Archaeology
Bronze Age well contents reveal the history of animal resources in Mycenae, Greece
Excavations of a large Bronze Age debris deposit in Mycenae, Greece has provided important data for understanding the history of animal resources.
Animals were an important source of subsistence and symbolism at the Late Bronze Age site of Mycenae in Greece, as evidenced by their depictions in art and architecture, but more research is needed on the animals that actually lived there.
In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers performed a detailed analysis of a large deposit of animal remains inside a well within Petsas House, a household in Mycenae that also included a ceramics workshop.
Excavations into the well recovered ceramics, metal, stone, and other materials alongside abundant animal remains, the most common of which were remains from pigs, sheep and goats, cattle, and dogs. Based on the study of the condition of these animal remains, including evidence that many of these animals were used as food, in association with the other finds, especially pottery, the researchers reconstruct that this well was used to collect debris post destruction.
The contents of the well vary across the vertical layers within it, indicating variation in the source formation processes and in the availability of animal resources, both locally sourced and externally provided. These changes might also reflect hardships in the wake of a natural disaster, as the debris within the well appears to have come from cleanup efforts after a destructive earthquake.
The dog remains were more intact than those of the farm animals, and were deposited in the well at a different time. The authors believe this to be tentative evidence that dogs may have been treated differently in death than other animals.
This study demonstrates how detailed analysis of animal remains in well-preserved assemblages can provide insights into social dynamics of ancient settlements. Further investigation into this site will potentially elucidate patterns of food provisioning, trading, and responses to natural disasters at this important archaeological locality.
The authors add: “This study presents new insights about ancient animals recovered from the renowned archaeological site of Mycenae in Greece—a major political center in the Late Bronze Age, famous for references in Homer’s Iliad. Research at Petsas House, a domestic building in Mycenae’s settlement used in large part as a ceramics workshop, revealed how the remains of meaty meals and pet dogs were cleaned and disposed of in a house well following a major destructive earthquake. Study of the archaeologically recovered bones, teeth, and shells from the well yielded a more nuanced picture of the diverse and resilient dietary strategies of residents than previously available at Mycenae.”
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280517
Header Image Credit : Meier et al – PLOS ONE
A community excavation in Israel’s Berner region has uncovered a bowl depicting a hexagram star.
The bowl dates from the Abbasid period when Israel was ruled by the Fatimid Caliphate, an Isma’ili Shia dynasty spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia.
A hexagram star is typically associated with the Star of David, a symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism. However, this association first appeared in the 17th century, becoming more widespread during the 19th century as it came to symbolise Zionism.
The hexagram star does appear in some early Jewish contexts, but mainly as a decorative motif in 4th-century synagogues in the Galilee region. Some religious contexts include a hexagram star in a manuscript of the Hebrew Bible from 11th-century Cairo, in addition to the carpet page of the famous Tanakh manuscript, the Leningrad Codex dated to AD 1008.
A predecessor to the Star of David was the Seal of Solomon, the legendary signet ring attributed to the Israelite king, Solomon. The tradition of Solomon’s Seal later made its way into Islamic Arab sources.
According to a press announcement by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the bowl dates from around the 9th to 10th century AD and is glazed with a green ceramic pigment showing a hexagram star.
The bowl appears to have been damaged in ancient times and repaired using drilled holes, where metal or lead wires were inserted. Dr. Itamar Taksel, from the IAA said: “The repair of the bowl indicates that it was of importance in the eyes of its previous owners – maybe because of the star’s model, or that he had limited financial means, and therefore it was better to invest in repairing the bowl rather than purchasing a new one.”
Header Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority
Sources : Israel Antiquities Authority
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
A study of archaeological sites in Winchester, England, has revealed that red squirrels served as a host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people.
Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history and is still prevalent to this day in Asia, Africa, and South America.
It has previously been suggested that the extensive trade of red squirrel fur, greatly valued during medieval times, could have contributed to the leprosy epidemic in medieval Europe.
The results of the study, published in the journal Current Biology, studied 25 human and 12 squirrel samples from two medieval sites in Winchester.
During this period, the city had strong connections to the fur trade and housed the leprosarium, a hospital that treated people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) caused by Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
Verena Schuenemann of the University of Basel in Switzerland, said: “With our genetic analysis we were able to identify red squirrels as the first ancient animal host of leprosy.”
The study found that the medieval red squirrel strains were more closely related to human strains in Winchester, rather than to modern squirrel strains from England – suggesting an independent circulation of Mycobacterium leprae strains.
“Our findings highlight the importance of involving archaeological material, in particular animal remains, into studying the long-term zoonotic potential of this disease, as only a direct comparison of ancient human and animal strains allows reconstructions of potential transmission events across time,” says Sarah Inskip of the University of Leicester, UK, a co-author on the study.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : Current Biology, Urban, Blom, and Avanzi et al.: “Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host.” https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)00446-9
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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