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This paper discusses transformations in human behavior between the Iron Age and the Roman times in the tribal territory of the Treveri, later civitas Treverorum, located between the Rhine and the Ardennes. This aspect has been examined from two perspectives: first, from an anthropological point of view vis‐a‐vis the historical inhabitants, and second, from an archaeozoological perspective regarding domestic animals. Due to small sample sizes and/or difficulty in dating, both regarding humans and domestic animals, transformations in living conditions and animal‐keeping could mostly be outlined only for the La Tène and Roman times. Only the Celtic‐Roman cemetery of Wederath‐Belginum with continued use from middle La Tène to late antiquity offers a more complex insight into human mortality and animal offerings. People lived longer in the Roman times but had more pathologies compared with the previous La Tène period. Body height remained similar in the La Tène and Roman times. However, differences existed within specific human groups (for example, warriors and craftsmen), compared to the normal population. Sex differences in mortality persisted from La Tène to Roman times. The faunal composition in the burials, settlements, and sanctuaries also shows changes. Since the middle La Tène period, chickens have been present. The first oysters can be found in Augustean times, whereas exotic birds such as crested fowls and peacocks are found only in later Roman times and are quite rare. A new direction in animal‐keeping is demonstrated via an increasing logarithmic size index (LSI) in cattle and sheep. The multivariate methods applied in this study offer further insights into the domain and can serve as helpful tools for osteoarchaeological data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedded artifacts in osteoarchaeological remains may be key to approaching hunting strategies and other behavioral‐related issues such as technological development. However, that kind of evidence is not common within the archaeological record and often not well‐characterized, especially for faunal remains from prehistoric sites. Here, we present and discuss a unique case of a horse (Equus caballus) mandible with an embedded lithic remains from the Upper Paleolithic (ca. 17,300–16,200 cal BP) from La Garma cave in Cantabria, Spain. Our macro‐ and microscopic faunal and lithic integrated analysis suggests that the case presented here is a potential perimortem hunting lesion, representing an uncommon hunting strategy during the Magdalenian period. Furthermore, this study, representing the first case of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula, emphasizes the importance of the taphonomic analysis of bone surfaces to approach the understanding of past human behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal and plant remains recovered from two archaeological sites in Iași city (NE Romania) were analyzed in this work. The aim of this study was to contribute to the economic and environmental evaluation of an old urban settlement. The analyzed sites, both of value in archaeological preventive research, are dated to the 18th–19th centuries. The archaeozoological analysis consisted of anatomical, taxonomic, and taphonomic identifications, quantification, estimations of age at slaughter and sex, and osteometry. The results revealed that the animal remains are of domestic origin, as indicated by traces of butchering, and can be mainly described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), selection for slaughter, morphology, and size. The results show that animal husbandry (e.g., cattle, sheep/goat, pig, and horse) had significant importance in the economy of the settlement, and cattle were preferred for consumption. Few remains were identified for wild mammals (i.e., red deer, wild boar, and hare), birds, and mollusks. The phytolith analysis indicated that some plant resources were used in the economy of this settlement. The identification of opal silica bodies revealed the presence of grasses and cultivated cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cattle remains from the Roman period often indicate both small and large individuals. This can be evidenced through the variability in bone measurements related to the stature of living animals. It is widely believed that these differences are too great to be related to the size pattern of cows and bulls from a single population, instead pointing to the presence of different types. The smaller one is usually conceived as autochthonous, while the larger one is interpreted as—originally—introduced Roman cattle. Apparently, for the first time in Central Europe, people would use two or more breeds of the same domestic species. To determine the background of this new production regime, we analysed four stable isotope ratios of bone collagen from small and large specimens from Roman sites, including urban, rural, civilian, military, and ritual. If the two types were raised differently, this should be visible by the isotope ratios providing information about nourishment and origin. The results produced no consistent differences between small and large cattle; rather, these were raised side by side. Apparently, Roman agriculture was complex enough to support various breeds simultaneously, but further research on intra-site variability is needed. In this study, we try to combine traditional archaeozoological biometry, based on outer bone measurements, with stable isotope analyses of bone collagen. Right from the start of archaeozoological research in Central and Western Europe, the important size variability in Roman domestic cattle has puzzled scholars. According to an established view, these differences in bone size are attributed either to the simultaneous presence of different types or even breeds or to the result of crossbreeding of smaller, native, and larger Roman cattle. Likewise, the episodic import of large-sized animals has been considered. First, we selected thirty proximal phalanges of cattle from three sites including five archaeological contexts from eastern Austria (Roman provinces of Noricum and Pannonia). The bone sample comprised the whole hitherto observed metric variability in Roman provincial cattle, and we tried to include minimal and maximal specimens. The results from stable isotope analyses (δ15N, δ13C, δ18O, δ2H) carried out on thirty proximal phalanges indicated that isotope signals were rather site-specific and, generally, not related to bone size. Therefore, we conclude that at least in the area investigated, small and large cattle types were raised and herded in the same areas and not spatially separated. There are, however, uncertain indicators of intra-site differences in isotope signals related to bone size, which should be checked on much larger sample sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of birds in the medieval human diet has been greatly explored in Europe. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of data from Croatia. Avian remains dated to the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods from five archaeological sites in continental Croatia underwent skeletal and taxonomic analysis. Age groups were determined and sex identification was conducted using visual and X-ray diagnostics. Chicken bone measurements were taken, and the logarithmic size index (LSI) technique was performed. Statistical analysis was applied to explore differences between sites. A total of 694 avian remains were studied, revealing 10 species/genera. Avian remains ranged from 8.88% to 20.32% across sites, with the highest percentage found at the urban site BAN. Hens outnumbered cockerels across all sites, with adult chickens prevailing over immature and subadult ones. Chicken sizes were generally consistent across sites, except for castle MIL, where a larger breed was identified. Cockerels tended to be larger than hens, except for one small-sized spurred specimen. To conclude, bird exploitation complemented the use of other animals in diets. Chickens were vital for eggs and meat, with monasteries excelling in bird husbandry over castles. Inhabitants of urban areas mainly consumed bird meat. Castles showed high status through game and imported birds. The aim of this article was to fill in the gap of information regarding the exploitation and consumption of birds at Croatian sites during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioarchaeological studies provide a valuable contribution to the understanding of the economy and activities of prehistoric populations in mountain regions. The Late Bronze Age in the Caucasus is an epoch of fundamental transformations that is accompanied by the development of a semi-stationary pastoral economy and ultimately by the emergence of combined mountain agriculture. So far, only a few archaeozoological assemblages from this period have been published. The site of Ransyrt-1 in the North Caucasus offers a substantial collection of bone material from the remains of a mountain sanctuary. Analysis of the animal remains as well as preliminary isotopic analyses of strontium, oxygen, and carbon shed light on animal exploitation at this site. Comparisons with slightly later settlements in the North and South Caucasus illustrate the development of intensive livestock management strategies in the Late Bronze Age in this region at the interface between Southwest Asia and the Eurasian steppe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the dental microwear analysis technique has been proven as an approach for contributing to animal husbandry research. It has been tested with good results on providing information related to the animal feeding strategies of bygone agri-livestock societies. In this paper, we present the first dental microwear study from the northeast of Tarraconensis province –the administrative region covering the northeastern Iberian Peninsula in Late Antiquity (4th – 8th c. CE) – in order to provide first order information about the different systems that may have been used to nourish sheep flocks. A total of 146 lower sheep (Ovis aries) molars from five archaeological sites were analysed. The results allow us to propose that different livestock practices were conducted, and various natural resources were exploited by the region’s inhabitants during Late Antiquity, with fodder being particularly important as a feeding system to nourish the flock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeozoological studies, carried out according to the methodological scheme of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, analyzed collections of animal bone remains from excavations of nine cities and six rural settlements of the Golden Horde state. The main finds in these collections were bones of domestic ungulates with traces of meat cutting. The study found that the main meat product for residents of cities and settlements was beef; lamb and horse meat played a significantly smaller role in meat menu. Cow and bull hides were the main export goods of the Golden Horde, so cattle were bred in large numbers in rural settlements. The role of nomads in the economy of the state was revealed by the analysis of bone finds, discovered in cities in craft districts. In bone accumulations the set of species is common, but the leading role in the osteological spectrum belonged to small cattle. The anatomical set recorded a large number of individual bones from large and small cattle, which is possible only with mass slaughter of cattle. In one of the clusters, the fact of slaughtering horses for hides was established. In the economy of the Golden Horde, nomads played the role of suppliers of their animals to the cities - sheep and horses periodically and mainly for the production of hides.

