Abstract
The faunal assemblage from the Byzantine Street (Area S2) in the City of David derives from domestic refuse accumulated on a street surface and from redeposited construction fill associated with episodes of street repair during the late Byzantine–Early Islamic periods. The assemblage is well-preserved but highly fragmented, indicating rapid burial followed by post-depositional disturbance. Taxonomic composition is dominated by sheep and goats, with lower frequencies of pigs and cattle, alongside chicken, fish and molluscs, reflecting patterns of everyday urban consumption. Caprine age-at-death profiles are skewed toward adults, suggesting herd management strategies that emphasized secondary products and herd maintenance rather than meat-focused provisioning from the rural hinterland. This pattern contrasts with Roman-period assemblages from Jerusalem, where caprine mortality profiles are frequently dominated by younger individuals and reflect consumer-oriented supply systems. Pig remains are few and derive mainly from juvenile individuals, consistent with their role as a purely meat-oriented resource. Their low frequency is best interpreted as reflecting incremental changes in urban provisioning systems rather than an abrupt dietary shift. Overall, the assemblage provides insight into household-scale animal use and changing economic strategies in Jerusalem during the transition from the Byzantine to the Early Islamic periods.
Keywords
Jerusalem, Byzantine–Early Islamic periods, fauna
Recommended Citation
Perry Gal, Lee
(2026)
"Faunal Remains from the Byzantine Street (Area S2), Jerusalem,"
'Atiqot: Vol. 120, Article 18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70967/2948-040X.2423
Available at:
https://publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol120/iss1/18