Article contents
Man and Other Animals in Later Greek Prehistory1
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2013
Abstract
Excavations in Greece over the last fifty years have produced considerable remains of animals from prehistoric sites. This paper discusses which species were exploited by man, and at what periods, the way in which each species was managed and the role of animal husbandry in the overall economy.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1987
References
2 Vickery, K. F., Food in Early Greece (Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences 20, 3) (University of Illinois 1936).Google Scholar
3 Clarke, D. L., ‘Archaeology: the Loss of Innocence’, Antiquity 47 (1973) 6–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4 Payne, S., ‘Zoo-archaeology in Greece: a Reader's Guide’, in Wilkiel, N. C. and Coulson, W. D. E. (eds.) Contributions to Aegean Archaeology: Studies in Honor of William A. McDonald (University of Minnesota, Center for Ancient Studies 1985) 211–44.Google Scholar Also contains a full bibliography of archaeozoological work in Greece.
5 Ibid. 222 table 2.
6 P. Halstead and G. Jones, ‘Animal Bones and Burial Customs in Early Iron Age Thasos: the Faunal Remains from the Cemeteries at Theologos’ (in press).
7 Id., ‘Bioarchaeological Remains from Kalythies Cave, Rhodes’, in A. Sampson, ADelt (in press).
8 Jarman, M. R. and Jarman, H. N., ‘The Fauna and Economy of Early Neolithic Knossos’, in Evans, J. D. (ed.), ‘Knossos Neolithic Part II’, BSA 63 (1968) 241–64.Google Scholar
9 Op. cit. (n. 4).
10 Halstead, P., ‘Counting Sheep in Neolithic and Bronze Age Greece’, in Hodder, I., Isaac, G., and Hammond, N. (eds.), Pattern of the Past: Studies in Honour of David Clarke (Cambridge University Press 1981) 307–39.Google Scholar
11 R. Dennell, Early Farming in Bulgaria from the VI to the III Millennia BC (BAR Int. Series 45) (British Archaeological Reports 1978); K. Kosse, Settlement Ecology of the Koros and Linear Pottery Cultures in Hungary (BAR Int. Series 64) (British Archaeological Reports 1979); Sterud, E. L., ‘Prehistoric Population of the Dinaric Alps: an Investigation of Interregional Interaction’, in Redman, C., Berman, M. J., Curtin, E. V., Langhome, W. T., Versaggi, N. M., and Wanser, J. C. (eds.), Social Archaeology: Beyond Subsistence and Dating (Academic Press 1978) 381–408.Google Scholar
12 P. Bogucki, Early Neolithic Subsistence & Settlement in the Polish Lowlands (BAR Int. ser. 150) (British Archaeological Reports 1982).
13 E.g. Bottema, S., Late Quaternary Vegetation History of Northwestern Greece (Dissertation, University of Groningen 1974)Google Scholar; ‘Pollen Analytical Investigations in Thessaly (Greece)’, Palaeohistoria 21 (1979) 19–40; ‘Palynological Investigations in Greece with Specific Reference to Pollen as an Indicator of Human Activity’, Palaeohistoria 24 (1982) 257–89.
14 Bedwin, O., ‘Appendix 2. The Animal Bones’, in Popham, M. R., The Unexplored Mansion at Knossos (British School at Athens 1984) 307–8Google Scholar; Boessneck, J., ‘Die Tierreste aus der Argissa-Magula vom präkeramischen Neolithikum bis zur mittleren Bronzezeit’, in Milojić, V., Boessneck, J., and Hopf, M., Argissa-Magula 1: das Präkeramische Neolithikum sowie die Tier-und Pflanzenreste (Rudolf Habelt 1962) 27–99Google Scholar; Gamble, C., ‘The Bronze Age Animal Economy from Akrotiri: a Preliminary Analysis’, in Thera and the Aegean World (Thera and the Aegean World 1978) 745–53Google Scholar; ‘Animal Husbandry, Population and Urbanisation’, in Renfrew, C. and Wagstaff, M.(eds.), An Island Polity: the Archaeology of Exploitation in Melos (Cambridge University Press 1982) 161–71Google Scholar; Gejvall, N.-G., Lema 1: the Fauna (American School of Classical Studies 1969)Google Scholar; P. Halstead and G.Jones, ‘Appendix: Bio-Archaeological Remains from Assiros Toumba’, in Wardle, K. A., ‘Excavations at Assiros 1975–9’, BSA 75 (1980) 265–7Google Scholar; Jordan, B., Tierknochenfundeaus der Magula Pevkakia in Thessalien (Dissertation, University of Munich 1975)Google Scholar; Reichstein, H., ‘Erste Ergebnisse von Untersuchungen an Tierknochen aus bronzezeitlichen Siedlungsschichten im nördlichen Griechenland (Ausgrabung Kastanas)’, Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz 26 (1979) 239–70Google Scholar; Sloan, R. E. and Duncan, M. A., ‘Zooarchaeology of Nichoria’, in Rapp, G. and Aschenbrenner, S. E. (eds.), Excavations at Nichoria in Southwest Greece, 1. Site, Environs, and Techniques (University of Minnesota Press 1978) 60–77Google Scholar; J. P. N. Watson, ‘Faunal Remains’, in Ridley, C. and Wardle, K. A., ‘Rescue Excavations at Servia, 1971–1973: a preliminary report’, BSA 74 (1979) 228–9.Google Scholar
15 A. Sherratt, ‘Plough & Pastoralism: Aspects of the Secondary Products Revolution’, in Hodder, Isaac, and Hammond, op. cit. (n. 10) 261–305.
