There are several studies made of "special" deposits in British Roman
Period sites that are not temples. Michael Fulford has a number of such
(not only animal deposits though) in an article from 2001:
Fulford, M. 2001. Links with the Past: Pervasive 'Ritual' Behaviour in
Roman Britain. Britannia, Vol 32.
Another one is Eleanor Scott's text from Sacred and Profane:
Scott, E. 1991. Animal and Infant Burials in Romano-British Villas: A
Revitalization Movement. Sacred and Profane. Proceedings of a Conference
on Archaeology, Ritual and Religion. Oxford, 1989.
I also think there are some odd deposits mentioned in a BAR-volume:
Luff, R-M. 1982. A Zooarchaeological Study of the Roman North-western
Provinces. BAR International Series 137.
From the Netherlands there is a 4th century site, Heeten with several
animal burials, this site is however interpreted as "native", even if it
is in the Roman area of influence:
Lauwerier, R.C.G.M. et al. 1999. Between ritual and economics: animals
and plants in a fourth-century native settlement at Heeten, the
Netherlands. Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig
Bodemonderzoek 43.
There is also a new thesis that partly deals with special animal
deposits from a Roman period settlement in the Netherlands:
Groot, M. 2007. Animals in ritual and economy in a Roman frontier
community. Excavations in Tiel-Passewaaij, Amsterdam (Proefschrift Vrije
Universiteit).
Hope this is of some help!
Yours,
Johan Thilderqvist
Groninger Instituut voor Archeologie
Poststraat 6
9712 ER Groningen
The Netherlands
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
lena strid wrote:
> Dear list members,
>
> Do you know if there have been studies on animal sacrifices/burials on non-votive Roman sites? All studies I've seen on Roman ritual aspects regarding animal remains have been carried out on assemblages from temples. I have some animal burials on a British site with continuity back to the Iron Age, where such animal burials have usually been interpreted as ritual. Is there a break in tradition between IA and Roman in this aspect, or may there be continuity? Animal sacrifices/burials for luck and protection are known in Scandinavian Post-medieval rural contexts (I have no idea whether this occurs in British Post-medieval society as well), so the concept didn't go entirely extinct after the Iron Age.
>
> Regards,
> Lena
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Lena Strid, Oxford Archaeology
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