Papers by Idoia Grau Sologestoa
Anthropozoologica
Anthropozoologica est une revue en flux continu publiée par les Publications scientifiques du Mus... more Anthropozoologica est une revue en flux continu publiée par les Publications scientifiques du Muséum, Paris, avec le soutien du CNRS.
Environmental Archaeology
Cologne constituted one of the political and economic centres of the northernmost frontier (limes... more Cologne constituted one of the political and economic centres of the northernmost frontier (limes) region of the Roman Empire, and was at the core of important socio-political upheavals following its collapse. Here, an interdisciplinary approach (combining zooarchaeology, archaeobotany and soil micromorphology) is applied to examine the late Roman and early medieval periods of the city. This has allowed understanding important changes that Cologne underwent in this period, including continuous urban modifications and the creation of space for new economic activities. The three different sites considered in this paper are Severinstrasse 214–218, Antoniterstrasse 14–16 and Heumarkt. The zooarchaeological analysis of these assemblages, and their comparison with other faunal assemblages, focuses on the taxonomic frequencies, kill-off-patterns, and biometrical data of the main domesticates in order to understand animal husbandry practices. In Antoniterstrasse and Heumarkt, the first documented urban Dark Earths in Cologne were analysed, evidencing ongoing settlement activity from late Roman times to the Early Middle Ages. Micromorphological studies were conducted to better understand the nature and formation processes of the archaeological layers. Archaeobotanical analyses provided additional information on subsistence strategies. The results show the change from an urban, specialised, market-oriented economy to a subsistence economy during this transitional period (third to tenth century AD).
This database compiles the biometrical data of cattle, sheep and pig, gathered from Switzerland a... more This database compiles the biometrical data of cattle, sheep and pig, gathered from Switzerland and adjacent areas of Central-Eastern France. The data is dated between the Roman times and the High Middle Ages. This database was produced in relation to the MSCA-IF funded project "ZooRoMed: Supplying ancient empires and medieval economies: Changes in animal husbandry between the Late Roman period and the Early Middle Ages in the Rhine Valley" (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/793221); the project was hosted by the University of Basel between 2018 and 2021. Biometrical abbreviations appear according to: Von den Driesch A (1976) A guide to the measurement of animal bones from archaeological sites. Harvard: Peabody Museum, Bulletin 1. Many of these compiled datasets had previously been published individually as part of older site monographs, not easily accessible to people based outside of Switzerland, and this is the first time they have been brought together in an Open Acc...
The site of Implenia Mühlegasse (2008.003 DH) is located in Kaiseraugst, north-western Switzerlan... more The site of Implenia Mühlegasse (2008.003 DH) is located in Kaiseraugst, north-western Switzerland. Implenia Mühlegasse lies in the suburbs of the Castrum Rauracense, a fortification built in Late Roman times north of the city of Augusta Raurica, in the southern bank of the Rhine river, which was at the time the frontier of the Roman Empire in this region. This database contains the zooarchaeological information of the inventory of the faunal materials recovered at the site (mainly from middens), all hand-collected. There are approximately 1500 MNE (Minimum Number of Elements). The recorded data are: taxon, skeletal element, taphonomy (butchery marks, overal preservation, colour, etc.), and biometrical data. The majority of the remains are dated to the 4th and 5th centuries. The assemblage is predominated by cattle, followed by pig. Other identified species are: sheep/goat, equids, aurochs, red deer, wild boar, dog, cat, fox, hare, Anas sp., chicken, partridge, pigeon, Turdus sp, sm...