16 Payne, op. cit. (n. 4).
17 Ondrias, J., ‘Die Säugetiere Griechenlands’, Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen 13 (1965) 109–27.Google Scholar
18 E.g. Reichstein, op. cit. (n. 14) 244–6.
19 Gejvall, op. cit. (n. 14).
20 E.g. Dermitzakis, M. D. and Sondaar, P. Y., ‘The Importance of Fossil Mammals in Reconstructing Palaeogeography with Special Reference to the Pleistocene Aegean Archipelago’, Annales Géologiques des Pays Helléniques 29, 2 (1979) 808–40Google Scholar; P. Y. Sondaar, ‘Paleozoogeography of the pleistocene mammals from the Aegean’, in Strid, A. (ed.), ‘Evolution in the Aegean’, Opera Botanica 30 (1971) 65–70.Google Scholar
21 Bedwin, op. cit. (n. 14); J. P. Coy, ‘Appendix 4: Animal Remains’, in Coleman, J. E., Keos I. Kephala (American School of Classical Studies 1977) 129–33Google Scholar; Gamble, opp. citt. (1978; 1982, n. 14); M. R. Jarman, ‘Human Influence in the Development of the Cretan Fauna’ (Unpublished manuscript).
22 Boessneck, J. and von den Driesch, A., ‘Ein Löwen knochenfund aus Tiryns’, AA (1979) 447–9Google Scholar; ‘Ein Beleg fur das Vorkommen des Löwen auf der Peloponnes in “Herakleischer” Zeit’, AA (1981) 257–8. Classical literary references do not document the presence of lions in Greece in historical times J. Henderson, pers. comm.
23 At Kastanas: Reichstein, op. cit. (n. 14); Assiros: Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 14); Sitagroi: Bökönyi, S., ‘Angabenzum frühholozänen Vorkommen des Damhirsches, Cervus (Dama) dama (Linné, 1758), in Europa’, Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen 19 (1971) 206–17Google Scholar; Bökönyi also cites earlier reports from Thrace.
24 Neolithic Saliagos: Bökönyi, id.; Neolithic Kalythies, Rhodes: Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 7); Neolithic and Bronze Age Kastri, Thasos: Halstead and Jones, ‘The Fauna and Economy of Late Neolithic-Early Iron Age Kastri, Thasos’ (in preparation); Bronze Age Thermi, Lesbos: Lamb, W., Excavations at Thermi in Lesbos (Cambridge University Press 1936)Google Scholar; Bronze Age Emborio, Chios: Clutton-Brock, J., ‘The Animal Bones’, in Hood, S., Excavations in Chios 1938–1955. Prehistoric Emporio and Ayio Gala II (Supplementary Volume 16) (British School at Athens 1982) 678–97Google Scholar; Bronze Age Knossos, Crete: Jarman, op. cit. (n. 21).
25 van Andel, T. H. and Shackleton, J. C., ‘Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Coastlines of Greece and the Aegean’, JFA 9 (1982) 445–54.Google Scholar
26 Boekschoten, G. J. and Sondaar, P. Y., ‘On the fossil Mammalia of Cyprus’, Koninklijke Nederlanse Akademie van Wetenschappen B, 75 (1972) 306–38Google Scholar; Watson, J. P. N. and Stanley-Price, N. P., ‘The Vertebrate Fauna from the 1972 Sounding at Khirokitia’, RDAC (1977) 232–60.Google Scholar
27 Garrard, A. N., ‘The selection of southwest Asian animal domesticates’, in Clutton-Brock, J. and Grigson, C. (eds.), Animals and Archaeology 3: Early Herders and their Flocks (BAR Int. Series 202) (British Archaeological Reports 1984) 117–32.Google Scholar
28 Payne, op. cit. (n. 4) 219.
29 Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 7).
