Zwammerdam on the Rhine: The contribution of archaeozoological research to the current knowledge of Roman Nigrum Pullum

Abstract

The Dutch Roman frontier is known for providing a great deal of archaeozoological research, but the real potential has not been reached yet as there are data from many excavated sites that have still not been analysed in detail or are ́buried́ as grey literature. The research project Romeinse vicus aan de Rijn aims at filling this gap through the study and publication of Roman military vici along the Dutch part of the Rhine to better understand the development and significance of these key locations. Within this frame, archaeozoological remains from various sites are being re-analysed in order to reinforce the knowledge of economic and cultural patterns, to better understand supply networks and to study how these activities shaped the surrounding environment and impacted the landscape.One of the studied sites is the Roman fort and vicus of Zwammerdam-Nigrum Pullum, located on the Rhine in the West Netherlands. Archaeozoological remains were collected during excavations in 1968–1971 and in 2003–2004, but some of the material was not studied, and a thorough synthesis was still missing. Because of this, certain aspects within this Roman settlement remain poorly analysed.With a thorough analysis of the archaeozoological remains from both excavations at Zwammerdam, integrated with contextual and chronological data, this study brings forward new archaeozoological information for this Roman settlement. The new data not only make it possible to compare animal exploitation in the vicus with that of the fort, but it also provides an opportunity to analyse these patterns throughout time both locally and regionally. While limited to a small area in the Roman Empire, the data from Zwammerdam can provide a further step for new, broader archaeozoological research towards the role of animals in the Roman culture and economy.