Cynophagia in the Púchov (Celtic) Culture Settlement at Liptovská Mara, Northern Slovakia

Abstract

This paper deals with the remains of butchered dogs from the La Tène and Early Roman sites in northern Slovakia. A large settlement revealed at Liptovská Mara was inhabited by the Celtic tribe of Cotini, representing the so-called Púchov culture. The long-term excavation of the site has yielded one of the largest collections from that time in Slovakia. During archaeozoological analysis, the skeletal remains of dogs were identified. Interestingly, a large portion of the specimens represent the cranial skeleton, and the majority of mandibles bear distinctive marks of butchery. On the basis of their placement and similar characteristics, the authors conclude that they resulted from tongue-removal procedures. Moreover, their frequent occurrence clearly supports the idea of the use of dog flesh at the site. The authors argue that cynophagia occurred mainly for economic reasons; however, it might also have been part of the rituals documented in the sanctuary of Liptovská Mara.

Vertebral disease in excavated canine in Lower Silesia, Poland

“…There is no evidence of a traumatic or violent death; no butchery or cutting marks were identified in the cranial and postcranial skeleton. This excludes cynophagia or other invasive procedures as contributors to death (Chrószcz et al, 2013).…”

“…The skeletal remains show no signs of violent death, and butchery marks typifying cynophagia or other invasive practices are not present (Chrószcz et al, 2013). However, severe osteoproliferation and fusion are present along the vertebral bodies, vertebral arches, and transverse processes.…”

Perros indígenas en el Noreste argentino

“…Paralelamente, con el objetivo de acceder a la historia de vida de los animales (Losey et al 2011; Morris 2011), y también a la historia tafonómica de los especímenes, se relevaron paleopatologías, evidencias de meteorización, depositación química, marcas de raíces, de roedores y de carnívoros, huellas de corte, de impacto y de machacado y tipos de fracturas (e.g., Behrensmeyer 1978; Binford 1981; Chrószcz et al 2015; Fernández-Jalvo y Andrews 2016). Por último, se obtuvieron tres nuevas fechas taxón por medio de dataciones radiocarbónicas (AMS).…”

L’exploitation de l’Ours au Paléolithique : un point sur la question

“…This process, however, was not straightforward, as dog meat is known to have been limitedly eaten throughout prehistory (see e.g. Bartosiewicz, 1999, p. 314;Méniel, 2006;Hambleton, 2008;Vretemark and Sten, 2010;Chrószcz et al, 2013;). An almost complete cessation of the practice in Europe and the Mediterranean is presumed to have taken place with the introduction of new culinary habits of the Roman world (Bartosiewicz, 1994;; and references therein)0, even though consumption of dog meat continued in some European areas until mid-20 th century or takes place even nowadays (Horard-Herbin, 2014, p. 72).…”