Folia archeologica 31.

István Vörös: Zoológiai és palaeoökonómiai vizsgálatok a korai neolitikus Körös kultúra archaeozoologiai anyagán

40 I. VÖRÖS namely the accumulation of head bones and trunk bones was traceable in Pit 1., the accumulation of the dry limb bones in the house and in Pit 2., while a great quantity of knuckles was found in the house. It is possible that the cause of this phenomenon is the different localization of the cutting up and consumption of animals practized by the inhabitants of the settlement. At Szajol-Felsőföld the calibrated useful amount of meat produced by the different age groups of the 46 cattle individuals is 7050 kgs, which means 52,36 per cent of the whole useful quantity of meat produced by all the mammals found at the settlement. We have no knowledge of the age group distribution of either the cattle bones or of the cattle individuals found in the settlements of the Körös Culture. At Szajol-Felsőföld 6,52 per cent of the cattle individuals slaughtered was neonatal, 26,09 per cent infantile, 23,91 per cent juvenile, 28,26 per fient subadult, 15,22 per cent adult. The typical utilization pattern of cattle flesh is well represented by the fact that 84,78 per cent of the individuals was killed and eaten before the animals reached their breeding season. The breeding stock of their cattle consisted of relatively few individuals. The cattle bones found at the settlements are broken into conspicuously small fragments which can prove the application of efficient butchering implements. Small ruminants — Sheep — Ovis aries Linné, Goat — Capra hircus Linné Small ruminants were the animals found in greatest quantity and with the greatest individual number in the live-stock of the Körös Culture. (Tables 1—2)

3

0. The long bones of small ruminants were found in surprizingly intact condition so according to the sculpture of the humerus, radius, femur, metapodii, skulls and mandibulae the bones of sheep and goat can be distinguished fairly well.

3

1 Therefore with the aid of the Osteometrie data supplied by the above-mentioned bones we are able to use the denominations "sheep" and "goat". Nevertheless during the evaluation of our investigations made on the whole "small ruminant" material we use conventionally this name. At the settlements of the Körös Culture 31,16— 72,84 per cent of the whole animal bone material belongs to sheep. The bones of goats are either missing or they represent only less than 1 per cent. We know only few Osteometrie data of sheep found in Körös Culture settlements (Table 4).

3

2 The Osteometrie data of sheep found at Szajol-Felsőföld include also the width measurements of epiphyses of those bones which belong to the measurable subadult age group. As the width measurements of already fused epiphyses of long bones belonging to the subadult age group do not differ 3

0 Vide notes 3-20. 3

1 Boessneck, J. — Müller, H. H., Osteologische Untersuchungsmerkmal zwischen Schaf (Ovis aries Linné) und Ziege (Capra lircus Linné). Kühn-Archiv 78.1—2. 129.; Payne

, S., A metrical distinction between sheep and goat metacarpals. In: The domestication and exploition of plants and animals. Ed. P.J. Ucko, G. W. Dimbley. (London 1969) 295-, 3

2 Bökönyi S., op.cit. 1964. 91.; 1974. 504-506., 511-512.