The Faunal Remains from the Cistercian Nunnery of St Theodore in Nicosia, Cyprus

The study of the faunal assemblage from St Theodore Abbey provides an opportunity to explore human–animal interactions in the context of a Cistercian nunnery in Cyprus functioning from ca. 1230 to ca. 1550. Within the limitations of a modest sample size, the analyses provide valuable insights into animal-related economic activities, diet, and status at the nunnery. The main components of the animal economy were pig and goat husbandry, while donkeys, horses, and possibly cattle were used in transportation and agricultural work. Besides pork and goat meat, the diet was complemented with chicken rearing and the secondary products of goat and sheep, as well as the occasional wild hare, fish, and birds. With the data at hand, it is difficult to elucidate the diet of different groups of people at the nunnery. Nevertheless, there are indications of high economic and social status in the form of tender meat (kids/lambs, piglets, young chicken, and possibly imported fish).