Raising Dogs for Meat and Sacrifice: A Comparative Study of Classic Period Sites in Oaxaca, Mexico

Summary

The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) became a staple in the meat diet of Zapotec peoples during the Formative period (1500 BC – AD 200) in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, and continued to be increasingly important in subsistence and ritual into the Classic and Postclassic periods. Recent zooarchaeological research has identified low-intensity household management/production of animals and animal by-products at sites throughout the valley, with each settlement marked by its own unique signature of animal use. Households within each community also showed differences, both marked and subtle, in animal-based subsistence practices, dietary preferences, and use of animals and animal by-products. Drawing on data from dog skeletal remains and ceramic dog figurines, we examine dog raising, consumption, and use at the Classic period site of Lambityeco. We compare similarities and differences among households at Lambityeco and two other contemporaneous sites (El Palmillo and the Mitla Fortress) to gain a more holistic understanding of dogs in ancient Zapotec foodways, ritual practices, and craft activities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21272