FISHING IN THE BYZANTINE FORTRESS OF OLTINA: ARCHAEOZOOLOGICAL DATA

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1 Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii AL. I. CUZA Iaşi, s. Biologie animală, Tom LII, 2006 FISHING IN THE BYZANTINE FORTRESS OF OLTINA: ARCHAEOZOOLOGICAL DATA SIMINA STANC 1, VALENTIN RADU 2 and LUMINITA BEJENARU 1 1 Al. I. Cuza University, Faculty of Biology, Carol I Bd., 20A, , Iasi, siminams@yahoo.com; lumib@uaic.ro 2 Muzeul National de Istorie a Romaniei, Bucureşti, arheozoologie@main.mnir.ro Abstract. The aim of this research is to assess the importance of fishing in a Byzantine fortress located in southwestern Dobrodja on a bank of the Danube, near the lakeside of Oltina. The site was located in a rich environment with various fishing resources. A number of 11 taxa was identified: Acipenseridae (sturgeons), Esox lucius (pike), Abramis brama (bream), Aspius aspius (asp), Cyprinus carpio (common carp), Pelecus culturatus (ziege), Rutilus rutilus (roach), Tinca tinca (tench), Silurus glanis (wels), Perca fluviatilis (perch) and Stizostedion lucioperca (pikeperch). The highest percentage represented by the number of the remains is that of the Cyprinus carpio species, followed by Esox lucius and Silurus glanis. For some of identified species, the reconstitution of the capture dimensions was made by calculating the total length and weight. Keywords: fishing, Doubrodja, 10-11th centuries, estimation of the capture dimensions Rezumat: Pescuitul în cetatea bizantină de la Oltina: date arheozoologice. Scopul acestei lucrări este de a evidenţia importanţa pe care a avut-o pescuitul pentru locuitorii cetăţii bizantine de la Oltina. Această cetate se găseşte în partea de sud-vest a Dobrogei, în apropierea Lacului Oltina şi pe malul Dunării, localizare care oferă resurse de pescuit variate. Au fost identificaţi 11 taxoni: Acipenseridae (sturioni), Esox lucius (ştiucă), Abramis brama (plătică), Aspius aspius (avat), Cyprinus carpio (crap), Pelecus culturatus (sabiţa), Rutilus rutilus (roşioară), Tinca tinca (lin), Silurus glanis (somn), Perca fluviatilis (biban) şi Stizostedion lucioperca (şalău). În cadrul eşantionului, ponderea cea mai ridicată ca număr de resturi identificate o are specia Cyprinus carpio, urmată de Esox lucius şi Silurus glanis. Pentru unele dintre speciile identificate au fost reconstituite dimensiunile de captură prin estimarea lungimii totale şi a greutăţii. Cuvinte cheie: pescuit, Dobrogea, secolele 10-11, estimarea dimensiunilor capturilor Introduction The systematic archaeological research in the fortified settlement of Capul Dealului Oltina (Constanţa County) started in 2001, and continued for the next two years. The site is situated on a promontory between the Danube and Oltina Lake, at 4 km far away from Oltina village, in the south western part of Doubrodja (figure 1). In the two sections there were discovered remains of earth-huts and pits from the 10-11th centuries. The archaeological material is plentiful and varied: ceramics, Byzantine coins from the 11th century (folles), small bronze crosses, iron tools and weapons, iron and glass slagrests (Cronica, 2002). Methods We used two methods of quantification of the remains for every identified species: the number of the remains and the estimation of the minimal number of individuals. The number of the remains of the fish collected is rather small (580), because the direct mode of sampling it's not exactly the right one for this animal class. That's why there is a possibility of an undervaluation of the small species, as well as an undervaluation of the small size individuals of the large species. The sifting of the sediments would eliminate these shortcomings of the methodological problems

2 Simina Stanc et al. The reconstitution of the capture dimensions was made by calculating the total length and weight. The restoration equations of dimensions used here were taken from the specialized papers (Brinkhuizen, 1989; Radu 2003, Bălăşescu & Radu, 2004) and when it was not possible, a standard collection was used. Figure 1. Oltina settlement localisation. Results and Discussion In the 3rd archaeological campaign in the fortified settlement from Oltina Capul Dealului were recovered 2465 faunistic remains, in domestic waste pits, belonging to some systematic groups: Mollusca, Pisces (23.5%), Aves (5.2%) and Mammalia (70.4%) (Fig. 2). In addition to this, there are the fragments of human bones (10), pieces of animal bones transformed into tools and also a lot of remains of the Emys oricularis species. We observed that the majority of the remains belong to the domestic animals, followed by the remains of fish, that means an especial interest for fisheries and fish eating by the inhabitants of the settlement (Stanc & Bejenaru, 2005). fish 23,5% shellfish 0,9% birds 5,2% mammals 70,4% Figure 2. The distribution of faunistic remains, from the Oltina sample. The remains of the fishes are represented by the bones and scales from teleosteenes, as well as from the sturgeons. The percentage of the unidentified bones (ribs, bones of the fins, vertebral apophysis) is about 41%. After the determination of the bones remains a number of 11 taxa was identified: Acipenseridae (sturgeons), Esox lucius (pike), Abramis brama (bream), Aspius aspius (asp), Cyprinus carpio (common carp), Pelecus

3 Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii AL. I. CUZA Iaşi, s. Biologie animală, Tom LII, 2006 culturatus (ziege), Rutilus rutilus (roach), Tinca tinca (tench), Silurus glanis (wels), Perca fluviatilis (perch) and Stizostedion lucioperca (pikeperch). The highest percentage represented by the number of the remains is that of the Cyprinus carpio species, followed by Esox lucius and Silurus glanis (Table 1). For the sites situated near the Danube the percentage of the fish remains in a variety of studies on faunistic samples is high: Oltina 23.5%; Dumbraveni 27.6%; Harşova 36.6% (Bejenaru, 2003); we also meet here a great diversity of species in contrast with the settlements situated far from the Danube. Estimation of the dimensions of the capture for some species Cyprinus carpio. In the analyzed sample this species has the highest frequency (NR); taking in account the percentage this species has in every complex, we noticed that it is dominant, except two complexes where it is exceeded by the pike (Table 1). The total restored length (Tl) of the body ranges between 370 and 886 mm, and weight between kg. These values are characteristic for the individuals of medium and large size. The most frequent dimensions (for 74.1% of the individuals) range between mm (1-3.2 kg) (Fig. 3). number of individuals total lenght (mm) Figure 3. Cyprinus carpio. The distribution of individuals according to the size range. The other species of identified cyprinids have a low percentage and the dimensional restoration for Tinca tinca and Pelecus culturatus was not done. For the other three species, the restoration was done for a small number of individuals: Abramis brama. The restored sizes of the for identified individuals range between 400 and 470 mm total length or 790 and 1330 g weight (Fig. 4). Aspius aspius. For this species the dimensions were restored in the base of two ceratobranchials (Fig. 5) and a low jaw bone. The resulted values are 477 mm, 501 mm, 533 mm for the total length and 1075 g, 1256 and 1527 g for weight (Fig. 4). Rutilus rutilus. This species is represented only by two pieces, the only references for the size estimation. These are 310 mm and 363 mm total length, respectively 439 and 753 g weight (Fig. 4). Silurus glanis (Fig. 6). The sheat fish is the largest fresh water fish from Danube. This species ranks on the third place according to its percentage presence (Table 1). The restored dimensions for the 42 identified individuals range between and mm ( kg). The most common sizes are (62.8%) represented by the medium and small sizes of the mm span ( kg) of total length (Fig. 7)

4 Simina Stanc et al Aspius aspius weight (g) Rutilus rutilus Rutilus rutilus Abramis brama Abramis brama Abramis brama Abramis brama Aspius aspius Aspius aspius total lenght (mm) Figure 4. The restored dimensions for Rutilus rutilus, Aspius aspius and Abramis brama. Figure 5. Aspius aspius ossa pharyngea inferiora. Figure 6. Silurus glanis vertebrae. Stizostedion lucioperca. In this species the size was restored for 18 individuals. The restored total length varies from mm to 809 mm (weight between kg), the individuals are represented by reproductive adults. The most common sizes (72.2%) range between mm ( kg) of total length (Fig. 8). These are average values for this species. Esox lucius. According to the frequency of the remains identified within the whole sample, the pike is situated on the second place, after the carp, but the distribution of the remains on the archeological complexes places it before the carp for the complexes 5 and 6. The size was restored for 33 individuals. The most common sizes (63.6%) range between mm ( g) total length (Fig. 9). These are the average values for these species

