Southern Portugal Animal Exploitation Systems: Trends and Changes from Neolithic to Bronze Age. A Follow-up Overview

Abstract

ABSTRACT Zooarchaeological studies in Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Portugal have witnessed important developments in recent years, even if still largely based on taxonomic analyses. Other approaches depend heavily on the abundance and preservation conditions of faunal collections, which are often inadequate; such limitation prevents in-depth studies of animal exploitation strategies (e.g. the ‘Secondary Products Revolution’). Despite these constraints, some trends in animal exploitation systems have been observed (Valente, M. J., and A. F. Carvalho. 2014. “Zooarchaeology in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic of Southern Portugal.” Environmental Archaeology 19 (3): 226–240). These observations are now complemented by new zooarchaeological studies and case-studies on isotopic analyses for mobility and diet. The new dataset is addressed in the wider context, thus allowing a comprehensive overview, albeit exploratory, on herding practices and animal exploitation systems in Late Prehistory. The following trends are: the introduction of domesticated animals during the Early Neolithic; the non-existence of medium- to large-scale itinerant pastoralism during the Middle Neolithic (though shorter distances itinerancy may have taken place); and different moments for the adoption of secondary animal products (early usage of milk, and perhaps its derivatives, but a later exploitation of other products like wool and draft force).