Meghan Dwan
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Kara Larson
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Anthropology; Museum of Anthropological Archaeology / LSA
Program:
Authors: Meghan Dwan, Kara Larson
Session: Session 4: 1:40 pm – 2:30 pm
Poster: 43
Abstract
Despite many decades of archaeological excavations, questions remain regarding the evolution of food in the Southern Levant, specifically during the Early Bronze Age III (2700-2300 BCE). The transition from independently raising and butchering livestock (i.e., a direct relationship) to standardized and specialized roles, such as pastoralists and butchers (i.e., an indirect relationship), remains relatively unexplored. My mentor and I’s goal is to conduct zooarchaeological identification on her animal remains from her excavations at Tell el-Hesi, an Early Bronze Age IIIA archaeological site, located on the edge of the Northern Negev Desert in the Southern Levant. First, the age, sex, and element are determined to understand the animal composition at the site. Then, any identified butchery incidents, such as cut marks, on the bone are identified, recorded, and further analyzed through Dinolite magnification to determine the different butchering techniques used to slaughter the animals. Collectively based on the frequency range of butchery incidents, the type and depth of cut marks exhibited, and the location of butchery incidents on the bones, alongside the faunal compositional data for the site, this project explores whether the role of butchery was independently practiced (i.e., a direct relationship) or was specialized and potentially standardized (i.e., an indirect relationship). The results of this project provide a new outlook on the likely perseverance of a direct relationship with food, particularly meat, in the face of urban growth, development, and emergent specialization.
