Living at the Edge of the Plain. Adaptability in Late Bronze Age Husbandry at Brinjeva gora (SE Slovenia)

Brinjeva gora above Zreče is a hilltop settlement with remains dating primarily to the Late Bronze Age and the Roman period. This article presents the results of an archaeozoological study of prehistoric animal remains (N = 5500; NISP = 1999), providing detailed insight into contemporary livestock farming practices. The most economically important species were cattle and sheep, with a clear emphasis on the exploitation of secondary products. The same applies to goats, whereas pig husbandry was primarily oriented towards meat production. Hunting played a negligible role in quantitative terms. The study suggests that the prehistoric community at Brinjeva gora sought to maximise the efficient use of the diverse range of habitats in the wider hinterland of the settlement. An important component of this system was the year-round grazing of part of the cattle herd near lowland agricultural settlements, while the remainder was integrated into a mountain grazing regime on the Pohorje Mountains. The concluding section of the article discusses the number, composition, and spatial distribution of horse and carnivore remains.