Rizzetto, M. orcid.org/0000-0003-2409-792X and Albarella, U. orcid.org/0000-0001-5092-0532 (2022) Livestock size and the Roman-Early Anglo-Saxon transition: Britain in North-West Europe. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 14 (4). 65. ISSN 1866-9557
Abstract
This study contributes to reconstruct the socio-economic dynamics of change at the Roman-Early Anglo-Saxon transition in Britain through zooarchaeological analysis. Contemporary assemblages from the nearby European mainland are used to provide a term of comparison. The results indicate that typical Roman husbandry practices survived into fourth century Britain: the animal economy focussed on cattle, livestock improvements, and surplus production, which allowed to feed the taxation cycle and to supply the army and town dwellers; on the other hand, the zooarchaeological evidence highlights substantial changes in the aims and scale of animal exploitation in the post-Roman period. Such discontinuity demonstrates the key role formerly played by the Roman state in shaping local animal economies and in integrating food production practices throughout the north-western provinces. At the same time, the more generalized animal husbandry strategies of post-Roman settlements respond well to the needs of self-sufficient communities. Cattle decreased in size, as large, robust animals were no longer needed; on the other hand, the large size of sheep and other domesticates, improved in Roman times, benefitted Early Anglo-Saxon herders, and were often maintained. This evidence suggests that post-Roman communities did not simply cope with adverse economic conditions but reacted appropriately to the new circumstances.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 The Author(s). |
Keywords: | Zooarchaeology; Biometry; Late Roman; Early medieval; Britain; Gaul |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > Department of Archaeology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 12 May 2023 13:02 |
Last Modified: | 12 May 2023 13:02 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1007/s12520-021-01494-y |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:199009 |