From Iron Age Settlement to Etruscan Urban Sanctuary: Zooarchaeological Analysis at Veii (Campetti-Southwest Excavation)

Summary

Veii (Veio) was one of the most significant urban centers in central Italy during the Etruscan Period. The Campetti-Southwest excavations at Veii have uncovered more evidence from this site pertaining to its Iron Age settlement (Period I), the Etruscan period urban sanctuary (Period II), and later occupations. The focus of this research is Period I (late 9th to mid-7th cent. B.C.E.) and II (mid-7th to 4th cent. B.C.E.). The faunal remains from these time periods add to our understanding of the changes that accompanied the shift from medium-sized settlement to urban center. In Period I, the faunal remains are primarily consumption waste, serving as evidence for the role of animals in subsistence during the earliest occupation of the site. Later deposits are associated with votive offerings at the urban sanctuary, reflecting animal sacrifice. The contexts from Period I differ from the votive deposits of Period II in multiple aspects, including proportions of taxa present, age of animals, skeletal elements, and modifications such as burning. The faunal assemblage reflects variation in utilization of animals both diachronically and based on activity.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage