A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve 2015., Új folyam 2. (Szeged, 2015)
RÉGÉSZET - Tóth Anikó: Apátfalva - Nagyút-dűlő késő szarmata telep és temető állatcsont leletei
Anikó Tóth The fauna of the Late Sarmatian settlement and cemetery of Apátfalva-Nagyút-dűlő The fauna of the Late Sarmatian settlement and cemetery of Apátfalva-Nagyút-dűlő Anikó Tóth The population ofthe multiperiod site with its apex in the Late Sarmatian Period left a significant amount of archaeological, anthropological and zoological remains in the studied area. The site, as part of the Tisza-Maros triangle, was an area rich in waters before the river regulations. The proximity of the Maros River, which was probably used as a trade route, enabled a close relationship between nature and the Late Sarmatian groups that settled here. The natural environment was meadow-pasture and parkland, enabling both animal keeping (cattle, sheep) and hunting (deer, roe deer, and boar). The economy of the community that had probably settled down for a longer period here was characterized by a grazing cattle (39%), pig (26%), sheep/goat (23%) and horse (12%). Dogs were similar to today’s medium sized specimens (e.g. shepherds), and may have included hounds, shepherds and watchdogs. The zoological study ofthe faunal remains and the use of Kretzoi's and Uerpmann's categories indicate animal husbandry and their use for food and secondary products. Most ofthe finds came from kitchen refuse pits. The number of cattle and sheep remains from 4th-5th-century Sarmatian graves is small. Bones with lower and higher meat values and the finds from graves and features connected to graves indicate animal sacrifice (sheep skull) and feasting during the burial ceremony. 167
