Unravelling the story of animal exploitation in the territory of present-day Serbia during Late Antiquity – an archaeozoological overview

According to published archaeozoological data, during the Late Antiquity – between the 3rd/4th and the beginning of the 7th century CE – in the territory of present-day Serbia, strategies of animal exploitation were primarily oriented toward the breeding of domestic species, while hunting and fishing had played a secondary role. The most frequently represented species were those of great economic importance, such as cattle, caprines, and pigs. Aside from these taxa, remains of equids, camels, and pets were discovered in the unearthed faunal assemblages. As indicated by biometric data, changing practices of animal husbandry led to changes in domestic animal body size. Remains of wild game were rare and represented by species that were available in the areas surrounding the sites, while fish remains were scarce. Although the archaeozoological research on the Late Antique settlements is modest, the available data gives valuable insights into animal exploitation strategies and suggests the presence of some regional differences. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide insight into animal exploitation strategies from different regions and settlement types by bringing together archaeozoological data.