Environmental Archaeology, 2023
Cologne constituted one of the political and economic centres of the northernmost frontier (limes... more Cologne constituted one of the political and economic centres of the northernmost frontier (limes) region of the Roman Empire, and was at the core of important socio-political upheavals following its collapse. Here, an interdisciplinary approach (combining zooarchaeology, archaeobotany and soil micromorphology) is applied to examine the late Roman and early medieval periods of the city. This has allowed understanding important changes that Cologne underwent in this period, including continuous urban modifications and the creation of space for new economic activities. The three different sites considered in this paper are Severinstrasse 214–218, Antoniterstrasse 14–16 and Heumarkt. The zooarchaeological analysis of these assemblages, and their comparison with other faunal assemblages, focuses on the taxonomic frequencies, kill-off-patterns, and biometrical data of the main domesticates in order to understand animal husbandry practices. In Antoniterstrasse and Heumarkt, the first documented urban Dark Earths in Cologne were analysed, evidencing ongoing settlement activity from late Roman times to the Early Middle Ages. Micromorphological studies were conducted to better understand the nature and formation processes of the archaeological layers. Archaeobotanical analyses provided additional information on subsistence strategies. The results show the change from an urban, specialised, market-oriented economy to a subsistence economy during this transitional period (third to tenth century AD).
New Trends in Iberian Zooarchaeology, 2022
[ES] En las dos últimas décadas la realización de numerosas intervenciones arqueológicas en solar... more [ES] En las dos últimas décadas la realización de numerosas intervenciones arqueológicas en solares de Balmaseda (Bizkaia) ha posibilitado la detección de elementos, materiales y estructuras, la mayoría relacionados con actividades industriales y referentes a la ocupación medieval y postmedieval de la villa. En este artículo ofrecemos los resultados obtenidos en la intervención arqueológica realizada en la Calle Cubo 3, 5 y 7 (también denominada “La Cárcel”) en el año 2007-2008. Los análisis de los materiales recuperados se centran en los restos más abundantes como son la cerámica y la fauna.[EN] In the last two decades the great number of archaeological excavations made in Balmaseda (Bizkaia) has allowed to identify elements, materials and structures, mainly related with industrial activities and referring to the medieval and postmedieval occupation of the city. In this paper we provide the results obtained in the archaeological intervention made in Cubo 3, 5, 7 street (also known as “La Cárcel”) in 2007-2008. The analyses of the recovered materials are focused on the most represented material, being the pottery and fauna remains.[EUS] Azkenengo bi hamarkadetan indusketa arkeologiko ugari egin dira Balmasedan (Bizkaia). Hauei esker, hiribilduak Erdi Aroan eta Aro Modernoan izan zuen okupazioaren elementuak, materialak eta egiturak aurkitu ahal izan dira, batez ere, industria jarduerei buruzkoak. Artikulu honetan, Cubo Kalean, 3, 5 eta 7 zenbakietan, 2007-2008 urteetan burututako indusketen emaitzak eskainiko ditugu. Aurkituriko materialen analisia aipatuko dugu ere, zeramikan eta faunan arreta jarriz
[ES] En las siguientes páginas se ha transcrito la sesión final del II Curso de Formación en Técn... more [ES] En las siguientes páginas se ha transcrito la sesión final del II Curso de Formación en Técnicas Arqueológicas llevado a cabo por Arkeogazte en la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea entre los meses de abril y mayo de 2012. Esta última sesión tuvo lugar el 4 de mayo de 2012 en el el Aula Magna de la Facultad de Letras y tuvo como eje la situación actual de la disciplina en el marco de los nuevos planes de estudio universitarios y la necesidad de efectuar un registro bioarqueológico de calidad en el presente, sin perder de vista la importancia de conservar muestras susceptibles de análisis para las investigaciones del futuro.[EN] The following pages are the transcription of the final session of the 2nd Training Course in Archaeological Techniques organized by Arkeogazte between April and March 2012 in the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU). The last session took place the 4th May 2012 in the Main hall of the Faculty of Arts and was focused on the role played by these disciplines in the new university plan and on necessity of carry out a high quality bioarchaeological record nowadays taking into account the opportunities of future researches.[EUS] Ondorengo orrialdetan Arkeogaztek 2012ko apirila eta maiatza artean UPV-EHUn antolatutako II. Arkeologia Tekniken Trebakuntza Ikastaroaren amaiera ematearen transkripzioa aurkezten da. Honen azkeneko saioa 2012ko maiatzaren 4an Letren Fakultateko Gradu Aretoan izan zen eta bere ardatza diziplinak unibertsitate plan berrietan duten papera eta etorkizuneko ikerketentzako ere balio duen kalitatezko erregistro bioarkeologiko baten beharra izan ziren
