Zooarkeolojide Küçük Ruminantların (Ovis/Capra) Analizi ve Yorumlanmasına Genel Bir Bakış

Öz

Bu derleme çalışması, zooarkeolojik araştırmalarda önemli bir yer tutan küçük ruminantların (Ovis aries ve Capra hircus) analiz ve yorumlanmasına yönelik temel metodolojik yaklaşımları ve güncel perspektifleri ele almaktadır. Yakın Doğu merkezli evcilleştirme sürecinin en erken ve belirleyici taksonları arasında yer alan koyun ve keçi, Neolitik Dönem’den itibaren insan toplumlarının ekonomik ve sosyo-kültürel sistemlerinde merkezi bir rol üstlenmiştir. Zooarkeolojik veriler, bu türlerin yalnızca birincil bir et kaynağı olarak değil, aynı zamanda süt ve yapağı/kıl gibi sekonder ürünlerin sömürüsü aracılığıyla da sosyoekonomik yapının temel bileşenlerinden biri olduğunu kanıtlamaktadır. Dolayısıyla, faunal topluluklardaki koyun ve keçi kalıntılarının taksonomik düzeyde doğru tanımlanması ve yorumlanması, geçmiş toplumların üretim stratejileri, sürü yönetimi pratikleri ve çevresel adaptasyon süreçlerinin rekonstrüksiyonu açısından kritik bir önem taşımaktadır. Bu bağlamda çalışmada, küçük ruminant kalıntılarının zooarkeolojik değerlendirmesinde başvurulan temel analitik yöntemler bütüncül bir yaklaşımla irdelenmektedir. Taksonomik teşhis süreci, mandibula, dental morfoloji ve postkranial iskelet elemanlarının morfolojik ve osteometrik özellikleri bağlamında detaylandırılırken, yaş ve cinsiyet profillerinin demografik analizler yoluyla sürü yönetimi stratejilerine dair nasıl modellenebileceği tartışılmaktadır. Bunun yanı sıra, evcilleştirme sürecinin arkeolojik kayıtlarda bıraktığı morfolojik değişimler değerlendirilmekte ve son olarak izotop analizleri ile antik DNA (aDNA) gibi yenilikçi biyomoleküler yöntemlerin küçük ruminant araştırmalarına sunduğu analitik katkılar vurgulanmaktadır. Geleneksel osteolojik yöntemler ile modern biyomoleküler yaklaşımların bütünleşmiş kullanımının geçmiş toplumların hayvancılık pratiklerinin çok disiplinli bir perspektifle ve çok daha yüksek bir çözünürlükte anlaşılmasına olanak tanıdığı ortaya konmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Koyun
• Keçi
• zooarkeoloji
• Küçük Ruminant
• Evcilleştirme

An Overview of the Analysis and Interpretation of Small Ruminants (Ovis/Capra) in Zooarchaeology

Öz

This review study addresses the fundamental methodological approaches and current perspectives concerning the analysis and interpretation of small ruminant (Ovis aries and Capra hircus) remains, which occupy a critical place in zooarchaeological research. As among the earliest and most significant taxa in the Near Eastern domestication process, sheep and goats have played a central role in the economic and socio-cultural systems of human societies since the Neolithic Period. Zooarchaeological data demonstrate that these species functioned not only as primary meat sources but also as fundamental components of socio-economic structures through the utilization of secondary products such as milk, wool, and hair. Therefore, accurate taxonomic identification and interpretation of sheep and goats within faunal assemblages are essential for reconstructing past production strategies, herd management practices, and environmental adaptation processes. Concurrently, this study adopts a holistic approach to examine the principal analytical methods employed in the zooarchaeological evaluation of small ruminants. It details the process of taxonomic diagnosis within the framework of mandibular morphology, osteometric characteristics, dental development, and postcranial skeletal elements, while discussing how demographic profiles derived from age- and sex-based analyses can inform herd management strategies. Furthermore, the study evaluates the morphological modifications induced by domestication in the archaeological record. Finally, it highlights the analytical contributions of innovative biomolecular methods, such as stable isotope analyses and ancient DNA (aDNA). Ultimately, this review demonstrates that integrating traditional osteological methods with modern biomolecular approaches provides a multidisciplinary perspective, enabling the understanding of past livestock practices at a significantly higher resolution.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sheep
• Goat
• Zooarchaeology
• Small Ruminant
• Domestication

Kaynakça

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