Simple Summary: Archaeozoological investigation of the horse remains discovered in Alba Iulia-CX 143 complex of the La Tène period reveals the existence of a small-sized male horse (Equus caballus) of 1200–1300 mm in height with slender extremities that died at the age of 7–8 years with no evident paleopathological changes characteristic to horseback riding but showing distinctive elements of bit wear. The present paper deals with the archaeozoological investigation carried out on a horse skeleton discovered in a Late Iron Age La Tène tomb (coded CX 143) in Alba Iulia, Romania. The paper presents all the results of the investigation, with a description of finds, adding a detailed assessment of the dentition with some interesting conclusions on the usage of a horse bit and the possible consequences of this use. The morphological features of the horse indicate a 7–8-year-old male individual, with a recalculated height of 1200–1300 mm. What is also stressed in the investigated sample is the lack of the characteristic pathological lesions typical for horseback riding but showing distinctive elements of bit wear. A comparative perspective over the few findings from the same period is provided to ensure the framing of the identified individual into the much larger historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Assyrian Trade Colonies Age, from the EBA to MBA, marked a shift in the trading system between Anatolia and Mesopotamia due to increased mineral trade. Assyrian traders transported tin, textiles, and valuable stones and metals, paying taxes to local rulers. They established settlements and established Karum colonies in major cities and Wabartum stations in smaller ones. It is known that donkeys and mules were used as caravan animals towards the end of the Early Bronze Age in Central Anatolia. However, we have not identified enough archaeological material to prove the existence of mules in particular. Animal bone remains recovered from the Derekutuğun mining settlement were examined, and especially the teeth of equids were further examined by the researcher. This study mentions the existence of the oldest known possible mules, especially based on the dental remains of equids found in Derekutuğun. This paper discusses the discoveries of early donkey and the earliest mule remains in Central Anatolia from the site Derekutuğun. This site represents the remains of a village dating back to the Early Bronze Age and Assyrian Trade Colonies period, associated with mining. The archaeofaunal assemblage was studied by the author and his team using classical archaeozoological methods. The dental remains of the Equidae found at Derekutuğun have been re-examined and are described in this article. The dental evidence indicates that donkeys, and possibly the earliest mules ever found in Central Anatolia, were kept at this site. Although the paper is based on the archaeozoological remains, written sources from the period also support the faunal identification. Derekutuğun was a small settlement that specialized in processing copper ore, and which was an important hub for a trade network because of its extensive mining and extraction operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Last Glacial Maximum, after 20 Kya ago, in the Alpine area the environmental and climatic conditions began to change, and humans returned to the valleys. North-eastern Italy – east of Lake Garda – has provided numerous traces of these early recolonisations, but the same cannot be said for the areas to the west of Lake Garda (Lombardy and Piedmont) where only a few faint traces of Late Pleistocene and early Holocene human presence are known. The deeply stratified site at Cividate Camuno (Valle Camonica – Brescia), on the valley floor at an altitude of 275 m asl, is datable to the Late Glacial and early Holocene and is unique in the whole of north-western Italy. At the site were found an inhabited area with a Palaeolithic "hut" and an Early Mesolithic level. The archaeozoological analyses of the Palaeolithic (Late Epigravettian) levels (18.1–15.6 Kya cal BP) show different hunting strategies from those of the early Mesolithic (Sauvetterian) level (10.2–9.6 Kya cal BP), reflecting environmental variation and, hence, changes in locally available prey. The Late Palaeolithic occupation thus represents the first trace of a human presence in the western Alps since the glaciers reached the Po Plain, at least 10.000 years earlier. The members of these human groups were pioneers in an uninhabited and hostile environment who, thanks to their technical knowledge, were able to adapt to such difficult environmental conditions. They hunted ibex, which lived on the valley floor, and the deer that returned to the areas from which the glaciers receded. The Mesolithic occupation provides evidence of the subsequent adaptation of human groups to an environment that had changed thanks to the retreat of the glaciers to higher elevations and, on the valley floors, had left room for the spread of wooded areas that hosted deer, roe deer and wild boar – the favoured prey of these Mesolithic hunters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the subsistence economy in the South Caucasus during the Early Chalcolithic (c.4700–4300 BC) through bioarchaeological analyses of the Bavra Ablari rock shelter site. This region, rich in biodiversity and characterized by a variety of climates and landscapes, has a history of agropastoral occupation dating back to the beginning of the 6th millennium BC. Up to now, archaeological studies have mainly focused on the valleys and lowlands, leaving the mountainous areas less explored. Recent excavations at Bavra Ablari, located at an altitude of 1,650 m, have enabled new bioarchaeological analyses to be carried out, providing data on the faunal and botanical assemblages of this period. These analyses reveal a mixed agro-pastoral exploitation, with a predominance of caprine (sheep and goats) rearing and cultivation of cereals, such as barley and einkorn. Faunal remains and evidence of hunting and fishing reveal extensive use of several biotopes. The study highlights the importance of pastoralism, attested to as far back as the Neolithic period, with herds moving seasonally to higher pastures in summer. Early Chalcolithic occupations, such as those at Bavra Ablari, show the persistence of pastoral activities in these mountainous regions despite severe winter conditions and suggest seasonal occupation of the site.

