Animal Bone Papers by Anthony C King
The Economies of Romano-British Villas, 1988
This paper surveys the evidence from animal bone assemblages from villas in Roman Britain, with p... more This paper surveys the evidence from animal bone assemblages from villas in Roman Britain, with particular regard to those in the Thames Valley and the Cotswolds. Evidence for economic specialization is presented, and the position of hunting in villa economies discussed.
Roman Animals in Ritual and Funerary Contexts, ed. S Deschler-Erb, U. Albaraella, S V Lamas, G Rasbach, 2021
Burnt or cremated animal bone has been found at ritual
sites across the Greek and Roman world, bu... more Burnt or cremated animal bone has been found at ritual
sites across the Greek and Roman world, but has rarely
been reported in Romano-British contexts. We discuss
two examples of this practice from two sites in southeast
England, Ashwell (Hertfordshire) and Charlwood
(Surrey). While the process of cremation and deposition
of animal bone is similar on both sites, specific taxonomic
compositions vary, indicating that this was as
variable as other Roman ritual practices in Britain. Other
examples from across the south and east of Britain
indicate that burning animal offerings was a part of accepted
orthopraxy in certain ritual contexts.
BRITANNIA-LONDON-SOCIETY FOR THE …, Jan 1, 2005
This paper aims to set out the evidence for regional patterns in diet during the Roman period. It... more This paper aims to set out the evidence for regional patterns in diet during the Roman period. It uses a specific sector of archaeological data to explore the notions of Romanization, inter-regional influence and diachronic change. That sector is the mammal bones in faunal assemblages from excavations, an area of data gathering that has only developed significantly since the 1970s and is therefore relatively new in terms of yielding useful results. The paper was originally published in 1999, and has been updated for its bibliography.
This is a slightly revised version of a paper originally published in 1999, as 'Animals and the R... more This is a slightly revised version of a paper originally published in 1999, as 'Animals and the Roman army: the evidence of animal bones', in A. Goldsworthy & I. Haynes (ed.), The Roman Army as a Community (JRA Supplement 34), Portsmouth, RI, 139-49. It looks at meat supply to legionary and auxiliary sites in Britain, Germany and Gaul, and the issues of importation of stock, local supply, etc. It also considers the hunted species present on military sites.
This paper is a slightly revised version of an article originally published in 2001 as: King, A C... more This paper is a slightly revised version of an article originally published in 2001 as: King, A C 2001 The Romanization of diet in the western empire: comparative archaeozoological studies. In Keay, S., and Terrenato, N. (ed.), Italy and the West, Comparative issues in Romanization, Oxford: Oxbow Books, 210-223. ISBN 1-84217-042-2 . The paper compares animal bone evidence for domestic ox, sheep/goat and pig in Britain, Gaul, Germany, Spain and Italy. It concludes that regional patterns were strong, but there were also two dominant dietary patterns, a 'Roman' pork-rich diet, prevalent in Italy, and a 'military', mainly beef and pork diet. Of these two, the 'Roman' diet had little influence outside Italy itself, except on a small number of high-status villa sites, colonies, etc.; while the 'military' pattern had a wider influence, especially in the NW provinces.
This is a slightly revised version (updated bibliography) of an article published in 1984, in Bla... more This is a slightly revised version (updated bibliography) of an article published in 1984, in Blagg, T F C & King, A C (ed), Military and Civilian in Roman Britain, Oxford: BAR Brit Ser 136, 187-217. It presents an analysis of cattle, sheep/goat and pig bone percentages at military and civilian sites in the NW provinces of the Roman Empire. The notion of a military diet is explored, and the extent of dietary influence coming into Britain via the military. It is suggested that Germanic and Gallic provincial diet in the early Roman Empire had a strong effect on the development of diet in military areas and subsequently on the British civilian population. Italian meat diet was very different, and appears to have had relatively little effect on changing dietary preferences in the NW provinces.
Excavations at the Mola di Monte Gelato, 1997
This is an extract from the excavation report, Excavations at the Mola di Monte Gelato, by T W Po... more This is an extract from the excavation report, Excavations at the Mola di Monte Gelato, by T W Potter and A C King, British School at Rome Monograph 11, 1997, 383-407. Mammal, reptile and amphibian bones, by Anthony King; Bird bones, by Barbara West; Fish bones, by Caroline Cartwright.
This report is the original English version of a report published in Italian in Archeologia Medie... more This report is the original English version of a report published in Italian in Archeologia Medievale (vol. 14, 1987), as part of the excavation report on a late Roman pit forming part of the settlement of Lomello, just prior to its incorporation into the Lombard kingdom. The site is located immediately to the north of the cathedral of Lomello, which has an adjacent baptistery of the 5th-7th century.
Archeologia Medievale XIV, 1987
Excavation of a late antique context at ancient Capua (Santa Maria Capua Vetere), with an animal ... more Excavation of a late antique context at ancient Capua (Santa Maria Capua Vetere), with an animal bone report by Tony King, and pottery and coin reports.
This is an unpublished paper for the final excavation report. It reports on an assemblage of c. 1... more This is an unpublished paper for the final excavation report. It reports on an assemblage of c. 16,500 NISP and unidentified fragments. Cattle are in the great majority in the late/post-Roman phase, while sheep and goats are dominant in the subsequent early Islamic phases (8th-10th c.). The Islamic assemblage may be associated with the headquarters for the first Idrisid ruler Idris I.
Religion Papers by Anthony C King
J. Collis (ed.) Society and Settlement in Iron Age Europe, 2001
This chapter discusses the Iron Age phase of the "Celtic" and Romano-Celtic temple excavated on H... more This chapter discusses the Iron Age phase of the "Celtic" and Romano-Celtic temple excavated on Hayling Island 1976-81. A subdivision
of the Iron Age features into two periods is proposed, the first comprising a square open-air enclosure set within an outer enclosure, dating to the mid 1st century BC. The succeeding period, from the late 1st century BC to the conquest period, perhaps as late as c. AD 70. saw the probable abandonment of the inner enclosure in favour of a sub-circular building of round-house form that was set on the eastem margin of the enclosure around a pit that had apparently formed an important focus from the foundation of the shrine. The artefactual assemblage is
important for the coins and metalwork, and displays characteristics that set it apart from assemblages from settlement sites. The material was almost certainly deposited as a result of ritual activity in the temple enclosure. The zonation of the deposits within the enclosure was also noteworthy and probably significant in ritual terms, being predominantly
located in the south-eastern sector of the outer enclosure.
Continuity and Innovation in Religion in the Roman West, Vol. 2, ed. R. Haeussler & A. C. King, 2008
In this paper, the issue discussed is that coins from temples are different from many other sites... more In this paper, the issue discussed is that coins from temples are different from many other sites, but not so much numismatically as in terms of taphonomy. There are plenty of cases where coins at temples are demonstrably deliberate, and the words 'deposit' or 'deposition' are preferable to the word 'loss' when describing how the coins came into archaeological contexts at temple sites. A range of coin finds from various sites in Britain are examined in this paper, using principal components analysis and other numerical approaches.
Continuity and Innovation in Religion in the Roman West, Vol 1, ed. R. Haeussler & A. C. King, 2007
The purpose of this brief piece is to revisit some of the ideas in my paper entitled "The emergen... more The purpose of this brief piece is to revisit some of the ideas in my paper entitled "The emergence of Romano-Celtic religion" (1990) and to reconsider the evidence in light of more recent developments.
Continuity and Innovation in Religion in the Roman West, Vol 1, ed R. Haeussler & A. C. King, 2007
Under the Roman Empire, polytheist religions interact and integrate in a drastically changing env... more Under the Roman Empire, polytheist religions interact and integrate in a drastically changing environment resulting from military occupation and urbanisation and from the development of a range of social groups that were part of empire-wide hierarchical networks. In light of the extent of sociocultural change, particularly in the Julio-Claudian period, could pre-Roman Celtic and other Iron Age religions survive? How did Celtic religion in the western provinces adapt to suit Roman provincial societies? Can we recognise 'relics' of Celtic religion in the Roman period? What do we know of the evolution, origin and raison d'etre of local religions in the Roman West? Considering such questions helps to improve our methodological framework for interpreting the evidence.
