Preliminary Analysis of the Fauna from the Early Bronze Age III Neighbourhood at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel

Abstract

This paper describes the analysis of the zooarchaeological assemblage from the first stage of recent excavations (2004-2009) of the Early Bronze Age III neighbourhood at Tell es-Safi/Gath, IsraeL The site, most ofwhich was surrounded by a large fortification wal~ is a major urban centre for the region during the EB III, possibly just belCYW the pinnacle of the regional hierarchy which was at Tell Yarmouth. Excavations of this neighbourhood demonstrate that it was characterised by a layout of houses that is common for other EB urban centres in the region, including sturdy, small multi-room houses, with a courtyard, and in few cases a small storage room. Occupants had access to long-distance and local trade goods, and used various recording methods, such as a cylinder seal and potter's marks. It has been suggested that it was probably inhabited by the emerging class of merchants. The analysis of animal remains from the neighbourhood suggest that the inhabitants largely relied upon herded domestic livestock (i.e., sheep and goats), emphasised the culling of young sheep for primary products, exploited domestic cattle and goats largely for their secondary products, hunted a variety of wild animals, and sacrificed expensive animals best known for transporting goods (domestic donkeys). These provide insight into the nature of animal exploitation strategies in a non-elite context during the period of early urbanism in the southern Levant.