For a long time, Neanderthals were considered hunters of large mammals, whereas the diversification of the exploited faunal spectrum to include smaller taxa, including birds, was assumed to be specific to anatomically modern humans. In recent decades, archeozoological analyses of faunal remains from layers associated with Middle Paleolithic lithic industries have revealed traces of human manipulation of small taxa, indicating the exploitation of a wider range of animals than previously thought. These new data have challenged the view that Neanderthals did not exploit small animals, thereby narrowing the behavioral gap with anatomically modern humans. Nevertheless, the information currently available comes almost exclusively from southern Europe and the nature of Neanderthal small fauna exploitation in northern Europe remains largely unknown. The present study aims to fill this gap by applying archeozoological methods, including detailed taphonomic and traceological analyses, to 119 bird remains recovered from layers containing Middle Paleolithic industries at Scladina Cave, Belgium. Analyses of proteomics were applied to clarify the taxonomic identity of two morphologically non-diagnostic elements. Modifications made by non-human predators or scavengers, suggest that mammalian carnivores are responsible for accumulating a considerable portion of the avian assemblage. In total, seven bird bones exhibit anthropogenic marks, and one element presents questionable marks. Various Galliformes taxa and a great cormorant were exploited likely for their meat. The talon of a likely lesser spotted eagle displays intense polishing possibly linked to human manipulation of this element, although this remains hypothetical. On the radius of a Western capercaillie, two deep incisions may indicate bone working, and intense use-wear indicates that the bone has been utilized, potentially on soft organic material. This study provides the first evidence of the exploitation of birds by Neanderthal in Belgium and constitutes the only detailed zooarchaeological analysis of Middle Paleolithic bird material in northwestern Europe. The likely modification and subsequent utilization of a bird bone is only the second example known from Neanderthal occupations in Eurasia. The novel taxa identified as Neanderthal prey highlight the plasticity of Neanderthal ecological behavior, adapting to different landscapes and climates and exploiting a large spectrum of locally available prey.

The article deals with a brief description of the producing economy types: agriculture and livestock farming of the medieval community. The study combines the results of excavations on the Polyutovo (Rodanovo) hillfort in 1936–1937, 2016–2021 and 2023. The period of the medieval climatic optimum coincides with a change in the type of economy. Favorable conditions for farming are being created. The methods of land cultivation and harvesting the crop, the quantity of which had been steadily increasing, were changing, the design of storage pits for keeping grown grains was improved, and the methods of grain handling were also changed. These assumptions are confirmed by findings of recent years: ploughshare, fragments of hunchback scythe and sickle, storage pit, fragments of quernstones. Osteological analysis indicates a well-developed animal husbandry with a predominance of meat and dairy. Cattle was the key economic species. The hillfort population used the raw materials provided by cattle: wool, leather, bones. The following production occupations are distinguished: spinning, leather crafting, bone carving and, possibly, weaving. Cattle could be used as draft power. The materials open up prospects for further publications and scientific discussions.

This paper deals with the study of birds bone remains from the cultural layers of the medieval site of federal significance, the Ufa-II hillfort. In the course of the study 112 bone remains of birds from this hillfort were studied. This site dates back to the V–XVI centuries. The material was collected during excavations in 2007–2008, 2017 and 2022. Nowadays it is kept in the museum of the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS. Identification of bone remains was carried out using classical methods – morphological and morphometric, using the D. Poland size database and statistical package R. As a result of combining the obtained data with previous studies, the dominant and subdominant groups of birds inhabiting the territory of the site during the Middle Ages were determined. For the first time, bone remains of the poultry were found in the cultural layers of the settlement. On this basis it was possible to suppose what kind of hunting activity and poultry keeping the population of the fortified settlement was engaged in during the period of its existence. Thanks to the revealed ecological structure of avifauna, it was established what landscapes prevailed on the adjacent areas.

The paper considers the osteological collection of late medieval dogs from the excavations of the Beryozov hillfort of the XVI–XIX centuries. In the frozen cultural layer, numerous bone remains (more than 547 items), including almost complete skeletons of dogs of different ages, were well preserved. The distribution of dog remains on excavated sites, the composition of skeletal parts, craniological parameters, age composition and bone pathologies were analyzed. The height at the withers and the weight of the dogs have been defined. All dogs were locally bred, and there was no influx of other breeds from outside, as well as there was no special selection. Throughout the whole period, dogs of the same type similar in appearance to modern laikas were kept in Beryozov. The dogs were of different sizes, stand between 37–60 cm at the withers, weighing 10–30 kg. The animals moved freely around the town, often feeding on solid kitchen waste. Dogs were used as a draft power, and in cold times as a transport animal, and to a lesser extent for hunting fur-bearing animals, wildfowl and for herding reindeer. In some cases, the local population could use dogs in ritual ceremonies.

