Bartosiewicz

ARHEOLOŠKI VESTNIK

ARHEOLOŠKI VESTNIK 57, 2006

László BARTOSIEWICZ
Animal bones from the medieval settlement Otok (Gutenwerth) near Dobrava pri Škocjanu, Slovenia

Abstract

This study is an analysis of 452 animal bones from two sites of the medieval settlement at Otok (Gutenwerth), representing the 12-14th century. The material was collected over 30 years ago. Therefore, mostly complete, spectacular animal bones were saved at the time. Consequently, in spite of its small size, the assemblage carried high quality archaeozoological and culture historical information. While it was not sufficiently large for the detailed quantitative study of proportions between domesticates in animal keeping, individual remains revealed high quality information on meat consumption, medieval cattle breeding, craft activities (especially tanning) and skeletal deformations possibly related to draught exploitation. Among the archaeological finds, horse and ox shoes are relevant to this latter topic. In spite of its small size, this assemblage offers concentrated zoological information that is indispensable in interpreting the contemporaneous historical record.

Keywords: Otok (Gutenwerth), Dobrava pri Škocjanu, Slovenia, Middle Ages, meat consumption, cattle stature/live weight, draught exploitation, tanning, shoeing

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