Siege and Conquest. Zooarchaeological Analysis of a Sealed Dump in the Luque Castle (Córdoba, Spain)

Abstract

The archaeological excavations undertaken in the Castle of Luque (Córdoba, Spain) in 2007 and 2008 resulted in the identification of a rubbish dump dated to the immediate aftermath of the Castilian conquest (ad 1243), which included material from the previous period of Almohad domination (mid-12th to mid-13th centuries). The dump yielded a homogeneous and sealed faunal assemblage, which can be used to characterize the meat consumption patterns of an Andalusi community in a very specific context, marked by frontier conditions and the arrival of an important military garrison. The consumption of horse meat and changes in usual alimentary habits are examined based on the results of zooarchaeological analysis of the bone assemblage found in the dump.