Folia archeologica 36.

Lovag Zsuzsa: Egy XI. századi bronz korpusz

EARLY MEDIEVAL AUROCHS 203 II. LARGE WILD В О V I D S REMAINS FROM EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE 1. lione remains In Europe early medieval bone remains of wild large Bovids (Bos and Bison) are known from the Central and Northern part of Middle Europe and from the Central and Southern parts of Eastern Europe. The number of Aurochs remains is relatively few compared to that of other big game although it is large considering the relative rarity of its remains: 306 specimens. When skulls, horn-cores and metapodia or the fragments of these bones are available, the remains of Bos and Bison can be easily separated and identified. The specific identification of teeth or other bone remains is possible or probable only by comparison with medieval Bison bone finds (as in the case of the Zalavár remains). The identification and separation of early medieval and medieval Aurochs remains is also hindered by our insufficient knowledge of early medieval -— medieval large domesticated cattle. In the following ,specific names put in inverted commas are those which can be found only in original publication or fauna lists (without any documentation of the material) or in those cases where the specific affiliation, on my opinion' is uncertain. Localities and remains Schleswig-Holstein 1. Haithabu— 900—1100 — 1 Aurochs Middle section of a horn-core, Ad., bull. The length of the piece is 370 mm.

21 According to M. Degerbol, this pieceis a cut-off trophy or "horn sheath" used as a drinking-horn. Its origin is unsure although it certainly was imported from another territory.

22 Lower-Saxony 2. Hessens — 9—13th century — 1 Aurochs, cow's horn-core.

2

3 3. Hit-Backer — 9—13/14th century — 34 "Aurochs"

2

4 4. Dannenberg — 12—13th century — 1 "Aurochs'"-'

5 Pomerany

—Sea coast territory 5. Wolin 4. — 9—13th century — 6 "Aurochs"

2

6 2

1 Kequate, H., Zur Naturgeschichte der Lires (Bos primigenius Bojanus 1827), nach Schädel- und Skelettfunden in Schleswig-Holstein. Zeitschr. f. Tierzüchtg. u. Züchtgsbiol., 70 (1957) 301, but on page 305 he places the Aurochs horn in an earlier period: 800—1050. 2

2 Degerbol, M., The Urus (Bos primigenius Bojanus) and neolithic domesticated cattle (Bos taurus domesticus Linné) in Denmark. Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab Biologiske Skrifter 17,1. (Kobenhavn 1970) 134—135.' 2

3 Nobis, G. Ur- und frühgeschichtliche Rinder Nord- und Mitteldeutschland. Zeitschr. f. Tierzüchtg. u. Züchtgsbiol., 63 (1954) 184., dimensions Tabl. 19. 2

4 Walcber, H. F., Die Tierknochenfunde aus den Burgen auf dem Weinberg in Hitzacker/ Elbe und in Dannenberg (Mittelalter). II. Die Wiederkäuer. Diss. München (1978) 171 - 175. 2

5 Walcber, H. F., loc. cit. 2

6 Kubasiewicz, Л/., Zur Geschichte der Haustiere Pommers. Zeitschr. f. Tierzüchtg. u. Züchtgsbiol. 77/1. (1962) 90. Site № 6.