title: ZOOARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR HUMAN-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS AT THE NEOLITHIC BONCUKLU HÖYÜK, CENTRAL ANATOLIA
Creators: name: Saritas, Ozlem
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2025

description: This dissertation concerns animals' role in the Neolithic Boncuklu Höyük in Central Anatolia. There are three themes: the role and statue of pig and cattle. The second one is further knowledge of Neolithic hunting and possibly herding communities and their animal food resources from the faunal remains of Boncuklu Höyük. Lastly, pig and cattle exploitation in the Neolithic of Central Anatolia and Southwest Asia reveals Boncuklu Höyük. Therefore, this dissertation will re-examine the spread of pig (Sus sp) and cattle (Bos sp) to the Neolithic Boncuklu Höyük (9300-8600 cal BC) and the use of animals at the site. I first do a taphonomical analysis to establish the fragmentation rate, natural taphonomic or human subsistence behaviour, and relative species abundance and diversity. Then, I use tooth eruption and wear data, epiphyseal fusion for ageing, metric and biometric data from postcranial bones, including astragalus, humerus, and tibia, and dental remains, including lower and upper dp4, M1, M2 and M3 measurements for Sus sp and partly for Bos sp. In addition, McCluster mixture analysis for sexing for both species and Geometric morphometric for lower upper second and third molars from Sus sp. The taxonomic abundance data revealed that Sus is the most dominant species over time, but the NISP of Bos sp is increasing from Early to Late. Boncuklu inhabitants were brought to the whole carcasses of Sus sp, Bos sp, Equids and Caprines. The taphonomic agents are very low, and the human subsistence for marrow and grease extraction is mainly the reason for high fragmentation. The results revealed a slight decrease between the periods of Boncuklu Höyük for both Sus sp and Bos sp. The sexing analysis from canine tusk revealed a high proportion of males for Sus sp. Still, the LSI histogram graph indicated a high proportion of females for Sus sp and Bos sp at Boncuklu Höyük. The ageing analysis suggested that the proportion of young and juveniles increased from early to final, and the adult population decreased for Sus sp. The epiphyseal fusion data indicated overall, half of the cattle population in Boncuklu Höyük reached skeletal maturity before death. The McCluster mixture analysis from dental remains and geometric morphometric analysis suggests the presence of small-size pig groups in the 9th-8th Millenium Late period. Sus sp and Bos sp exploitation in the Neolithic of Central Anatolia and Southwest Asia indicated that Boncuklu Sus is smaller than Pleistocene wild boar and Early Holocene PPNA Hallançemi, Göbeklitepe, Mureybet sites and larger than the domestic pigs from LPPNB Gritille, and MPPNB/LPPNB Mezraa-Teleilat sites. Final Boncuklu Sus represents a 'transitional' morphology that phenotypic change started from the Late to Final periods. Overall, I find that Sus and Bos sp body size, kill-off patterns and sex ratios changed gradually throughout the site's occupation. Local Sus and Bos sp populations changed over time due to more likely hunting pressure and environmental change in the local landscape. I have no clear evidence for domestic Sus and Bos at Boncuklu Höyük. However, Sus sp are morphologically wild considering all the shreds of evidence from metric/geometric analyses. Still, some small size of Sus appears, especially in the Late Period, which might be evidence of the beginning management practices. In addition, cattle herding was probably introduced to the site in the 8th Millennium; considering the significant size differences with the Early periods and the high number of female ranges, perhaps the Late Bos sp represents early attempts to manage morphologically wild cattle.