Mammals in Late Neolithic Orkney (with reference to mammal bone recovered from Links of Noltland, Westray)
Excavation of thirty skulls, twenty-eight cattle and two sheep from the foundation course of a Late Neolithic structure at Links of Noltland (LON), Structure 9, is the starting point for this thesis, which investigates the economic and socio-cultural relationships of cattle and other mammals on Orkney communities between 3000 and 2500 BC. The LON settlement was located on a machair plain in Westray, the most N-W island within the Orkney archipelago (HY 428 493). Male and female cattle skulls were inter-mixed within the LON foundation course so a âbull cultâ is not represented. The sequence from living skulls to skulls âanimating the building is (i) breed/acquire (ii) nurture (iii) cull/butcher (iv) consume (v) transform to object (vi) curate (vii) deposit. A skull deposit infilling an internal passageway from another LON, Structure 18, is compared and contrasted with the Structure 9 foundation deposit. Special treatment of cattle skulls from a wide range of European and Near-East sites is also reviewed to emphasise the widespread use of this symbol during the Neolithic period. Orkney was separated from mainland Scotland prior to the establishment of the LON settlement so consideration is given to modes
Fraser, Sheena Mary
Orkney ; Late Neolithic ; cattle ; red deer ; mammal ; skull deposits
Mammals in Late Neolithic Orkney (with reference to mammal bone recovered from Links of Noltland, Westray). Excavation of thirty skulls, twenty-eight cattle and two sheep from the foundation course of a Late Neolithic structure at Links of Noltland (LON), Structure 9, is the starting point for this thesis, which investigates the economic and socio-cultural relationships of cattle and other mammals on Orkney communities between 3000 and 2500 BC. The LON settlement was located on a machair plain in Westray, the most N-W island within the Orkney archipelago (HY 428 493). Male and female cattle skulls were inter-mixed within the LON foundation course so a âbull cultâ is not represented. The sequence from living skulls to skulls âanimating the building is (i) breed/acquire (ii) nurture (iii) cull/butcher (iv) consume (v) transform to object (vi) curate (vii) deposit. A skull deposit infilling an internal passageway from another LON, Structure 18, is compared and contrasted with the Structure 9 foundation deposit. Special treatment of cattle skulls from a wide range of European and Near-East sites is also reviewed to emphasise the widespread use of this symbol during the Neolithic period. Orkney was separated from mainland Scotland prior to the establishment of the LON settlement so consideration is given to modes
late_neolithic orkney reference mammal bone recover links westray excavation thirty skull twenty cattle sheep foundation course late_neolithic structure links structure start_point investigate economic socio cultural relationship cattle mammal orkney community settlement locate plain westray island within orkney archipelago male_female cattle inter mixed within foundation course bull cult represent sequence living skull animate building breed acquire nurture iii consume transform object vii deposit skull deposit internal another structure compare_contrasted structure foundation deposit special treatment cattle skull wide_range european near_east site also_review emphasise widespread use symbol neolithic_period orkney separate mainland_scotland prior establishment settlement consideration_give mode