HOČEVARICA - an eneolithic pile dwelling in the Ljubljansko barje

Franc JANŽEKOVIČ & Vesna MALEZ

3 HOČEVARICA: FIELD RESEARCH, A PRESENTATION OF THE MATERIAL FINDS AND THE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSES

3.10 Birds (aves) at theeneolithic pile dwelling at Hočevarica

Abstract

A total of 515 bird bones were found at the Hočevarica Eneolithic pile dwelling in the Ljubljansko barje, of which 295 were anatomically and taxonomically identified. At least 143 specimens of the following 16 species were identified: Botaurus stellaris, Ardea purpurea, Anser fabalis, Anas platyrhynchos, A. acuta, A. querquedula, A. clypeata, Aythya ferina, A. nyroca, A. fuligula, Mergus albellus, M. serrator, M. merganser, Gallinago gallinago, Larus cf. cachinnans and Corvus frugilegus. We presume that these were cooking remains of the dwellers.

From the combination of the avifauna we can deduct the dwellers’ preferences regarding individual species of game. For this reason the reconstruction of the palaeo-environment was limited to the hunting habitat of the Eneolithic hunters. Present knowledge of the ecological requirements of these birds reveals that the vicinity of the pile dwellings was a spacious habitat of still water with clearly definable pelagic and littoral areas. In its deepest parts the water was several meters deep. The littoral water habitat consisted of several strips: shallow water area with lush submerged and buoyant macrophyte vegetation; large shallows mostly overgrown by reed, cat’s tail and sedge; and marshy meadows with low growing vegetation. On land we can expect an open (unforested) mosaic structured landscape with meadows and tillable land interspersed with larger or smaller islands of woods.

The humerus and coracoid of a Pintail (Anas acuta), Hočevarica phase 1, subphase 21.
Photo: M. Grm.

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2004, (Opera Instituti Archaeologici Sloveniae, 8), 328 pp, 208 b/w or color photos, figures and charts, 20 x 29 cm, hardcover, ISBN 961-6500-28-7.

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