De dierenbotten van de Dornburg (Duitsland)

Samenvatting

Animal bones from the late medieval castle Dornburg in the Flögelner See (Landkreis Cuxhaven, Germany) were investigated. Most of the bones derive from domestic mammals (cattle, sheep, pig, horse) and chicken. As at other medieval castles in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, pork was eaten most frequently. It is likely that peasants supplied the castle with ageing dairy cows and draught oxen as well as older sheep. Possibly pigs, a few horses and poultry were kept inside the castle. Hunting was a pastime for the privileged rather than a necessity for survival.