30 E.g. Amberger, K. P., Neue Tierknochenfunde aus der Magula Pevkakia in Thessalien, 2. Die Wiederkäuer (Dissertation, University of Munich 1979).Google Scholar
31 E.g. Gejvall, op. cit. (n. 14); Sloan and Duncan, op. cit.(n. 14).
32 Pefkakia: Hinz, G., Neue Tierknochenfunde aus der Magula Pevkakia in Thessalien, 1. Die Nichtwiederkäuer (Dissertation, University of Munich 1979)Google Scholar; Dhimini: P. Halstead, ‘The animal bones from late neolithic Dhimini’ (in preparation).
33 Pefkakia: Hinz, id.; Kalythies: Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 7).
34 E.g. Chadwick, J., The Mycenaean World (Cambridge University Press 1976) 126–33.Google Scholar
35 E.g. Bokönyi, S., ‘Stock Breeding’, in Theocharis, D. R.Neolithic Greece (National Bank of Greece 1973) 165–78Google Scholar; Sloan and Duncan, op. cit. (n. 14).
36 Payne, S., ‘Kill-off Patterns in Sheep and Goats: the Mandibles from Aşvan Kale’, AS 23 (1973) 281–303.Google Scholar
37 Killen, J. T., ‘The Wool Industry of Crete in the Late Bronze Age’, BSA 59 (1964) 1–15.Google Scholar
38 Legge, A. J., ‘The Agricultural Economy’, in Mercer, R. J. (ed.), Excavations at Grimes Graves 1971–1972 (Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1981) 79–118.Google Scholar
39 Halstead, P., Strategies for Survival: An Ecological Approach to Social and Economic Change in the Early Farming Communities of Thessaly, N. Greece (Dissertation, University of Cambridge 1984) fig. 7.2.Google Scholar Source of data—Prodhromos: Halstead, P. and Jones, G., ‘Early neolithic economy in Thessaly—some evidence from excavations at Prodrome’, Ανθρωπολικα 1: 93–117Google Scholar; Dhimini: Halstead, op. cit. (n. 32); Ayia Sofia: von den Driesch, A. and Enderle, K., ‘Die Tierreste aus der Agia Sofia-Magoula in Thessalien’, in Milojčić, V., von den Driesch, A., Enderle, K., Milojčić-v, J.. Zumbusch, , and Kilian, K., Die Deutschen Ausgrabungen auf Magulen um Larisa in Thessalien, 1966 (Rudolf Habelt 1976) 15–54Google Scholar; Pevkakia: Amberger, op. cit. (n. 30); Jordan, op. cit. (n. 14). Fourth and third millennium be culture history in Thessaly poses some complex terminological and chronological problems. ‘Final Neolithic-Early Bronze 1’ and ‘Early Bronze 2’ here refer to material called ‘Rakhmani’ and ‘Early Bronze Age’ by Amberger and Jordan, and probably date respectively to the early fourth to mid-third millennia be and mid-third to early second millennia be (Halstead, id., 1984).
40 P. Halstead and G. Jones, ‘Faunal remains and animal exploitation at Assiros Toumba’ (in preparation).
41 Halstead, op. cit. (n. ??) table 7·4. For sources of data, see n. 39.
42 e.g. Cribb, R., ‘The analysis of ancient herding systems: an application of computer simulation in faunal studies’, in Barker, G. and Gamble, C. (eds.), Beyond Domestication in Prehistoric Europe (Academic Press 1985) 75–106.Google Scholar
43 Op. cit. (n. 36).
44 Redding, R. W., Decision Making in Subsistence Herding of Sheep and Goats in the Middle East (Dissertation, University of Michigan 1981)Google Scholar; ‘Theoretical determinants of a herder's decisions: modeling variation in the sheep/goat ratio’, in Clutton-Brock and Grigson, op. cit. (n. 27) 223–41.
45 Redding, op. cit. (1981, n. 44).
46 Halstead, op. cit. (n. 10).
47 Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 40).
