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
Fig. 13 : Incisor, canine and premolar teeth cracked and chipped by hair singeing from Lászlófalva /Excavator: A. Pálóczy Horváth; photo: I. Takács/ were found in the medieval fortifications at Salgó and Ozora from the XVI. century (Excavator: I. Feld at both sites). At the site of Lászlófalva use of singeing was identified in the food remains of the (Rumanians, a former nomadic steppe people who settled in the Carpathian Basin during the XVI. century (Excavator: A. Pálóczy-Horváth; Fig. 13). It is interesting that pig keeping was first only of minor importance for this population which originated in the steppic regions. Once settled, however, they developed large scale pig keeping, fattening and exploitation. Perhaps they adopted pig keeping techniques from the neighboring Hungarian population. The faunal material provides evidence of singeing based on the presence of burnt incisors and canines as described previously. The location of cutmarks testify to the way pigs were butchered and support this hypothesis. Hair removal by singeing can be seen back to the century Árpád period materials as well. Burning marks on teeth could be identified, for example, at Csongrád Felgyő X-XI. century. (Excavator: Gy. László) and at Gergelyiugornya XI-XII. century (Excavator: E. Szimonova Fig. 14). In this period, pig keeping was widely practiced. On the basis of later ethnographic parallels one may assume that bacon was of primary importance, while pork had more of a seasonal role in nutrition (during thewinter months) due to the problems of meat preservation. It is not likely, that conservation by smoking was in general use, although it was certainly a known method. Even the idea of smoked bacon, however, has only recently spread: in earlier times bacon was salted and stored in the form of "white fat" 6 . Stepping further back in history another ethnic group, the Avars who lived in the Carpathian Basin prior to its late 9th century occupation by the Hungarians, should be discussed. Settlement remains of this people also yielded convincing evidence in the form of burnt teeth, e.g. at the site of Hunya-Csárdavölgy (Excavator: B.M. Szóké; Fig. 15). Cutmarks on the bones support the hypothesis of "bacon centered" butchering at this site as well. Pig bones contribute an important proportion to Roman period faunal assemblages. Fig. 14: Mandible fragments showing signs of hair singeing from the 11 -12th century site of Gergelyiugornya (Excavator: Eugenia Szimonova photo: L Takács)
