Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland
The ways that pigs interact with humans are more flexible than other livestock. This plasticity means that pig behaviour can evidence a tremendous range of cultural phenomena, some of which may not otherwise show up in the archaeological record. We explore how people and pigs interacted in Ireland o...
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The Royal Society
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241300 |
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| author | Eric Guiry Fiona Beglane Finbar McCormick Eric Tourigny Michael P. Richards |
| author_facet | Eric Guiry Fiona Beglane Finbar McCormick Eric Tourigny Michael P. Richards |
| author_sort | Eric Guiry |
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| description | The ways that pigs interact with humans are more flexible than other livestock. This plasticity means that pig behaviour can evidence a tremendous range of cultural phenomena, some of which may not otherwise show up in the archaeological record. We explore how people and pigs interacted in Ireland over 6000 years (4000 BC–AD 1900) from the perspective of isotopic zooarchaeology, using a large sample of pigs from 40 sites. Results demonstrate continuity and dramatic change. While pig diets show an emphasis on pannage throughout much of the period, husbandry was fundamentally reconstructed in the early medieval period. Through prehistory, pigs were herded in areas distant from human settlements, whereas later they were relocated to live near people. We explore potential implications of these patterns at a range of scales, from economics, to perspectives on zoonoses, and animal agency. While syntheses of a similar scope are needed for other areas of Europe, these findings may reflect a uniquely Irish trajectory of human–animal relationships. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a581c050d07546ac9103ee740cd9ecdb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
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| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-a581c050d07546ac9103ee740cd9ecdb2025-02-05T00:05:15ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-02-0112210.1098/rsos.241300Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in IrelandEric Guiry0Fiona Beglane1Finbar McCormick2Eric Tourigny3Michael P. Richards4Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9L 0G2Centre for Environmental Research Innovation and Sustainability, School of Science, Atlantic Technological University, Ash Lane, Sligo F91 YW50, IrelandSchool of Natural and Built Environment, University Road, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UKSchool of History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UKDepartment of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Education Building 9635, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6The ways that pigs interact with humans are more flexible than other livestock. This plasticity means that pig behaviour can evidence a tremendous range of cultural phenomena, some of which may not otherwise show up in the archaeological record. We explore how people and pigs interacted in Ireland over 6000 years (4000 BC–AD 1900) from the perspective of isotopic zooarchaeology, using a large sample of pigs from 40 sites. Results demonstrate continuity and dramatic change. While pig diets show an emphasis on pannage throughout much of the period, husbandry was fundamentally reconstructed in the early medieval period. Through prehistory, pigs were herded in areas distant from human settlements, whereas later they were relocated to live near people. We explore potential implications of these patterns at a range of scales, from economics, to perspectives on zoonoses, and animal agency. While syntheses of a similar scope are needed for other areas of Europe, these findings may reflect a uniquely Irish trajectory of human–animal relationships.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241300archaeologyhistorical ecologystable isotopesanimal proximitywoodlandpannage |
| spellingShingle | Eric Guiry Fiona Beglane Finbar McCormick Eric Tourigny Michael P. Richards Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland Royal Society Open Science archaeology historical ecology stable isotopes animal proximity woodland pannage |
| title | Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland |
| title_full | Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland |
| title_fullStr | Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland |
| title_short | Pigs, people, and proximity: a 6000-year isotopic record of pig management in Ireland |
| title_sort | pigs people and proximity a 6000 year isotopic record of pig management in ireland |
| topic | archaeology historical ecology stable isotopes animal proximity woodland pannage |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241300 |
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