Shumë Shqip Sheep: Preliminary Isotopic Data toward Understanding Prehistoric Herding Practices in Albania (15 min)

Presenters

Julian E. Schultz, University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology

Abstract

The modern, industrialized version of herd management is one that starkly contrasts with its predecessors. Whereas herds of increasingly enormous size are now managed within tightly bounded enclosures, historically they were managed with intricate and geographically variable systems most often including seasonal movement. Southeastern Europe is one place where the traditional modes of herd management still dominate the practice today, however, the origins of these practices remain murky. This talk concerns a growing profile of archaeofaunal and stable isotopic data from northern Albania and Kosova, which in tandem offer an exciting new look into the previously uninvestigated history of herd management in this region.