Póczy Klára: Forschungen in Aquincum 1969- 2002 (Aquincum Nostrum 2. Budapest, 2003)

6. Die Wirtschaft Aquincums im Spiegel der neuen Funde - 6.3. Animals and Roman lifeways in Aquincum (Alice M. Choyke)

Period and Size category Age Greatest length, mm Proximal Breadth, mm Nobis index, % Withers Height 1, mm Withers height 2, mm Period 1 Small Adult 210.0 46.0 21.90 1121.4 1182.3 Medium size Mature 240.3 47.5 19.77 1283.2 1352.9 Period 3 Small Mature 215.4 43.6 20.24 1150.2 1212.7 Small Adult 203.6 42.0 20.63 1087.2 1146.3 Small Adult 201.5 41.8 20.74 1076.0 1134.4 Small Adult 212.2 45.0 21.21 1133.1 1194.7 Small Adult 210.0 44.5 21.19 1121.4 1182.3 Period 4 Medium size Mature 244.2 51.7 21.17 1304.0 1374.8 Small Mature 211.1 39.0 18.47 1127.3 1188.5 Period 5 Medium size Mature 227.0 48.6 21.41 1212.2 1278.0 Small Adult 204.5 41.3 20.20 1092.0 1151.3 Mean value, mm Standard deviation, mm Coefficient of variation 1155.3 77.6 0.067 1218.0 81.8 0.067 Tab. 1. Distribution of the size, age and withers height calculations based on the basis of the greatest length of complete bones from the Fireman's headquarters site in the Civil Town. Withers heights were estimated using coefficients developed by Calkin,

59 Matolcsi (withers height l)

è0 and Boessneck (withers height 2)

61 respectively. The Nobis index reflects the sex. certain economic importance as meat animals for the elite since bones from more elegant dwellings in the Civil Town show that lamb meat was also purchased. The practical Romans undoubtedly skinned these after they were slaughtered. These hides (and bones for tools) would then have been processed for leather. There is no evidence that this was a regular activity in the same way as for cattle. The relative lack of skull elements from sheep or goat also shows that the animals may even have been slaughtered at the farm and the butchered carcasses brought into the town for sale. The meat from sheep seems to have been prefered among certain ethnic enclaves in Aquincum as seen from food offerings left at a cemetery for people from Northern Italy which will be discussed in detail later. Pig is exclusively exploited for its meat. Typically, pigs are kept and fattened as household animals although the pigs may be gathered and taken out to for age rather than being penned. Pork was considered an important element of the diet, especially the meat from young animals. The large litter sizes of pig made it easier to procure this latter delicacy. An interesting aspect related to animal keeping on villa-farms concerns a small but very suggestive bone material from the Kaszásdűlő - Csikós street 59 Calkin, V., Izmenchivost metapodii i eo znachenie dla izuchenia krupnogo rogatogo skota. (Metapodial variation and its significance for the study of ancient cattle). Biull. Mock. Obshch. Ispit. Prirodi, Otdel. biol. 65 (1960) 109-126. 60 Matolcsi, J., Historische Erforschung der Körpergrösse des Rindes auf Grund von ungarischem Knochenmaterial. Zeitschrift für Tierzüchtung und Züchtungsbiologie 63 (1970) 155-194. 61 Boesseck, J., Ein Beitrag zur Errechnung der Widerristhöhe nach Metapodienmasse bei Rindern. Zeitschrift für Tierzüchtung und Züchtungsbiologie 68/1 (1956) 75-90. These works have been summarized Bartosiewicz, L., Sexual dimorphism of long bone growth in cattle. Acta Veternaria Hungaricae 32/3-4 (1984) 135-146. The coefficients developed by the first two authors for Kalmük and Hungarian Grey respectively result in somewhat smaller estimates than the values recommended by Boessneck. This is due