Archaeozoological materials of the Babish Mola complex

(based at the excavations of 2023)

Abstract

The article discusses the results of an archaeozoological study of animal bone remains discovered in 2023 in the Babish mola complex. Most of the osteological materials were discovered in excavations on the territory of the Babish mola 1 settlement and in small quantities at the Babish mola 10A site (temple). The aim of the study is to analyze osteological material using archaeozoological methods: determination of animal species, skeletal elements, skeletal parts, age characteristics, bones with modified and pathological signs. As a result of laboratory analysis, 1,186 bones were examined, of which 822 specimens were identified to the species. 96.5% of the osteological collection consists of skeletal elements of domestic animals. In the composition of hoofed domestic animals, the bones of small cattle (sheep and goats) make up 54.4%. Cattle and the third horse are in second place in terms of the number of bones. Skeletal elements of a camel and a dog were also found in small numbers. Wild animals are represented by the bones of the kulan (Equus hemionus), saiga (Saiga tatarica), argali (Ovis ammon), fox (Vulpes vulpes), hare (Lepus tolai), turtle (Testudo horsfieldi) and bird (Aves ind.). The result of the pathological analysis revealed changes in the bones and a number of pathologies.