The site of Heumarkt (FB96.13) is located in the city center of Cologne, in North Rhine-Westphali... more The site of Heumarkt (FB96.13) is located in the city center of Cologne, in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. This database contains the zooarchaeological information of the inventory of the faunal materials recovered at the site (mainly from fills of sunken featured structures and dark-coloured layers), all hand-collected. The remains were recorded using Ossobook. There were almost 8000 fragments, of which we calculated approximately 3200 MNE (Minimum Number of Elements). The recorded data are: taxon, skeletal element, taphonomy (butchery marks, overal preservation, colour, etc.), and biometrical data. The majority of the remains are dated to the Merovingian (5th-7th c.), Carolingian (8th-9th c.), and Ottonian (end 9th-10th c.) periods. The assemblage is predominated by pig, followed by cattle, and with an increasing presence of sheep/goat over time. Other identified species are: equids, cat, dog, aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wolf?, fox, beaver, Anser sp., chicken, eel, comm...
The Rural World in the Sixteenth Century, 2021
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2021
The recording of age at death is an important aspect of zooarchaeological analysis as it provides... more The recording of age at death is an important aspect of zooarchaeological analysis as it provides evidence about a variety of research questions, spanning from the origens of domestication to husbandry strategies. Age estimation based on tooth eruption and wear is a commonly used method to establish the age at death of archaeological populations. However, this approach has its limitations. It relies on the principle that tooth wear rate is relatively constant in different populations but, since no method has ever been developed to quantify the rate of wear, such an assumption has never been fully verified. As a consequence, the extent to which variable speeds of wear in different populations may affect age estimations is still unknown. To clarify this bias and offer transparency into the issue, the development of a method to assess wear rate in archaeological teeth is of paramount importance. In this paper, we propose a simple system that allows such an assessment to be undertaken. The system has been developed for pig mandibular/lower teeth but can also be extended to other species. The methodology is then tested on several English Late Medieval and Early Modern pig assemblages which represent ideal case studies as they cover a historical period when extensive changes in pig dietary regimes occurred. The evidence reassuringly suggests that differences in wear rates between these periods were not substantial, which bodes well for the comparability of kill-off patterns. However, comparisons with several outgroups indicate that the potential range of wear rates is much greater than attested in our core case study. Wild boars and prehistoric pigs, in particular, appear to wear their molars more slowly. Caution is therefore needed and it is suggested that tooth wear rates (TWR) and average wear rates (AWR) should routinely be calculated when toothbased age profiles are analysed.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2021
This paper presents a meta-analysis of biometrical data of cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries... more This paper presents a meta-analysis of biometrical data of cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), and pig (Sus domesticus), with a diachronic, long-term approach (first–twelfth centuries AD) and at a large regional scale (Switzerland and adjacent areas of France), with the aim of looking at changes in animal husbandry during the transition between Roman times and the Early Middle Ages. With this in mind, a comprehensive biometrical analysis is carried out, on the basis of the log-ratio technique (or logarithmic size index — LSI). The results show an increase of the size of domesticates during the Late Roman period, as well as a long period of size decrease in the subsequent centuries. The possible reasons behind this size decrease are discussed, focusing on three factors: a genetic change, less direct control over feeding and breeding, and changing patterns of herd sex ratios. We argue that these changes should be seen as an efficient adaptation of animal husbandry strategies to b...
