Animal remains from Neolithic settlements of the Middle Dnieper area (Ukraine)

Bibliographic Data

ID12371182
AuthorsOleksandr Kovalchuk (0000-0002-9545-208X, National Museum of Natural History National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Kyiv Ukraine, corresponding author), Leonid Gorobets (0000-0002-5492-7878, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), Alina Veiber (State Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine), D Lukashov (0000-0002-1375-0447, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Kyiv Ukraine), Vadym Yanenko (0000-0002-1241-1929, State Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine)
Year2018
Volume28
Issue3
Pages207-215
Publication date2018-02-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.2647
OpenAlexW2792391616
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited19

The paper deals with the role of different branches of economy in the life of Neolithic people in Eastern Europe (within the Middle Dnieper area). For this purpose, analysis of the osteological and malacological materials was made, and manufacturing bones and other auxiliary finds were used. The studied settlements (Surskyi Island, Shulaiv Island, Vovnigi, and Buz'ki) were found on small islands and banks of the Dnieper River in Ukraine and excavated in the 1930–1950. It has been shown that the economic bases for their residents were fishing and hunting, supplemented by gathering and cattle breeding. The general species list of identified animals includes 2 species of molluscs, 9 freshwater fishes (sturgeons, carp fishes, catfish, pike, zander), 1 reptile (European pond turtle), 15 species of birds (diving waterfowl, mallard, coot, black grouse, owls, cormorants), and 17 species of mammals. The latter are predominantly represented by wild species (bison, red deer, roe deer, wolf, fox, wildcat, hare, beaver, marmot, and squirrel). The number of domesticated forms (cattle, sheep, goat/sheep, pig, and dog) is less significant. Numerous animal bones from the studied settlements bear traces of butchering. Some of them were used in manufacturing (harpoons, fishhooks, devices for weaving nets, borers, pendants, spearheads)

Archaeology · Beaver · Biology · Cormorant · Domestication · Fishery · Geography · Osteology · Predation · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Marine and environmental studies · Ecology