Faunal remains from Palmela castle, Portugal: evidence for change from Moslem to Christian periods (Cleia Detry)

Faunal remains from Palmela castle, Portugal: evidence for change from Moslem to Christian periods (Cleia Detry)

Palmela, on the Setubal peninsula in south-central Portugal, is some 30 km south of Lisbon. Its castle is situated on a very high hill looks out over both the river Sado and the Atlantic coast which has given it military importance since early times.

A study, currently in progress, of the animal remains from Palmela castle includes material from the VIIth century AD to the XVIIth century.The Christian Kingdom of Portugal, founded in the XIIth century AD, gradually conquered the southern regions formerly under Moslem rule. Palmela castle was first constructed at the end of the VIIIth century AD when it belonged to the Omayad emirate of Cordoba. It was subsequently occupied by the Almoravids between the Xth and XIIth centuries and was finally conquered by Christians in the XIIIth century.
The remains recovered from this site will, it is hoped, allow us to compare Islamic and Christian animal husbandry. The majority of the animal remains recovered belonged to sheep, goat, cattle and pig. Animals such as cat, dog, bear and Iberian lynx are also represented in small quantities. Most of the bird remains belonged to chicken, ducks and geese. There are also some shells, mainly oyster, and fish remains.

Cleia Detry, Zooarchaeology Laboratory at Igespar, Lisbon, Portugal

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