A zooarchaeological history of the Neolithic occupations at Franchthi Cave and paralia in southern Greece

Abstract

The Neolithic settlement at Franchthi Cave was founded ca. 8650–8450 cal BP. It was one of the first Neolithic settlements in mainland Greece and was occupied over many phases within the regional Neolithic sequence. This zooarchaeological study examines the history of the Neolithic occupations of the site and the community’s relationship to the land and the sea. Zooarchaeological evidence shows that newcomers brought livestock and domestic plants into the area, and these formed the core of the economy throughout its long history. The caprines were intensively managed for meat throughout the cultural sequence, though secondary products such as milk and wool gained some importance toward the end. Caprine herds were sheltered in the cave, and dogs likely served as guardian animals. The settlement expanded and contracted over time and experienced variable connectivity with other Neolithic communities and regional trade networks. Given the small number of settlements in southern Greece and the rugged land separating them from one another, marine trade may have been critical for replenishing genetic variation in livestock at Franchthi.