Somogyi Múzeumok Közleményei 12. (1996)

Bartosiewicz László: Közép - és Török kori állatmaradványok Segesdről

KÖZÉP- ÉS TÖRÖK KORI ÁLLATMARADVÁNYOK SEGESDRŐL 221 LÁSZLÓ BARTOSIEWICZ: MEDIEVAL AND TURKISH PERIOD ANIMAL BONES FROM SEGESD, SOUTHWESTERN HUNGARY Resume The animal bone assemblage from this intensively inhabited urban settlement was divided into four groups using the evidence of archaeological stratigraphy. These included the surroundings of a late 14th century house („XIV. század" in tables), quarters used during the subsequent Late Middle Ages („Késő középkor"), the city center („Városközpont") inhabited continuously both during the Middle Ages and the subsequent Ottoman Turkish times, and a sub-sample entirely dated to the Turkish Peroid („Török kor"). The general faunal list is summarized by the main periods in Table 1. The contribution of non-food purpose domesticates and wild animals is negligible to all chronological subassemblages. Tables 2 to 5 show the detailed distribution of skeletal parts per animal species in these four sub-assemblages. Mean withers height estimates (cm) for most domesticates and estimated fat free carcass weights (kg) of cattle are listed in Table 6. The percentual proportions of identifiable sheep and goat bones as well as their binomial standard errors are listed in Table 7. The proportion of identifiable goat bones approached 15% only in the late XIV. century material and during the Turkish Period. Hornless goat, a possibly imported form, also occurred during this latter period as is evidenced by skull fragments. Both species, however, served as a major source of meat, especially during the earlier times, when the relative significances of cattle and pig were smaller than expected. In Table 8, the distribution of bones is shown by Uerpmann's meat value categories in the four most important domestic animal species. Percentages are calculated within the four sub-assemblages (100%). The probably most costly, prime cuts of beef occurred in the city's central area continously occupied during the Late Middle Ages and the Turkish Period. The proportion of low value dry limb bones, teeth etc. may be considered constant in the entire material. The age structure of the assemblage is dominated by bones from adult and subadult individuals in every species. (Table 9). This situation would be less surprising in the case of cattle, however, remains of juvenile or subadult sheep and goat are similarly rare. This may be explained by the Medieval importance of wool production, which limited the slaughter of animals before several shearings. As far as pig is concerned, the number of remains from this species may be too small to include bones from juveniles, but it is also possible that the consumption of piglets would have been a luxury only a few could afford at the settlement. Table 10. contains observed and theoretical frequency values used in calculating a Chi square test which showed that the species distribution of animal bones was chronologically heterogeneous at a P<0,001 level of probability (note that the numbers of sheep and goat remains were pooled for the purposes of this calculation) illustrating the statistically significant chronological heterogeneity of the Segesd fanual assemblage. In spite of certain similarities between the 14th century and Turkish Period materials, the consumption of both beef and pork increased during this latter period. Cattle trading is known to have assumed a great importance durig the 16th century. The increase in pork consumption in face of the Ottomanic Turkish occupation may also be understood when the several hundred documented Hungarian inhabitants of this site are considered. The religious tolerance of invaders and an impetus for urban pig keeping may have equally contributed to this trend. Qualitative aspects of animal breeding are illustrated by the presence of a greyhound-type skull in the XIV. century sub-assemblage. Skull fragments of a Medieval type of sheep are common. In addition to the previously mentioned hornless goat frontalia, a broad upper bill from a domestic duck also suggests the influence of Turkish animal imports. Among butchering marks, transversal cuts separating the viscerocranium of sheep may represent an oriental tradition.