Animal remains from the multi-layered site of Elvas-Kreuzwiese p. f. 574 (South Tyrol, Italy)

The site of Elvas-Kreuzwiese p. f. 574 is located near Brixen-Bressanone (BZ) on the Natz- Schabs plateau at about 600 m a.s.l. Excavations carried out at the beginning of this century attested the presence of Late Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman Age materials. Almost 10,000 animal remains from all chronological phases are presented in this paper. Faunal composition is quite similar through all phases: caprines are the most common taxa, cattle is quite abundant and domestic pig is rare. The site stratigraphy allows to detect changes in cattle body size through time: an increase in body size can be observed at the boundary between the Iron Age and the Roman Imperial Age. However, the presence of small individuals could indicate that local forms, probably directly derived from Late Iron Age populations, were not completely replaced during the Roman period. Data indicates an autonomous subsistence economy during the Bronze Age, whilst the site looks to be part of a more complex society during the Roman period.