Szakács Sándor szerk.: A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 1990-1991 (Budapest, 1991)

TAKÁCS ISTVÁN: The history of pig (Sus scrofa dorn L.) butchering and the evidence for singeing on subfossil teeth

KÖZLEMÉNYEI, 1990-1991 41 The history of pig (sus scrofa dom.L.) Butchering and the evidence for singeing on subfossil teeth. István Takács Pig keeping practices in the Carpathian Basin have changed continuously since prehistoric times. Their development and relative significance were primarily influenced by diversity in the environment and life way s rather than by variant ritual. 1 Nomadic peoples kept few or no pigs and these were of a primitive type. Sedentary populations kept more and relatively improved individuals of this species. The level of pig keeping may also be seen in the manner of processing. While rare animals, whose meat was consumed opportunistically, were dismembered almost haphazardly (as is shown by the bone remains), remains of animals slaughtered systematically in great numbers also show signs of patterned butchering. It seems likely that evidence for random dismemberment practices reflect occasional consumption at one or only a few times, while signs of systematic meat processing may be associated with some kind of preservation and subsequent storage. The way pork is treated is significantly influenced by the degree to which the animal has been fattened, in other words, the proportion between lean meat and fat. In pigs, whose subcutaneous fat is not consumed in the form of bacon (although the fat may still be melted, for example) skinning the animal was the simplest method. While the hide from animals with no major subcutaneous fat deposits might not have had dietary value, the skinning must have had a practical purpose; the leather could be used as a secondary product In this case, the rough and bushy hair (Fig. 1) may easily be removed by hot water. Aiiimals with a thick layer of subcutaneous fat present a different problem. In this case, the skin covering the bacon has a culinary role as well. Skin is an indispensable structural element in bacon prepared for long term storage by smoking or salting. In meat parts preserved by similar methods (such as hams, legs, knuckles and head etc.) the skin becomes a tasty component which is easy to digest Damage seen on prehistoric and early historical osteological materials (e.g. * The short form of this work was presented as a poster at the 6th Conference of the International Council for Archaeozology in Washington D.C. (1990).