The Provisioning of Roman towns
Analysis of substantial faunal assemblages from several Romano-British towns has been carried out over recent years. Research on Cirencester, Winchester and Caerwent, in particular, has produced detailed insights into the provisioning of meat and other animal products in these towns. As part of this work, quantitative analysis of butchery marks has shown that most of the cattle slaughtered in these towns were processed by specialist butchers, who employed new technology and methods to butcher the animals. Their activities have left distinctive marks on the bones, which can be compared with other types of Roman site, to establish where these specialist butchers were operating.
Publications
Maltby, M. (2006) Salt and animal products: linking production and use in Iron Age Britain. In M. Maltby (ed.) Integrating Zooarchaeology. Oxford: Oxbow: 119-24.
Maltby, M. (2007) Chop and change; specialist cattle carcass processing in Roman Britain. In B. Croxford, N. Ray, R. Roth and N. White (eds.)TRAC 2006: Proceedings of the 16th Annual Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference Oxford: Oxbow 59-76.
