THE RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF OSTEOLOGICAL MATERIALS OF THE EARLY SCYTHIAN TIME FROM THE SITE OF THE UPPER COSSACK

Abstract

The article was prepared on the materials of the latest excavations of a hillfort located near the city of Zadonsk which is the northernmost monument of the Scythian culture on the Don. It presents for the first time the results of an analysis of the bones of domestic and wild animals originating from the soil layer overlapping the remains of residential and defensive buildings and dating back to the second half of the 6th century - the beginning of the 5th century BC. The osteological series contains 2805 skeletal elements, of which 1714 have been identified to species. The set and appearance of bones are typical for kitchen leftovers associated with butchering and disposal of animal carcasses directly at the settlement. In addition to mammalian bones, one freshwater mollusk shell valve, 8 bird bones, and 16 fish bones were found. Bones of domestic animals predominate, the share of wild animals was about 6%. The most bones were received from cattle (43%), followed by a horse (20%), small ruminants (18%), a pig (15%) and a dog (about 4%). In some cases, it was possible to determine the age of the slaughter. Most often these were adult animals. According to the proposed by E. E. Antipina method, the volume of consumption of meat products was calculated and the composition of the herd was reconstructed. It was established that the population of the settlement was engaged in animal husbandry, which had a meat and dairy orientation and almost completely satisfied their needs for meat. Hunting on the farm played a supporting role. A small number of bones are represented by deer, elk, roe deer, wild boar, fox, wolf, bear, hare, river beaver.

Keywords

• verkhnee kazach'e
• scythian time
• hillfort
• animal husbandry
• hunting
• economy