, as a condition of its granted permission, proper credit be attributed to JTAH.org as copyright holder (e.g., Journal of Texas Archeology and History.org © 2017). No part of this publication may be reproduced, posted, transmitted, or otherwise utilized or distributed in any form by any means or method for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the Publisher. Inquiries should be addressed to JTAH Publisher, Suite 307, Box 361, 5114 Balcones Woods Drive, Austin, Texas, 78759.

The Journal of Texas Archeology and History.org is an organization dedicated to furthering research, education and public outreach in the fields of archeology and history concerning Texas and its bordering states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Northern Mexico; a region we call the “Texas Borderlands.” The J.T.A.H. is collaborating with the Index of Texas Archaeology and S.F.A.S.U. to distribute their publication library to the general public via free and open-access channels. Visit www.JTAH.org to submit an article.