M-L. Nosch, A. Ulanowska, K. Żebrowska, K. Bigoraj and A. Gręzak (2021) Sheep – ‘a Factory without Waste’. Comparative, Interdisciplinary and Diachronic Views on Sheep in the Aegean Bronze Age, in R. Laffineur, T.G. Palaima eds, ZOIA. Aegaeum 45, 35-49 (contents and 1st page) (original) (raw)
STAR: Science and Technology of Archaeology Research, 2020
Pastoralism in Central Asia directed the utilization of natural resources, yet information on livestock management strategies remain scarce. Carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses of domesticated sheep teeth are used to identify animal management strategies. Sheep from Kent exhibit an inverse relationship where low δ18O values coincide with high δ13C values, consistent with the foddering of caprines in the winter for this location which occurs alongside evidence for an extended lambing season. At the high altitude encampment of Turgen, Bronze Age sheep exhibit low δ18O values that coincide with high δ13C values, suggesting that livestock were moved to low altitude pastures in the winter months. Iron Age sheep sequences also have an inverse relationship, where low δ18O values coincide with high δ13C values, yet high δ13C values in the winter suggest that livestock were foddered. Our findings indicate variation in livestock management strategies with distinct adaptations to local ecologies.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2019
In recent years, extensive archaeological studies have provided us with new knowledge on wool and woollen textile production in continental Europe during the Bronze Age. Concentrations of large numbers of textile tools, and of zooarchaeological evidence suggesting intense sheepherding, hint at specialized centres of wool production during the Bronze Age. The aim of this paper is to discuss whether engagement with this economic activity was facilitated by the introduction of new foreign sheep types, possibly from the Eastern Mediterranean, where well-established wool economies existed, or by using local sheep, or a mixture of local and non-local types. A small-scale genetic pilot study, presented in this paper, primarily aimed at testing the DNA preservation, and thus the genomic potential in Bronze Age sheep remains provides evidence of both mitochondrial haplogroups A and B among Bronze Age sheep in Hungary. This result could hint at sheep herds with mixed origin but further in-depth studies are necessary to address this. We aim to promote scholarly interest in the issue and propose new directions for research on this topic.
2021
The 18th International Aegean Conference on the subject of Zoia (literally ‘creatures endowed with an anima or life force’) was conceived and organized by Robert Laffineur and Tom Palaima, director of the Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory (PASP) in the Department of Classics at The University of Texas at Austin, marking 30 years of their collaboration on Aegaeum volumes and conferences. In the event, Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the conference proper. This volume, however, testifies to the dedication of Aegeanist scholars worldwide to accomplish the scholarly objectives of the proposed conference: to examine, from a wide range of specialist research perspectives, how the human societies that developed in the Aegean area in the Middle and Late Bronze Age and the human beings within them interacted with wild, domesticated and semi-domesticated animals of the sea, sky and land socio-politically, economically, religiously, ideologically, imaginatively and artistically.
Wool Production in Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Aegean
The author challanges the widespread notion that wool was introduced in Crete only during the Bronze Age. The survey of faunal, archaeological and iconographical evidence seems to support the idea that that wool-bearing sheep (hairy medium?) were introduced in an earlier stage, in the Final Neolithic if not before, perhaps acquiring a special symbolic value, at the end of the IV millennium b.C. It is probable, however, that in this moment wool did not play the predominant role within textile manufacture, and was used together with other vegetal fibers (not necessarily flax), as demonstrated by the wide range of weight and diameter of Neolithic spindle-whorls. The first step forward, a few centuries, was the exploitation of the possibility of obtaining painted garments perhaps through the introduction of a new breed and the evolution of non pigmented coat. This happened round the middle of the third millennium, as demonstrated at Myrtos. In this moment the two breeds attested in the second millennium and perhaps also in the Akrotiri paintings (with hairy medium fleece and generalised medium fleece) were already present in the third. Further development of woollen manufacture was more a matter of technology than of zoology, since there is no evidence for the introduction of new species during the remaining part of the Bronze Age. In particular, the “invention of purple”, at the beginning of the second millennium, gave the Minoan textiles the possibility to explore the full potential of patterns, spirals, even figural representations, influencing pottery decoration and creating in the neopalatial period, fabrics as complex as Gobelins embroidery in Modern Europe (Barber). Moreover, the paper suggests the possibility that, with the introduction of wool, according to the model of McCorriston, areas less suitable for agricultural exploitation, as the mountain regions of eastern Crete, could find in wool production and in the manufacture of painted yarns (and textiles?) an economic chance to balance the more favourable conditions of large plains. This economic specialisation could also explain why sheep and goats are so few represented in archival documents from Minoan palaces, who could limit themselves to the acquisition of already finished yarn and cloth for the manufacture of rich textiles, but this aspect goes beyond the scope of the present paper.
