Work

Livestock feeding strategies and socio-economic dynamics during the sixth to fourth centuries BC in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula and southern France. A review of animal palaeodietary studies

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This paper presents a review of published studies on livestock palaeodiets conducted on sites dated from the sixth to fourth centuries BC in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula and southern France. The aim is to provide a preliminary overview of the relationship between animal feeding strategies and socio-economic dynamics. It also seeks to highlight current limitations and propose future research directions, particularly regarding geographical, chronological and animal-species representativeness. The analysis of data from 11 archaeological sites revealed that socio-economic dynamics played a major role in shaping animal feeding strategies, and that the latter were adapted to a series of constraints imposed by historical contexts. We also observed that not all regions are equally represented, and that sheep and goats are the best-represented animal species. Future research should aim to address these gaps, by broadening the scope of studies to other regions, earlier chronologies and underrepresented species, such as pigs and cattle.

Source: Pyrenae

DOI: 10.1344/pyrenae2026.vol57num1.3

Author: Sergio Jiménez-Manchón

Institutions: Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes, Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry

Language: English

Topic: Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

Subfield: Paleontology

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche