Feasting on wild boar in the Early Neolithic. Evidence from an 11,400 year old placed deposit at Tappeh Asiab, central Zagros

TY - JOUR

T1 - Feasting on wild boar in the Early Neolithic. Evidence from an 11,400 year old placed deposit at Tappeh Asiab, central Zagros

AU - Bangsgaard, Pernille

AU - Yeomans, Lisa

AU - Darabi, Hojjat

AU - Gregersen, Kristian

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Richter, Tobias

AU - Mortensen, Peder

PY - 2019/8/1

Y1 - 2019/8/1

N2 - The contents of a pit located in the centre of a large communal structure at Asiab in the central Zagros mountains provides rare evidence for ritual food practices during the Early Neolithic (∼9660-9300 cal. BC). This pit contained the skulls of at least 19 wild boars carefully placed inside and subsequently sealed. Antler from red deer and the skull of a brown bear were also concealed within the pit. The boars included both male and female animals varying in age and some of the larger canines were deliberately removed. Such a unique collection of remains is unlikely to be the result of day-to-day activities; instead, this represents a group of ritually interred bones. This new evidence strengthens views that activities reinforcing social cohesion were important as human society was approaching a juncture leading towards agricultural subsistence strategies.

AB - The contents of a pit located in the centre of a large communal structure at Asiab in the central Zagros mountains provides rare evidence for ritual food practices during the Early Neolithic (∼9660-9300 cal. BC). This pit contained the skulls of at least 19 wild boars carefully placed inside and subsequently sealed. Antler from red deer and the skull of a brown bear were also concealed within the pit. The boars included both male and female animals varying in age and some of the larger canines were deliberately removed. Such a unique collection of remains is unlikely to be the result of day-to-day activities; instead, this represents a group of ritually interred bones. This new evidence strengthens views that activities reinforcing social cohesion were important as human society was approaching a juncture leading towards agricultural subsistence strategies.

U2 - 10.1017/s095977431900009x

DO - 10.1017/s095977431900009x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0959-7743

VL - 29

SP - 443

EP - 463

JO - Cambridge Archaeological Journal

JF - Cambridge Archaeological Journal

IS - 3

ER -