Animals at Ashton : diet and human-animal dynamics in a Romano-British small town
The animal bones from the Roman-period small town at Ashton represent an excellent opportunity to examine animal husbandry, consumption, and relationships in the province of Britain. Analysis of this large dataset provides data for a key gap in our understanding of how small towns functioned in the Nene Valley region, which has been increasingly well-studied in recent years. The data showed that although Ashton possessed a strong iron-working industry, the site was more geared towards the production of animals in a manner similar to local rural sites than it was to the pattern of requisitioning seen in larger towns. Significant changes throughout the siteâs occupation show that although an increasingly urban pattern builds up through the third century, a sudden shift occurs in the mid-fourth to early fifth century that results in a return to a more self-sufficient style of animal husbandry due to the decreased pressures of taxation and the decline of imperial control. In addition to this important economic data, patterns of ritual behaviour can be tracked both in the earlier exclusively pagan periods as well as into the Later Roman phases when a substantial Christian population is in evidence. The presence
Mahoney, Meghann Caleen
Animals at Ashton : diet and human-animal dynamics in a Romano-British small town. The animal bones from the Roman-period small town at Ashton represent an excellent opportunity to examine animal husbandry, consumption, and relationships in the province of Britain. Analysis of this large dataset provides data for a key gap in our understanding of how small towns functioned in the Nene Valley region, which has been increasingly well-studied in recent years. The data showed that although Ashton possessed a strong iron-working industry, the site was more geared towards the production of animals in a manner similar to local rural sites than it was to the pattern of requisitioning seen in larger towns. Significant changes throughout the siteâs occupation show that although an increasingly urban pattern builds up through the third century, a sudden shift occurs in the mid-fourth to early fifth century that results in a return to a more self-sufficient style of animal husbandry due to the decreased pressures of taxation and the decline of imperial control. In addition to this important economic data, patterns of ritual behaviour can be tracked both in the earlier exclusively pagan periods as well as into the Later Roman phases when a substantial Christian population is in evidence. The presence
animals diet human_animal dynamic romano_british small_town animal_bone roman_period small_town represent excellent opportunity examine animal_husbandry consumption relationship province britain analysis large_dataset provide data key gap small_town function valley region increasingly well_studied data show_although possess strong iron working industry site gear_towards production animal manner similar local rural_site pattern see large_town significant_change throughout site occupation show_although increasingly urban pattern build sudden shift_occur return self_sufficient style animal_husbandry due decrease pressure taxation decline imperial control addition important economic data pattern ritual behaviour track earlier exclusively pagan period well later_roman phase substantial christian population evidence presence