Categorization, Taxonomy, and Analysis of Bony Faunal Remains of Qara Tepe of Sagzabad, Iran(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
منبع:
Persica Antiqua, Volume ۵, Issue ۹, July ۲۰۲۵
27 - 50
حوزههای تخصصی:
The collection of faunal remains considered in this study was obtained from excavations at Qara Tepe, Sagzabad, in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with a particular focus on the Iron Age II and III. A large part of the faunal assemblages was successfully identified. The collection is formed by a range of species, among them being small ruminants (Capra aegagrus, Ovis Aries, Gazella subgutturosa), large ruminants (Bos Taurus, Cervidae, Equidae (Equus caballus, Equus africanus asinus), Carnivora (Canis lupus familiaris, Sus scrofa), Rodentia, Muridae, Lagomorpha, Aves, and Camelidae (Camelus dromedarius). The total of 1200 identifiable pieces belongs to 16 discrete species. The most frequent category is small ruminants, i.e., goats and sheep, a fact indicating that a climate favorable for the breeding of these species characterized the region during the Iron II‒III. The observation also highlights the significant role these animals played in the local subsistence economy during the relevant period. Related remains are profusely associated with human skeletal remains and cemetery burials at Sagzabad. Some are pretty complete, lacking any indications of cutting or butchery. Potential reasons for the abundance of these species were their adaptation to the landscape and their ease of breeding.