A COMPARISON OF THE MEASUREMENTS OF ROMANO-BRITISH ANIMAL BONES FROM PERIODS 3 AND 5, RECOVERED FROM EXCAVATIONS AT ANNETWELL STREET, CARLISLE
Author(s): S Stallibrass
Measurements of animal bones recovered by hand during excavations in the early 1980s of parts of two sequential Roman timber forts at Annetwell Street, Carlisle, are presented and compared. The collections date to the site's Period 3 (circa AD 73/74 - AD 100/105) and Period 5 (AD 00/05 - AD 140). Both collections are dominated by the bones of domestic cattle, which are very similar in shape and size to those of the 'Celtic shorthorn' (sensu Jewell, 1963) that were common throughout Britain in the Iron Age. There is no evidence for any overall increase in size, nor for the admixture of larger animals in either collection. Several measurements are used in an attempt to ascertain the sex ratios represented by the cattle bones. In a comparison with collections of cattle bones from other Romano-British and/or Iron Age sites, the importance of comparable sex ratios is demonstrated. Bones of sheep and sheep/goat are quite well represented in both Annetwell Street collections (goat bones are very rare). Their measurements are very similar to those from Iron Age sites, and show no evidence of any influx of larger types. Most of the pig bones measured are from immature animals, and there is no evidence in either period for the prescence of particularly large (??wild) animals. A few bones of red deer, roe deer, horse, and dog were present and their measurements are given in Appendix 1.
- Report Number:
- 133/1991
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 190
- Keywords:
- Animal Bone Animal Remains
