Of Dung and Humans: The Archaeology of Livestock Dung

Dung is a key interdisciplinary area of research as it provides valuable information on a wide range of environmental and ecological issues and socio-economic and cultural aspects of human life. Livestock dung is commonly found in many settlements, especially after the domestication of herd animals. However, dung materials are regularly overlooked or missed using conventional excavation procedures, despite their worldwide economic importance as suppliers of fertilizer, fuel and building material.

This session showcases interdisciplinary approaches to debates surrounding the identification and interpretation of dung remains in archaeological contexts through multi-proxy analytical techniques in bioarchaeology, geoarchaeology and biochemistry. Additionally, the use of ethnography and experimental archaeology provide robust comparative data and models on factors affecting its composition, preservation and taphonomy, as well as the environmental, management and cultural practices influencing these. By bringing together participants working in a variety of geographic and temporal foci and from different fields of research, this session will review the state-of-the-art identification methods and approaches to further our understanding of archaeological livestock dung, and to identify avenues for potential future growth/developments in this key research area.