5 Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii AL. I. CUZA Iaşi, s. Biologie animală, Tom LII, number of individuals total length (mm) Figure 7. Silurus glanis. The distribution of individuals according to the size ranging. number of individuals total length (mm) Figure 8. Stizostedion lucioperca. The distribution of individuals according to the size range. number of individuals total lenght (mm) Figure 9. Esox lucius. The distribution of individuals according to the size ranging

6 Simina Stanc et al. Table 1. The distribution of the remains on the species and archaeological complex. Section 1 Section 2 Species Stratum Complex 1 Complex 2 Complex 3 Complex 4 Complex 5 NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % Acip El Ab Aa Cc Rr Tt Pc Pf Sl Sg P.id P.unid Total Species Section 2 Complex 6 Complex 7 Complex 8 stratum Total NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP % MNI % NISP MNI Acip El Ab Aa Cc Rr Tt Pc 1 1 Pf Sl Sg P.id P.unid Total Acip - Acipenseridae, El - Esox lucius, Ab - Abramis brama, Aa - Aspius aspius, Cc - Cyprinus carpio, Rr - Rutilus rutilus, Tt - Tinca tinca, Pc - Pelecus culturatus, Pf - Perca fluviatilis, Sl - Stizostedion lucioperca, Sg - Silurus glanis, P.id. - Pisces identified, P.unid. - Pisces unidentified Conclusions The fish species identified are identical with those that are living now in the area. The majority is fresh water species, and in addition there are the anadromus species of sturgeons. The modalities of preparing the fish are proved only indirectly: traces of burning - Stizostedion lucioperca cleithrum, Esox lucius dentale, Cyprinus carpio praeoperculare, two caudal vertebrae of Silurus glanis. We identified concentrations of scales from the ciprinides şi percides near the fireplaces in the houses that indicates that a part of the fishes was descaled and probably prepared by boiling or frying in a variety of containers and not only directly in embers. Some of the bones have cuts traces: Stizostedion lucioperca cleithrum, ribs and bones of Cyprinus carpio, and others have traces of dog fangs: vertebrae of Stizostedion lucioperca, vertebrae of Silurus glanis

7 Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii AL. I. CUZA Iaşi, s. Biologie animală, Tom LII, 2006 The site from Oltina is situated in an area of interference of some biotopes: aquatic-type, forest-type and plain-type and now these are replaced by the agricultural lands. The piscicultural richness of the area was well exploited and the fishing activities were well organized; the proofs consist of large presence of taxonomic species as well as the capture dimensions of all sizes, the great part of them being of medium and large size. The site was located in a rich environment with various fishing resources. The exploitation of different fishing areas (flooded zones, lakes, Danube channel) requires the use of some specialized tools and the use of some well-determined methods. Weights for fishing nets were discovered as well as fishing hooks and a fragment of a harpoon made of bone and tools that confirm a group and an individual fishing activity. References Bălăşescu, A., Radu, V., Omul si animalele - Strategii şi resurse la comunităţile Hamangia şi Boian. Editura Cetatea de Scaun, Targovişte. Bejenaru, L., Arheozoologia spaţiului romanesc medieval. Editura Universităţii Al.I.Cuza, Iasi. Brinkhuizen, D.C., Ichthio-Archeologisch onderzoek: methoden en toepassing aan de hand van romeins vismaterial uit Velsen (Nederland). Ph.D. Thesis, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Nederland). Cronica cercetarilor arheologice din Romania. Campania A XXXVI-a sesiune naţională de rapoarte arheologice Buzias. Editat de Institutul de Memorie Culturala. Bucureşti, 2002 : 222. Radu, V.,2003. Exploitation de resources aquatiques dans les cultures neolithiques et chalcolithiques de la Roumanie Meridionale. These de Doctorat, Universite de Provence Aix-Marseille I, Aix en Provence (France). Stanc, S., Bejenaru, L., Exploatarea faunei de către locuitorii aşezării de la Oltina (Constanţa). Arheologia Moldovei. Editura Academiei Romane Iaşi, XXVIII :

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