Premium
Lambs to the Slaughter: A Zooarchaeological Investigation of Stone Circles in Mongolia
Author(s) -
Broderick L. G.,
Seitsonen O.,
Bayarsaikhan J.,
Houle J.L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.2425
Subject(s) - zooarchaeology , period (music) , sacrifice , history , bronze age , livestock , archaeology , geography , ancient history , feature (linguistics) , art , aesthetics , philosophy , linguistics , forestry
Abstract Stone circles are a common monumental feature of the Mongolian Bronze Age (c. 1500–800BC), frequently occurring in association with other monument types, especially khirigsuurs. Until now the content of the stone circles has not been identified, a fact which has hampered our understanding not only of khirigsuurs and their related cosmology but also of the contemporary economy, owing to a research paradigm that was monument‐focused until very recently. The identification of domestic bovids in these features thus has profound implications for our approach to studying the society of this period and region. These implications, including a well‐developed cosmology and economy which included the ritual sacrifice of at least three different kinds of livestock, are introduced here. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.