About an Elephant-Sized Animal that Could Seat Three Men between its Horns The Aurochs in Medieval Bohemia and Moravia: A Historical and Archaeozoological Analysis

作者：Kysely Rene^*; Meduna Petr

来源：Pamatky Archeologicke, 2009, 100: 241-260.

• Middle Ages
• aurochs (Bos primigenius)
• written sources
• zooarchaeology
• osteology

The aim of the study is to analyze historical and osteological data on an extinct, wild, even-toed ungulate-the aurochs (Bos primigenius); the related wisent (Bison bonasus) was also included in the study. While the work is focused on Bohemian early medieval finds and data, the subject is given a broad look in the context of existing knowledge from the whole of Europe. The study reveals ambiguity in the terminology and descriptions of wild oxen in medieval written sources and the history of this information in space and time (since antiquity). It also analyzes the appearance, distribution and life of the urus according to natural science methods and presents an inventory and critical evaluation of osteological finds in the Czech Republic. Unlike neighbouring countries, we do not have reliable written information on the occurrence of wild oxen from Bohemia and Moravia. On the other hand, bone fragments and even larger collections of urus bones have been found here at eleven archaeological sites. The wisent is recorded in isolated cases at only three locations. However, in comparison with other large wild ungulates (red deer), there were fewer numbers of aurochs in medieval times than in certain previous periods. Finds stem primarily from Early Middle Age fortified settlements and the latest archaeological (osteological) evidence from the Bohemian lands dates to the 11(th)-12(th) centuries, or the beginning of the 13(th) century.

• 出版日期2009