Cattle and the Romano-British economy : a metrical analysis of size variation

Thomas, Robert Neil Webb (1989) Cattle and the Romano-British economy : a metrical analysis of size variation. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

Traditionally, little attention has been paid to environmental data from Roman sites, despite the quantity of material now available. This thesis therefore attempts to bridge the gap between faunal analysis and Roman archaeology, and the principle theme examined is the variation in human behaviour as revealed by the study of cattle. The importance of grouping the data into regions or chronological phases is stressed, in order to overcome difficulties associated with small sample sizes from individual sites. The use of log ratios and bone articular widths attempts to maximise the data analysed. Metrical and other data are examined at three different spatial scales in Part II. Although cattle sizes were similar throughout Britain and Europe during the Iron Age, the Roman evidence shows that cattle decreased in size from the centre of the empire. A basic difference in sizes between the larger cattle at food producer sites (villas and rural settlements) and those at consumer sites (military and urban settlements) was found to exist. The scale of the urban and military demand for food are likely to account for size variation during the Roman period. It is suggested that mechanisms for food provision (e.g. taxation and redistribution) are crucial to the understanding of changes in cattle sizes, as well as farming generally.

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