The Sheep, the Dog and the Vulture: Exploring Human-Animal Entanglements in Medieval Albarracín

The medieval period marks a turning point in the history of human-animal relationships, since the proliferation of medieval cities throughout Europe resulted in an ever-increasing demand for animal products, like foodstuffs and raw materials. However, in comparison with the prehistoric period, medieval human-animal relationships have received considerably less attention and have often primarily been focused on the economic aspects of these relationships. This thesis used radiocarbon- dated material from the medieval castle of Albarracín (Teruel, Spain) to study the intensity and character of human-animal relationships through time by comparing material from the Islamic (10th-11th century CE) and Christian (15th-16th century CE) periods. The results demonstrated the importance of functional animals, especially of domestic livestock, at the site in both periods and show how the role of these animals changed through time. The assemblage is dominated by caprines, particularly by sheep...Show moreThe medieval period marks a turning point in the history of human-animal relationships, since the proliferation of medieval cities throughout Europe resulted in an ever-increasing demand for animal products, like foodstuffs and raw materials. However, in comparison with the prehistoric period, medieval human-animal relationships have received considerably less attention and have often primarily been focused on the economic aspects of these relationships. This thesis used radiocarbon- dated material from the medieval castle of Albarracín (Teruel, Spain) to study the intensity and character of human-animal relationships through time by comparing material from the Islamic (10th-11th century CE) and Christian (15th-16th century CE) periods. The results demonstrated the importance of functional animals, especially of domestic livestock, at the site in both periods and show how the role of these animals changed through time. The assemblage is dominated by caprines, particularly by sheep who played an important role in the development of transhumant movement in medieval Spain. Furthermore, the archaeofaunal data also shed light on non- economic relationships between humans and nonhuman animals, for instance on the role of domestic carnivores and wild birds as scavengers of organic debris deposited by humans in urban environments. These results highlight the importance of archaeozoological studies on medieval contexts, since they have the potential to contribute more than a purely economic perspective on historical human-animal relationships and how these developed through time.Show less

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The Sheep, the Dog and the Vulture: Exploring Human-Animal Entanglements in Medieval Albarracín