La fauna del sito del Neolitico recente di Chiarentana (Chianciano Terme – SI)

Th e study of faunal remains coming fr om excavations carried out in the middle of the 1990 into an embedded structure fi lled by a homogeneous sediment. Th is structure is dated to the Late Neolithic by the following radiocarbon dates: 5040±50 BP (3960-3710 BC) and 5370±50 BP (4340-4050 BC). Th e animal assemblage is composed by a greater part of domestic animals (88%) in which catt le are mostly represented (105 remains), followed by sheep/goat (33) and pig (8). Th e economy of the site was integrated by a marginal hunting activity towards wild species of forest and forest steppe environments: wild boar, roe deer, red deer and aurochs. Th e analysis of kill-off patt erns suggested the main presence of adult catt le and of young pigs. Th e study of the distributions of body parts revealed a predominance of individual teeth and limb bones. Numerous fr agments of long bones have been also noted and classifi ed as unidentifi ed remains. Almost all the observed evidence of gnawing, appeared to be characteristic of dog, even if no dog remains have been identifi ed in the assemblage. Finally, several remains are partially burnt and skinning marks on bone surfaces are fr equent.