Livestock husbandry in Islamic Cártama, Málaga, Spain: the micro and bioarchaeology of an open-air Fumier sequence

Abstract

Multidisciplinary micro- and bioarchaeological analyses of late medieval deposits from suburban Cártama, Málaga, Spain, have, for the first time, confidently identified open air fumier deposits, which are supported by preliminary analysis of the faunal assemblage. This demonstrates that Andalusi livestock husbandry practices included periodically burning animal dung within corrals and pens, which is a long-standing practice in the Mediterranean region also observed in prehistoric transhumance. These techniques have commonly been applied to prehistoric fumier or pastoral sites and now demonstrate the importance of expanding micro- and bioarchaeological work to fumier sequences from other periods. This research from Cártama offers a window into the so-called medieval “Green Revolution” associated with Arab migrations and highlights the necessity of identifying in situ penning deposits on archaeological sites and of applying high resolution analyses to examine them. The analyses reveal data on animal feeds, including pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) which are rare in the Iberian Peninsula at this time, the use of plant resources in livestock husbandry, and the preparation of fertiliser, which are central to understanding farming practices in Al-Andalus.