Since one of the peculiarities of the evolutionary history of representatives of the genus Equus (horses, asses and zebras) is the high similarity of the morphology of the skeletons of different species of this genus, morphometric characteristics do not always make it possible to determine the species identity of the discovered horse bone samples. This is especially true for scattered bones and incomplete teeth found separately from whole skeletons. In such a situation, molecular genetic analysis becomes important, which makes it possible to more accurately determine the species. On the basis of mitogenomic data alone, it is difficult to determine whether a sample belongs to a domestic or wild horse; this requires genome-wide analysis. Based on the mitogenome data, it is possible to distinguish clearly different species of the genus Equus from each other. In this work, the authors studied 4 bone samples of ancient horses and 1 bone sample of a medieval horse, found in the Middle Volga region and Southern Siberia. Using the target enrichment method, mitogenomic libraries were obtained for them and their high-throughput sequencing was carried out. Secondary bioinformatics analysis and subsequent analysis of individual reads and phylogenetic reconstructions based on the consensus sequences of the mitogenomes of the studied samples, modern horses from different regions of the world and reference sequences of the domestic horse, Lena horse, Ovodov horse and onager demonstrated the attribution of the studied samples to the above-mentioned species of the genus Equus. Authors’ data showed the preference for using genome-wide sequences to determine the species identity of ancient and modern samples compared to the analysis of individual genetic markers.

The remains of birds from the CLXXIX excavation site in the central part of the Bolgar fortified settlement of the pre-Mongol, early and late Golden Horde periods were studied. The total number of identified species is 32. At least 70% are identified as remains of poultry. In the sediments of the Golden Horde period, the number of bones of laying hens increases, and the remains of chickens of different size types appear. In the layer of the late Golden Horde period, the number of mallard bones increases more than three times. Among the wild species in all layers, remains of grouse, ducks, hawks and corvids predominate. The rich complex of bones of diurnal birds of prey, its taxonomic, sex and age composition, as well as the features of the archaeological context of the finds suggest that birds of prey were kept and trained on the territory of the homesteads of the central part of the Bolgar trade and craft district of the Golden Horde period. The discovery of a young female golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) partial skeleton and its archaeological context suggest the possibility that the Mongolian tradition of hunting with eagles penetrated into the Volga region. The beginning of hunting with large birds of prey coincides with the inclusion of Bolgar into the Ulus of Jochi, when bearers of this tradition were present on the territory of the city.

For the first time ornithological finds from archaeological excavations of the Samosdelka settlement from the horizon of the pre-Mongol city of Saqsin (XI – early XIII centuries) are introduced into scientific discourse in the article. The total number of bone remains consists of 162 fragments, 98% of the collection was identified. 17 species from 10 families were found. Domestic species include domestic chickens and geese, which were kept directly on city homesteads. Their bones showed traces of cutting. In meat consumption, the share of goose meat was close to or equal to that of chicken one. Wild birds were used for food much less than domestic birds. Remains of 15 species of wild birds were identified at the excavation site. They belong to the following ecological groups: waterfowl, semi-aquatic, wading birds predominate, then, in descending order, synanthropic birds, diurnal birds of prey and one steppe species. Active exploitation of the whole rich natural resource zone of the Lower Volga region by townspeople was revealed. Four species of birds, identified for the Middle Ages, are no longer found in the modern avifauna.

The article is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Aida Grigoryevna Petrenko, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Tatarstan, the largest specialist in the field of archaeozoology of the Volga-Ural region. The authors consider the scientific contribution of the scientist to the development of archaezoological research. For 45 years, A.G. Petrenko's activities took place together with archaeologists, first within the walls of the Kazan branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and then the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan. A.G. Petrenko analyzed osteological materials from sites of the Bronze Age, Early Iron and Early Middle Ages. Then she expanded the scope of her scientific interests and began to study the economic activities of the population of the cities of Volga Bulgaria and medieval Kazan, as well as the ritual role of animals according to archaeozoological finds in ancient and medieval burial grounds of the Middle Volga region and the Urals, she paid special attention to the remains of a horse in the burials of nomads. Professor V.I. Tsalkin, the largest representative of archaeological zoology and paleontology, played an important role in the scientific formation of A.G. Petrenko. In 1967, A.G. Petrenko defended her PhD thesis "On the history of domestic animals among the ancient population of the Volga–Kama region (according to the osteological material of archaeological sites)", and in 1985 – her doctoral dissertation "Morphology of bones of the skeleton of farm animals in connection with the development of animal husbandry in the Middle Volga region and the Urals for the period from V thousand to the middle II thousand BC". A.G. Petrenko has published more than a hundred scientific papers, she is the author of six monographs and a handbook. Aida Grigorievna's scientific works received international recognition, in 1990 she was elected a member of the International Committee of Archaeozoologists (IGAZ). A.G. Petrenko was the initiator and inspirer of the serial publication "Archaeology and Natural Sciences of Tatarstan".

This article presents the results of archaeozoological study of osteological complexes from the Uranbash burial ground (Uranbash-yuzhniy), located in the Oktyabrskoye district of the Orenburg region. The burial ground belongs to the circle of monuments of the Kargaly mining and metallurgical complex. The following categories of burial complexes were found in the burial ground: funeral food, burial equipment, sacrifi cial complex and separate bones. The funeral food is represented by a elements of a horse ribcage, the burial equipment included sets of small cattle astragalus and horse phalanges, the sacrifi cial complex consisted of distal elements of cattle limbs (hides?), fragments of tubular bones of cattle were found in the mounds. These complexes have a stable species and anatomical composition characteristic of the Srubnaya cultural-historical community of the Volga-Ural region.

