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Evaluating socioeconomic status using Sus scrofa food utility indices in historical faunal assemblages

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Abstract

A number of researchers have inferred socioeconomic status using zooarchaeological data in contexts suggested by artifacts to reflect a particular status level. Cuts of meat that are of relatively high yield (utility) should be more economically valuable than low-yield parts. A model of carcass-part utility assumes that people of high socioeconomic status will preferentially acquire greater relative frequencies of high-yield parts than people of low status. The model is applied to the Roman villa at San Giovanni di Ruoti, Italy, using a food utility index for pig (Sus scrofa). Results indicate that for the early phases of the villa, as predicted, there are relatively more high-yield parts, reflecting high status, while the last phase contains relatively more low-yield parts. This supports conclusions of the original excavators that during later phases, the site was operating as a commercial farm. This test of the model demonstrates that food utility indices in conjunction with other contextual data can be used to identify socioeconomic status and interpret deviations from expectations of skeletal part frequencies.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks are to Lee Lyman, who not only assisted with the butchering but also lent the use of his garage and took the time to provide comments on early drafts. In addition to his original work on the San Giovanni site, Mike MacKinnon offered feedback on an early version of this paper. Elizabeth Lo Presti and Sarah Swartz were invaluable aides during butchering. Thanks to Matt Boulanger for the use of his vehicle. This research was facilitated by a small grant from the University of Missouri, Department of Anthropology, Raymond Wood Opportunities for Excellence in Archaeology Fund. Finally, I would like to thank Charles Egeland and several anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on early drafts.

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  1. University of Missouri, 107 Swallow Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-1440, USA

    A. Kate Trusler

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Trusler, A.K. Evaluating socioeconomic status using Sus scrofa food utility indices in historical faunal assemblages. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 9, 831–841 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-015-0306-8

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