engleski

Dog or wolf? Implementation of veterinary osteology to archaeological case

At archaeological site Velika Karaula, which is situated in Lika, 16 km east of Gospić (Republic of Croatia), 141 Canis osteological fragments were found. This Iapodic hill fort was inhabitant to late Bronze and early Iron Age (9th – 7th century BC). All Canis bone remains was excavated from sonde 1, but from two different layers. 99 bones from layer 2 almost certainly belong to one individual, but 42 bone fragments from layer 3 belong to at least to two individuals. Distinguishing dog (Canis familiaris L.) and wolf (Canis lupus L.) bones and even whole skeleton is difficult even at recent animals, so the taxonomic identification at archaeological specimens, who are often very damaged and incomplete, is almost impossible. Some minor morphological differences, like shape of bulla tympanica or mandible mastoid region are relatively subjective and not a reliable diagnostic difference. Osteometrical analysis, mostly on teeth and parts of skull, is more reliable. In this paper, the osteometrical analysis was carried out on teeth and jaws as well as on the well preserved long bones ; aiming to determine whose remains is in the sonde 1. Osteometrical values are also used to estimate the withers height, which can be a method of distinguishing this two species too. Results of conducted analysis shows that bone remains most probably belongs to dog (Canis familiaris L.).

dog; wolf; osteology; archeozoology

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