Biometric variation of domestic animals in Rome from the Orientalizing/Archaic period to the Middle Ages

Abstract

A large number of assemblages of animal remains have come to light in the modern city of Rome and have been studied over the past forty years, providing a large amount of information on animal consumption and exploitation from the Early Iron Age (9th c. BC) to the Late Middle Ages (13th c. AD). This long chronological period witnesses the succession of important historical events that have profoundly influenced all aspects, among them the urban landscape, the demography, but also the diet and all economic activities involving animals. Some papers devoted to the discussion of faunal data from single context or on particular topics and some overviews on animal consumption and management in ancient Rome have been already published, but a detailed analysis of biometric data has not yet completely carried out. Biometry is an important tool used in zooarchaeological studies that provides data on size variation in animal populations, contributing to our understanding of husbandry practices, focusing on breeding control and improvement in ancient time. This paper is devoted to the discussion of the results of the biometric analyses carried out with the LSI (Logarithm Size Index) method, in order to investigate on the variation of domestic animals in Rome from the Orientalizing/Archaic period to the Late Middle Ages.