Zooarchaeology of the Iron Age in Western Iberia: new insights from the Celtic oppidum of Ulaca

Abstract

The Vettones were one of the most important Celtic peoples of the Late Iron Age in Western Iberia (between the Duero and Tagus Rivers). It is a period recognised from the spread of the cremation ritual in the cemeteries, the development of iron metallurgy, and the emergence of large fortified settlements—the characteristic oppida—that would finally be abandoned with the conquest of Hispania by Rome. Different types of evidence suggest that the Vetton economy was based on livestock. Palaeobotanical and carpological analyses reveal a major deforestation of the landscape, the conversion of large areas into pastures and cultivated fields, and the use of enclosures as cattle pens. The stone sculptures of bulls and pigs found throughout the mountainous areas of the region—the famous verracos—also reflect the value the Vettones placed on livestock. However, there have been very few studies devoted to the identification of faunal remains. In this text, we offer previously unpublished data on the animals found in the oppidum of Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain), one of the largest in Celtic Iberia (third–first centuries BC), which we relate to other evidence from neighbouring sites. Thus, the state of the research into Vetton zooarchaeology is offered in the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula.

Geometric Morphometrics and Machine Learning Models Applied to the Study of Late Iron Age Cut Marks from Central Spain

“…Considering these methodological improvements, this work presents the application of combined geometric morphometric and machine learning techniques to the analysis of the cut marks documented in the oppidum of Ulaca (Solosancho, Á vila, Spain) [41] with the aim of determining the type of tool used during carcass modification. Since this is a site from the Iron Age, the cut marks found on the faunal remains could have been possibly made with metal tools, such as knives, axes, or swords [41] (Figure 4a). In the present study, we analyze the morphology of the Ulaca cut marks in detail in order to specify the type of tool used in the animal defleshing processes and verify if, in this particular case, metal tools were employed in daily activities.…”

“…The proximity of some water courses (Figure 1a) allowed agricultural activities to be carried out [50,52]. Zooarchaeological studies have shown a predominance of cattle (40% faunal remains), followed by horses, suidae, and ovicaprids, although the latter groups were poorly represented [41]. Thus, the economic base of the Vetton social elites resides in the control of the land and the cattle [51].…”

“…Taphonomic evidence in the form of cut marks associated with episodes of skinning, fleshing, and disarticulation has shown that animals, including cows and horses, were also consumed at the site [41]. The observed cut marks are usually limited to fine traces, but, in some cases, deep marks, which could be associated with cuts produced by metal tools, have been identified [41] (Figure 4a). Metal tools are not frequent in Ulaca; for instance, in the 233 m 2 area studied by [41], a total of 150 metal objects/fragments were found, of which 84 were made of iron.…”

“…The observed cut marks are usually limited to fine traces, but, in some cases, deep marks, which could be associated with cuts produced by metal tools, have been identified [41] (Figure 4a). Metal tools are not frequent in Ulaca; for instance, in the 233 m 2 area studied by [41], a total of 150 metal objects/fragments were found, of which 84 were made of iron. Among the objects, some knives stand out, such as those included in Figure 2.…”

“…Considering these methodological improvements, this work presents the application of combined geometric morphometric and machine learning techniques to the analysis of the cut marks documented in the oppidum of Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain) [41] with the aim of determining the type of tool used during carcass modification. Since this is a site from the Iron Age, the cut marks found on the faunal remains could have been possibly made with metal tools, such as knives, axes, or swords [41] (Figure 4a). In the present study, we analyze the morphology of the Ulaca cut marks in detail in order to specify the type of tool used in the animal defleshing processes and verify if, in this particular case, metal tools were employed in daily activities.…”