Abstrakt
The paper presents an analysis and brief evaluation of archaeozoological finds from four Middle Bronze settlement objects at the polycultural site of Reyersdorf in Lower Austria. A total of 32 animal bones/teeth come from the excavated pits 114 (Middle Danubian Mound Culture), 138, 162 and 228.
The vast majority of them are strongly fragmented, which, together with the low number of finds, significantly limits the informative value of the material. The results of the taxonomic analysis showed that cattle (Bos taurus), sheep/goats (Ovis/Capra) and pigs (Sus domesticus), horses (Equus sp.) and dogs (Canis familiaris) were bred in Reyersdorf during the Middle Bronze Age.
The set is completed by an unspecified bird (Aves). Approximately half of the findings could not be determined taxonomically.
The low number of data does not allow further evaluation of the representation of species and skeletal elements in the set. A wider anatomical range was captured, representing meatless and meaty body parts of the identified animals.
Due to the low number of finds and their state of preservation (surface structure, coloration, fragmentary nature), it is not possible to decide with certainty whether the bones accompanying the ceramic depot in object 114 represent part of the residential waste, placed in the backfill by accident, or whether they are the remains of the presumed " foundation ritual" (e.g. feasts), deposited in the pit on purpose. Although two fragments bear traces of burning and fleshy parts of animal skeletons are also represented (cattle, sheep/goat and dog identified), the high fragmentary nature and erosion of the surface of the remains indicates their secondary/tertiary origin.
Rather, they have the character of typical residential waste and it is likely that they got into the fill accidentally from contemporary or older/younger cultural layers in the vicinity of pit 114.