Integrative approaches to the study of animal management practices during the Neolithic of South Iberian Peninsula: the case of El Toro cave (Antequera, Málaga, Spain)

Abstract

The introduction and adoption of livestock played a pivotal role in shaping subsistence strategies of populations in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Neolithic. However, there is lack of information regarding animal management strategies, such as grazing areas and changes in foddering strategies, and their correlation with the environmental characteristics, type of site and use of the settlement. The study of feeding strategies of domesticates provides a crucial information about the interaction between the management of the environment, husbandry systems and the exploitation of animal products. In this study, we use the archaeozoological data and the δ13C and δ15N stable isotope composition of the faunal bone collagen to understand herding systems and management strategies during the Neolithic in Phases IV and IIIB at El Toro cave (Antequera, Málaga). Archaeozoological and isotopic results revealed diverse husbandry practices and feeding strategies in El Toro cave during the Neolithic. The variability in δ13C and δ15N values suggests the access of domesticates to different grazing areas and foddering strategies. This study contributes new insights into husbandry practices during the Neolithic and opens new perspectives for analysing animal management in mountain areas.

Shepherding the past: High-resolution data on Neolithic Southern Iberian livestock management at Cueva de El Toro (Antequera, Málaga)

“…This reveals that human groups controlled the reproduction of their animals so that births took place when it was most convenient for human interests [ 99 ]. These data reinforce the hypothesis based on the presence of young individuals that the cave was used as a breeding ground [ 11 ].…”

“…Furthermore, the results of Pearson’s correlation test shows that five of the individuals have uncorrelated δ 18 O and δ 13 C sequences, while one has a positive correlation (CTC5) and two others have a negative correlation (CTC1 and CTC19). These differences between individuals have also been observed through bulk collagen stable isotopes analysis [ 11 ]. In addition, the season of birth modelling, as well as its comparison with current published references [ 81 – 84 ], shows diverse reproductive patterns, with individuals being born in autumn, winter and spring.…”

“…In Sector 2, the stratigraphic sequence reveals four chrono-cultural phases, with the earliest two corresponding to Neolithic occupations [ 12 ]: Phase III (Late Neolithic, 4250–3950 2σ cal BC), subdivided into Phases IIIA and IIIB, and Phase IV (Early Neolithic, 5280–4780 2σ cal BC). The earliest occupation (Phase IV) suggests a farming context characterised by domestic animals, mainly caprines [ 11 ], and cereal plants [ 70 ], although gathering and hunting still played an important role. This phase has been interpreted as a seasonal occupation where husbandry practices had a dominant role.…”

“…Recently, a similar analysis was conducted on the faunal remains of the main domestic species at the Cueva de El Toro site. The analysis revealed a wide variability of δ 15 N and δ 13 C values in sheep bone collagen [ 11 ]. The study’s findings suggest several hypotheses regarding the feeding strategies of sheep flocks.…”

“…The study’s findings suggest several hypotheses regarding the feeding strategies of sheep flocks. These include mobility between non-cave grazing areas, access to crop fields, or even feeding on agricultural by-products in the stabling area during the cave occupation [ 11 ]. However, the temporal resolution in bulk collagen analysis is limited, making it unclear how much annual or seasonal variability exists in these feeding regimes.…”