Mik Lisowski

This paper presents the results of an analysis of archaeological material recovered in 2014 during the rescue excavations at site 4 in the Szemud locality, in the Eastern Pomerania region of Poland. The investigations revealed a small fragment of an open settlement from the early medieval period with especially interesting materials. Besides a large amount of pottery dating the site to the eleventh century, a collection of metal artefacts was discovered. The most interesting find was a cross-shaped earring made of silver. This find is unique; so far, artefacts of this type have only been discovered as parts of hoards. The findings indicate that the site was unusual in its character, and is particularly interesting considering the unsatisfactory state of research on early medieval settlement in this area.

http://rcin.org.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=67493&from=publication

The paper presents the results of osteological, typological, and microwear analyses of Neolithic bone tools recovered from Kopydłowo, site 6 (Greater Poland Province, Poland). The site is known for a pit with a number of bovine horn cores, a presumable refuse from Neolithic horn working. A multi-aspect analysis revealed the kinds of raw materials used for the production of bone tools and provided insights into how the specimens were worked and used. Twenty-nine out of 36 tools were identified to taxon. All artefacts were made from mammal bones, mostly cattle, sheep/goat, red deer, and pig. Awls and perforators, used to work with a soft organic material, were the most common tool types at the site. Some scrapers and polishers for hide working, as well as spatulae, a T-shaped axe, a chisel, a pendant, and pieces of raw material were also found. The presence of two tools made from wild mammals' bones may possibly contribute to the discussion on contacts between farmers and hunter-gatherers in the Neolithic.

The aim of this article is to examine the isotopic characterisation of domestic animals as it relates to birthing location and seasonality, diet, pasturing pattern, foddering and climatic conditions of herding and to determine variation between these aspects of cattle and caprine husbandry of the Neolithic Linearbandkultur (LBK) and Trichterbecherkultur (TRB) communities from Kopydłowo in Kujavia—one of the major centres of early farming in the European lowlands. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was undertaken on faunal bone collagen; carbon, oxygen and strontium isotope ratios were measured from tooth enamel. Isotopic signatures may have been caused by different strategies of management of herds of these animal species. Different and more widely distributed carbon, nitrogen and strontium isotopic data for TRB cattle in comparison with its LBK counterparts is indicative of the exploitation of increasingly diverse ecological zones and more varied pastoral practises. The distribution of oxygen isotope values on caprine tooth made it possible to recognise herding seasonality. Irrespective of the chronology, cattle, sheep and goats kept by the inhabitants had C 3 plant-based diet.

Food economy and foodways of religious communities are rarely in the main focus of research in archaeology and zooarchaeology. The main reasons behind this are simple: the paucity of the available archaeological data, and the difficulty of attributing archaeological record to particular religious groups. These problems have been addressed by a number of case studies published in recent years, which showed the potential of archaeology in identifying the presence of Jews and Muslims in the past, and have contributed to a growing body of evidence. These studies, however, have mostly been site-specific, and little attention has been placed on large-scale analysis of development and changes in the foodways of Jews and Muslims. This session aims to address this issue, bringing together and summarising research from a wide array of archaeological contexts.
We welcome contributions focusing on food economy and foodways within two main themes. The first one is concerned with food-related interactions between Jews and Muslims or with their Christian neighbours. This may include the analysis of the quality of animals (size, sex, and age) or meat (specific cuts) traded between local religious majorities and minorities, which may provide information on the disproportion of power and the relationship of these groups. The second theme concerns regional changes, developments, and differences in foodways within Jewish and Muslim communities. This includes local status and wealth of particular Jewish or Muslim households, evolution of kosher and halal foodways, and local food-related traditions in different countries based on species and body part representation, butchery patterns, supported by material culture and literary sources.
The session is open to papers using animal remains and/or material culture from Jewish and Muslim archaeological sites of domestic nature from different chronological periods.

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: 14TH OF FEBRUARY 2019