Abstract
In response to unsavory sanitation conditions caused by rapid population growth at the turn of the century, the Sacramento City Garbage Crematory (CA-SAC-1252H) was established as the city’s first municipal garbage incinerator in 1906 and operated for approximately twenty years. Following the Gold Rush, Sacramento remained a hub of transportation, attracting growing industries and people from all around the world. The analysis of the faunal remains recovered from SAC-1252H allows for the first examination of historic consumer patterns in Sacramento on a communal level as they relate to increased urbanization, improved product accessibility, industry innovation, and changes to endemic animal populations. Previous zooarchaeological investigations are confined to deposits associated with individual households or businesses. Consumption patterns suggest increased reliance on domesticated and non-native animal products. While the handsaw was the preferred tool used for primary meat cut division, cleavers or axes continued to be used for secondary butchering and culinary preparation. Results regarding industrialized animal husbandry practices and transportation of animal goods from rural areas to urban centers are largely inconclusive due to limited sample size. Taphonomic bias greatly affects assemblage structure since extreme levels of thermal stress resulted in decreased survivorship and specimen identifiability. The presence of unburned specimens may reflect local community deposition by marginalized ethnic groups.