A zooarchaeological study of butchery and bone fat processing practices among early Neolithic farming societies in central Europe
This thesis presents the results of zooarchaeological investigations into diet in Neolithic central Europe. The aim of these investigations was to gain a better understanding of animal carcass processing, particularly dietary decisions made concerning intensity of exploitation of meat and fat resources. The primary focus was the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) culture, a sedentary community of farmers dating from c. 5500-4900BC in central Europe suspected to be the first society to utilise milk and its products in this region. The adoption of dairying, currently under scrutiny by the NeoMilk project, would have increased the availability of fat on settlements, and could have affected the way in which people utilised primary animal products. Using in-depth zooarchaeological analysis of butchery, fracture and fragmentation, this thesis presents a snapshot of Neolithic meat and fat exploitation. Patterns of butchery and heat exposure suggest differential cooking practices between sites, with a possible focus on nutrient retention at some, contrasted with a cultural preference for roasting at others. Intensive processing of bone fats, namely bone grease, was not detected at any site and it is likely that the domesticated
Johnson, Emily Victoria
Linearbandkeramik ; bone fat processing ; butchery ; fracture ; fragmentation ; Neolithic ; zooarchaeology
A zooarchaeological study of butchery and bone fat processing practices among early Neolithic farming societies in central Europe. This thesis presents the results of zooarchaeological investigations into diet in Neolithic central Europe. The aim of these investigations was to gain a better understanding of animal carcass processing, particularly dietary decisions made concerning intensity of exploitation of meat and fat resources. The primary focus was the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) culture, a sedentary community of farmers dating from c. 5500-4900BC in central Europe suspected to be the first society to utilise milk and its products in this region. The adoption of dairying, currently under scrutiny by the NeoMilk project, would have increased the availability of fat on settlements, and could have affected the way in which people utilised primary animal products. Using in-depth zooarchaeological analysis of butchery, fracture and fragmentation, this thesis presents a snapshot of Neolithic meat and fat exploitation. Patterns of butchery and heat exposure suggest differential cooking practices between sites, with a possible focus on nutrient retention at some, contrasted with a cultural preference for roasting at others. Intensive processing of bone fats, namely bone grease, was not detected at any site and it is likely that the domesticated
zooarchaeological study butchery bone fat processing practice among early_neolithic farming society central_europe present zooarchaeological investigation diet neolithic central_europe aim investigation gain_good animal carcass processing particularly dietary decision_make concern intensity exploitation meat fat resource primary_focus culture sedentary community farmer date central_europe suspect first society utilise milk product region adoption dairying currently scrutiny project would increase availability fat settlement could_affect way_people utilised primary animal_product using depth zooarchaeological_analysis butchery fracture fragmentation present snapshot neolithic meat fat exploitation patterns butchery heat exposure suggest differential cooking practice site possible focus nutrient retention contrast cultural preference others intensive process bone fat namely bone detect site likely domesticate