Knowledge of the historical and present dynamics of populations of migratory fish can promote our understanding of factors affecting their recruitment and abundance. Taxonomic identification of 23,802 bone remains and 13,539 scales of fish from 30 archaeological sites along Volga River revealed that they belonged to 41 different fish species. These data allow for retrospective comparisons and highlight the potential of archaeozoology in conservation biology. Sturgeons and salmonids are vulnerable to the impacts of fishery and climatic change. The sharp decline in the numbers of Starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus), Caspian trout (Salmo caspius), and Caspian Inconnu (Stenodus leucichthys) from the Volga in the 17th and 18th centuries was likely related to a cooling period ("Little Ice Age"). At present, the population numbers of all anadromous sturgeons and salmonids of the Volga River are critically low. In the Volga basin over the past two millennia, the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) has had a very large population number, high genetic (haplogroups and haplotypes) diversity, and large body sizes. Genetic analysis (aDNA and eDNA) have great potential to expand the knowledge of fish populations along large rivers and to improve long-term biomonitoring. Therefore, analyses of historical data, conventional surveys, as well as the inclusion of genetic approaches complement each other in the development of effective conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of an interim analytical approach to the Late Roman shipwreck of Ses Fontanelles recently found in the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The excellent state of preservation of the hull and the cargo, including amphorae with painted inscriptions (tituli picti), and its location in shallow waters offshore of one of the main touristic beaches of the island makes this a unique finding in the Mediterranean. A first season of excavations and study of the cargo triggered an analytical approach to solve some of the problems pose by archaeological research, mainly related to the possible origin of the vessel. The analytical strategy combines petrographic analysis for the study of the provenance of the amphorae, archaeozoology and residue analysis to identify their content, and analysis of the wood and plant remains to understand the use of vegetal resources in shipbuilding and in the stow of the cargo. The results of the combination of the petrographic analysis, the study of the ichthyofauna and the organic residue analysis suggest that the boat probably departed from the area of Cartagena in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, carrying a cargo of fish sauce (liquaminis flos), oil, and wine (probably also some olives preserved in grape derivatives), transported in three main types of amphorae. The analysis of the wood shows, as known in Roman shipbuilding, a clear selection of forest resources. The shipbuilders used pine for longitudinal parts of the hull, while for the small pieces related to the assemblage system (pegged, mortise and tenons) and subjected to a great stress they selected harder woods mainly Cupressaceae, Olea europaea, and Laurus nobilis. In addition, the study reveals that mainly branches of Vitis vinifera, but also other herbaceous plants were used as dunnage protecting the cargo during the journey. The results help to shed some light into different aspects of this unique vessel sunk in Mallorcan waters and contributes to show the benefit of applying archaeological sciences in maritime archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The work is the first comprehensive analysis of equine pathological changes from the Polish territory. The research material was collected from 20 archaeological sites, mainly early medieval settlements, such as strongholds, settlements, towns and horse graves. In the material examined, 186 cases of lesions were found. Of these, 26.9% were lesions of the spine, 39.8% lesions of the limb skeleton and 31.7% lesions of the head including dental pathologies. The work is the first comprehensive analysis of equine pathological changes from the Polish territory. The research material was collected from 20 archaeological sites, mainly early medieval settlements, such as strongholds, settlements, towns and horse graves. In the material examined, 186 cases of lesions were found. Of these, 26.9% were lesions of the spine, 39.8% lesions of the limb skeleton and 31.7% lesions of the head including dental pathologies. Most of the lesions in the limbs involved their distal segments. The vast majority of pathological cases can be linked to animal use. It was found that horses in which pathological lesions were observed were used under cover. In one case, the observed cranial trauma was the cause of death associated with injury to the nasal auricles and large vessels and consequent blood loss and possible shock. It was found that, in some of the cases, the horses started to be used early which affected their organs of motion and spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper looks at past relationships between humans and certain wild animal species, that is, raptors, bears, beavers, and elks. As we have observed, it was the behaviour of animals that caught the attention of humans, such as spectacular flights and hunting by raptors, the similarities in bear and human behaviour, the fascinating impressiveness and charisma of elks, and the landscape-shaping by enigmatic beavers. All these animals have special meanings to humans far beyond their economic significance. Wild goshawks, falcons, and other raptor species have acted as trained hunting companions, but they were never domesticated and had to be treated with care. As for bear, beaver, and elk, there were often complex rituals before, during, and after the killing, because there was no clear separation between humans and animals. The animals were not just prey but equal beings and other-than-human persons. However, there were also changes over time in the human–animal relationship, such as the advent of the farming way of life with a preference for domesticated animals, as well as the arrival of Christianity, by which animals became second to human. Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between 'animal' and 'human' is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous 'bear ceremonies' attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost 'disguised humans' due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we try to combine traditional archaeozoological biometry, based on outer bone measurements, with stable isotope analyses of bone collagen. Right from the start of archaeozoological research in Central and Western Europe, the important size variability in Roman domestic cattle has puzzled scholars. According to an established view, these differences in bone size are attributed either to the simultaneous presence of different types or even breeds or to the result of crossbreeding of smaller, native, and larger Roman cattle. Likewise, the episodic import of large-sized animals has been considered. First, we selected thirty proximal phalanges of cattle from three sites including five archaeological contexts from eastern Austria (Roman provinces of Noricum and Pannonia). The bone sample comprised the whole hitherto observed metric variability in Roman provincial cattle, and we tried to include minimal and maximal specimens. The results from stable isotope analyses (δ15N, δ13C, δ18O, δ2H) carried out on thirty proximal phalanges indicated that isotope signals were rather site-specific and, generally, not related to bone size. Therefore, we conclude that at least in the area investigated, small and large cattle types were raised and herded in the same areas and not spatially separated. There are, however, uncertain indicators of intra-site differences in isotope signals related to bone size, which should be checked on much larger sample sets.

Animal and plant remains recovered from two archaeological sites in Iași city (NE Romania) were analyzed in this work. The aim of this study was to contribute to the economic and environmental evaluation of an old urban settlement. The analyzed sites, both of value in archaeological preventive research, are dated to the 18th–19th centuries. The archaeozoological analysis consisted of anatomical, taxonomic, and taphonomic identifications, quantification, estimations of age at slaughter and sex, and osteometry. The results revealed that the animal remains are of domestic origin, as indicated by traces of butchering, and can be mainly described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), selection for slaughter, morphology, and size. The results show that animal husbandry (e.g., cattle, sheep/goat, pig, and horse) had significant importance in the economy of the settlement, and cattle were preferred for consumption. Few remains were identified for wild mammals (i.e., red deer, wild boar, and hare), birds, and mollusks. The phytolith analysis indicated that some plant resources were used in the economy of this settlement. The identification of opal silica bodies revealed the presence of grasses and cultivated cereals.