Celtic Religions in the Roman Period: Personal, Local, and Global, 2017
This multi-authored book brings together new work, from a wide range of disciplinary vantages, on... more This multi-authored book brings together new work, from a wide range of disciplinary vantages, on pre-Christian religion in the Celtic-speaking provinces of the Roman Empire. The chapters are the work of international experts in the fields of classics, ancient history, archaeology, and Celtic studies. It is fully illustrated with b&w and colour maps, site plans, photographs and drawings of ancient inscriptions and images of Romano-Celtic gods. The collection is based on the thirteenth workshop of the F.E.R.C.AN. project (fontes epigraphici religionum Celticarum antiquarum), which was held in 2014 in Lampeter, Wales. This paper is the general introduction to the volume, in a Welsh and English parallel text.
Celtic Religions in the Roman Period. Personal, Local, and Global, 2017
This study of complete altars from Roman Britain shows that just 18% come from good provenances, ... more This study of complete altars from Roman Britain shows that just 18% come from good provenances, and only 5% from temple sites, mainly military shrines in the vici of northern Britain. The presence of altars in Romano-Celtic temples in Britain is very limited indeed. Another 5% come from wells or pits, including Coventina’s Well, Carrawburgh, and represent the structured deposition of altars in carefully selected ritual locations. A small number are found in situ in what are usually regarded as secondary positions, such as barrack rooms or houses. Some of these are small, 40 cm or less in height, and may have been transported to these locations quite easily. When the heights of altars are analysed further, certain deities such as Belatucadrus or Vitiris are strongly represented in a small size range of 21–30 cm, and it leads to the inference that the so-called secondary positions may in fact have been primary locations for veneration of these deities, and that portable altars were the norm..
Bulletin of The Association for Roman Archaeology, Jan 1, 1999
A small Square Romano-Celtic temple at Funtington, West Sussex, GB, is discussed. It was found by... more A small Square Romano-Celtic temple at Funtington, West Sussex, GB, is discussed. It was found by aerial photography, but has not been excavated. Its location near Fishbourne Roman palace, on the Sussex coastal plain, gives it a significance in the sacred landscape of southern Britain.
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Animal Bone Papers by Anthony C King
sites across the Greek and Roman world, but has rarely
been reported in Romano-British contexts. We discuss
two examples of this practice from two sites in southeast
England, Ashwell (Hertfordshire) and Charlwood
(Surrey). While the process of cremation and deposition
of animal bone is similar on both sites, specific taxonomic
compositions vary, indicating that this was as
variable as other Roman ritual practices in Britain. Other
examples from across the south and east of Britain
indicate that burning animal offerings was a part of accepted
orthopraxy in certain ritual contexts.
Religion Papers by Anthony C King
of the Iron Age features into two periods is proposed, the first comprising a square open-air enclosure set within an outer enclosure, dating to the mid 1st century BC. The succeeding period, from the late 1st century BC to the conquest period, perhaps as late as c. AD 70. saw the probable abandonment of the inner enclosure in favour of a sub-circular building of round-house form that was set on the eastem margin of the enclosure around a pit that had apparently formed an important focus from the foundation of the shrine. The artefactual assemblage is
important for the coins and metalwork, and displays characteristics that set it apart from assemblages from settlement sites. The material was almost certainly deposited as a result of ritual activity in the temple enclosure. The zonation of the deposits within the enclosure was also noteworthy and probably significant in ritual terms, being predominantly
located in the south-eastern sector of the outer enclosure.
sites across the Greek and Roman world, but has rarely
been reported in Romano-British contexts. We discuss
two examples of this practice from two sites in southeast
England, Ashwell (Hertfordshire) and Charlwood
(Surrey). While the process of cremation and deposition
of animal bone is similar on both sites, specific taxonomic
compositions vary, indicating that this was as
variable as other Roman ritual practices in Britain. Other
examples from across the south and east of Britain
indicate that burning animal offerings was a part of accepted
orthopraxy in certain ritual contexts.
of the Iron Age features into two periods is proposed, the first comprising a square open-air enclosure set within an outer enclosure, dating to the mid 1st century BC. The succeeding period, from the late 1st century BC to the conquest period, perhaps as late as c. AD 70. saw the probable abandonment of the inner enclosure in favour of a sub-circular building of round-house form that was set on the eastem margin of the enclosure around a pit that had apparently formed an important focus from the foundation of the shrine. The artefactual assemblage is
important for the coins and metalwork, and displays characteristics that set it apart from assemblages from settlement sites. The material was almost certainly deposited as a result of ritual activity in the temple enclosure. The zonation of the deposits within the enclosure was also noteworthy and probably significant in ritual terms, being predominantly
located in the south-eastern sector of the outer enclosure.
The interest of these two sites lies primarily in their position on the western margins of the villa zone of Roman Britain. However, they are very different in size and, by inference, status. Dinnington is of considerable size, and is one of the well-known group of villas clustered around Ilchester. By contrast, Yarford is relatively modest, and situated very much on its own with no close neighbours of villa type. Both sites also have significant post-Roman phases, in the case of Dinnington, demonstrably running into the late fifth or early sixth century. The implications of the occupation of these sites at such a late date are also explored.
Pdf includes Introduction, Table of Content, and Short CVs of authors.
Here the abstract of the book (for more info, see link to Oxbow Books website).
The Roman world was diverse and complex. And so were religious understandings and practices as mirrored in the enormous variety presented by archaeological, iconographic and epigraphic evidence. Conventional approaches principally focus on the political role of civic cults as a means of social cohesion, often considered to be instrumentalised by elites. But by doing so, religious diversity is frequently overlooked, marginalising 'deviating' cult activities that do not fit the Classical canon, as well as the multitude of funerary practices and other religious activities that were all part of everyday life. In the Roman Empire, a person's religious experiences were shaped by many and sometimes seemingly incompatible cult practices, whereby the 'civic' and 'imperial' cults might have had the least impact of all. Our goal therefore is to rethink our methodologies, aiming for a more dynamic image of religion that takes into account the varied and often contradictory choices and actions of individual, which refl ects the discrepant religious experiences in the Roman world. Is it possible to 'poke into the mind' of an individual in Roman times, whatever his/her status and ethnicity, and try to understand the individual's diverse experiences in such a complex, interconnected empire, exploring the choices that were open to an individual? is also raises the question whether the concept of individuality is valid for Roman times. In some periods, the impact of individual actions can be more momentous: the very fi rst adoption of Roman-style sculpture, cult practices or Latin theonyms for indigenous deities can set in motion long-term processes that will signifi cantly infl uence people's perceptions of local deities, their characteristics and functions. Do individual choices and preferences prevail over collective identities in the Roman Empire compared to pre-Roman times? To examine these questions, this volume presents case studies that analyse individual actions in the religious sphere.
From generation to generation, people experience their landscapes differently. Humans depend on their natural environment: it shapes their behaviour and it is often felt that one has to appease one's deities that were responsible for natural benefits, but also for natural calamities, like droughts, famines, floods and landslides. In many societies, we presume that lakes, rivers, rocks, mountains, caves and groves were considered sacred. Individual sites and entire landscapes are often associated with divine actions, mythical heroes and etiological myths. Throughout human history, people also felt the need to monumentalise their sacred landscape. But this is where the similarities stop as different societies had very different understandings, believes and practises. The aim of this book is therefore to carefully scrutinise our evidence and rethink our methodologies in a multidisciplinary approach. More than thirty papers investigate diverse sacred landscapes from the Iberian peninsula and Britain in the west to China in the east. They discuss how to interpret the intricate web of ciphers and symbols in the landscape and how people might have experienced it. We see the role of performance, ritual, orality, textuality and memory in people's sacred landscapes. A diachronic view allows us to study how landscapes were 're-written', adapted and redefined in the course of time to suit new cultural, political and religious understandings, not to mention the impact of urbanism on people's understandings. How was the landscape manipulated, transformed and monumentalised, especially the colossal investments in monumental architecture we see in certain socio-historic contexts or the creation of an alternative humanmade, seemingly 'non-natural' landscape, with perfectly astronomically aligned buildings that defines a cosmological order? This volume therefore aims to analyse the complex links between landscape, 'religiosity' and society, developing a dialectic framework that explores sacred landscapes across the ancient world in a dynamic, holistic, contextual and historical perspective.
The collection is based on the thirteenth workshop of the F.E.R.C.AN. project (Fontes epigraphici religionum Celticarum antiquarum), which was held from the 17th to the 19th October 2014 in Lampeter, Wales.