Hunter-herders in the limestone massif of Estremadura: Middle Neolithic fauna from the Pena d’Água rock-shelter (Torres Novas, Portugal)

Abstract

The Pena d’Água Rock-shelter (Torres Novas, Portugal) was excavated in 1992–2000, revealing a long stratigraphic and cultural sequence including Middle Neolithic occupations. A preliminary study on its fauna was published by Valente (1998) based on the 1992–1994 material, but the 1997–2000 campaigns remained unstudied. The aim of this study is to present the full fauna analysis of the layer Db, dated from the earlier phases of that period.
 Like other assemblages from the same time frame in the area, the fauna collection understudy is small. Its bones showed several surface and chemical alterations due to sediment pressure, exposure to fire and water percolation. Regarding the taxonomical abundances, most remains were classified as rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and sheep and/or goat (Ovis aries/Capra hircus). A few specimens of cervid, fox (Vulpes vulpes) and bird were also identified.
 The other fauna assemblages from the region show either the prevalence of the caprine component (as in Pena d’Água) or a higher abundance of cervids. This trend may reflect a specialized animal exploitation and we propose that the Middle Neolithic human communities in the Limestone Massif had a subsistence strategy based on caprine exploration, supplemented by some cervid (red deer) hunting. These hunter-herders groups were probably highly mobile and may have practiced some kind of transhumance (or itinerant pastoralism), for which the details are still unknown.

New Trends in Iberian Zooarchaeology

“…Focusing Portuguese Holocene archaeology, besides the simple counting of leporid remains some studies have started to produce a more in-depth analysis of these accumulations by indicating the presence of tooth / beak marks, digestive damage, burnt remains frequencies, anatomical profiles, technological modifications, type of fracture and other relevant contextual information and field observations (e.g., Correia et al 2015;Dean and Carvalho 2011;Moreno-García 2011;Rowley-Conwy 1992;Valente 1998). The acquisition of taphonomic data regarding accumulating agents is unequal and in the majority of cases not discussed raising the necessity for taphonomic studies to contribute to its understanding.…”

Animal Bones from the Late Neolithic Site of Ponte da Azambuja 2 (Évora, Portugal)

“…4500/5000–3200 bc ), when slight changes of animal provision strategies occurred (Valente & Carvalho, ). Some sites show a tendency to specialise more on domesticated animals, like Pena d'Água, where about 75% of the assemblage comprises caprines (Valente, ; Carvalho et al ., ; Carvalho, ; Correia et al , ), whereas Costa do Pereiro (Carvalho, ) shows a predominance of wild game (65%), and only 12.5% of the assemblage is derived from domesticated animals (the remaining 22% are of unknown status). However, faunal data for this period are meagre, and they need to be treated with caution until further excavations and zooarchaeological studies are conducted.…”