MEAT CONSUMPTION AT THE USSON CASTLE (XIV TH-CENTURY, ARIETE, FRANCE)

A cistern was filled during the XVIIIth century with material dated fr om the XIVth. It contained numerous animal bones (N.R. 4680, weighing 10578 g., of which 2830, 9467 g. were determined). Cattle represent 5, 7% of number of determined rests, sheep and goat 50,5%, pig 23,7%, wil d boar 0,1%, red deer 0,18%, roe deer 0,1%, chamois 0,07%, brown hare 0,95%, brown bear 0,32%, edible or fat dormouse 0,07%, house mouse 0,0 7%, black rat 0,8%, schrew 0,035%, chicken 16,1%, peacock 0,035%, stoc k dove or rock dove 0,07%, capercaillie 0,035%, partridge 0,035%, red- legged partridge 0,07%, buzzard 0,035%, brook trout 0,25%, scioenidoe 0,1%. Meat was more than 95 % domestic. All skelettal elements are pre sent, most of them chopped to pieces, and some are burnt: the entire c arcasses were used, and pieces of meat were tinily cut, in order to pr epare boiled, stewed and grilled meat. Mutton was dried by smoke or sa lt. Withersheights were 63 cm (sheep) and 72-81 cm (pig), cattle was f airly small.