Frogs as a part of the Eneolithic diet. Archaeozoological records from the Czech Republic (Kutná Hora-Denemark site, Řivnáč Culture)

Abstract

Within the site of Kutná Hora-Denemark (Kutná Hora distr., central Bohemia – Eneolithic, Řivnáč Culture, 3000–2800 BC), 893 frog bones or bone fragments were present in five archaeological features. All identified specimens are of the Common Frog ( Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758). Males predominate, according to humeral morphology, and only adult individuals are present. The most important findings come from feature 36, where an accumulation of 739 frog bones (MNI = 123) were found, of which 10% (NISP) were burned. This and other contextual evidence indicates that they relate to activity of the Eneolithic people in the settlement. The predominance of hind leg bones and other circumstantial evidence suggest that the frogs were part of the human diet. Behavioural studies of this species suggest that the frogs were gathered from small ponds during the months of March or April. Similar findings are rare.