Volume: 3, 2024
3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A033
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.A033
Published online: 24 April 2024
ICDSUPL, 3, A033 (2024)
Preliminary results of archeozoological analysis of animal remains from the modern castle in Żelechów
Małgorzata Zalewska1*
1 Anthropos Doctoral School, Institute of Archeology and Ethnology PAS, al. Solidarności 105, 00-140 Warsaw, Poland
* Corresponding author: m.zalewska@iaepan.edu.pl
Abstract
Castle in Żelechów was a residence of polish noble family of the Ciołek coat of arms in modern times. It was situated in Żelechów – currently a small town in southeast Mazovian voivodship. The castle has not survived to this day and its form isn’t visible in the field but was found thanks to efforts of group of archeologists from Institute of Archeology and Ethnology PAS. During many seasons of field works animal remains (and other artifacts) were uncovered and then submitted for archeozoological analysis, the preliminary results of which are presented below. The remains were marked in terms of species and anatomy. Measurements were made in accordance with applicable guidelines – on their basis the morphological types of cattle, horses and dog, mobility of pigs and the height at the withers were estimated. The age of the animals at the time of death was estimated and the sex of some of them was determined. The majority, 93%, of the identified remains came from domesticated mammals: cattle, small ruminants, pigs, horses and dogs. In that group there was predominance of remains from cattle. Second place was taken by the remains of small ruminants, and third by pig bones and teeth. The least number of remains came from horses and dogs. A few remains of wild mammals were found in the collection – it was only 1,7%. They came from deer, roe deer, hares, wild boars and squirrel. A small number of bird bones (5,1%) were also marked . They came from domestic birds such as chickens, peacocks and turkeys, from birds that could be both domestic and wild (ducks and geese) and from wild species: capercaillie and crane. The materials also contained elements from a fish – sturgeon. The collection compares typically with other centers of power from the period under study, but it contains elements that are particulary interesting such as skull of dog that could be a shepherd dog or relatively early turkey bone. Another interesting thing, especially for historians, are morphological types of cattle that represented very small type of animals but also large individuals whose presence may be a confirmation of the wealth of the hosts – these animals were most likely brought from the steppes. To conclude, diet of inhabitants of castle in Żelechów was based mainly on the meat of domesticated mammals. The meat of birds, fish and wild mammals supplemented the diet. Meat was obtained from animals popular in the discussed period, i.e. cattle, small ruminants, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese, but also from quite rare species (capercaille, crane) and species considered luxurious at that time: turkey and peacock.
Keywords: modern times, nobility, residence, meat
How to cite
M. Zalewska, 2024. Preliminary results of archeozoological analysis of animal remains from the modern castle in Żelechów. In: 3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.A033