From Agamemnon to the Animals: Zooarchaeological Research on Human-Animal Boundaries at Mycenae, Greece

Summary

This is an abstract from the "If Animals Could Speak: Negotiating Relational Dynamics between Humans and Animals" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

At the Late Bronze Age site Mycenae in Greece, animals have long been understood mainly in terms of records preserved on clay tablets and sealings, artistic depictions, and later references in Homeric epic echoed by Schliemann. The archaeological remains of animals record a more detailed record of complex human-animal interactions across different Mycenaean social realms, including extra-palatial contexts. Recent zooarchaeological research elucidated facets of livestock herding practices, the treatment of animal bodies, and refuse management at Mycenae. Here, we use this faunal evidence to expand the current picture of animal agents involved in Mycenaean society. We focus on the recent results of the contextual taphonomic and demographic analysis of faunal remains recovered from Petsas House, a residence used for ceramic production and storage in Mycenae’s settlement. We build on previous analysis of a sample recovered from a well feature dating to the LH III A2 period (fourteenth century BCE) and highlight how new evidence of stock keeping and intrasite variation in populations relates to the wider regional picture of the animal economy. Ultimately, our findings challenge current views of human-animal boundaries at Mycenae and work to better reveal the animal agents of an industrial-use household.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• If Animals Could Speak: Negotiating Relational Dynamics between Humans and Animals   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37401.0