An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c20.s1.t3.45

v1.c20.s1.t3.45

(b) Bagor: The faunal remains from BAGOR have been studied by Thomas, 1975. All the three cultural phases of the site have yielded faunal remains though the maximum number of skeletal remains was collected from Phase I. In fact 78·29% of the identifiable bones came from Phase I, 19.06% from Phase II and 2.65% from Phase III. The domestic species include: *Ovis orientalis vignei* Blyth race *domesticus* (sheep); *Capra hircus aegagrus* (goat); *Bos indicus* (cattle); and *Sus scrofa cristatus* (pig). The wild species comprise: *Bubalus bubalis* (buffalo); *Cervus unicolor* (*sambar*); *Axis axis* (*chital*); *Antilope cervicapra* (black-buck); *Gazella gazella* (*chinkara*); *Lepus* cf. *nigricollis* (hare); *Vulpes* cf. *bengalensis* (bengal fox); *Herpestes edwardsi* (Indian grey mongoose); *Hystrix indica* (porcupine); and *Rattus* sp. (rat). In addition, bones of the tortoise, fish and frog have also been collected but they cannot be precisely identified. They were definitely part of the food economy of the people. Bones of rats are found equally distributed in all the phases. These remains may not be contemporary with the prehistoric cultures but later intrusives. The remains of the sheepgoat predominate in all the three Phases. In fact the majority of these bones may belong to the sheep because of the larger lateral and medial trochleas of the distal articular surface of the metapodia. Measurements also reveal that the bones of the sheep/goat were larger than those of the present-day sheep/goat. The unworn teeth, the unfused epiphyses of long bones as well as the erupting stage of third molars suggest that large populations of sheep/goat were killed between the ages of two and three years. These animals were profusely slaughtered in Phase I after which there was a gradual decline in their proportion. The cattle from Bagor appears to be of medium size, being largely represented by long bones, metapodials and teeth. The evidence suggests that it was slaughtered preferably at a young age. Small herds of pigs were kept by the inhabitants. Some of their teeth show resemblance to those of wild boar. It is possible that wild pigs lived in the surrounding areas and the inhabitants of Bagor hunted them very frequently. Some bones and teeth are charred. The buffalo is found only in Phase I, being represented by long bones, carpals, tarsals and fragments of horn cores. It is possible that this animal too was hunted for food. The *sambar* and *chital* are represented by teeth and by their appendicular skeleton. The skeletal remains belong to animals of different age groups. These animals are confined to Phase I. The charred horn core of a black-buck collected from Phase I was probably used as a tool. On the whole about 70% of the total number of bones are charred, e.g. those of cattle, sheep/goat, pig, *sambar*, *chital*, black-buck, porcupine, hare, fox. In most of the long bones, e.g. those of cattle, sheep/goat, cutting or chipping marks are found. All this suggests the slaughter of these animals for food.