Aproximación arqueozoológica y análisis isotópico en la edad del Bronce en Castilla la Mancha occidental: la Motilla del Azuer

Abstract

This Doctoral Thesis studies the faunal remains recovered at Motilla del Azuer, a fortified settlement from the Bronze Age in La Mancha, located near the Azuer River, where the exploitation and control of the territory took place, as well as the control of water by means of a well of more than 16 metres that reached the water table. Approaching the subsistence strategies developed in the settlement through taxonomic, taphonomic, isotopic and osteometric studies applied to the general chronological phases and the spatial context of the remains. Interpretation allows us to discern adaptive and strategic changes under the influence of the environment. A differentiated distribution can also be observed between the large spaces that make up the Motilla. The application of techniques such as the use of standardised logarithmic index (LSI) has helped to resolve whether there were morphometric changes throughout the sequence of occupation in the domestic livestock. And the study of C13 and N15 stable isotopes allows us to visualise trophic relationships and the effect of the environment on the faunal assemblage, as well as serving as a comparative contrast in the interpretation of the human diet. Finally, we compare the results from our site with other contemporary settlements in the surrounding area and with others from both the Argaric area and the Levantine peninsular area. The most important results and conclusions of this study are: • The general taxonomic analysis amounting to slightly more than 18,000 remains has highlighted through the use of Multivariate Presentiality (MVP) as an interpretative tool that: o The different phases of Motilla del Azuer show changes in the management of domestic animals in terms of their representation apparently conditioned by the environment, with Phase 2 having the lowest percentage and Phase 4 the highest, with almost no hunting present. o The sheep and goat herd is always the first in importance. Equids could be linked to trade exchanges where ovicaprines could be part of the exchange, as indicated by Phase 2. o Hunting is well represented through small game hunting of lagomorphs in all phases, with little big game hunting. The maximum variability in hunting is found in Phases 1 and 2. • The spatial analysis carried out has allowed us to suggest, through thirteen areas of concentration (some 12,000 remains in total) organised in three large areas such as the Outer Zone, the Outer Precinct and the Inner Precinct: o A distributional differentiation (by PMV) for Phase 1 on species and types of pieces, possibly linked to statutory differences and therefore to differences in access to this resource among the group or due to the presence of commanders or hierarchies for the management of Motilla del Azuer that were not buried there. o Different slaughter areas (by anatomical breakdown) for Phase 1, with bovids being slaughtered outside, ovine-caprines and pigs possibly in the Outer Enclosure or transported complete to it, hares transported complete to the Inner Enclosure, while rabbits were most likely processed from the Outer Zone. o A greater distribution of tender meat in Phase 1 to the Outer Zone than to the Inner Enclosure (through the NRD of non-adults), suggesting a possible appreciation of flavours from mature fats and or meat volume associated with the pieces. o For Phase 2 there is some distributional differentiation, but it is much more homogenised than in Phase 1, also suggesting a greater use of the slaughtered animals, which implies the preparation of certain stews with the less valuable parts. The greater distribution of these less valuable parts due to their consumption makes it difficult to read the slaughter sites. • Analysis of slaughter ages through the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) on the most important domestic species suggests that: o Cattle were mostly slaughtered from adulthood onwards, to utilise them as work forces, perhaps there may have been somewhat more meainterest in Phase 1 versus 2, because of the percentage of animals slaughtered between weaning and up to 1.5 years of age. o The sheep and goat models are very focused on obtaining tender meat and type b milk according to (Helmer et al., 2007) for Phases 1 and 2. Although it seems that for Phases 3 and 4 there could be an interest in bringing forward the slaughter age in part, in order to also obtain type A milk and tender meat (Helmer et al., 2007). o The best compared Phases of the pig herd are 1 and 2, finding that, in Phase 2, the slaughter age is advanced, being slaughtered from slightly before weaning to one year, being more common for Phase 2 to be slaughtered between one and two years of age. Perhaps in order to reduce maintenance and increase performance. This could be linked to minimising maintenance costs at a time of scarcity. • The