engleski

Holy cow: The case of bovine calcaneus in late Avar cemetery Nuštar in eastern Croatia

Rescue archaeological excavation on Late Avar period cemetery in Nuštar (East Croatia) was conducted in autumn 2011. Only a part of the cemetery was excavated – altogether 196 graves. Animal bones were found in 100 graves. Archeozoological analyses have shown presence of 204 animal bones ; following species were present: cattle, birds, small ruminants (sheep or goat), dog, pig and deer. The focus of this paper will be on bovine calcaneus, part of tarsus bones. 91 calcaneus in total was found. It is of special interest because those bones have almost no meat on them and the only way to reach them is by butchering. Nevertheless, no marks or traces of butchering can be observed. We will try to dissolve why so many calcaneus bones were present in those graves, is there a connection between sex, age and social status of deceased in light of previously released hypothesis, as well as new ones.

Nuštar; Avar cemetery; bovine calcaneus

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