About 35 kilograms of bones, mostly deriving from butchery and food waste, were recovered from the mid-late Iron Age levels at Market Deeping. These were predominantly found in the fills of a palaeochannel. The animal economy of the site was primarily based on the exploitation of domestic animals, although wild game was also occasionally hunted. Water resources, such as beavers, swans, geese, ducks, were sometimes used, but represented only as an occasional addition to the diet. The scarcity - or absence - of fish is particularly noticeable. Sheep was the most common animal, but cattle provided the largest quantity of meat. Cattle were probably mainly reared for traction and sheep for meat. The presence of neonatal bones suggests that breeding was carried out on site and that the site was occupied in spring. But the analysis of the sheep tooth wear stages points to the fact that the site was also occupied in summer and autumn, when most of the lamb culling was probably carried out.
9/97
THE ROMAN MAMMAL AND BIRD BONES EXCAVATED IN 1994 FROM
GREAT HOLTS FARM, BOREHAM, ESSEX
Albarella U
Number of: Pages - 32 Illustrations - 6
Photos - 5 Tables - 4
A small assemblage of animal bones was recovered mainly from 3rd/4th century AD contexts at Great Holts Farm. The majority of the bones are in excellent condition and derive from the waterlogged fills of a late Roman well. Beef was the most commonly eaten meat, but a variety of other resources including some wild animals were also exploited. The size of cattle was very large and might indicate that these animals were recent imports from the continent. The simultaneous presence of sparrowhawk and thrush bones may represent early evidence for hawking, although the use of this raptor as a decoy is also possible. The evidence from the mammal and bird bones appears to corroborate the interpretation derived from the study of the plant remains and the fish bones of a relatively affluent life-style and of overseas contacts of the Great Holts Farm inhabitants.
72/97
THE SAXON, MEDIEVAL AND POST-MEDIEVAL MAMMAL AND BIRD
BONES EXCAVATED 1989-91 FROM CASTLE MALL, NORWICH,
NORFOLK
Albarella U, Beech M & Mulville J
Number of: Pages - 230 Illustrations - 50
Photos - 47 Tables - 41
A large assemblage of mammal and bird bone from Castle Mall (Norwich) derives from six periods that range from the 9th to 18th century AD. Most belong to cattle, sheep, pig and domestic fowl. Beef was the main meat consumed in all periods, with pork an important second in the early periods and mutton later. Meat supply to the town derived from three main sources: animals bred on site, animals brought in on the hoof, and dressed carcasses purchased at market. Local breeding of cattle and sheep decreased in post-medieval times, whereas urban pig rearing continued which suggests that at least in Saxon and medieval times, open areas were available, and that the town was a mixture of rural and urban environments. Most bones derive from butchery and kitchen refuse, but many are from crafts and industries such as bone-, horn-, antler-, and leather-working. The bones indicate a variability in the quality of diet which is typical of towns. No evidence of high status activity such as royal banquets could be found in periods 2 and 3 when the castle was most active. The presence of two 17th century parrot bones indicates trade with distant countries. An increase in animal size and morphological changes are found in post-medieval and, in some cases, late medieval levels. These changes are related to the Agricultural Revolution and indicate stock improvement. A difference in kill-off patterns in later periods attests to a change in use. Cattle, which had mainly been used for traction throughout the Middle Ages, became more important for meat. Sheep remained extremely important for wool production, but their size increase after the 16th century suggests increased importance of mutton. An early increase in domestic fowl size represents an original contribution that the Castle Mall assemblage provides to the debate on the beginning of the Agricultural Revolution.