Ganadería en la Alta Edad Media : Estudio comparativo de los yacimientos alaveses de Zornoztegi, Zaballa y Salvatierra-Agurain

En el presente artículo se pretende formular, a través del análisis de los restos de fauna de varios yacimientos arqueológicos, algunas hipótesis y posibles líneas de trabajo futuro acerca de la realidad socioeconómica de las aldeas altomedievales en el norte de la Península Ibérica

Pots, chicken and building deposits: the archaeology of folk and official religion during the High Middle Ages in the Basque Country

In this paper, a particular type of unusual archaeological deposits found at some high medieval (12–13th centuries CE) sites located in the Basque Country (northern Iberian Peninsula) is examined. These structured deposits consist of inverted pottery vessels containing the remains of a chicken, placed in pits created on purpose for keeping them, and are generally found in archaeological contexts related to the foundation or reconstruction of public buildings, including churches and city walls. The implications of the occurrence of these rituals in Christian contexts are discussed in the framework of folk religion, suggesting that medieval religion was hybrid and dynamic, even after the Gregorian Reform (11th century CE) that, supposedly, unified the Christian administration and liturgy. It is suggested that the occurrence of such public ritual practices in the Basque Country during the High Middle Ages might be related to the formation and negotiation of new social and political communities

The 'long' 16th century : a key period of animal husbandry change in England

Although many historians have extensively discussed the agricultural history of England between the Late Middle Ages and the Modern Era, this period of crucial changes has received less attention by archaeologists. In this paper, zooarchaeological evidence dated between the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period is analysed to investigate changes in animal husbandry during the ‘long’ sixteenth century. The size and shape of the main domestic animals (cattle, sheep, pig and chicken) is explored through biometrical data and discussed in line with evidence of taxonomic frequencies, ageing and sex ratios. Data from 12 sites with relevant chronologies and located in different areas of the country are considered. The results show that, although a remarkable size increase of animals occurred in England throughout the post-medieval period, much of this improvement occurred as early as the sixteenth century. The nature and causes of such improvement are discussed, with the aim of understanding the development of Early Modern farming and the foundations of the so-called Agricultural Revolution

Improvements in animal husbandry between the end of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era in England and the Basque Country: a Zooarchaeological Comparison

Although many historians have extensively discussed the agricultural history of Europe between the late Middle Ages and the modern era, this period of crucial changes has received less attention from archaeologists. In this paper, zooarchaeological evidence from the late Middle Ages to the early modern period is studied to investigate evidence for improvements in animal husbandry during the ‘long’ sixteenth century. The size and shape of the principal domestic animals (cattle, sheep, pig, and chicken) are explored through biometrical data and integrated with evidence of taxonomic frequencies, age-at-death, and sex ratios. Evidence from twelve English sites and nine Basque sites is compared. The results show that in England a remarkable size increase of animals occurred throughout the post-medieval period, with much of this improvement occurring in the sixteenth century. In the Basque Country, a slight improvement is attested only during the ‘long’ sixteenth century, while in the following centuries the size of the animals decreased, perhaps in relation to the economic crisis that affected the Iberian Peninsula for much of the seventeenth century. The nature and causes of these changes and the different scenarios characterizing the two countries are discussed with the aim of understanding the development of early modern farming and the foundations of the so-called Agricultural Revolution

Les tabous alimentaires dans l’Ibérie médiévale : la zooarchéologie des différences socioculturelles

Les idées sur ce qu’est un bon animal, ce qui constitue un mauvais animal ou un animal transgresseur, et pourquoi certains d’entre eux sont jugés aptes à la consommation et d’autres non, ont déterminé la vie des hommes et des femmes, et des animaux non humains. Les tabous alimentaires sont en effet un facteur clé pour comprendre les relations entre les hommes et les animaux et les modes d’autodéfinition socioculturelle et religieuse, mais ils ont étonnamment occupé peu de place dans la recherche archéologique jusqu’à présent. La péninsule ibérique médiévale était un creuset de différents groupes socioculturels et religieux. Leur recherche et leur éventuelle visibilité à travers les archives zooarchéologiques sont des sujets qui ont reçu une attention croissante au cours des dernières années. Dans cet article, les preuves zooarchéologiques disponibles seront examinées, en privilégiant la visibilité des habitudes alimentaires des communautés chrétiennes, juives et musulmanes. En outre, les résultats préliminaires de l’analyse des restes fauniques récupérés sur le site juif de Santa Marta, à Pancorbo (Burgos) sont présentés.The lives of both humans and non-human animals are determined by ideas about what makes an animal good or bad, or why some animals are deemed suitable to be eaten and some do not. Food taboos are indeed a key factor for understanding human-animal relationships and ways of socio-cultural and religious self-definition, but have surprisingly occupied little space in archaeological research so far. The medieval Iberian Peninsula was a melting pot of different socio-cultural and religious groups. Their research and their possible visibility through the zooarchaeological record are topics that have received increasing attention over the last few years. In this paper, the available zooarchaeological evidence will be reviewed, focusing on the visibility of dietary habits of Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. Moreover, the preliminary results of the analysis of the faunal remains recovered at the Jewish site of Santa Marta, in Pancorbo (Burgos) are presented.</p