Horváth Attila – H. Tóth Elvira szerk.: Cumania 4. Archeologia (Bács-Kiskun Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei, Kecskemét, 1976)

S. Bökönyi: Szarmata lelőhelyek állatcsont leletei Bács-Kiskun megyéből

Fig. 2 — 2. ábra. Cattle horn-cores — Szarvasmarha szarvcsapok. Kunszentmiklós-Bak ér, 66. 3. 99. possibility is that they are from the improved cattle breed of Italian origin of Roman Pannónia. It is well known that — not counting some Scythian and Celtic attempts of horse and dog breeding — the Romans introduced the conscious animal breeding based on purposeful breeding selection to the Carpathian Basin. At the same time they imported their improved breeds from Italy in great numbers, and together the two resulted in the sudden increase of body size and production (in both quantitative and qualitative respect) of the domestic animals in the province of Pannónia. This process affected cattle and dog, the economically most important species and the luxury species of the rich, the most. New breeds appeared in the animal husbandry which drew the attention of the local animal keepers, and their fame shortly reached the territories outside the borders. This was so in other parts of the empire too, and the bone sample of the Celtic oppidum of Manching, South Germany provided the first proof that the improved Roman breeds got also to areas inhabited by the „Barbarians" (Boessneck, 1958). Also the Sarmatians acquired such animals, as the bones of the Roman cattle found in Apagy, ca. 200 km from the Roman limes, show (Bökönyi, 1974). It is highly probable therefore that the large cattle of these sites were individuals of the improved Roman breed. The Very slender form of both the tibia of Kunszállás —Alkotmány Tsz and the metatarsal of Szabadszállás—Józan is certainly conspicuous. Unfortunately the Nobis-index of the metatarsal cannot be determined because of the damaged proximal epiphysis of the bone, but the breadth of the diaphysis is about the same as that of the metatarsal of Kunszállás—Alkotmány Tsz which is nearly 30 mm shorter. At the same time, the breadth of the diaphysis of the Kunszállás—Alkotmány Tsz tibia is smaller than that of the other one of the same site, however, the latter is 35 mm shorter. This very slender form of the two large bones allows one to suppose correctly that they are from oxen. The large, strong Roman draft oxen were obviously highly appreciated by the „Barbarians"; in Manching and Apagy bones of Roman oxen were also found. The sheep bone sample of the seven sites is somewhat better than that of the cattle. It contains not only eight skull and horn-core fragments very suitable for breed identification but also nine whole long bones. At first sight the sheep skull and horn-core sample Л6