THE ANIMAL BONES FROM THE ROMANO- BRITISH DEPOSITS AT THE GREYHOUND YARD AND METHODIST CHAPEL SITES IN DORCHESTER, DORSET.
Author(s): J M Maltby
Excavations of a substantial part of the Insula produced over 40,000 fragments from a series of well-dated deposits spanning the Romano-British period. Intra-site analysis showed that some parts of the Insula were used on occasions for the disposal of quite large amounts of specialised butchery waste, particularly of cattle. In addition, many of the cess pits had been infilled with the carcases of animals, particularly dogs. Other features contained a greater proportion of bones discarded amongst domestic rubbish. In common with samples from other Romano-British towns, cattle and pig were well represented. The abundance of pig was very high in comparison with Iron Age and contemporary sites in the area and it is suggested that they were kept in the town and perhaps also imported from further afield. Other species probably kept in the town were goats, domestic fowl and duck and possibly pigeon. Horse bones were poorly represented and sheep bones were not as abundant as on rural sites in the area. Sizes of the domestic stock tended to increase during the Roman period and there is some evidence too for changes in the exploitation patterns of cattle, sheep and pigs.
- Report Number:
- 9/1990
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 251
- Keywords:
- Animal Bone Animal Remains Bird Bone
