Dental microwear. Ovine livestock and exploitation of the habitat in Ancient era at the Empordà (Northeast of Iberian peninsula)

Identifier:  TFM:188

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM188

Authors:  Gallego Valle, Abel

Abstract:
In this Master Thesis teeth remains from sheep has studied from a selected sample recovered from three archaeological sites located in the Empordà plain (north-east of the Iberian Peninsula): the Greco-Roman city of Empúries (L'Escala, Alt Emporda) and two Roman villas of its surrounded area, Mas Gusó (Bellcaire, Baix Empordà) and Tolegassos (Viladamat, Alt Emporda). We used the technique of dental microwear. This technique has provided information about the latest intakes made by the individuals studied and has permitted to infer what the immediate environment in which they live was. The results allowed us to propose an exploitation system of the environment for livestock that complemented agriculture, making use of vegetation associated with wetlands of Empordà plain, which were much more extensive than today . This use of plant resources was not reflected in the manuals of agriculture of the classical sources, showing the adaptability to the environment of bygone societies for the management of natural resources.