Abstract
ABSTRACT Pastoralism in Central Asia directed the utilization of natural resources, yet information on livestock management strategies remain scarce. Carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses of domesticated sheep teeth are used to identify animal management strategies. Sheep from Kent exhibit an inverserelationship where low δ18O values coincide with high δ13C values, consistent with the foddering of caprines in the winter for this location which occursalongside evidence for an extended lambing season. At the high altitude encampment of Turgen, Bronze Age sheep exhibit low δ18O values that coincide withhigh δ13C values, suggesting that livestock were moved to low altitude pastures in the winter months. Iron Age sheep sequences also have an inverserelationship, where low δ18O values coincide with high δ13C values, yet high δ13C values in the winter suggest that livestock were foddered. Our findingsindicate variation in livestock management strategies with distinct adaptations to local ecologies.
Highlights
The subsistence economies of Late Bronze and Iron Age groups inhabiting central and southeastern Kazakhstan were based on pastoralism or agro-pastoralism and drew from a suite of domesticated animals that included cattle, horses, sheep, goats and dogs
Recent zooarchaeological analyses of fauna recovered from Bronze and Iron Age settlement sites across Kazakhstan suggest that there may be consistent exploitation strategies in which larger bovids and equids were managed for secondary products, while ovicaprids were managed instead for meat and possibly wool production (Haruda 2018; Outram et al 2012)
Despite the small datasets presented here, this study has resulted in novel findings for the region which have implications for other key questions about the Bronze to Iron Age transition among steppe societies, such as the effect of the adoption of agricultural products on pastoral systems, and the degree of mobility as part of economic production patterns
Summary
The subsistence economies of Late Bronze and Iron Age groups inhabiting central and southeastern Kazakhstan were based on pastoralism or agro-pastoralism and drew from a suite of domesticated animals that included cattle, horses, sheep, goats and dogs. Species proportion is correlated with environmental variables such as precipitation, as areas with higher rainfall generally supporting higher proportions of cattle (Bendrey 2011) Both local ecologies as well as cultural factors play a part in defining herd composition, moderating and overriding precipitation levels as a limiting factor (Haruda 2018; Outram et al 2012). There is, a significant dearth of information regarding animal age at death from this region due to recovery and archival issues as well as earlier zooarchaeological assessment standards and practices in the regions across Central Asia (Morales Muñiz and Antipina 2003) These issues have impeded more detailed analysis of pastoral management strategies. Recent zooarchaeological analyses of fauna recovered from Bronze and Iron Age settlement sites across Kazakhstan suggest that there may be consistent exploitation strategies in which larger bovids and equids were managed for secondary products, while ovicaprids were managed instead for meat and possibly wool production (Haruda 2018; Outram et al 2012)
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