Feeding the Philistine city. An isotopic investigation of animal resources at Ashkelon in the Iron I

Abstract

The Iron I period (1200–1000 BCE) at the archaeological site of Ashkelon, Israel ushers in the beginnings of Philistine control of the city. Varied taxonomy in the animal bone remains in the context of domestic dwellings at Ashkelon reveals shifting patterns of consumption over time (Hesse and Fulton, 2020;Master and Aja, 2020). One hypothesis suggests that the use of cattle as traction/draught animals as part of an intensive agricultural system led to increased cattle bone remains in the Iron I, and these animals were likely pastured in fields directly related to the city (Hesse and Fulton, 2020). This hypothesis is tested by applying geographical and environmental interpretations to the isotopic composition of tooth enamel (carbon, oxygen and strontium) from domestic animals including cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats (caprines), and pigs. The hypothesis of draught cattle is not supported. While cattle were intensively managed, they were grazed in diverse locations across the landscape not centered around the city of Ashkelon. This specialized production strategy would have necessitated important cooperative social and economic relationships between urban consumers and inland farmers and herders who provided animals to the city.