As faunas do final da Idade do Bronze no Sul de Portugal: leituras desde o Outeiro do Circo (Beja)

Abstract

We present the results obtained from the analysis of unpublished faunal remains from the Bronze Age settlement of Outeiro do Circo (Beja). The materials provenance is diverse, corresponding mainly to one pit/ silo from trench 3 and the areas near the defensive systems designated trench 7 and 8. Hunting strategies are complementary in the assemblage, with a predominance of sheep and goat remains, followed by cattle and swine. Kill-off patterns with the presence of young and adult individuals are suggestive of a mixed economy with the exploitation of primary and secondary resources. Although highly fragmented and affected by postdepositional processes it was possible to record several anthropization indicators related to the butchering process and thermo-alteration of remains by fire