Faunal remains and Zapotec elite at Monte AlbĂĄn during the Preclassic and Classic periods : subsistence, functional, ritual and symbolic aspects
The ancient Zapotec city of Monte AlbĂĄn, occupied from approximately 500 BC to 850 AD, was prehispanic OaxacaÂŽs largest and most important urban centre. The zooarchaeological material considered in the study dates from the Late Preclassic (400 BC-200 AD) and Early Classic (200-500 AD) periods, when growth and consolidation of Monte AlbĂĄn took place. The main topic is related to the subsistence, which allowed the survival of the elite. Other uses of the taxa apart from food were also taken into account such as ritual, symbolic and functional ones. The faunal remains were found in association both with elite households, and with some public spaces near the Main Plaza. The study showed that animals were used in different activities within private and public spaces of the elite, including food processing, consumption and discarding. Some other taxa were also appreciated for their symbolic meaning and functioned as status symbols. According to the identification of the faunal bones not only domestic species such as dog and turkey were part of the diet, but wild animals were also represented by white-tailed deer, peccary and lagomorphs. Occasionally, species including fish and turtles were obtained from the rivers
MartĂ­nez Lira, Patricia
Faunal remains and Zapotec elite at Monte AlbĂĄn during the Preclassic and Classic periods : subsistence, functional, ritual and symbolic aspects. The ancient Zapotec city of Monte AlbĂĄn, occupied from approximately 500 BC to 850 AD, was prehispanic OaxacaÂŽs largest and most important urban centre. The zooarchaeological material considered in the study dates from the Late Preclassic (400 BC-200 AD) and Early Classic (200-500 AD) periods, when growth and consolidation of Monte AlbĂĄn took place. The main topic is related to the subsistence, which allowed the survival of the elite. Other uses of the taxa apart from food were also taken into account such as ritual, symbolic and functional ones. The faunal remains were found in association both with elite households, and with some public spaces near the Main Plaza. The study showed that animals were used in different activities within private and public spaces of the elite, including food processing, consumption and discarding. Some other taxa were also appreciated for their symbolic meaning and functioned as status symbols. According to the identification of the faunal bones not only domestic species such as dog and turkey were part of the diet, but wild animals were also represented by white-tailed deer, peccary and lagomorphs. Occasionally, species including fish and turtles were obtained from the rivers
faunal_remain elite classic period subsistence functional ritual symbolic aspect ancient city occupy large important urban_centre zooarchaeological material consider study date late early classic period growth consolidation take_place main_topic relate subsistence allow survival elite taxa apart food also take_account ritual symbolic functional faunal_remain found association elite household public_space near main study_show animal use different activity within private_public space elite include food processing consumption taxon also appreciate symbolic_meaning function status symbol according identification faunal bone domestic specie dog turkey part diet wild_animal also represent white deer occasionally specie include fish turtle obtain river