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Archaeozoological evidence for pastoral systems and herd mobility: the remains from Sos Höyük and Büyüktepe Höyük
Author(s) -
HowellMeurs Sarah
Publication year - 2001
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.531
Subject(s) - herd , clarity , geography , herding , archaeological record , bronze , archaeology , demography , sociology , ecology , biology , biochemistry
Characterization of pastoral economics in the archaeological record is recognized as being particularly difficult. While architectural evidence may provide ambiguous indicators of nomadism, animal remains afford greater clarity concerning assessment of herd and thus economic mobility. To highlight archaeozoological applications towards the analysis of herd movement as it may relate to the analysis and definition of economic systems, the mobility of the pastoral systems practised at Sos Höyük and Büyüktepe Höyük during the Early Bronze and Iron Age periods was investigated in terms of various facets of archaeozoological evidence. Sedentary occupation of these sites was suggested by the faunal remains on the basis of evidence, including use of seasonally available resources, relative abundance and representation of the main domesticates and dental data. These results suggest that analysis based upon multiple lines of archaeozoological evidence provides the most fruitful means of investigating pastoral mobility. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.