BIOARCHАEOLOGY OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN CARIČIN GRAD (JUSTINIANA PRIMA)

Abstract

This paper presents results of bioarchaeological research at the earlyByzantine site Caričin Grad. The site is located in southern Serbia, on the eastern slopes of Mountain Radan, about 30 km southwest of the town of Leskovac. The remains of Caričin Grad are associated with the important Early Byzantine city Iustiniana Prima, founded ex nihilo in the 530s by the emperor Justinian I (527– 565), in order to honour his birthplace. Due to its specificity and the scope of archaeological research, and since its lifespan was very short, Caričin Grad represents a unique example of late urbanization in the Northern provinces of Illyricum. Bearing this in mind, through international cooperation between the Serbian (Institute of Archaeology Belgrade), French (École française de Rome) and German (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz) archaeological teams a project of interdisciplinary research with focus primarily on residential facilities in Upper and Lower Town started in 2013. The aim of this project has been to reconstruct the everyday life of the inhabitants, their nutrition, as well the organization of housing and economic facilities. Bioarchaeological studies, which are based on analysis of animal and plant remains and biochemical soil analysis, have a particularly important place in the mentioned project. Results showed that, in terms of animal husbandry and cultivation of plants, Caričin Grad represented an independent self-sufficient economic unit, which provided basic food primarily inside the ramparts and in the vicinity of the city. The results of analysis element concentracions and biomarkers in soil of the Upper Town also confirmed utilization of the strategy of keeping animals intra muros, as well as identification of different functional areas (midden and working zones). In general, domestic animals outnumber game (comprising over 95% of NISP), and provided the most important and reliable meat supply. Based on the number of identified specimens (NISP), sheep and goat (Ovis/ capra) are the most common taxa, followed by domestic pig (Sus domesticus) and cattle (Bos taurus). Other mammalian taxa were identified in small numbers and altogether comprise less than 10% of NISP. The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) was well represented, too. The other species reached only low levels in faunal assemblage from Caričin Grad.  Remains of horse (Equus caballus), donkey (Equus asinus) and their hybrid mule, as well as the camel (Camelus sp.) remains were also identified in the faunal material. These animals were used primarily as working ones. Hunting was a less important economic activity in Caričin Grad. In addition to the fact that red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) are the most represented wild species, the great diversity of game and the age structure of these animals point to a more opportunistic approach to hunting rather than a strategic one. The fish spectrum is dominated by small to medium- sized cyprinids, accompanied by some members of other local freshwater families, such as catfish (Silurus glanis), pike (Esox lucius) and perch (Perca fluviatilis). On the other hand, the remains of Danubian fish from the family of Acipenseridae, such as very large sturgeon (Huso huso), and large species from the family of Salmonidae, huchen (Hucho hucho) (also called Danube salmon), and possible remains of salt water fish are indicators for a supply from a longer distance. In terms of the analysis of plant remains, the cereal spectrum from Caričin Grad showed great diversity, consisting of several species: bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), rye (Secale cereale), many- rowed hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare var. vulgare), two-rowed barley (H. distichon), emmer (Triticum dicoccum), einkorn (T. monococcum), spelt (T. spelta), and oat (Avena sativa). Although the spectrum is dominated by cereals, it gives detailed information on the cultivation of pulses and garden plants, as well as on gathered plants and imported species. Like the cereal spectrum, the spectrum of pulses is dominated by storage finds of faba beans (Vicia faba) from the Lower town. The systematically sampled areas, however, give evidence of cultivation of a broader spectrum, including the garden pea (Pisum sativum), lentil (Lens culinaris), grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia). The most common garden and gathered plants in the Caričin Grad assemblage are grape (Vitis vinifera), wild pear (Pyrus sp.), and walnut (Juglans regia). Furthermore, sweet cherry (Prunus avium), peach (Prunus persica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), plum (Prunus insitia), cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), raspberry (Rubus ideaus), and strawberry (Fragaria sp.) show an intensive fruit cultivation and gathering in the vicinity of the city. The cultivation of vegetables like beet (Beta vulgaris) and leek (Allium sp.) as well as of possible medicinal plants like common mallow (Malva sylvestris) could have been practiced in the close vicinity of the town or in kitchen gardens and yards intra muros. In spite of the great variety of species, the spectrum of garden and gathered plants is clearly dominated by grape. These discoveries point to a significant rural element of the economy in the urban structure of the Caričin Grad. This kind of economic pattern is especially important for survival in times of crisis. On the other hand, the findings of exotic animal remains such as camels, Danubian and sea fish, murex and cowry shell, as well as a few seeds of fig (Ficus carica) and in particular of olive (Olea europaea) from the Mediterranean region, indicate that the inhabitants of the Caričin Grad had a dynamic long distance communication with other parts of the Empire.