New Publication

Nadja Pöllath, Nora Battermann, Stephanie Emra, Veronika Goebel, Ptolemaios Dimitrios Paxinos, Martina Schwarzenberger, Simon Trixl und Michaela Zimmermann (Eds.) Animals and Humans through Time and Space: Investigating Diverse Relationships. Essays in Honour of Joris Peters. Documenta Archaeobiologiae 16

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Palaeoanatomy in Munich

The SPM researches human-animal-environment relationships in prehistoric and early historic times. The questions are both archaeological and biological, focusing on the domestication and cultural history of domestic animals, the transition from an appropriative way of life to agriculture and animal husbandry, the Romanization of Raetia, and the migration of humans and animals across the Alps.

Research

The range of methods includes morphological and osteometric examinations as well as analyses of light stable isotopes and ancient DNA. In addition, the Bavarian State Collection for Palaeoanatomy is significantly involved in the standardized recording of archaeozoological primary data in the OssoBook database. For the determination of animal remains, the SPM has a comprehensive comparative collection of recent vertebrate skeletons, which is currently being digitized.

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Aşıklı Höyük

The Early Neolithic site of Aşıklı Höyük is the largest and best-studied settlement in Central Anatolia and was permanently inhabited from c. 8350 BC to c. 7300 BC. Aşıklı Höyük provides valuable insights into architecture, culture, human and animal nutrition, vegetation, and the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Neolithic period. While hunting was still important for the meat supply of the inhabitants at the beginning of the settlement, livestock farming gained importance later on, with sheep being the most important livestock species.

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Accessing the Collections
Documenta Archaeobiologiae
OssoBook

Bavarian State Collection for Palaeoanatomy

The Bavarian State Collection for Palaeoanatomy is an institution of the Bavarian Natural History Collections (SNSB). The scientists there research the human-animal-environment relationships in prehistoric and early historic times. The questions are oriented both archaeologically-culturally-historically and biologically-animal-medically, they focus on the domestication and cultural history of domestic animals, the transition from an appropriating way of life to agriculture and animal husbandry, the Romanization of Raetia as well as the migration of humans and animals across the Alps.

Research Insights

From passerine birds to cranes – Neolithic bird hunting in Upper Mesopotamia

Research in the spotlight

Birds were an important source of food for hunter-gatherer communities in Upper Mesopotamia at the beginning of the Neolithic period, around 9,000 years BCE. This is shown in a new study by SNSB and LMU archaeozoologists Dr. Nadja Pöllath and Prof. Dr. Joris Peters.

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Romans brought mules with them

Research in the spotlight

Genetic analyses by an international team involving researchers from the Bavarian State Collection for Paleoanatomy an the LMU Munich show that the Romans were the first to bring mules to Central Europe. Before horses were the only riding animals used by people there.

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Major new international research reveals new evidence about when, where, and how chickens were domesticated

Research in the spotlight

New research transforms our understanding of the circumstances and timing of the domestication of chickens, their spread across Asia into the west, and reveals the changing way in which they were perceived in societies over the past 3,500 years. Experts have found that an association with rice farming likely started a process that has led to chickens becoming one of the world’s most numerous animals.

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more research