Variable Ovicaprid Diet and Faecal Spherulite Production at Amara West, Sudan

Bibliographic Data

ID12654246
AuthorsM Dalton (0000-0002-1651-7384, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, corresponding author), Philippa Ryan (0000-0001-6645-9744, Department of Scientific Research, The British Museum, London, UK)
Year2018
Volume25
Issue2
Pages178-197
Publication date2018-07-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-4103 • E-ISSN: 1749-6314
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14614103.2018.1501852
OpenAlexW2884671743
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited56

This paper presents the results of integrated geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical analyses of desiccated and charred ovicaprid dung pellets from the New Kingdom pharaonic settlement of Amara West (Sudan). These analyses reveal diagnostic phytolithic evidence for considerable variations in plant diet amongst the site’s ovicaprid population. These data shed light on aspects of ancient animal husbandry practice, the settlement’s subsistence economy and residents’ exploitation of natural resources. We also observe that specific phytolith types correlate with the presence (and quantity) or absence of calcium carbonate faecal spherulites in analysed dung pellets. This evidence, augmented by experimental analysis of analogous modern plant material, suggests that dietary Ca intake is implicated in faecal spherulite crystallization within the ovicaprid digestive system

Agriculture · Archaeology · Biology · Geography · Phytolith · Population · Settlement (finance · Spherulite (polymer physics) · Subsistence agriculture · Taphonomy · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Engineering · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Ecology