Treinta años de Arqueología Medieval en España, 2018
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2018
Although many historians have extensively discussed the agricultural history of England between t... more Although many historians have extensively discussed the agricultural history of England between the Late Middle Ages and the Modern Era, this period of crucial changes has received less attention by archaeologists. In this paper, zooarchaeological evidence dated between the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period is analysed to investigate changes in animal husbandry during the 'long' sixteenth century. The size and shape of the main domestic animals (cattle, sheep, pig and chicken) is explored through biometrical data and discussed in line with evidence of taxonomic frequencies, ageing and sex ratios. Data from 12 sites with relevant chronologies and located in different areas of the country are considered. The results show that, although a remarkable size increase of animals occurred in England throughout the post-medieval period, much of this improvement occurred as early as the sixteenth century. The nature and causes of such improvement are discussed, with the aim of understanding the development of Early Modern farming and the foundations of the so-called Agricultural Revolution.
Environmental Archaeology, 2016
This paper synthesizes faunal data from medieval archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula, a... more This paper synthesizes faunal data from medieval archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula, aiming to identify zooarchaeological evidence that can improve our understanding of socioeconomic status and cultural identities. The main zooarchaeological indicators for social differentiation are explored: food procurement and cuisine (taking into account different types of sites-high status, urban and rural), and different socio-political systems (Islamic and Christian regions), from a diachronic perspective.
Quaternary International, 2016
This paper examines the zooarchaeological evidence from six Basque towns (Bilbao,
Objects, Environment, and Everyday Life in Medieval Europe, 2016
This introduction reviews the role of artefact and environmental studies in medieval archaeology,... more This introduction reviews the role of artefact and environmental studies in medieval archaeology, demonstrating them to occupy a marginal position in relation to other approaches. The themes addressed by the papers are highlighted and the structure of the book is explained.
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Papers by Idoia Grau Sologestoa
The sixteenth century in Europe was a time of profound change, the threshold between the ‘medieval’ and the ‘modern’, as new technologies were introduced, distant lands explored, oceanic trade routes opened, and innovative ideas pursued in fields as varied as politics, science, philosophy, law, and religion. But sweeping transformations also occurred in the rural world, profoundly altering the countryside in both appearance and practices. Crucially for historians, there is abundant documentary evidence for these changes but, while they are less well-documented, their impact can also be traced archaeologically.
This cutting-edge volume is the first to explore the archaeology of the rural world across the ‘long’ sixteenth century and to investigate the changing innovations that were seen in landscape, technology, agriculture, and husbandry during this period. Drawing together contributions from across Europe, and from a range of archaeological disciplines, including zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, landscape archaeology, material culture studies, and technology, this collection of essays sheds new light on a key period of innovation that was a significant precursor to modern economies and societies.
The integration of environmental and artefact assemblages is a central theme of these papers. Artefacts, animals and plants formed coherent assemblages in the medieval home, but as the result of archaeological analysis these are typically separated and considered in isolation. By considering these multiple strands of evidence as a whole, these papers present a considerably more nuanced and fine grained understanding of town life in medieval Europe than has been achieved through previous studies, centred on broad economic trends and urban topography. Drawing upon case studies from Britain, Ireland, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and central Europe these papers present a truly pan-European understanding of what it was to be urban in the middle ages.
Rhine and, for centuries, it remained as one of the political and economic centres of the
northernmost limes region. The Late Roman political crisis and the pressure from the
Germanic tribes, presumably, had a deep effect on this city, but archaeologically, little is
known about it.
In the context of a larger research project (ZooRoMed, MSCA-IF), the faunal remains
recovered between 1996 and 1998 at the excavation of Heumarkt in Cologne (Germany)
have been examined. Special attention has been paid to the taxonomic frequencies, the
kill-off-patterns, and biometrical data of the main domesticates (cattle, sheep/goat and
pig), in order to understand animal husbandry practices at the site, and to investigate
possible changes derived from the socio-political upheavals that the city underwent in
this period of crucial transformations. This large faunal assemblage was recovered in
contexts dated between the 5th and the mid-10th century AD, therefore covering the
Merovingian, Carolingian and Ottonian periods. The results of this analysis show
substantial changes in animal husbandry practices during this long period of time, in line
with other patterns discussed for other European regions, in relation to the development
of medieval socio-economic structures.
