A deposit of astragali at the Copper Age tell ofPoduri-Dealul Ghindaru, Romania

Luminita Bejenaru, Dan Monah & George Bodi

The find and its context

Figure 1
Figure 1. Map showing the location of the tell of Poduri-Dealul Ghindaru in eastern Romania.
Click to enlarge.

The tell of Poduri-Dealul Ghindaru is located in the county of Bacau, in eastern Romania (45°28'953" N, 26°30'029" E; Figure 1). The site stands at 429m asl on a 30m-high terrace on the right bank of the Tazlau Sarat river and has a known extent of c. 1.2ha. Excavators studying the stratification over some 27 campaigns have identified levels belonging to both the Precucuteni and Cucuteni Chalcolithic cultures and to the Bronze Age (Monah et al. 2003).

During the 2005 campaign, an unusual deposit of 25 astragali (animal ankle bones) was discovered in the Cucuteni A1 level, dated to 4662-4465 cal BC (Mantu 1998: 246). The deposit was clustered in clay layers on the south-east side of a house foundation built on tree trunks (Figure 2). The cluster lay in the form of an approximate rectangle, with one outlier (Figure 3). Twenty-one of the astragali were from cattle (Bos taurus), three from red deer (Cervus elaphus) and one from a sheep or goat (Ovis aries/Capra hircus). Almost all were from mature animals; 11 were from the right foot and 14 from the left (Table 1). Cattle (Bos taurus), identified as the main species in the group, had a special status in the local economy at Poduri; in the Cucuteni A level the remains of cattle dominate the assemblage (c. 58%).


Figure 2
Figure 2. Foundations of the building where the astragal deposit was discovered.
Click to enlarge.
Figure 3
Figure 3. The astragali deposit in situ.
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No. Species Laterality Age Dimensions (mm) Special treatment
GL/ Bd Crushing Polishing Ochre Copper
1Ovis aries/Capra hircusLM?25/15--+-
2Cervus elaphusRM57/36-+++
3Cervus elaphusLIM-M52/32--++
4Cervus elaphusL--+++-
5Bos taurusRM58/39+-++
6Bos taurusRM65/39-+++
7Bos taurusLM71/42-+++
8Bos taurusLM59.5/38++++
9Bos taurusRM74/42-+++
10Bos taurusLM68.5/38+-++
11Bos taurusLM63/39-+++
12Bos taurusLM68/38+-+-
13Bos taurusLM67/38-+++
14Bos taurusRM67/37++++
15Bos taurusRIM-M62.5/37--++
16Bos taurusRM67/38-++-
17Bos taurusLM66/40--++
18Bos taurusLM66/40-++-
19Bos taurusRM61/37-+++
20Bos taurusLM65/38-++-
21Bos taurusLM62.5/36.5-++-
22Bos taurusLM60/36--+-
23Bos taurusRM--++-
24Bos taurusRM-/40-++-
25Bos taurusRM--++-
Table 1. List of the astragali discovered in the tell of Poduri-Dealul Ghindaru, Cucuteni A1 level (L=left; R=right; M=mature; IM=immature; GL=greatest length; Bd=breadth of the distal end).

The bones were calcined, probably in the fire that destroyed the dwelling. The shapes of some astragali had been altered by crushing. Fifteen of the cattle astragali and two of red deer have traces of polishing (blunting) on the anterior surface (Figure 4). There were also traces of red ochre, and a greenish coloration suggesting some pieces had been in contact with copper.

Figure 4
Figure 4. Anterior surface of three of the cattle astragals found in the Cucuteni A 1 level.
Click to enlarge.

Interpretation

Numerous astragali from different animals have been discovered in the deposits of Chalcolithic settlements in south-east Europe (Gilmour 1997; Dandoy 2006). Nevertheless, the group in question is rare for its concentration and its location within the footings of a dwelling. Astragali were widely used in divination and in games, where they were thrown as dice (e.g. Gilmour 1997; Koeper & Whitney-Desautels 1999). These associations may explain the traces of ochre, wear and polishing on some examples. It would be understandable if such objects found an ultimate destination in a ritual deposit designed to bring good fortune to a new dwelling, and that is our proposed interpretation for this group. On the other hand, a further eight bovine astragali, again polished on the anterior surface, were found in refuse deposits at the same site and an alternative interpretation is that the bones were used in the processing of animal hides (Cavaleriu & Bejenaru 2009).

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Romanian Research Program PN II Idei_2116/2008.

References

  • CAVALERIU, R. & L. BEJENARU 2009. Cercetari arheozoologice privind cultura Cucuteni, faza A. Iasi: Editura Universitatii Alexandru Ioan Cuza.
  • DANDOY, J.R. 2006. Astragali through time, in M. Maltby (ed.) Integrating zooarchaeology: 131-7. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
  • GILMOUR, G.H. 1997. The nature and function of astragalus bones from archaeological contexts in the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 16(2): 167-75.
  • KOEPER, H.C. & N.A. WHITNEY-DESAUTELS. 1999. Astragalus bones: artifacts or ecofacts. Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Quarterly 35(2/3): 69-80.
  • MANTU, C.M. 1998. Cultura Cucuteni. Evolutie, cronologie, legaturi. Piatra Neamt: Editura Constantin Matasa.
  • MONAH, D., G. DUMITROAIA, F. MONAH, C. PREUTEASA, R. MUNTEANU, D. NICOLA. 2003. Poduri-Dealul Ghindaru. O troie in Subcarpatii Moldovei. Piatra-Neamt: Editura Constantin Matasa.

Author

* Author for correspondence

  • Luminita Bejenaru*
    Alexandru Ioan Cuza Universiy of Iasi, Bd. Carol I, 11, 700506, Iasi, Romania (Email: lumib@uaic.ro)
  • Dan Monah
    Institute of Archaeology, Lascar Catargi, 18, 700107, Iasi, Romania (Email: danmonah@yahoo.fr)
  • George Bodi
    Institute of Archaeology, Lascar Catargi, 18, 700107, Iasi, Romania (Email: georgebodi@yahoo.com)