Another non-anthropic leporid accumulation in Southwestern Iberia? The case of a leporid sample from Morgado superior (Tomar, Portugal)

Abstract

The Morgado superior rock shelter is located near the city of Tomar, in Central Portugal. This site presents important funerary contexts that according to published information encompass the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age. Other non-funerary uses are not yet characterized but were briefly suggested. A faunal sample of the 1988 and 2012 interventions is analysed from a zooarchaeological and taphonomical perspective, focusing on the leporid remains that largely dominate the assemblage. Clear indicators of a human origin are absent, while a configurational approach allows the description of exogenous and intrusive origins. The characteristics of the registered consumption taphonomical indicators are suggestive of scat and non-ingested accumulation by foxes. Furthermore, this study allows us to discuss some aspects of the formation of the stratigraphy of this important cave necropolis, while also serving as an example of the expected results of foxes’ action on leporid remains in an archaeological site.

Another non-anthropic leporid accumulation in Southwestern Iberia? The case of a leporid sample from Morgado superior (Tomar, Portugal)

“…Specific methodologies aimed at characterising these small prey accumulations are needed. The analysis of leporids remains in funerary contexts is of interest due to the possible association of leporids with funerary behaviour, the fact that they can have an intrusive or exogenous origin, and the characterisation of other non-funerary uses of these sites (Almeida 2020;Almeida et al 2022aAlmeida et al , 2022d. A discussion on available data for the Neolithic of Southwestern Iberia emphasised that a lack of information exists, raising the need for the in-depth analysis and publication of leporid accumulations from Late Prehistory assemblages (Valente and Carvalho 2014;Almeida et al 2022b).…”

“…A discussion on available data for the Neolithic of Southwestern Iberia emphasised that a lack of information exists, raising the need for the in-depth analysis and publication of leporid accumulations from Late Prehistory assemblages (Valente and Carvalho 2014;Almeida et al 2022b). Among some of the cases mentioned was the Morgado Superior leporid assemblage which remains unpublished (Almeida et al 2023). Here, we present the results from this rock shelter faunal analysis, focusing on the larger part of the assemblage that comprises leporid remains, excavated in 1988 and 2012.…”