Excavations carried out at Early Medieval hillfort in Szestno „Czarny Las” between 1995 and 2002 yielded a lot of animal remains. The osteological material consisted of 3986 pieces and 63% of those were identified. The bones were very badly preserved - most were fragmented, a high number were burned, some were brittle or chipping, they also showed many anthropogenic marks. The material was divided into four categories in relation to the functions of particular parts of the hillfort, that is the main square, the area located near the rampart, the rampart with the moat and assemblages in trench IV with human-animal burials. The parts of the site differ with respect to the species and anatomical distribution. The post-consumption remains consist mainly of cattle in all the categories, with caprine bones coming second in the area near the bulwark together with the bulwark and the moat, but the caprines came third after pig remains in the settlement square. A number of horse and dog bones were also recovered. In addition to that, there were some remains of wild animals and few bird and fish bones. Age profile of the livestock implies a well-developed and stable economy with the use of secondary products. Morphological analysis suggests the presence of small- and average-sized cattle representing the brachycerous type, the sheep represented large type and the pig small- and average- sized variety. The osteological material found in two layers of cobblestones (paving D) in trench IV consisted of 633 pieces and 28% were identified. All assemblages with human together with animal bones yielded many burned fragments. Animals burned with the dead belonged to livestock, and the species distribution was comparable to the general profile, the only exception was a higher proportion of horse remains in the burials. The few bones without burning marks probably came from feasts in the honour ofthe dead.
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