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Animal remains from Neolithic settlements of the Middle Dnieper area (Ukraine)
Author(s) -
Kovalchuk O.,
Gorobets L.,
Veiber A.,
Lukashov D.,
Yanenko V.
Publication year - 2018
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.2647
Subject(s) - geography , beaver , osteology , archaeology , fishery , domestication , cormorant , ecology , biology , predation
The paper deals with the role of different branches of economy in the life of Neolithic people in Eastern Europe (within the Middle Dnieper area). For this purpose, analysis of the osteological and malacological materials was made, and manufacturing bones and other auxiliary finds were used. The studied settlements (Surskyi Island, Shulaiv Island, Vovnigi, and Buz'ki) were found on small islands and banks of the Dnieper River in Ukraine and excavated in the 1930–1950. It has been shown that the economic bases for their residents were fishing and hunting, supplemented by gathering and cattle breeding. The general species list of identified animals includes 2 species of molluscs, 9 freshwater fishes (sturgeons, carp fishes, catfish, pike, zander), 1 reptile (European pond turtle), 15 species of birds (diving waterfowl, mallard, coot, black grouse, owls, cormorants), and 17 species of mammals. The latter are predominantly represented by wild species (bison, red deer, roe deer, wolf, fox, wildcat, hare, beaver, marmot, and squirrel). The number of domesticated forms (cattle, sheep, goat/sheep, pig, and dog) is less significant. Numerous animal bones from the studied settlements bear traces of butchering. Some of them were used in manufacturing (harpoons, fishhooks, devices for weaving nets, borers, pendants, spearheads).