Exploitation of beasts of burden in the territory of present-day Serbia during the Late Antique and the Early Byzantine periods: a zooarchaeological perspective (original) (raw)
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Animal Husbandry and Hunting in the Central and Western Balkans Through Time (eds N. Marković & J. Bulatović), 2020
The paper is a summary of the results of zooarchaeological analyses from Medieval sites in the territory of present-day Serbia. According to the available information, animal exploitation and diet strategies of the inhabitants of Medieval settlements were mainly oriented to the breeding of domestic animals. Remains of economically the most important animals such as cattle, sheep, goat, and pig are the most numerous, while the remains of equids, pets, and domestic birds are less represented in faunal assemblages. Hunting and fishing had a secondary role in the economy of Medieval settlements.
Animal Husbandry and Hunting in Roman Provinces in Serbia: a Zooarchaeological Overview
Animal Husbandry and Hunting in the Central and Western Balkans Through Time (eds. N. Marković & J. Bulatović), 2020
This paper summarizes zooarchaeological data from Roman sites in Serbia giving support to the research of animal husbandry and hunting strategies, by comparing the species ratios and size estimations of the most common domestic animals (cattle, pig, sheep, and goats) and wild mammals among regions, sites, site types and periods. The results suggest that animal husbandry relied on the exploitation of the economically most common domesticates, especially cattle, and that the Roman acquisition of the territory had a great impact on animal management. This is evident in the improvements of animal sizes, while the significance of hunted animals was mostly negligible. Nevertheless, livestock management differed slightly among regions, periods and site types, mostly as a consequence of both environmental conditions and cultural settings.
Antiquity
The study of the exploitation of animals for traction in prehistoric Europe has been linked to the ‘secondary products revolution’. Such an approach, however, leaves little scope for identification of the less specialised exploitation of animals for traction during the European Neolithic. This study presents zooarchaeological evidence—in the form of sub-pathological alterations to cattle foot bones—for the exploitation of cattle for the occasional pulling of heavy loads, or ‘light’ traction. The analysis and systematic comparison of material from 11 Neolithic sites in the Western Balkans (c. 6100–4500 cal BC) provides the earliest direct evidence for the use of cattle for such a purpose.
Archaeologia Bulgarica ХХVIII (2), 2024
This paper presents the preliminary results of the archaeozoological analysis of the faunal material unearthed in the southeastern part of the North Bastion of the Novi Pazar fortress (Southwestern Serbia). Archaeofaunal assemblage was collected during rescue excavations in 2021, and it dates back to the period between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Primarily, these remains represent food leftovers, as indicated by the relative distribution of species and skeletal elements, bone fragmentation, butchery marks, and mortality profiles. In the analysed sample, different mammal, bird, and mollusc species are represented. Among mammals, remains of domestic species are dominant, with caprines being the most frequent. Apart from sheep and goat, cattle, horse, and cat specimens are present within the faunal assemblage. Wild mammals were relatively scarce, with remains of hare being the most common, although the presence of roe deer is also documented. The most frequent bird species is chicken, with occasional remains of domestic goose, domestic duck, and common buzzard. All molluscs belong to marine species – one rough cockle and one snail from the Semicassis genus. Key words: faunal remains, archaeozoology, Modern period (16-19. centuries AD), North Bastion, Novi Pazar fortress, Serbia.