Dental Microwear and Diet in Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries) and Goats (Capra Hircus): Distinguishing Grazing and Fodder-fed Ovicaprids using a Quantitative Analytical Approach

In recent years, dental microwear analysis has attracted considerable interest as a potential method for reconstructing ancient diet. This article presents results from research exploring the potential of dental microwear analysis in the reconstruction of domestic ungulate diet through the quantitative analysis of diet-microwear relationships in modern grazing and fodder-fed sheep and goats. Diet-related microwear patterning is identified in the modern populations examined and it is concluded that with investigation of a wider range of modern diets, dental microwear analysis will emerge as a valuable and insightful approach for the investigation of diet in ancient livestock.     

Skin, hair and cloth remains from the ancient kerma civilization of Northern Sudan

Animal skins from human burials, dated 2nd and 3rd millenium BC, including haired skin bags lined with cloth, provided evidence of ox, goat and sheep, the cloth being made of plant fibre, possibly flax. Two thirds of the skin samples had evidence of vegetable tanning. Of 18 samples of livestock hair or skin 61% were from cattle with the remainder being about equally shared between goats and sheep. The hair diameter distributions indicated that all had been killed in late summer. Only two colours, black and white, were presented in each livestock species. That the sheep were of hair type accords with the use of plant fibre in the cloth, and is in keeping with the later appearance of fleeced sheep in the Egyptian New Kingdom.     

Separating Sheep (Ovis aries L.) and Goats (Capra hircus L.) Using Geometric Morphometric Methods: An Investigation of Astragalus Morphology from Late and Final Bronze Age Central Asian Contexts

Many qualitative and quantitative methods for the separation of sheep and goat bones are based upon Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and European specimens. However, these methods may not be as applicable in other geographical contexts due to regional morphological variation. In order to address this, both traditional and geometric morphometric methods were applied to sheep, (Ovis aries L.) and goat (Capra hircus L.) astragali from archaeological sites from Kazakhstan dating to the Late and Final Bronze Age (1900–900 bce ). This exploratory research confirmed that qualitative features remained useful for distinguishing between species, while traditional morphometric methods were unable to conclusively support the field identification of species. Geometric morphometric methods found significant morphological differences between species and confirmed group membership while exploring specific qualitative features that were effective in distinguishing between sheep and goat in Central Asian contexts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A guide for the distinction of species, sex and body side in bones of sheep and goat

Morphological criteria are described that were found to be the most successful for distinguishing between skeletal fragments of adult sheep (Ovis) and goats (Capra) in the Western European, early medieval sites of Haithabu and Oldenburg in Holstein. It is emphasized that a sufficiently large sample should be observed. In addition, methods are given for distinguishing sex in the pelvis, and body side in distal metacarpus and metatarsus ends.     

A re-assessment of bronze age wool

Measurements of twelve new samples of Danish Bronze Age wool showed them to be hairy medium fleeces. Supporting evidence was obtained that a high proportion of fine fibres in a yarn results from the plucking of wool during the moult before the hairy fibres have been released from the skin. The fine fibres were closer in diameter to the underwool of the wild ancestor than to those of the Soay sheep (supposedly a Bronze Age survivor), indicating a more primitive fleece. The samples described include the first white Bronze Age wool. Those with natural pigmentation in every fibre could be black or brown, while those with pigmented and white fibres are thought to be a mixture of brown and white (by analogy with the Soay) rather than grey, which is unknown in the Soay.     

传闻入史号性爱内涵：“竹叶羊车”考

“竹叶羊车”典出《晋书》,《南史》也有类似记载,反映帝王生活荒淫。“羊车”并非驾羊。该故事实出于民间传说,是竹、羊生殖崇拜与帝王荒淫生活的结合。这种传闻入史,保留了一定历史时期的民间传说,成为后人认识该时期文化的宝贵资料。“竹叶羊车”在后代成为文学典故,广泛用于宫廷、闺情等题材。通过考察其传闻入史的生成过程及情爱内涵,有助于理解诗文中的用典。     

Patterns and Determinants of Historical Woodland Clearing in Central‐Western New South Wales,Australia

We consider the history of woodland clearing in central western New South Wales, Australia, which has led to the present highly cleared and fragmented landscape. A combined approach is used examining available historical land‐use data and using regression analysis to relate the pattern of cleared and wooded areas in the recent landscape to environmental variables, taking into account the contagious nature of clearing. We also ask whether it would be possible to apply a simple simulation modelling approach to reconstruct a credible historical sequence of clearing in the study area. The historical data indicate that annual clearing rates have varied substantially in the study area and selective tree removal (ringbarking and thinning) has been common. These findings make it unlikely that a simple simulation approach would replicate the spatial and temporal sequence of woodland loss. Our regression results show that clearing patterns can be related to environmental variables, particularly annual rainfall and estimated pre‐European vegetation type, but that patterns are dominated by contagion.     

DNA analysis of archaeological sheep remains from China

Recent research has thrown considerable light on the history of the domestic sheep, but has not extended to ancient sheep specimens. In the present study, ancient DNA analysis was carried out on eight archaeological sheep remains recovered from Erlitou archaeological site in Henan Province (ca. 2100–1800 B.C.) to explore the genetic structure of ancient sheep and the phylogenetic relationship between ancient and modern sheep. We analyzed the control region sequences and coding regions of mitochondrial DNA from the remains by direct sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, respectively. Our results reveal that all ancient sheep belong to lineage A defined by modern sheep sequences. Phylogenetic analysis shows that neither argali (Ovis ammon) nor urial (Ovis vignei) mtDNA is closely related to Erlitou ancient sheep. In addition, our results suggest that ancient DNA analysis can serve as a powerful tool in tracing prehistoric population movement.     

Seasonal and Spatial patterns in sheep grazing on a high‐level plateau in the Grampian Mountains,Scotland

Sheep usage of part of the summit of Glas Maol was monitored by pellet‐group counts to determine impact on Carex bigelowii‐Racomitrium lanuginosum moss heath. The effects of a fenced skiing corridor in giving shelter and disrupting ranging movements were assessed. Dung deposition was appreciable only from June to September each year, and heaviest in July and August; occupance seemed to depend on the presence of substantial quantities of green herbage. Dung deposition was much greater within 5 m of the fence, probably because of its sheltering effect. The estimated May‐October stocking of 1.1 sheep ha^‐1 on the main plateau is surprisingly heavy for the altitude, whereas usage by red deer was negligible.     

Morphological distinctions between the mandibular teeth of young sheep, Ovis, and goats, Capra

Morphological distinctions between the mandibular teeth of young sheep (Ovis) and goats (Capra) are described, and their value in the study of bone samples from archaeological sites is briefly discussed.