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15 pages, 2361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human, All Too Human: Differentiating Non-Human from Human Bones in Protohistoric Cremation Contexts from Northern Italy

by Omar Larentis

Heritage 2023, 6(1), 647-661; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010034 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2341

Abstract

Differentiating cremated non-human bones from human ones in archaeological contexts is a challenging task. This analysis aims at proposing a rather solid criterion based on an osteoarchaeological sample. In this work, the main issues of taxonomic identification of cremated remains are analysed and [...] Read more.

Differentiating cremated non-human bones from human ones in archaeological contexts is a challenging task. This analysis aims at proposing a rather solid criterion based on an osteoarchaeological sample. In this work, the main issues of taxonomic identification of cremated remains are analysed and a research methodology tested on an Italian protohistoric sample is proposed. The 314 subjects composing the sample come from 298 tombs of the Golasecca Civilization (1st millennium BC in north-eastern Italy). On a morphological basis, 246 bone fragments were selected from which as many thin sections were obtained for a histomorphological evaluation. From the analyses, we identified the presence of animals in burials, whereas a mere morphometric analysis was not able to recognize them. Furthermore, the taxonomic identification has allowed us to propose new hypotheses on the funerary rite of Golasecca linked to the zooarchaeological remains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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18 pages, 5112 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zooarchaeology of the Late Bronze Age Fortified Settlements in Lithuania

by Viktorija Micelicaitė, Giedrė Piličiauskienė, Vytenis Podėnas, Karolis Minkevičius and Aldona Damušytė

Heritage 2023, 6(1), 333-350; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010017 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1907

Abstract

The economic model of the Lithuanian Late Bronze Age (1100–500 cal BC) has long been based on zooarchaeological collections from unstratified, multi-period settlements, which have provided an unreliable understanding of animal husbandry and the role of fishing and hunting. The opportunity to re-evaluate [...] Read more.

The economic model of the Lithuanian Late Bronze Age (1100–500 cal BC) has long been based on zooarchaeological collections from unstratified, multi-period settlements, which have provided an unreliable understanding of animal husbandry and the role of fishing and hunting. The opportunity to re-evaluate the previously proposed dietary and subsistence patterns arose after zooarcheological assemblages of Garniai 1 and Mineikiškės fortified settlements, dating only to the Late Bronze Age, were collected in 2016–2017 and 2020–2021. The new analysis revealed that the communities in these sites were mainly engaged in animal husbandry of small ungulates such as pigs, sheep/goats, which differed from western Lithuania and the rest of the Eastern Baltic. Moreover, it has been observed that hunting and fishing significantly declined after the Early Bronze Age (1700–1100 cal BC). Lastly, unusual traits for the Baltic region were identified including exceptionally highly fragmented bones and the consumption of molluscs, which could be attributed to the exploration of additional food sources in times of deprivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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26 pages, 10029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zooarchaeological Evidence from Medieval Ojców Castle, Lesser Poland

by Joanna Religa-Sobczyk, Krzysztof Wertz, Lembi Lõugas, Michał Wojenka, Anna Lemanik and Piotr Wojtal

Heritage 2023, 6(1), 258-283; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010013 - 28 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2314

Abstract

Archaeological research at Ojców castle has yielded important information about life in that medieval castle. The results of zooarchaeological analyses presented in this paper complement the archaeological research, adding to our knowledge of the diet of the castle inhabitants from the time of [...] Read more.

Archaeological research at Ojców castle has yielded important information about life in that medieval castle. The results of zooarchaeological analyses presented in this paper complement the archaeological research, adding to our knowledge of the diet of the castle inhabitants from the time of establishment of the castle until the final residents. Zooarchaeological research is also complemented by data from older settlement phases on the castle hill, directly related to the Lusatian culture in the early Iron Age. The great variability of remains from mammals, birds, and fish and the taphonomic features of bones found in the different chronological strata of the castle’s courtyard reflect the diverse economic activities that took place in particular times and spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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17 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What about Exotic Species? Significance of Remains of Strange and Alien Animals in the Baltic Sea Region, Focusing on the Period from the Viking Age to High Medieval Times (800–1300 CE)

by Ulrich Schmölcke

Heritage 2022, 5(4), 3864-3880; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5040199 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2697

Abstract

During the Viking era and the Middle Ages, in the Baltic Sea area, the remains of alien animal species are found rarely but recurrently. These species, which were previously widely distributed in other regions, were originally considered “exotic” by the local people of [...] Read more.

