Archäozoologische Untersuchungen zum mittelalterlichen Giato (Monte Iato, Sizilien)
“Zooarchaeological Analyses of Medieval Giato” will complement studies on architecture, ceramics and anthropological research investigating the medieval settlement on Monte Iato in the western Sicily. The zooarchaeological finds derive from recent excavations of the University of Innsbruck, which uncovered the remains of houses from the 13th century AD. They will be analysed according to the current standards of the discipline. Species frequencies, the animals’ age at death and the mapping of butchery marks will shed light on husbandry and subsistence strategies. The proposed analyses will result in regional comparative data, which can broaden our view of the dynamic world of western Sicily, oscillating between Norman and Arab spheres. Moreover, the siege of Giato, the stronghold of the Christian and Arab rebels against Emperor Fredrick II, implicates interesting possibilities for a diachronic comparison. Contrasting finds from “pre-siege layers” and “siege layers” might highlight differences and even difficulties in Giato’s provisioning. Therefore, publishing the zooarchaeological finds will complement our view of the medieval settlement, provide regional data for comparative analyses, and highlight the peculiarities of altered strategies under siege conditions.
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Principal Investigator |
Benjamin Wimmer |
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Address |
ATRIUM - Zentrum für Alte Kulturen - Langer Weg 11 |
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University/Research Institution |
Institut für Archäologien funded by Tiroler Wissenschaftsfond |