Animal resources in northwestern Lusitania from the Republican period to Late Antiquity (2nd century BCE to 7th century CE): A zooarchaeological perspective from central Portugal

Abstract

This study provides a synthesis of all the zooarchaeological studies available for Late Republican to Late Antique archaeological sites located between Douro and Tagus rivers, aiming to characterize the relationship between human communities and animals in this region of ancient Lusitania in an economic and sociocultural perspective, it also seeks to analyse the changes that might have occurred during the Roman period. The results demonstrate a continuity of the importance of pastoralism in relation to hunting activities. Despite the fact that goats are the prevalent species, cattle seem to have an important status especially during Late Antiquity.