During the Viking era and the Middle Ages, in the Baltic Sea area, the remains of alien animal species are found rarely but recurrently. These species, which were previously widely distributed in other regions, were originally considered “exotic” by the local people of the Baltic Sea region. Conversely, “exotic” was also used to describe the last local specimens of those indigenous species that had become very rare over time. Other categories of exotic animals can be defined: the first specimens of domesticated animals seen in an area, and mythical species whose existence was generally, but erroneously, assumed. In the present paper, the evidence of selected exotic species in the Baltic Sea area is analyzed with regard to both their cultural–historical and ecological significance. Many exotic specimens were used for social and hierarchical display, illustrating the individual’s sophistication and broad knowledge of the world, their wealth, and their supra-regional influence. As a result, before Christianization, these species became part of burial rites. At the same time, some of these species became or were already integral parts of the fauna of the Baltic Sea region. Some newly immigrated species were welcomed by the people, while others were considered pests. “New”, initially exotic, species formed the basis for the purely anthropogenic urban ecosystems that emerged during this period. Meanwhile, other, formerly common, species had become “exotic” because of their increasing rarity; when they became extinct, they left significant gaps in the biocoenoses wherein they were interconnected. These ecological effects, as well as some of the socio-cultural characteristics of exotic species, find parallels in modern times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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13 pages, 820 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Multidisciplinary History of Goats in Finland: A Comparative Approach

by Auli Bläuer, Hilja Solala, Jussi Kinnunen and Eve Rannamäe

Heritage 2022, 5(3), 1947-1959; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030101 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2446

Abstract

This article aims to study the history of goats (Capra hircus) in Finland using a multisource approach combining zooarchaeological data with evidence from written sources, the Silver Tax Record of 1571, and statistical data from the year 1900. We present an [...] Read more.

This article aims to study the history of goats (Capra hircus) in Finland using a multisource approach combining zooarchaeological data with evidence from written sources, the Silver Tax Record of 1571, and statistical data from the year 1900. We present an overview of an abundance of goat bones in zooarchaeological sites dating from the Middle Iron Age to the Post-Medieval period. Furthermore, we use Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) to study the presence of goats in material where it has not been identified by morphological methods. Where the zooarchaeological material and written sources overlap, the results support each other. The meaning of goats in the animal husbandry system in Finland has varied temporally and spatially, and their numbers were in decline by the year 1900. Their diminishing role in 20th-century Finland and their reputation of being the ‘poor man’s cow’ is likely the reason why they have not attracted much research interest. However, according to our data, goats have been an integral part of the animal husbandry system at least from the Late Iron Age onward, even if their proportion among other livestock is never very high. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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16 pages, 5634 KiB

Open AccessArticle

European Flat Oyster (Ostrea Edulis L.) in the Eastern Baltic as Evidence of Long-Distance Trade in Medieval and Early Modern Times

by Lembi Lõugas, Inna Jürjo and Erki Russow

Heritage 2022, 5(2), 813-828; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5020044 - 5 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3494

Abstract

Along most of the European littoral, oysters were appreciated as a wholesome and palatable food from the Stone Age onwards, yet were transported much further from their natural habitats when long-distance trade in marine foodstuffs began in medieval times. The brackish waters of [...] Read more.

Along most of the European littoral, oysters were appreciated as a wholesome and palatable food from the Stone Age onwards, yet were transported much further from their natural habitats when long-distance trade in marine foodstuffs began in medieval times. The brackish waters of the Baltic Sea are not considered a suitable environment for this mollusc, and therefore all archaeological oyster shell finds are the result of import to the eastern Baltic. In this study, over 1000 shells found in different medieval and early modern archaeological contexts in Estonia were analysed, and the obtained data recorded in a data repository. Some conclusions are set out, based on shell size and shape, and breakage traces, but more detailed taphonomic studies are left for the future. This study identifies the earliest imports of oysters recorded by archaeological material and written sources. Both show records not much earlier than the 16th century AD. Although no information is preserved about the exact origin of oysters imported to Estonia, the oyster beds most probably exploited are those in the central eastern North Sea, i.e., the Wadden Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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21 pages, 2909 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Origin of Late Roman Period–Post-Migration Period Lithuanian Horses

by Giedrė Piličiauskienė, Laurynas Kurila, Edvardas Simčenka, Kerstin Lidén, Ellen Kooijman, Melanie Kielman-Schmitt and Gytis Piličiauskas

Heritage 2022, 5(1), 332-352; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5010018 - 2 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3691

Abstract

In this paper, we present the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data of 13 samples from horses from six Lithuanian burial sites dating from the 3rd to the 7th C AD. Alongside these data, we also publish the bioavailable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data [...] Read more.

In this paper, we present the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data of 13 samples from horses from six Lithuanian burial sites dating from the 3rd to the 7th C AD. Alongside these data, we also publish the bioavailable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data of 15 Lithuanian archaeological sites, based on 41 animals which enabled the construction of a reliable baseline for the Southeast Baltic area. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values partially confirmed the hypothesis that the unusually large horses found in Late Roman Period to Post-Migration Period burials are of non-local origin. Of the three non-local horses identified, two were among the largest specimens. However, the overlap of bioavailable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data across different European regions does not permit us to establish whether the non-local horses originated from other areas in Lithuania or from more distant regions. With regards to the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data, the place of origin of the non-local horses could be Southern Sweden. This encourages discussions on the possible directions of migration and compels us to rethink the current models that posit South and Central Europe as the main sources of migration. The results of the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁵N analyses demonstrate that horses buried in the same cemetery had different mobility and feeding patterns. Differences could be due to the different function and sex of the horses as well as the lifestyle of their owners. The most sedentary horses were pregnant mares, while the extremely high δ¹⁵N of three horses may reflect additional fodder and probably a better diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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16 pages, 2684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Impact on Antler Conformation in Western Red Deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758)

by László Bartosiewicz

Heritage 2021, 4(4), 4233-4248; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4040233 - 5 Nov 2021

Viewed by 6127

Abstract

A stray find of red deer antler from Sweden with the braincase was collected due to an apparently pathological deformation, the strongly retarded right antler. Measurements of the complete left antler inspired the analysis of general antler conformation in order to place this [...] Read more.

A stray find of red deer antler from Sweden with the braincase was collected due to an apparently pathological deformation, the strongly retarded right antler. Measurements of the complete left antler inspired the analysis of general antler conformation in order to place this archaeological specimen in a zoological context. This stray find and another prehistoric antler from Sweden as well as three complete prehistoric antlers from Hungary were metrically compared using measurements of over 17,000 trophies of extant red deer from Hungary. The results confirmed that the stray specimen from Sweden and prehistoric antlers from Hungary were similar in that they were stouter (smaller length measurements but greater circumferences) than their 20th century counterparts. Most of their measurements fell within the ±1 standard deviation interval of the means of extant trophies. The pathological lesion on the studied stray specimen directed attention to the role of human selection. Twentieth century record trophies show a significant increase in antler weight and “quality” as defined in the international trophy grading system. While these morphometric observations cannot be taken as a proxy for absolute dating or precise contextual identification for the stray find central to this study, its size and apparent lack of consistent human selection (pathological deformation, “archaic” antler proportions) point to possibly early origins, prior to major human influence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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Review

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31 pages, 1382 KiB

Open AccessReview

Insects Associated with Ancient Human Remains: How Archaeoentomology Can Provide Additional Information in Archaeological Studies

by Paola Annarosa Magni, Abigail Dianne Harvey and Edda Emanuela Guareschi

Heritage 2023, 6(1), 435-465; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010023 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4638

Abstract

Archaeoentomology is the study of insects and other arthropods recovered from an archaeological site; they can be found in association with ancient human and animal remains, food, artefacts or they can be related to the environment and its changes throughout the time. Within [...] Read more.

Archaeoentomology is the study of insects and other arthropods recovered from an archaeological site; they can be found in association with ancient human and animal remains, food, artefacts or they can be related to the environment and its changes throughout the time. Within archaeoentomology, the branch of “funerary archeoentomology” considers insects and other arthropods especially in association with human remains in funerary and burial contexts. The presence and the location of certain insect species closely associated with or nearby the remains, can be valuable in gathering information about the ecological situation at the time of burial and the changes that occurred in the environment up until the discovery of the body. Funerary archaeoentomology investigations have been carried out globally, primarily in countries like Italy, Peru, the United Kingdom and France. Similarly to forensic entomology contexts, the abundance and diversity of insects are affected by the type of burial, the macro and micro-environment of and surrounding the burial, the items associated with the cadaver, the post-mortem practices, and the time that has elapsed from the body deposition to the discovery and the excavation. While funerary archaeoentomology and forensic entomology remain two well-distinguished disciplines, the sampling practice, the insect identification process, and the analyses of the burial ecology in funerary archaeoentomology studies follow the best practices and the general guidelines of forensic entomology. In both disciplines, the correct identification of the insects is key to providing correct information. Various methods have proven effective for insect identification, i.e., morphological, molecular and chemical analysis. This review aims to collect the current knowledge in funerary archaeoentomology, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of insect identification methods in an archaeological context, and describe the groups of the most relevant insects and other arthropods found in association with ancient human remains worldwide. Furthermore, recommendations will be provided to advance the practices of archaeoentomology examinations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology)

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