»Friede den Hütten, Krieg den Palästen!« – In the Bronze Age Aegean
In: H. Meller/H. P. Hahn/R. Jung/R. Risch (eds), Arm und Reich – Zur Ressourcenverteilung in prähistorischen Gesellschaften. 8. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 22. bis 24. Oktober 2015 in Halle (Saale) / Rich and Poor – Competing for Resources in Prehistoric Societies. 8th Archaeological Conference of Central Germany, October 22–24, 2015 in Halle (Saale). Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle 14 (Halle [Saale] 2016) 553–576.
On the Fringe Sheepdogs and Their Status Within Bronze Age Ontologies in Scandinavia
Current Swedish Archaeology, 2020
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This contribution draws mainly on images of dogs, humans and sheep from Nordic Bronze Age rock art sources, but living arrangements within the household and depositional patterns of dog bones on settlements are also considered to extrapolate an understanding of the physical reality and ontological role of sheepdogs within the social aspects of the practice of herding. I use theories from the interdisciplinary field of human-animal studies to understand how socialisation, habituation and trust create a seamless choreography between human, dog and sheep.
2021
I investigate pastoral archaeology in Greece, and specifically the Hellenistic contexts at Kastro Kallithea and Pharsalos. Current research on ancient pastoralism in Thessaly, Greece is divided over the presence, prevalence, and degree of specialized shepherding or seasonally mobile management (transhumance), a discussion referred to as the agropastoral debate. I present the first isotope-based contribution to this discussion. I sequentially sample sheep and goat third molars (M3) recovered from Building 10 at Kastro Kallithea and the Arsenopoulos and Alexopoulos Plots at Pharsalos, and isotopically analyze the resulting enamel segments to reconstruct aspects of diet (δ 13 C), seasonality (δ 18 O), and geolocation (87 Sr/ 86 Sr). I integrate this stable isotope analysis with archaeological, ethnographic, and literary data to examine various husbandry styles used in Thessaly. Through this research I have found evidence of sedentary, seasonally mobile, and other specialized forms of pastoralism, including the first recorded cases of transhumant animal management in Thessaly from the Hellenistic period. Each management style would have had corresponding impacts on ancient economy, sociopolitical livelihood, land use, and humananimal relationships. I show how the stable isotope values of animal teeth can be used as a tool for studying the spatiotemporal distribution of shepherding and, when used in conjunction with contextualizing research, ultimately allow us to study animal management styles in the Mediterranean. My research lays the foundation for future studies of animal management in Thessaly, starts to map out the extent of transhumance in the region, and contributes a nuanced voice to the long-standing debate on the use and extent of ancient Greek pastoralism. Ultimately this research presents a glimpse into shepherding livelihoods and connects the modern and deep pasts in Thessaly. iii Preface This thesis is an original work by Katherine G. Bishop. All views, interpretations, or conclusions have been made in consultation with various researchers, but the accuracy of research is the responsibility of the author. Components of this research project required and received ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board under Pro00094918 (approved October 8, 2019). All work was done with expressed permissions of the local communities in Thessaly via formal approval through the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports (#28, approved August 1, 2016). This work belongs to the communities in Thessaly and future work should prioritize community involvement, outreach, and open dialogue with descendant groups. From start to finish this research has been a result of support from communities, organizations, friends, and family; I will forever be grateful for your contributions and support. Without the support of Thessalian communities, including those in Pharsala, Narthaki, and Kallithea, I would never have been able to access and work with their history. Without the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ephorate of Antiquities in Larissa, and project directors Margriet Haagsma (Kastro Kallithea) and Sophia Karapanou (Kastro Kallithea, Pharsalos) I would never have been permitted to transport and destructively analyze the teeth. Much of this support is due to the groundwork of community relations, financial investment, teams