Keywords
zooarchaeology,
Aiming to assess the current role of Zooarchaeology within undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Spanish universities, Spanish academic zooarchaeologists have been given a questionnaire about their teaching and involvement in outreach activities. Their answers will be presented in this paper, providing an excellent topic of discussion for the session: are we doing enough for Zooarchaeology to occupy the place it deserves in the training of future archaeologists?
In this paper, a comprehensive overview of available zooarchaeological evidence of suid remains (Sus sp.) will be carried out for Iberia through medieval times, comparing the northern Peninsula -where pork was a common dietary item-, with areas under Islamic rule -where pig consumption was avoided-, also pointing out the scarce, albeit important, visibility of Jewish communities, for which pig is also an important food taboo. The results show clear distinctive patterns of pig consumption for Christian communities, and pig avoidance for Muslim and Jewish communities. However, in Islamic al-Andalus, the taboo over pig does not seem to be absolute, with a small proportion of suid remains in the majority of sites. These suid remains will be discussed, in light of new biometric evidence suggesting that these remains might have been of wild boar, rather than pig.
Taxonomic proportions, body-part frequencies, kill-off patterns, sex ratios and biometric data are used to discuss issues related to poultry, fowling and bird consumption at an Early Modern high-status rural site. A newly developed biometric method will be used for distinguishing different species of ducks and geese. The results show the very high socio-economic status of the inhabitants of the manor, with a wide range of bird species consumed, chicken being the most frequent taxon at the site. The bird remains include inland waders, partridge, quail, pigeon, passerines, herons and magpies. Special attention will be paid to the remains of chicken, ducks and geese because they constitute, in this order, the most common birds at this site. Our analysis shows a preference of wings over legs, and the systematic consumption of juvenile and male birds. The large size of the birds at Little Pickle and the importance of wild anatids show the development of poultry and the importance of fowling at this high-status site.
We are pleased to invite you to submit a paper proposal to the session entitled " The 'long' 16 th century: archaeological evidence for innovations in the rural world (technology, agriculture and husbandry) " (session number: # 75), that we are organising for the 23rd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), which will be held in Maastricht (Netherlands), August 30 th-September 2 nd 2017. We invite you to submit your title and abstract until the 15 th of March, following the instructions that can be found at http://www.eaa2017maastricht.nl/ SESSION ABSTRACT During the 16th century, Europe shifted from being 'medieval' to being 'modern' because some crucial changes occurred in all aspects of life. Abundant documentary evidence has allowed historians to investigate some of these changes, such as the exploration of other continents, the opening of oceanic trade routes, the remarkable development of politics, science, philosophy, international law and art, and the Protestant Reformation. However, changes also occurred in the rural world, and, arguably, affected the character of human societies even more profoundly than the political and religious upheavals. In the period between the Black Death (14th century) and the Agricultural Revolution (18th century), unquestionably the countryside of Europe was transformed in both its appearance and practices. This session will analyse changes that occurred in the 16th century, as this is the time following the end of the Middle Ages, but earlier than the Agricultural Revolution as traditionally defined. Can we see the roots of rural world transformations already in the 16th century, or was this a time still more closely connected to medieval practices? We aim to bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines (zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, landscape archaeology, material culture studies, etc.) to investigate the nature of agricultural innovations that occurred in the rural world during the 'long' 16th century. This may include improvements in agriculture and animal husbandry, the introduction of new plant and animal species, and technological changes in the countryside. Although the session will focus on the archaeological evidence, the contribution of historians is most welcome.