48 Halstead and Jones, op. cit. (n. 24).
49 Knossos: Jarman and Jarman, op. cit. (n. 8); Lerna: Gejvall, op. cit. (n. 14); Argissa: Boessneck, op. cit. (n. 14).
50 Halstead, op. cit. (n. 39) table 7·6. For sources of data, see n. 39.
51 Sherratt, op. cit. (n. 15).
52 Halstead, op. cit. (nn. 10, 39).
53 E.g. Legge, op. cit. (n. 38).
54 Gallant, T. W., A Fisherman's Tale: an Analysis of the Potential Productivity of Fishing in the Ancient World (MIGRA fascicle 7) (University of Gent 1985).Google Scholar
55 E.g. Campbell, J. K., Honour, Family and Patronage (Oxford University Press 1964).Google Scholar
56 Halstead, , ‘From Determinism to Uncertainty: Social Storage and the Rise of the Minoan Palace’, in Sheridan, A. and Bailey, G. (eds.), Economic Archaeology: towards an Integration of Ecological and Social Approaches (BAR Int. Series 96) (British Archaeological Reports 1981) 187–213.Google Scholar
57 J. F. H. Thomas, Sheep 3 (Faber and Faber 1957).
58 Cf. Dennell, op. cit. (n. 11).
59 Flannery, K. V., ‘Origins and ecological effects of early Near Eastern domestication’, in Ucko, P. J. and Dimbleby, G. W. (eds.), The Domestication of Plants and Animals (Duck worth 1969) 73–100.Google Scholar
60 Legge, op. cit. (n. 38).
61 Bogucki, , op. cit. (n. 12); ‘Ceramic sieves of the Linear Pottery Culture and their economic implications’, Oxford Journal of Archaeology 3 (1984) 15–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
62 Cherry, J. F., ‘Pattern & Process in the Earliest Colonization of the Mediterranean Islands’, PPS 47 (1981) 41–68.Google Scholar
63 Halstead, P., ‘Prehistoric Thessaly: the Submergence of Civilisation’, in Bintliff, J. L.(ed.), Mycenaean Geography (British Association for Mycenaean Studies 1977) 23–9; op. cit. (n. 56).Google Scholar
64 Gamble, C., ‘Surplus and Self-Sufficiency in the Cycladic Subsistence Economy’, in Davis, J. L. and Cherry, J. F. (eds.) Papers in Cycladic Prehistory (Institute of Archaeology Monograph 14) (University of California, Los Angeles 1979) 122–34; Halstead op. cit. (n. 10).Google Scholar
65 E.g. Christodoulou, D., The Evolution of the Rural Land Use Pattern in Cyprus (World Land Use Survey Regional Monograph 2) (Geographical Publications 1959) 182–3Google Scholar; White, K. D., Roman Farming (Thames and Hudson 1970).Google Scholar
66 Chadwick, op. cit. (n. 34) 127.
67 Halstead, P., ‘Traditional and Ancient Mediterranean Rural Economy: Plus ça Change?’ JHS 107 (1987).Google Scholar
68 Payne, op. cit. (n. 36).
69 Such seasonal use of upland pasture reflects not the absence, but the scarcity, of lowland summer grazing and so may not have been usual until fairly large numbers of livestock were maintained. Moreover, much of the present-day upland pasture, particularly in northern Greece, is the product of human interference. Similarly, in the relatively wooded lowland landscape which preceded extensive clearance by man, there will have been less available winter grazing and more summer browse than in recent times. Thus three key elements of modern seasonal pastoral movements—a surfeit of lowland winter grazing, a surfeit of upland summer grazing and a large overall population of domestic livestock—may not have pertained throughout much of prehistory (cf. Halstead, op. cit. (n.67)).
70 Rutkowski, B., Cult Places in the Aegean World (Polish Academy of Sciences 1972)Google Scholar; Cherry, J. F., ‘Generalization and the Archaeology of the State’, in Green, D., Haselgrove, C., and Spriggs, M. (eds.), Social Organisation and Settlement: Contributions from Anthropology, Archaeology and Geography (BAR Int. Series 47) (British Archaeological Reports 1978) 411–37Google Scholar; Branigan, K., ‘Minoan Settlements in East Crete’, in Ucko, P. J., Tringham, R., and Dimbleby, G. W. (eds.), Man, Settlement and Urbanism (Duckworth 1972) 751–9.Google Scholar
71 Killen, op. cit. (n. 37).
72 Halstead, op. cit. (n. 56).
73 Dahl, G. and Hjort, A., Having Herds: Pastoral Herd Growth and Household Economy (Stockholm Studies in Social Anthropology 2) (University of Stockholm 1976)Google Scholar; Redding, op. cit. (1984, n. 44).
74 Cf. J. O'Shea, ‘Coping with Scarcity: Exchange and Social Storage’, in Sheridan and Bailey, op. cit. (n. 56) 167–83.
75 Halstead, op. cit. (n. 56); Halstead, P. and O'Shea, J., ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’, in Renfrew, C. and Shennan, S. (eds.), Ranking, Resource & Exchange (Cambridge University Press 1982) 92–9.Google Scholar
- 20
- Cited by