of excavation or research staff, and tireless field seasons of the Kastro Kallithea Archaeological Project, its members, the University of Alberta, and affiliate researchers. For all the work that has been done to make this project possible. Thank you. This research came out of the discussions and ideas of numerous colleagues, including my supervisors, Sandra and Margriet, and committee member Rob, as well as others who have worked with KKAP or at the UofA over the years. Thank you Margriet, for your patience as I learned the history and language, and for your willingness to have me join the crew each summer. Your passion for this project started many years ago (thank you Reinder, Michael, and others) and I hope that I have done it justice. To Sandra, who worked with me throughout the pandemic and put up with my never-ending side projects, thanks for taking the time to look at my conference poster all those years ago; I am grateful to CAPA 2014 for starting us on this journey. To various discussions with Rob, Kisha, and Frances about animals, landscapes, and history. And to Pam, who kept me grounded outside of my area of research. Forensics was the spark that steered me into academia in the first place, and you afforded me the opportunity for it to come full circle. Thank you to all the researchers who have provided feedback, ideas, or direction over the years. Many institutions and organizations helped to ensure that this project would succeed. Financial support has been extensive and has afforded me the chance to analyze more teeth, conduct outreach, and focus on community initiatives outside of the standard doctoral program. The list is extensive in part because of the importance of this research. Thank you to the Killam Foundation, the Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada, numerous departments and faculties at the University of Alberta, and the Canadian and American Biological Anthropology Societies. Thanks also to the administrative staff in the Anthropology Department, who supported, fielded questions, and helped with life whenever I needed it, either in person or remotely; you are part of why I was able to succeed in this program and all of my extracurriculars. Programs through FGSR made me a better teacher and researcher, and because of you I became the 'goat girl'. Thank you for creating multiple lifelines. Acknowledgements v My role with GoatWorks helped me broaden my perspective on husbandry, opened many doors for outreach, and continued my love affair with goats. Thank you to Jeannette, Dan, and your 450+ kids for trusting me and letting me learn from you. To Joy and Niki for supporting many of my initiatives and working as an awesome team. I am grateful of the OPDP team, the City of Edmonton, and sustainability scholars for giving me those opportunities. The past few years have brought about genuine friendships and support networks that I know are responsible for me finishing this program and continuing to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. To my first and only work wife, Victoria, and the eventual GWG shenanigans with Jennifer. I am excited to continue this journey together with you. My TBT group with Karyne and Jen was necessary leading up to and during the 'new normal'. To the individual support and foodie outings with Kevin or Jill, and the coffee catch ups with Alex or Charity. To the life support of Emily, Sam, Stella, and my soul sister Dharsy, you have been in this with me together for the long haul. To the others who were along this journey with me, who helped support or make me stronger, thank you. Susan and Murray, you always said you would support me no matter what I did, no matter where my adventures took me, so long as I was happy doing it. Thank you for that endless far-reaching love. To the rest of my family, new, old, and never forgotten, the random emails, phone calls, or 'my face hurts from laughing' moments helped get me through all of this; and yes, it is finally 'soon'. And I am excited for what that means next. To Andrew, who eventually followed me out here, thank you for your love, patience, and support, even when it meant you had to look at bones, live through months of-40°C, hear me complain, or suffer through our mental health issues. You always knew what to do, even when I could not. I will never be able to express how much you have done and continue to do for me. There is a Greek word to describe doing something with soul, creativity, or love, or when you put something of yourself into what you are doing: μεράκι. I can honestly say that this phase of my life, and everything related to this project, has been done with μεράκι.