Meat production, hunting strategies, and settlement organization of the Late Neolithic site of Chavdarova cheshma, southeast Bulgaria

Abstract

This paper discusses the zooarchaeological results from the excavation project at the Late Neolithic site of Chavdarova cheshma located on a flat terrace along the ancient bed of the Maritsa River, southeast Bulgaria (Simeonovgrad, municipality of Haskovo). The site yielded a remarkably rich assemblage of faunal remains deriving from domestic refuse, with animal bones found in close association with numerous ovens situated on the slopes of an ancient gully. These concentrations indicate that butchering, processing, and cooking activities were conducted predominantly outside of the houses.

Cattle are the dominant domestic species, underscoring their key role in the subsistence economy, while sheep and goats form a substantial secondary component. Domestic pigs are present in smaller numbers, and dog remains are rare, reflecting the presence of small domestic dogs of little economic importance. Kill-off pattern analysis indicates that livestock were primarily slaughtered at ages optimal for meat yield, suggesting that animal husbandry at the site was geared mainly toward meat production rather than secondary products such as milk or wool.

Among wild taxa, the extraordinarily high proportion of fallow deer (Dama dama) is particularly significant, surpassing the typically dominant red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Neolithic assemblages from Bulgaria. This pattern points to targeted hunting strategies and favorable local habitats for fallow deer.

The spatial clustering of faunal remains around the spring, riverbank, and oven concentrations suggests a dedicated processing zone, possibly linked to mobility and exchange along the Maritsa River. Imported marine shells and Aegean-type painted pottery further support the interpretation of Chavdarova cheshma as a small riverine waypoint integrated into wider networks of movement and interaction during the Late Neolithic.