The fauna of Tell Nebi Mend (Syria) in the Bronze and Iron Age—a diachronic overview. Part 1: Stability and change—animal husbandry

Abstract

The analysis of the large sample of domestic animal bones excavated from Tell Nebi Mend in north-west Syria shows that there was remarkably little change in patterns of husbandry from the Early Bronze Age to the Iron Age, probably due to the propinquity of the River Orontes. Although the most numerous bones were those of sheep and goats, estimates of body weight suggest that cattle were of greater importance in the economy. Camels were present in the Iron Age levels and unexpectedly also in Late Bronze Age II contexts; the latter seem to be the earliest domestic camels known from the northern Syria.

Keywords:

• Bronze Age
• Iron Age
• animal husbandry
• equids
• camels
• north-west Syria
• donkey burial

Notes

1 The identification of the animal remains was originally carried out on a year-by-year basis at the dig house, but as the material accumulated, it became impossible to study it all at the site, and after initial sorting, the identifiable remains were taken elsewhere. A few of the bones are stored in the Museum in Homs, the remainder at the Institute of Archaeology in London, the Council for British Research in the Levant in Amman, and, temporarily, at the Natural History Museum in London (these will be transferred to the Institute in due course). Most of the mammalian remains were identified by Caroline Grigson, with the valued assistance of Geraldine Barber, Kevin O'Reilly and especially Gillian Clarke.

2 Mean dimensions of a recent female goat (NHMUK 1876.8.6.2 (653M)) and a male goat (NMHUK 1876.8.6.1 (653L)) Capra aegagrus from the Taurus Mountains; from Uerpmann (1979).

3 Dimensions of a recent female sheep Ovis sp. (Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, no. 57951) from western Iran; from Uerpmann (1979).

4 Standard wild ox. Dimensions of female aurochs Bos primigenius from Ullerslev, Denmark (Zoological Museum Copenhagen); from Degerbøl and Fredskild (1970); after Buitenhuis (1985).

5 Standard pig. Mean dimensions of a sample of bone of modern wild boar Sus scrofa from Turkey; Payne and Bull (1988).

6 Standard equid. Means of dimensions of bones of Equus hemionus/africanus at Mureybet, from Ducos (1986); after Uerpmann (1986).

7 Standard dromedary. Dimensions of a modern, elderly male dromedary Camelus dromedarius from Oman (CA 4, Institute of Pre- and Proto-history of Tűbingen University).