The symbolic meaning of cattle and sheep/goat in the Bronze Age
Faunal inclusions in funerary contexts of South-Western Iberia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4667728 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cláudia Costa (0000-0002-2715-1154, ICArEHB Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour, Archaeological Research Unit University of Algarve Faro Portugal, corresponding author), Ana M S Bettencourt (0000-0002-8373-1153, Lab2PT Landscape, Heritage and Territory Centre, Department of History of University of Minho Archaeological Research Unit Braga Portugal), Marta Senra (Department of History University of Minho Braga Portugal) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 602-612 |
| Publication date | 2019-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/oa.2756 |
| OpenAlex | W2936075142 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 16 |
The inclusion of faunal remains in funerary practices is widely documented in Iberian prehistory. For the late prehistory (Neolithic to Bronze Age), there is relatively more data than in earlier periods, with limb segments being very common, and complete animals are rarer. In Bronze Age contexts from South-Western Iberia, a high percentage of human burials in subterranean chambers (hypogea) are associated with limb bones of cattle (Bos taurus) and sheep/goats (Ovis/Capra), along with other grave goods. Traditionally, this practice is interpreted as the result of rituals of commensality. In this paper, we present a different perspective. Besides commensality, we show that the inclusion of the same species and the same anatomical parts is a highly standardised behaviour. Beyond the tight connection between humans and animals, this pattern also points to a strong symbolism of these domestic species and to symbolic meaning of the anatomical parts themselves
Ancient history · Archaeology · Bronze · Bronze Age · Chalcolithic · Ethnology · Geography · Grave goods · Prehistory · Zooarchaeology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Philosophy · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
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Towards an understanding of the different uses of sheep/goat and hare in Iberian South-Western Bronze Age funerary contexts
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Estudios sobre la Tumba 111 de Fuente Álamo (Almería)
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Faunal Remains from Torre Velha 12 (Serpa, Beja, Southwest of Portugal)
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IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP
Cultural, Demographic and Environmental Dynamics of the Copper and Early Bronze Age in Iberia (3300–1500 BC)
Animal limbs in funerary contexts in southern Portugal and the question of segmentation
The Perception of the Environment
Archaeology and Animal Persons
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,14 |
| Citation span | 2019 - 2025 (7) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |