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Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and...
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Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Human-Animal Interactions, Animal Behaviour and Emotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2024 | Viewed by 16177

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Daniel Makowiecki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Archaeology and Human Palaeoecology, Institute of Archaeology, Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
Interests: zooarchaeology/archaeozoology; archaeology; culture; environment; animal-human relationship; migration; animal diseases, DNA; isotopes
Dr. Edyta Pasicka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Animal Anatomy, Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Interests: animal anatomy, mammals, dentition, archaeozoology, paleopathology, conservative breeding, native breed; ultrastructural analysis, aDNA
Prof. Dr. Maciej Janeczek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Physiology and Biostructure, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 25, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: zooarchaeology/archaeozoology; paleopathology; animal-human relationship; animal diseases; DNA; isotopes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Zooarcheology/archeozoology as a multi-discipline developed on the ground of both archaeology and natural sciences is one of the most important scientific fields for reflection on the history of humanity and nature. Since its research material is the remains of vertebrate and invertebrate fauna found in archaeological sites—spaces used by humans—and geological sediments, the natural subject of research are people, animals and their environment. This includes both cultural environments created by man and natural ones resulting from climate change, which impacts the entire biotic and abiotic world. The general concept of such an issue has been discussed at conferences, as well in books and articles. However, in the context of constant changes in the human environment, including in the world of fauna, zooarchaeological research—which is dealing with the old relationships between humans and animals—continues to be of great importance for better understanding of current processes, acting against the negative impact of human activity and better monitoring of current and future human relationships, as well as the natural and cultural environment. Zooarchaeology helps us better understand animals' nature and form a better partnership with them.

Animals would like to create another Special Issue to present the latest research results of a wide group of zooarchaeologists, archaeologists and cultural anthropologists dealing with the issues discussed above. We are seeking articles that address the following topics: a) animals as an indicator of human activity in the natural environment; b) animals in the social, magical, ritual, and religious life of past societies; c) paleopathology and alternations of bones and teeth as a tool to learn about the relationship between humans and animals; d) animal migration as a result of human activity. Considering the increasing importance of biomolecular technology in zooarchaeological research, we welcome articles that explore the above issues not only through classical macroscopic methods, but also through genetic and isotope data.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Makowiecki
Dr. Edyta Pasicka
Prof. Dr. Maciej Janeczek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • zooarchaeology/archaeozoology
  • archaeology
  • culture
  • environment
  • animal–human relationship
  • animal migrations
  • animal diseases
  • DNA
  • isotopes

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 6782 KiB  
Article
Dogs in Lithuania from the 12th to 18th C AD: Diet and Health According to Stable Isotope, Zooarchaeological, and Historical Data
by Giedrė Piličiauskienė, Raminta Skipitytė, Viktorija Micelicaitė and Povilas Blaževičius
Animals 2024, 14(7), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071023 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 660
Abstract
This article presents the results of research that focused on the nutrition and related health issues of medieval and early modern dogs found in the territory of present-day Lithuania. In this study, we present bone collagen carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of research that focused on the nutrition and related health issues of medieval and early modern dogs found in the territory of present-day Lithuania. In this study, we present bone collagen carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope ratios for seventy-five dogs recovered from seven sites which were dated back to the between the 12th and 18th C AD. In addition, by studying the remains of almost 200 dogs, we were able to estimate changes in the sizes and morphotypes of canines across over 600 years. On the basis of stable isotope and historical data, as well as the osteometric analysis, we discuss the dietary patterns of different sizes and types of dogs from the sites related to different social strata and time periods. The results of our study demonstrate that the size, type, diet, and health of canines from different time periods and sociocultural environments varied. Overall, carbon isotopic signals indicate that dogs’ diets were based on C3 plant environment foods (cereals and animals), while freshwater fish was more important for some individuals in coastal Klaipėda/Memelburg Castle. The stable isotope analysis supported the historical records, indicating that cereals were highly important in the diet of elite dogs. Meanwhile, urban dogs had a different nutrition. In the Middle Ages, the consumption of plant-based foods was likely higher compared to the early modern period. Our study also revealed that the diets of dogs did not correlate with individual size. Compared to pigs, dogs had a higher intake of animal foods in their diet. In general, the nutrition of the studied canines was similar to that of the rural human population of the same period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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16 pages, 23280 KiB  
Article
Pathological Changes in Early Medieval Horses from Different Archaeological Sites in Poland
by Maciej Janeczek, Daniel Makowiecki, Aleksandra Rozwadowska, Wojciech Chudziak and Edyta Pasicka
Animals 2024, 14(3), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030490 - 01 Feb 2024
Viewed by 605
Abstract
The work is the first comprehensive analysis of equine pathological changes from the Polish territory. The research material was collected from 20 archaeological sites, mainly early medieval settlements, such as strongholds, settlements, towns and horse graves. In the material examined, 186 cases of [...] Read more.
The work is the first comprehensive analysis of equine pathological changes from the Polish territory. The research material was collected from 20 archaeological sites, mainly early medieval settlements, such as strongholds, settlements, towns and horse graves. In the material examined, 186 cases of lesions were found. Of these, 26.9% were lesions of the spine, 39.8% lesions of the limb skeleton and 31.7% lesions of the head including dental pathologies. Most of the lesions in the limbs involved their distal segments. The vast majority of pathological cases can be linked to animal use. It was found that horses in which pathological lesions were observed were used under cover. In one case, the observed cranial trauma was the cause of death associated with injury to the nasal auricles and large vessels and consequent blood loss and possible shock. It was found that, in some of the cases, the horses started to be used early which affected their organs of motion and spine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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27 pages, 1279 KiB  
Article
A Special Relationship—Aspects of Human–Animal Interaction in Birds of Prey, Brown Bears, Beavers, and Elk in Prehistoric Europe
by Ulrich Schmölcke and Oliver Grimm
Animals 2024, 14(3), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030417 - 27 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1227
Abstract
Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special [...] Read more.
Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between ‘animal’ and ‘human’ is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous ‘bear ceremonies’ attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost ‘disguised humans’ due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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22 pages, 5538 KiB  
Article
New Evidence for the Bronze Age Zooarchaeology in the Inland Area of the Iberian Peninsula through the Analysis of Pista de Motos (Villaverde Bajo, Madrid)
by Verónica Estaca-Gómez, Rocío Cruz-Alcázar, Silvia Tardaguila-Giacomozzi and José Yravedra
Animals 2024, 14(3), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030413 - 26 Jan 2024
Viewed by 991
Abstract
The Bronze Age zooarchaeological research for the interior and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula is currently limited. Despite several sites with known zooarchaeological profiles from the period, the main issue is that most of these derive from fragmentary and unrepresentative faunal records [...] Read more.
The Bronze Age zooarchaeological research for the interior and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula is currently limited. Despite several sites with known zooarchaeological profiles from the period, the main issue is that most of these derive from fragmentary and unrepresentative faunal records or are biased profiles from old excavations. New work has yielded novel zooarchaeological results in recent years that could help fill the existing zooarchaeological information gap in the Iberian inland, particularly in the Middle Tagus Valley. However, these projects are in the initial research stages and have not published much of their results. This paper presents the zooarchaeological profile of the Pista de Motos Bronze Age site to help fill this information gap. It analyses the taxonomic representation, skeletal profiles, and human activity patterns associated with faunal use. These observations suggest that animal exploitation at the site followed two primary purposes. One was linked to economic activities, mainly to obtain meat, milk, wool, or animal labour. The other was probably associated with symbolic-ritual practices suggested by the complete animal burials in some excavated units. We contextualise these interpretations with evidence from other Bronze Age sites in the Middle Tagus Valley. Finally, the paper assesses to what extent Pista de Motos is a relevant site for the zooarchaeology of the Bronze Age in the Iberian inland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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19 pages, 4216 KiB  
Article
Animals in Mortuary Practices of Bronze-Age Pastoral Societies: Caprine Use at the Site of Dunping in Northwestern China
by Yue Li, Ruoxin Cheng, Zexian Huang, Xiaolu Mao, Kexin Liu, Qianwen Wang, Furen Hou, Ruilin Mao and Chengrui Zhang
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3794; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243794 - 08 Dec 2023
Viewed by 774
Abstract
The late second and first millennium BC witnessed extensive economic, cultural, and political exchanges between pastoralists and sedentary farming states in East Asia. Decades of archaeological fieldwork across northern China have revealed a large number of burial sites associated with pastoralists during the [...] Read more.
The late second and first millennium BC witnessed extensive economic, cultural, and political exchanges between pastoralists and sedentary farming states in East Asia. Decades of archaeological fieldwork across northern China have revealed a large number of burial sites associated with pastoralists during the first millennium BC. These sites were characterized by the inhumation of specific animal parts in burials, predominantly the skulls and hooves of sheep, goats, cattle, and horses. However, the selection preference for these animals and how they were integrated into the mortuary contexts of these pastoral societies remain poorly investigated. Here, we report a preliminary analysis of caprine remains from 70 burials at the site of Dunping in the southern Gansu region of northwestern China, dated to approximately the seventh to fourth centuries BC. Based on an examination of species composition, post-depositional effects, traces of human alteration, skeletal element representation, and age at death, we discussed the selection, slaughtering, and inhumation of caprines concerning the mortuary practices at the site. Comparisons between Dunping and several other contemporaneous burial sites in neighboring regions, specifically in terms of the mortality profiles, further highlight distinct patterns in the selection of caprines for mortuary purposes among pastoral societies. These differences suggest varying degrees of emphasis placed on the economic and social significance attributed to caprines. Our findings provide new insights into the roles that caprines played in both ritual performances and subsistence practices among pastoralists in East Asia during the first millennium BC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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15 pages, 10490 KiB  
Article
Animal Use Strategies in the Longshan Mountain Region of Northern China during the First Millennium BC: A Zooarchaeological Analysis of Yucun
by Tianyu Zong, Borui Du, Chengrui Zhang, Feng Sun, Zexian Huang, Ruoxin Cheng, Kexin Liu, Tao Shui, Yongan Wang and Yue Li
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3765; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243765 - 06 Dec 2023
Viewed by 708
Abstract
The first millennium BC saw the expansion of the Western Zhou dynasty in its northwestern frontier, alongside the rise and development of the Qin State in the Longshan Mountain region of northern China. Exploring the subsistence practices of these communities is crucial to [...] Read more.
The first millennium BC saw the expansion of the Western Zhou dynasty in its northwestern frontier, alongside the rise and development of the Qin State in the Longshan Mountain region of northern China. Exploring the subsistence practices of these communities is crucial to gaining a better understanding of the social, cultural, and political landscape in this region at the time. While much of the research to date has focused on the Qin people, the subsistence practices of the Zhou people remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed animal remains from Yucun, a large settlement site associated with the Zhou people, located to the east of the Longshan Mountain. These animal remains were recovered in the excavation seasons of 2018–2020. Our results show that pigs, dogs, cattle, caprines, and horses, which were the major domestic animals at Yucun, accounted for over 90.8% of the animal remains examined in terms of the number of identified specimens (NISP) and 72.8% in terms of the minimum number of individuals (MNI), with cattle and caprines playing dominant roles. In terms of the taxonomic composition and the mortality profiles of pigs, caprines, and cattle, Yucun shared similarities with Maojiaping and Xishan, two contemporaneous Qin cultural sites located to the west of the Longshan Mountain, and differ from other farming societies in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River valley. Considering the cultural attributes and topographic conditions of these various sites, these findings imply that environmental conditions may have played a more significant role than cultural factors in shaping the animal-related subsistence practices in northern China during the first millennium BC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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20 pages, 3976 KiB  
Article
Animal Resources in the Economy of Medieval Moldova: Archaeozoological Case Study of the Urban Settlement from Târgu Neamț (NE Romania)
by Margareta Simina Stanc, Luminița Bejenaru, Mariana Popovici, Vasile Diaconu and Mihaela Danu
Animals 2023, 13(14), 2334; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13142334 - 17 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1088
Abstract
This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the medieval Moldovan economy by evaluating animal resources (e.g., animal husbandry, hunting, fishing) based on the skeletal remains found in archaeologic sites from northeastern Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Animal remains, especially those [...] Read more.
This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the medieval Moldovan economy by evaluating animal resources (e.g., animal husbandry, hunting, fishing) based on the skeletal remains found in archaeologic sites from northeastern Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Animal remains, especially those from the urban settlement of the 14th–16th centuries from Târgu Neamţ (NE Romania), were described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), morphometry, and livestock management (i.e., animal selection by age and sex). The results were compared with those obtained from other settlements—rural, urban, and fortress—from medieval Moldova. Correspondence analysis of the identified animals and settlements on the basis of the frequency values reveals associations between the two variables (animal species and settlement). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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19 pages, 5944 KiB  
Article
The Exploitation of Toxic Fish from the Terminal Pleistocene in Maritime Southeast Asia: A Case Study from the Mindoro Archaeological Sites, Philippines
by Clara Boulanger, Alfred Pawlik, Sue O’Connor, Anne-Marie Sémah, Marian C. Reyes and Thomas Ingicco
Animals 2023, 13(13), 2113; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132113 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2602
Abstract
Representatives of the Diodontidae family (porcupinefish) are known to have been fished by prehistoric Indo-Pacific populations; however, the antiquity of the use of this family is thus far unknown. We report here on the presence of Diodontidae in the archaeological sites of Bubog [...] Read more.
Representatives of the Diodontidae family (porcupinefish) are known to have been fished by prehistoric Indo-Pacific populations; however, the antiquity of the use of this family is thus far unknown. We report here on the presence of Diodontidae in the archaeological sites of Bubog I, II, and Bilat in Mindoro, Philippines, dating back to c. 13,000 BP (Before Present). This evidence demonstrates the early exploitation by islanders of poisonous fish. Every part of porcupinefish can be toxic, but the toxicity is mostly concentrated in some organs, while other parts are edible. The continuous presence of Diodontidae remains throughout the stratigraphic record of these Philippines shell middens suggests that porcupinefish were prepared by human inhabitants of the sites to render them safe for consumption, indicating an advanced cultural knowledge of the preparation needed to separate the toxic principle from the edible parts. This constitutes one of the rare examples of poison processing by humans, aside from the contentious wooden stick poison applicator from Border Cave (South Africa). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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15 pages, 6474 KiB  
Article
Integrating New Prehistoric Palaeopathological Finds from Hungary
by Erika Gál and László Bartosiewicz
Animals 2023, 13(12), 1994; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121994 - 15 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 908
Abstract
Eight newly identified pathological animal remains identified in two Middle Neolithic assemblages (ca 5330–4940 calBC) in northern and western Hungary were placed within the broader context of relevant prehistoric finds. The aim was to understand the underrepresented Middle Neolithic finds in light of [...] Read more.
Eight newly identified pathological animal remains identified in two Middle Neolithic assemblages (ca 5330–4940 calBC) in northern and western Hungary were placed within the broader context of relevant prehistoric finds. The aim was to understand the underrepresented Middle Neolithic finds in light of the better-known cases from other prehistoric periods. The newly reported cases include arthritic and inflammatory lesions, as well as dental disorders, such as linear enamel hypoplasia, recognized for the first time in the Hungarian Neolithic. Identifications were based on bone macromorphology. When large samples are available, the frequencies of pathological bone specimens reflect the taxonomic composition. Along with the increasing number of cases, longevity related to exploitation for secondary products also became manifest. Therefore, the effects of assemblage size, disease classification and differences between authors (related to training and the time of publication) need to be considered before pathological lesions can be interpreted in terms of diachronic changes in animal husbandry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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34 pages, 6390 KiB  
Article
Cattle Make the Difference: Variations and Developments of Animal Husbandry in the Central European La Tène Culture
by Konstantina Saliari and Peter Trebsche
Animals 2023, 13(11), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111847 - 01 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1456
Abstract
The first part of our research focuses on the analysis of animal remains (>6000 identified specimens, NISP) from the Middle La Tène central settlement Haselbach in Lower Austria, one of the largest investigated archaeozoological assemblages of present-day Austria. Based on the age and [...] Read more.
The first part of our research focuses on the analysis of animal remains (>6000 identified specimens, NISP) from the Middle La Tène central settlement Haselbach in Lower Austria, one of the largest investigated archaeozoological assemblages of present-day Austria. Based on the age and sex profiles, the faunal assemblage from Haselbach shows characteristics of urbanization and centralization and bears striking similarities to the archaeozoological material of the central settlement of Roseldorf (Lower Austria), some 35 km northwest of Haselbach. The second part of our research discusses the historical and regional context of the archaeozoological results from Haselbach and compares them with other sites, based on a detailed review of published archaeozoological data from the La Tène period (c. 450 BC to the end of the first century BC). In total, 55 faunal assemblages from 46 sites in nine countries in Central Europe, representing different types of sites (lowland settlements, hilltop settlements, central settlements, oppida, assemblages of ritual activity, and mining sites) were examined. The synthesis of the archaeozoological data exhibits different husbandry strategies and suggests major changes, especially during the Middle La Tène period indicating agricultural intensification. The differences in the biological profiles of the major domesticated species are of crucial importance to better understand aspects of socio-economic organization; especially in the case of cattle, age and sex profiles are used to distinguish different patterns of cattle husbandry. Finally, morphometric and recent genetic analyses on cattle bones and teeth from La Tène sites in Central Europe provide new insights into the complex socio-economic behavior as well as long-distance networks, involving animal supply and mobility in an exciting period of change involving centralization and increasing influence from the South during the pre-Roman late Iron Age. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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14 pages, 6417 KiB  
Article
Natural History and Exploitation of the Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena Linnaeus, 1758) during the Neolithic (ca. 4000–2000 cal. BC) in the Eastern Baltic Region
by Lembi Lõugas and Valdis Bērziņš
Animals 2023, 13(5), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050909 - 02 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1698
Abstract
Compared with the history of seals in the Baltic Sea, the porpoise has received much less research attention. The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) has been quite rare in the eastern Baltic in recent centuries, but according to archaeological finds, its population [...] Read more.
Compared with the history of seals in the Baltic Sea, the porpoise has received much less research attention. The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) has been quite rare in the eastern Baltic in recent centuries, but according to archaeological finds, its population was quite numerous here ca. 6000–4000 years ago (ca. 4000–2000 cal. BC). This paper deals with all known archaeological assemblages of porpoise so far discovered in the eastern Baltic (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), discusses the hunting strategies and studies the exploitation of this small cetacean by the Neolithic hunter-gatherers. Fauna historical aspects include new archaeological data in addition to those published previously. We consider whether these new data change the temporal and spatial pattern of porpoise hunting and examine how, in addition to the expected use of porpoise meat and blubber, the porpoise’s toothed mandibles were used for patterning ceramics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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Review

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16 pages, 2035 KiB  
Review
Late History of Cattle Breeds in Central Europe in Light of Genetic and Archaeogenetic Sources—Overview, Thoughts, and Perspectives
by Vojtěch Janák, Karel Novák and René Kyselý
Animals 2024, 14(4), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040645 - 17 Feb 2024
Viewed by 864
Abstract
Although Europe was not a primary centre of cattle domestication, its expansion from the Middle East and subsequent development created a complex pattern of cattle breed diversity. Many isolated populations of local historical breeds still carry the message about the physical and genetic [...] Read more.
Although Europe was not a primary centre of cattle domestication, its expansion from the Middle East and subsequent development created a complex pattern of cattle breed diversity. Many isolated populations of local historical breeds still carry the message about the physical and genetic traits of ancient populations. Since the way of life of human communities starting from the eleventh millennium BP was strongly determined by livestock husbandry, the knowledge of cattle diversity through the ages is helpful in the interpretation of many archaeological findings. Historical cattle diversity is currently at the intersection of two leading directions of genetic research. Firstly, it is archaeogenetics attempting to recover and interpret the preserved genetic information directly from archaeological finds. The advanced archaeogenetic approaches meet with the population genomics of extant cattle populations. The immense amount of genetic information collected from living cattle, due to its key economic role, allows for reconstructing the genetic profiles of the ancient populations backwards. The present paper aims to place selected archaeogenetic, genetic, and genomic findings in the picture of cattle history in Central Europe, as suggested by archaeozoological and historical records. Perspectives of the methodical connection between the genetic approaches and the approaches of traditional archaeozoology, such as osteomorphology and osteometry, are discussed. The importance, actuality, and effectiveness of combining different approaches to each archaeological find, such as morphological characterization, interpretation of the historical context, and molecular data, are stressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zooarchaeology: The History of Animal-Human Relations in the Natural and Cultural Environment)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: From nature to emblem. White tail eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Polish prehistory and history
Authors: Martyna Wiejacka
Affiliation: Institute of Archaeology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
Abstract: In Poland, white- tailed eagles are birds under strict protection, due to a drastic decrease in their numbers in the 20th century. Currently their population is growing again. Since ancient times, these predators have aroused great interest amongst people throughout Europe. It is evidenced by the finds of their bones with traces of processing from the Paleolithic found in places inhabited by Neanderthals and modern humans. The situation is similar in Poland, where this bird has been recognised in at least 6 prehistoric and 21 medieval and post-medieval archaeo-ornithology collections. Despite this, so far, they have not been the subject of detailed analysis. Therefore, this article will present the finds of remains of this species with the fullest possible characterisation. Their anatomical composition, state of preservation, biometric data and other taphonomic features will be presented. Based on the historical, etiological and palaeogeographical context, an assessment of cultural significance and attempt to indicate changes in the population of the white- tailed eagle will be made. Among the analysed collections, those discovered on the Baltic Sea coast will be particularly important, including the recently discovered largest collection of the remains on one of the medieval settlements located on the Wolin island. Based on the collected data, a discussion whether the white- tailed eagle is rightly considered a symbol of the Piast dynasty, the creators of early medieval Poland, preserved in the modern emblem, will also be initiated.

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