taphonomic sampling carried out which has dealt with materials from Phase 0 to 2 suggests: o A change in culinary techniques and a greater use of meat resources through the degree of fracturing (size of the remains) and the thermal alterations found, with an upward trend until Phase 2. The possible greater preparation of meats exposed to fire could be linked to the very desiccated environment of this Phase. o We also detected through the analysis of the size of the remains that there is a change in the processing pattern with a tendency towards an increase in fracture or chopping up to Phase 2. This is possibly linked to the type of culinary preparation to be carried out. o The comparison of the size distribution of the remains compared to that of the remains with fresh fractures and chop marks highlights the intentionality of what we have discussed. • The osteometric analysis carried out with techniques such as height at the withers and standardised logarithmic values (LSI) on the main species of consumption reveals: o Regarding cattle, a reduction in size towards the Late Bronze Age, within a homogenisation phenomenon in the peninsular Southeast that could be linked to the configuration of good dairy specimens, through the selection of attributes, among them stature. The animals from Motilla del Azuer are of intermediate stature in the context of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. This allows us to suggest possible exchanges of livestock breeding ideas or exchanges of animals selected for reproduction. o The sheep could show an increase in size for Phase 2. In general, it is of intermediate size in the context of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. o The few data we have for the goat seem to indicate a medium-low size in the peninsular context. o For the pig, information is extremely scarce, but it seems to have a lower size than Cerro de la Virgen (Boessneck, 1969; Driesch, 1972) and Cuesta del Negro (Lauk, 1976; Tinoco. 2019). • The comparative analysis through the NRD of the Motilla del Azuer having been combined with the Phases of previous studies (Córdoba, 2017; Driesch & Boessneck, 1980) with respect to other sites of the Motilla Culture and the Southeast Peninsular indicates: o A representative differentiation of the percentage of domesticates in terms of Phase 2 in our study compared to previous studies. This may be due to spatial reasons of the remains analysed and is proportionally much wider in our case. o Almost homogeneity between the sites of the Motilla Culture in terms of the main type of domestic animal and the percentage of domestic animals, also showing a certain homogeneity in terms of small game and the almost representative absence of large game species. o The Motilla culture as a whole shows a certain similarity to the Levantine area in terms of cattle, with slightly higher percentages in the Argaric area. o The ovicaprines of the Motilla culture seem to show a higher proportion than in the Argaric area and a certain similarity with the Levantine area, although the latter shows a great variability. o The large overall proportions of dairy species could indicate an interest in increasing the production of dairy by-products The proportion of pigs is higher in the Argaric area than in the Motilla Culture and the Levantine area. o Equids are not very abundant in the Motilla Culture and in the three zones, but Cerro de la Encina (Driesch, 1974; Friesch, 1987; Lauk, 1976) in the Argaric zone must have been a centre of production. Some sites in the Levantine area show interesting percentages towards the Late Bronze Age, a phenomenon that should be studied in greater depth and its possible link to acts of war. o Hunting is well represented in the three areas compared, the proportion of big game being almost absent for the Motilla Culture, where there is a large representation of small game, with big game being the main one in the Levantine area, but with a good representation of small game and, finally, we find a fairly balanced pattern for the Argaric area. • Preliminary isotopic analysis on C13 and N15 on about 70 faunal samples indicates: o Possible exchanges of equids from distant areas according to some isotopic values. o Possible transterminating movements of sheep and goats in Phase 2 in order to find pasture to feed the main herd. o A reduction in meat inputs through wastage in the pig herd. o And, finally, a corroboration of the diet obtained from the analysis of the human remains from Azuer, which showed a greater amount of meat intake in Phases 1 and 2, with two differentiated groups, as well as a progressive tendency towards a greater vegetable intake in Phase 3, culminating in Phase 4 with two groups that either had an eminently vegetable diet or had some meat consumption. In this sense, the high nitrogen values collected on the faunal samples for these times could indicate that meat intake was extremely low, following the 3 to 5 ‰ rule of the food chain.