The introduction and adoption of livestock played a pivotal role in shaping subsistence strategies of populations in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Neolithic. However, there is lack of information regarding animal management strategies, such as grazing areas and changes in foddering strategies, and their correlation with the environmental characteristics, type of site and use of the settlement. The study of feeding strategies of domesticates provides a crucial information about the interaction between the management of the environment, husbandry systems and the exploitation of animal products. In this study, we use the archaeozoological data and the δ13C and δ15N stable isotope composition of the faunal bone collagen to understand herding systems and management strategies during the Neolithic in Phases IV and IIIB at El Toro cave (Antequera, Málaga). Archaeozoological and isotopic results revealed diverse husbandry practices and feeding strategies in El Toro cave during the Neolithic. The variability in δ13C and δ15N values suggests the access of domesticates to different grazing areas and foddering strategies. This study contributes new insights into husbandry practices during the Neolithic and opens new perspectives for analysing animal management in mountain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Complutum is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article reports on new archaeological data obtained in 2018 from the coastal region of the Kongo Central province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The area's ancient history is virtually unknown but is potentially of paramount importance in the context of the development of early village communities in Central Africa. The article focuses on the Muanda 6 site, dated to ⁓ 1400 BP, and offers a multidisciplinary analysis of the finds uncovered there. The site's pottery is associated with shell and stone beads, ironworking remains, a stone quern, and biological remains testifying to a mixed subsistence system that took advantage of the region's ecological diversity. The Early Iron Age occupants of Muanda 6 practiced ocean and mangrove fishing, gathered beach and mangrove gastropods and bivalves, hunted, and exploited oil palms. The article also discusses the Muanda 13 site, which is more recent (⁓ 1100 BP), and the results of the profile sampling at the Katala village. Both Muanda 6 and Muanda 13 yielded different ceramic types. Other pottery styles, surface collected between the Congo River and the Angolan province of Cabinda and probably of more recent date, are briefly described. The results provide new perspectives about the Iron Age in the DRC, providing further evidence of the cultural diversity in the Lower Congo region and an outline of the cultural sequence along the Atlantic Ocean coast. Résumé: Cet article rend compte de nouvelles données archéologiques obtenues en 2018 dans la région côtière de la Province du Kongo-Central en République démocratique du Congo. L'histoire ancienne de cette région est pratiquement inconnue, mais elle est potentiellement d'une importance capitale dans le contexte de l'installation des premiers villages en Afrique centrale. Les travaux se concentrent sur le site de Muanda 6, daté vers 1400 BP, dont les trouvailles sont étudiées dans une perspective multidisciplinaire. La poterie de ce site est associée à des perles de coquillages et de pierre, à des traces de travail du fer, et à une meule en pierre ainsi qu'à des restes biologiques témoignant d'un système de subsistance mixte reposant sur divers écotones. Les occupants de l'Age du Fer Ancien de Muanda 6 pratiquaient la pêche en mer et dans la mangrove, la collecte de gastéropodes et de bivalves sur la plage et dans la mangrove, la chasse et l'exploitation des palmiers à huile. Le site plus récent de Muanda 13 (vers 1100 BP), ainsi qu'une collecte stratigraphique dans la berge du village de Katala, ont permis de découvrir un autre type de céramique. L'article décrit un dernier style de poterie probablement plus récent et découvert en surface entre le fleuve Congo et la frontière de la province angolaise de Cabinda. Les résultats présentés ici offrent de nouvelles perspectives à l'Age du Fer sur la diversité culturelle dans la région du Bas-Congo et propose l'esquisse d'une séquence culturelle au long de la côte de l'Océan Atlantique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ez a tanulmány hozzájárul a barlangi hiéna szerepének megértéséhez az érdi állatcsontmaradványok eredete és felhalmozódási folyamata kapcsán, amelyben a neandervölgyi emberek tevékenysége is világosan kimutatható. Megkísérel betekintést nyújtani e ragadozó pusztító potenciáljába Érd és a magyarországi lelőhelyek korpuszában. This research is helping to understand the role of the hyena in the origin and accumulation history of the site of Érd's bone assemblage, in which the role of Neanderthals is also clearly highlighted. It attempts to provide an insight into the destructive potential of this carnivore at Érd and in the corpus of Hungarian sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last glacial period, rapidly changing environments posed substantial challenges to Neanderthal populations in Europe. Southern continental regions, such as Iberia, have been proposed as important climatic "buffer" zones during glacial phases. Contextualising the climatic and ecological conditions Neanderthals faced is relevant to interpreting their resilience. However, records of the environments and ecosystems they exploited across Iberia exhibit temporal and spatial gaps in coverage. Here we provide new evidence for palaeotemperatures, vegetation structure, and prey herbivore ecology during the late Pleistocene (MIS 5-3) in northern Spain, by applying multiple stable isotope tracers (δ18O, δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) to herbivore skeletal remains associated with Neanderthal occupations at Axlor Cave, Bizkaia. The results show little change over time and indicate stable climatic conditions and ecosystems across different occupations. Large within-layer isotopic variability in nitrogen and sulphur suggests the presence of a mosaic environment and a variety of isotopic ecotones that were exploited by Neanderthals and their prey. We implement a combination of carbonate and phosphate δ18O measurements to estimate palaeotemperatures using a cost-effective workflow. We show that the targeted use of phosphate δ18O measurements to anchor summer peak and winter trough areas enables high-precision seasonal palaeoclimatic reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the results of the analysis of the archaeozoological collection from the Ufa-II hillffort, a standard monument of the Early Middle Ages in the Southern Ural region. Among the sites of the Ufa-Belaya interfluve the mentioned hillfort is the most fully studied archaeological site. The paper puts new data on archaeozoological materials from one of the local sectors of the hillfort into scientific discourse. The characteristic feature of this area is a powerful anthropogenic impact, which resulted in the destruction/mixing of sterile layers of the Middle Ages and Modern era. In connection with this circumstance, the results of the studies cannot be fully compared with previous work. Further publication of archaeozoological collections will allow us to detail the economic activity of the population at different chronological stages of the site's existence.

The significance of birds in the medieval human diet has been greatly explored in Europe. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of data from Croatia. Avian remains dated to the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods from five archaeological sites in continental Croatia underwent skeletal and taxonomic analysis. Age groups were determined and sex identification was conducted using visual and X-ray diagnostics. Chicken bone measurements were taken, and the logarithmic size index (LSI) technique was performed. Statistical analysis was applied to explore differences between sites. A total of 694 avian remains were studied, revealing 10 species/genera. Avian remains ranged from 8.88% to 20.32% across sites, with the highest percentage found at the urban site BAN. Hens outnumbered cockerels across all sites, with adult chickens prevailing over immature and subadult ones. Chicken sizes were generally consistent across sites, except for castle MIL, where a larger breed was identified. Cockerels tended to be larger than hens, except for one small-sized spurred specimen. To conclude, bird exploitation complemented the use of other animals in diets. Chickens were vital for eggs and meat, with monasteries excelling in bird husbandry over castles. Inhabitants of urban areas mainly consumed bird meat. Castles showed high status through game and imported birds. The aim of this article was to fill in the gap of information regarding the exploitation and consumption of birds at Croatian sites during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods.

The present paper deals with the archaeozoological investigation carried out on a horse skeleton discovered in a Late Iron Age La Tène tomb (coded CX 143) in Alba Iulia, Romania. The paper presents all the results of the investigation, with a description of finds, adding a detailed assessment of the dentition with some interesting conclusions on the usage of a horse bit and the possible consequences of this use. The morphological features of the horse indicate a 7–8-year-old male individual, with a recalculated height of 1200–1300 mm. What is also stressed in the investigated sample is the lack of the characteristic pathological lesions typical for horseback riding but showing distinctive elements of bit wear. A comparative perspective over the few findings from the same period is provided to ensure the framing of the identified individual into the much larger historical context.

Despite the important role of livestock farming amongst Iron Age communities living in mountain regions, there is little information about livestock management, and particularly stabling practises, breeding systems, and grazing/foddering patterns. The study of the ground floor of Building G in Tossal de Baltarga has provided valuable insights into these important issues and has given us a better understanding of the social and economic patterns involved in all these livestock activities. It revealed the existence of a stable from the Late Iron Age, thanks to unique in situ finds of the stabled animals, including four sheep, a goat, and a horse, in addition to a range of organic remains preserved by fire and penning deposits. It is the first documented to date in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Through an integrated bio-geoarchaeological approach, combining a range of analytic procedures, including osteology, dental microwear, stable isotopes, phytoliths, dung spherulite analyses, and thin-section micromorphology, for the first time, this study has provided new, high-resolution evidence of livestock management strategies. Specifically, the research shed light on animal penning and feeding practises, revealing variable herbivorous regimes between species, the practise of seasonal movements, and the possible use of fodder as the main dietary regime of the animals stabled there. At the same time, the Baltarga case-study illustrates an indoor production unit that could reveal possible private control of some domestic animals in the Pyrenean Late Iron Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents the first general portrait of the members of the Worked Bone Research Group (WBRG), a worldwide community of archaeologists interested in artefacts made of bone, antler, teeth, ivory, and shell. Using bibliometric data and the results of an online survey addressed to the WBRG members in early 2022, it focuses on three aspects of the WBRG members: 1) their personal and academic background; 2) the kind of research they do, how they get it funded and where they publish it; and 3) how their work was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and how they see the future of their subdiscipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tombs of the Nobles are located in ancient Thebes (modern Luxor, Egypt) and are primarily the site of elite burials. One such is the monumental funerary complex of Neferhotep, which is characterised by several tombs arranged around a central court: TT49, TT187, TT362, TT363, and TT347, which have been already excavated, while TT348 is still closed. They are dated from the end of the XVIII Dynasty (fourteenth–thirteenth century BC) to the Ramessid Period (twelfth–eleventh century BC), with phases of reuse mainly in the Third Intermediate Period and in the Ptolemaic age. From the late eighteenth century, they functioned as storerooms and stables for the houses built above them in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. A large number of artefacts, such as pottery, shabtis, fragments of cartonnage, amulets, offerings have been found, as well as human remains belonging to at least 136 individuals. Among these finds 112 specimens of animal bones have also been attested. The remains seem to belong to three different groups: ancient votive mummies, linked to the cult of the god Amun-Ra; modern domestic animals dated to the modern phases of reuse of the tombs; and scavengers, which entered the tombs in search for food. The zooarchaeological studies complete the multidisciplinary analysis of the Neferhotep complex and provide new information about the use and reuse of the Theban tomb from ancient to modern times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the studies of the Muchkas settlement in 2020 are reported. The site is located on the right bank of the Mezen’ River in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic (northeast of the East European Plain). The exploitation of an unpaved motor road endangered the preservation of dwelling No. 1, which necessitated extensive excavation of an area of 82.5 m2. On the basis of the analysis of the complex of traces and remains, it has been determined that the studied structure is of a rectangular shape in plane, measuring 3.8m×5.5m with the area of 20 m2. Within the building, two hearths were used sequentially or concurrently. Related to them are two external horizontal heatingand-ventilating chimneys. Some information is preserved about the underground part of the structure. This was a frame strengthened at corners by bundles of thinner trunks of trees, possibly, pointed and stuck into the ground. Pine and to a lesser extent spruce, juniper, and birch were used to build the dwelling. The collection of Muchkas-1 contains 3819 objects, including 30 identifiable flint implements, a flint pendant, 21 implements made from non-siliceous rocks, fragments of three ceramic vessels, and debris of calcinated bones. Scrapers predominate in the flint toolset, while knives, awls, and arrowheads are represented to a lesser extent. As the result of the traceological analysis, it has been determined that the arrowhead and the pendant bear traces of long-term carrying in a container, or wearing on the clothing or on the body. Tools made of non-isotropic rock include mostly grinding stones. A hammer stone and an adze are represented by single specimens. Among the faunal remains, bones of reindeer, beaver, marten, wolverine, squirrel, black grouse, goose, and pike have been identified. This attests to the dominant role of hunting in the appropriating economy of the inhabitants of Muchkas-1 settlement. The specifics of the building structure and technical-and-typological parameters of the pottery and stone tools allow attributing Muchkas-1 complex to the Chuzh’yael’ Culture of the final Neolithic period — the Chalcolithic. By virtue of 10 radiocarbon dates, the time of its construction is determined by the end of the 4th — first half of the 3rd mil. BC. The published data advance our understanding of the traditions of housebuilding, stone-working, and pottery-making of the prehistoric population of North-Eastern Europe and permit considering Muchkas-1 complex as a source of reference for the study of the Chuzh’yael’ Culture of the 4th — first half of the 3rd mil. BC.

Knowledge of the historical and present dynamics of populations of migratory fish can promote our understanding of factors affecting their recruitment and abundance. Taxonomic identification of 23,802 bone remains and 13,539 scales of fish from 30 archaeological sites along Volga River revealed that they belonged to 41 different fish species. These data allow for retrospective comparisons and highlight the potential of archaeozoology in conservation biology. Sturgeons and salmonids are vulnerable to the impacts of fishery and climatic change. The sharp decline in the numbers of Starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus), Caspian trout (Salmo caspius), and Caspian Inconnu (Stenodus leucichthys) from the Volga in the 17th and 18th centuries was likely related to a cooling period (“Little Ice Age”). At present, the population numbers of all anadromous sturgeons and salmonids of the Volga River are critically low. In the Volga basin over the past two millennia, the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) has had a very large population number, high genetic (haplogroups and haplotypes) diversity, and large body sizes. Genetic analysis (aDNA and eDNA) have great potential to expand the knowledge of fish populations along large rivers and to improve long-term biomonitoring. Therefore, analyses of historical data, conventional surveys, as well as the inclusion of genetic approaches complement each other in the development of effective conservation strategies.

