Hello Joyce;
Could it be a disused well being used to collect road-kill? I'm only being semi-fascetious, it could be pragmatic: several different episodes of carcass disposal (not necessarily a single event) at a spot not within the settlement that is easy of access? Here's a nice reference for concern for disease in the past (unfortunately I do not have a pdf):
Brothwell D (1988) Smut, Scabs and Pox: Disease and Environmental Archaeology. Conceptual Issues in Environmental Archaeology, ed J.L. Bintliff, p 273 ff.
Cheers,
Ariane
Dr. Ariane Burke, Professeur Titulaire,
Dept. d'anthropologie,
Université de Montréal,
C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville
Montreal, QC
Canada, H3C 3J7
Tel. 514-343-6574
http://archeozoologie.anthro.umontreal.ca/
________________________________
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites on behalf of Joyce van Dijk
Sent: Tue 2012-09-18 6:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] several wild species in a Roman well (Belgium)
Dear all,
In the last week (to my great joy!) I have been studying the find of skeletons of a red deer calf (about a month old) , a young roe deer (male, appr. 1-1,5 years old), a young badger (ca 6 months old), a young fox (1-3 months old), a young beaver (appr. 1-1,5 years old) and two young pigs (1 month and 4-6 months old; they could be wild boar of course). They were all found together in a Roman well which contained pottery dating to the 2nd century AD. The well is part of a settlement (in Belgium) located close to a Roman road.
The skeletons are all nearly complete and none of the bones show cutmarks or any other marks.
Has anyone ever found something similar or can anyone help me in explaining why these animals were deposited in the well? Ritual comes to mind, but does anyone know of Roman rituals that entail putting wild animals in wells?
I am very curious to know if anyone has any ideas!
Many thanks,
Joyce van Dijk
Archeoplan Eco
Oude Delft 224
2611 HJ Delft
0031-15-2145295
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