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Hi Kathryn Just a note back to your original comment of a burial with seven snakes - have you considered the snakes were hibernating in the context and died rather than having been placed in the burial? Snakes typically hibernate in groups. Such events have also been found with toads. The Eddic/saga literature includes mentions of snake pits for executions: Atlakviða and Oddrúnargrátr -- Ragnar Lodbrok (Viking warlord) and Gunnarr, (King of Burgundy) were both traditionally killed this way. cheers Pam Pamela J Cross Zoo/Bioarchaeology Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, BD7 1DP UK p.j.cross (at) student.bradford.ac.uk / pajx(at) aol.com http://www.barc.brad.ac.uk/resstud_Cross.php http://bradford.academia.edu/PamCross Life at the Edge "liminality...enable[s] evolution and growth ... Boundaries and edges also characterize the dynamics of landscapes ... environments..[both intellectual and physical]." Andrews & Roberts 2012, Liminal Landscapes -----Original Message----- From: Nerissa Russell <[log in to unmask]> To: ZOOARCH <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:31 Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Domestic snakes? There is this article on keeping royal pythons, although it is a bit far afield: Norman, Neil L. 2014 Pythons, pigs, and political process in the Hueda Kingdom, Benin, West Africa AD 1650-1727. InAnimals and Inequality in the Ancient World. B. S. Arbuckle and S. A. McCarty, eds. Pp. 295-314. Boulder: University Press of Colorado. And also: Stahl, Ann B. 2008 Dogs, pythons, pots, and beads: The dynamics of shrines and sacrificial practices in Banda, Ghana, 1400–1900 CE. InMemory Work: Archaeologies of Material Practices. B. J. Mills and W. H. Walker, eds. Pp. 159-186. Santa Fe: School for Advanced Research Press. Perhaps slightly more relevant, a literal snake pit as part of a sacrificial ritual: Ruscillo, Deborah 2013 Thesmophoriazousai. InBones, Behaviour and Belief: The Zooarchaeological Evidence as a Source for Ritual Practice in Ancient Greece and Beyond. G. Ekroth and J. Wallensten, eds. Pp. 181-195. Stockholm: Svenska Institutet i Athen. Nerissa Russell Professor Department of Anthropology Director of Undergraduate Studies, Archaeology Cornell University From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Rob Lenders <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: Rob Lenders <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 10:57 AM To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Domestic snakes? Dear Kathryn, What exactly do you mean with "domestic snakes"? Snakes cannot be domesticated like some mammal and bird species, but it is known that they were (and still are) kept in captivity and that in some cultures and periods they most probably also played a role in all kinds of rituals, including burials (as did other herpetofauna species, especially frogs and toads). It would also be helpful if you could mention the period(s) you are interested in. I know of Vipera berus remains that were found in Neolithic graves (in Eketorp, Sweden if I remember correctly) but do not have the exact references at hand. I will look into that next week. Snakes were also sometimes buried below the threshold of houses, probably as a form of initiation ritual. Remains of eggs from grass snakes are sometimes found in the floors of farms that consist of stamped manure. These remnants then most probably come from grass snakes that had laid their eggs in manure, which was then used to make floors. I give an overview of Dutch finds of grass snakes in archaeological contexts in a publication on the cultural history of the grass snake (Environment and History; 2014; Volume 20, pp 319-346). If you want, I can send you a copy of that article. Lewis-Williams & Pierce (2005; Inside the Neolithic Mind; Thames and Hudson, London, pp 189-192) report remnants of grass snakes in a pot that was probably used for a burial ritual. Most finds of remains of snakes found in archaeological contexts, however, should probably be considered as intrusives. By the way, I am also interested in the role of snakes in the Holocene history of Europe. If you could provide me with other references of (remnants of) snakes in archaeological contexts, I would be very grateful. Best wishes Rob Lenders On 4/26/2018 1:32 PM, Kathryn Weber wrote: Hi all, I'm wondering whether anyone has come across any papers or archaeological contexts in which domestic snakes figure prominently? I had been assuming (and we know what that does...) that the snakes I'm discussing were wild, but I've just learned of a burial in which seven snakes feature and now I'm curious. Grateful for any help! Best regards, Kathryn Weber -- Dr. H.J.R. (Rob) Lenders Department of Environmental Science Faculty of Science Radboud University Nijmegen P.O. Box 9010 (internal mailbox number 89) 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands Visiting address: Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 J Nijmegen Room HG 02.620 tel: +31 (0)24 3652623 / +31(0)645253467 tel. secr.: +31 (0)24 2653281 fax: +31 (0)24 3553450 email: [log in to unmask]://www.ru.nl/environmentalstudies