The work is the first comprehensive analysis of equine pathological changes from the Polish territory. The research material was collected from 20 archaeological sites, mainly early medieval settlements, such as strongholds, settlements, towns and horse graves. In the material examined, 186 cases of lesions were found. Of these, 26.9% were lesions of the spine, 39.8% lesions of the limb skeleton and 31.7% lesions of the head including dental pathologies. Most of the lesions in the limbs involved their distal segments. The vast majority of pathological cases can be linked to animal use. It was found that horses in which pathological lesions were observed were used under cover. In one case, the observed cranial trauma was the cause of death associated with injury to the nasal auricles and large vessels and consequent blood loss and possible shock. It was found that, in some of the cases, the horses started to be used early which affected their organs of motion and spine.

Weathering constitutes one of the most investigated taphonomic processes for understanding the formation of archaeological and palaeontological assemblages. Despite being studied for decades through numerous monitoring experiments, no homogeneous methodology exists to compare the results obtained in different regions and climates. Here, we present the protocols and the preliminary results of an experimental research started four years ago in a coastal and inland location within the Cantabrian Region (northern Spain) to assess the influence of the weathering process in an Atlantic climate. This experiment allows evaluation of the preservation of faunal assemblages in regional open-air sites throughout the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. We conduct this experiment within the Global Weathering Project of the International Council for Archaeozoologists (ICAZ), an international network of archaeozoologists and taphonomists who coordinates the same experiment worldwide. The experiment planned to last 18 years consists on recording the weathering stages suffered on the cow ribs disposed on the surface of a fenced enclosure under the protection of a cage, separated from the soil by a neutral inorganic substrate and close to a weather station where the temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind and sun exposure values are daily recorded.

The rock shelter of La Viña, located on the northern Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, contains a rich archaeological sequence dated from the Mousterian to the Magdalenian. This site preserves an extended Gravettian occupation where a diversified assemblage of fauna, lithic and bone tools has been attested. In this paper, we undertake the archaeozoological and taphonomic study of the macromammals found in the Gravettian levels X and IX of the Western Sector, recovered during the campaigns directed by Fortea between 1987 and 1992. The taphonomy indicates a high presence of fire-altered bone elements and butchery marks related to ungulate skinning and disarticulation activities, with a low presence of carnivore modifications, being Cervus elaphus, followed by Rupicapra rupicapra and Capra pyrenaica the most common taxa, therefore confirming the anthropogenic origin of the bone assemblage. Given the high fragmentation of the infantile remains identified, a biomolecular study by Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) was carried out to increase the taxonomic data and unravel the hunting strategies and site seasonality. Proteomic results revealed a high presence of newborn red deer and ibex, thus suggesting females herd captures during late spring/early summer.

In bioarchaeology, the biometry of archaeozoological remains is an important component of studies on domestic species and size has been used for multiple purposes from identifying domestication, to track environmental changes or evolution of husbandry practices. The establishment of the Roman Empire has been accompanied by social, political and economic transformations that also reflect in farming practices and animal husbandry. In southern France, biometric variation has already been partially perceived during Roman times, particularly for cattle, but lack chronological accuracy and statistical validation. This paper presents a diachronic analysis of linear measurements of post-cranial bones belonging to the domestic triad (sheep, goat, cattle and suids) in western Gallia Narbonensis (France), between the Roman conquest and Late Antiquity, i.e. from 200 BCE to 400 AD. Biometric data from 64 archaeological sites, excavated and studied over more than 30 years of preventive archaeology, were analysed using a Log Size Index (LSI) approach using time as a continuous variable. The analysis of 5533 measurements first analysed per bone and variable, then separating length, breadth and depth dimensions, revealed different trends, highly influenced by the number of measurements, reflecting allometric differences but also cases of asynchronous evolution. However, these allometries within species are small when compared to interspecies differences. Overall, the size of the four taxa increased from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Cattle and pig sizes then decreased from the 2nd century AD and only from the 4th century onwards for goats, while sheep size tends to increase during the 3rd-4th centuries. If the Roman conquest influences the size of the domestic animals, this does not affect the four species in the same way. This potentially reflects differentiated agropastoral strategies for each of the species in the western part of Gallia Narbonensis during the Roman period. This study, which provides a diachronic and cross-species study framework, should be seen as a first step for a more in-depth understanding of micro-regional and socio-economic variation in domestic species morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Log Size Index (LSI) has been developed and used in archaeozoology to perform biometric studies of often small datasets, a recurrent limitation of archaeological faunal assemblages. This approach consists of aggregating measurements taken on different anatomical parts by standardisation, using a reference to which the studied measurements are scaled. No consensus exists in the choice of the reference to be used for LSI analyses and several datasets are now available, differing in their specimens and variables composition, and geographic and temporal origin. Using a biometric dataset of 5533 measurements of cattle, suids, sheep and goat from southern France and dated from the Roman times we compared the use of several references, provided by the R package zoolog, with a 'mean' reference specifically built for our studied sample and that corresponds to an averaged specimen. We demonstrated that references differ both in their raw measurements and their allometries, and that the choice of the reference influences the number of variables and measurements that can be analysed, but also diachronic LSI analyses and potentially their interpretations. While the main patterns are similar among references, local variation exist and it could not be excluded that the choice of the reference will more strongly influence other studies. We advocate to use the mean of the studied archaeological assemblage as reference, with the double benefit of exploiting to the maximum the number of available measurements, and of minimising, on average, the possible allometric differences between the studied population and the reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The authors present results on animal resources in the economy of medieval Moldova as they are reflected by analyses of animal skeletal remains recovered from archaeological sites situated in northeastern Romania and the Republic of Moldova. This paper aims to statistically evaluate the data of previous studies, and to analyse the case of the urban settlement from Târgu Neamț in the context of medieval Moldova. The results indicate the great importance of animal breeding and the low interest in hunting and fishing. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the medieval Moldovan economy by evaluating animal resources (e.g., animal husbandry, hunting, fishing) based on the skeletal remains found in archaeologic sites from northeastern Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Animal remains, especially those from the urban settlement of the 14th–16th centuries from Târgu Neamţ (NE Romania), were described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), morphometry, and livestock management (i.e., animal selection by age and sex). The results were compared with those obtained from other settlements—rural, urban, and fortress—from medieval Moldova. Correspondence analysis of the identified animals and settlements on the basis of the frequency values reveals associations between the two variables (animal species and settlement). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]