Bird remains from ecclesiastical sites in medieval Hungary

Bibliographic Data

ID4691466
AuthorsErika Gál (0000-0002-4226-3218, Institute of Archaeology, Research Centre for the Humanities Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume33
Issue4
Pages717-730
Publication date2023-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.3152
OpenAlexW4296119436
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited11

This comprehensive paper, based on already published avian material, provides an overview of the exploitation of birds at ecclesiastical settlements in medieval Hungary, with an outlook on other European religious establishments. Owing also to the differences in excavation methods, sample size, and measurements used during the identification of bird remains, the seven discussed ecclesiastical sites in the Carpathian Basin, which was part of the Hungarian Kingdom during the Middle Ages, showed considerable variability from this point of view. It is certain that poultry constituted the lion's share of the bird meat consumed, even in the wealthiest religious houses, such as bishopric centers. The presence of sexed specimens in some of these bone collections made it possible to distinguish between a small and a large phenotype of domestic chicken based on biometric data. However, in cases when finds were not only collected by hand but the food refuse deposit was also screened, one finds that these assemblages are both quantitatively and qualitatively more varied in terms of the presence and frequency of certain taxa including small game, suggesting the value and special role of (wild) fowl at ecclesiastical establishments. The avian remains that suggest the use of trained birds, as well as the evidence for the use and curation of crossbows, contribute to our knowledge about the hunting and fowling customs at certain religious houses

Archaeology · Biology · Excavation · Geography · Human settlement · Middle Ages · Pannonian basin · Taxon · Zooarchaeology · Identification and Quantification in Food · Livestock and Poultry Management · Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research · Ecology

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