Posted on 03/14/2023 7:27:50 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A large Bronze Age debris deposit in Mycenae, Greece provides important data for understanding the history of animal resources at the site, according to a study published March 1, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jacqueline Meier of the University of North Florida and colleagues.
Animals were an important source of subsistence and symbolism at the Late Bronze Age site of Mycenae in Greece, as evidenced by their depictions in art and architecture, but more research is needed on the animals that actually lived there. In this study, researchers performed a detailed analysis of a large deposit of animal remains inside a well within Petsas House, a household in Mycenae that also included a ceramics workshop.
Excavations into the well recovered ceramics, metal, stone, and other materials alongside abundant animal remains, the most common of which were remains from pigs, sheep and goats, cattle, and dogs. Based on the study of the condition of these animal remains, including evidence that many of these animals were used as food, in association with the other finds, especially pottery, the researchers reconstruct that this well was used to collect debris post destruction.
The contents of the well vary across the vertical layers within it, indicating variation in the source formation processes and in the availability of animal resources, both locally sourced and externally provided. These changes might also reflect hardships in the wake of a natural disaster, as the debris within the well appears to have come from cleanup efforts after a destructive earthquake.
The dog remains were more intact than those of the farm animals, and were deposited in the well at a different time. The authors believe this to be tentative evidence that dogs may have been treated differently in death than other animals.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Jacqueline S. Meier, Gypsy C. Price, Kim Shelton. "Well" off in animals: A taphonomic history of faunal resources and refuse from a well feature at Petsas House, Mycenae (Greece). PLOS ONE, 2023; 18 (3): e0280517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280517
Interesting
The other Bronze Age keyword topics from 2023 (so far).
Sounds like the earthquake might have caused the well to go dry. But wouldn't prudent people keep the well clean just in case the water came back? Wouldn't it be easier to toss the bones in a pile somewhere outside of town? They must have been throwing entire animal carcasses into the well. Seems like it would be a lot of work to drag stuff to the well and toss it in there.
“the debris within the well appears to have come from cleanup efforts after a destructive earthquake”
I’m failing to imagine any circumstance where throwing corpses into the well you get drinking water from constitutes a “cleanup effort”.
Probably a manpower shortage — most of the population was killed or buried in rubble and debris, and here’s this handy pre-dug hole...
Could also have been the entire population was wiped out, and the smell was carrying downwind to a neighboring village that had better fortune.
Greece had a department of animal resources?
No wonder they collapsed.
It’s hard enough dealing with HR and keeping a business functional. Imagine having to deal with AR as well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
