People, dogs and wild game: evidence of human-animal relations from Middle Neolithic burials and personal ornaments in northern Italy

In order to review evidence of human-animal relations, the paper offers an overview of the customs and funerary traditions of the Square Mouthed Pottery culture, between c. 5000 and 4300 calBC. We focus on the importance of domestic and wild animals on the basis of an analysis of grave-goods, funera...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maria Bernabò Brea, Paola Mazzieri, Roberto Micheli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) 2010-12-01
Series:Documenta Praehistorica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uni-lj.si/DocumentaPraehistorica/article/view/1969
Description
Summary:In order to review evidence of human-animal relations, the paper offers an overview of the customs and funerary traditions of the Square Mouthed Pottery culture, between c. 5000 and 4300 calBC. We focus on the importance of domestic and wild animals on the basis of an analysis of grave-goods, funerary rites and personal ornaments. We also consider recent discoveries of peculiar offerings of animals and some dog burials. The evidence testifies to a diffusion of a wild component, symbolically emphasising the importance of the hunter identity in a society where subsistence actually depends primarily on domestic animals. Therefore, a contrast is drawn between the everyday and the symbolic worlds.
ISSN:1408-967X
1854-2492