I resti faunistici dell’abitato del Neolitico Tardo, dell’Età del Bronzo e di Età medievale, moderna e contemporanea di Castelrotto-Grondlboden (BZ)

The animal bone assemblage from Castelrotto, although composed of a number of specimens which cannot be considered statistically representative, provides important information about the animal-human interaction occurred during a long chronological span. The site, located at c. 1000 metres on the Fié-Castelrotto plateau (left hydrographic side of the Isarco valley, on the north of Bolzano), presents a continuity of occupation from the late Neolithic to the Modern era. Thus, it has the potential to reveal changes in the use of animal species which may have occurred over time. The most important occupation phase is the one related to the Late Neolithic period. Even though it has released only a few animal bone remains, several radiometric dating attributed it to a period between the 3800 and 3600 BC, as such it has important cultural similarities with the “Fiavé 1” culture. The animal bone assemblage is composed of 695 fragments of which 229 were taxonomically identified. The domestic animals (cattle, sheep/goat and pig) outnumber wild animals in all phases. This contribution presents the analysis of the animal bone assemblage with a focus on trying to understand which type of animals were present and their role in the economy of the site.