Human-Animal-Environmental Interactions at Late Medieval Religious Foundations in Ulster

该项目的目的是应用一种结合动物考古学和多种同位素分析技术的多代理方法，以提供对人类-动物-环境相互作用的更细致的理解，这种相互作用使中世纪晚期阿尔斯特的主要宗教建筑得以运作。中世纪爱尔兰的教堂在世纪经历了一段重组时期，1142年，随着全岛教区结构的引入和新的宗教改革，如卢斯郡梅利丰修道院的熙笃会。这一改革进程在世纪的最后几十年里得到了扩大，1169年后，盎格鲁-诺曼冒险家来到爱尔兰的东部和南部，一系列新的修会建立起来，以修道院为基础的建筑群成为岛上修道院的主要形式。该项目将包括中世纪晚期爱尔兰的五个主要修道院，选定的地点将包括圣玛丽、德文尼什岛、弗马纳公司（奥古斯丁）;大教堂山、唐帕特里克、唐公司（本笃会）;纽里修道院、唐公司（西多会）;主教门修道院、科勒雷恩、德里公司（多米尼加）和马塞林修道院、安特里姆公司（方济各会）。这些遗址的大量动物考古学组合在社区部历史环境司内策划，但许多从未被分析过，或者在20世纪50年代技术刚刚发展时进行了研究。由于这个原因，人类-动物-环境相互作用的理解在考古学叙述中经常被遗忘，但对于确保这些社区的生存和可持续性至关重要。这些场所的当地环境提供了生存所需的资源，但也直接关系到人口及其动物所面临的主要压力源。动物考古学分析将使每个基地利用的动物概况能够根据与相关环境直接相关的主要家养畜群的组成来确定。性别和年龄比例的分析将确定如何使用动物，以及畜牧业实践的重点是否是肉类，牛奶和/或其他次级产品。动物古病理学的研究将提供进一步的信息，人类与动物的相互作用和潜在的环境压力。对动物群中锶、氧、硫、碳和氮同位素的研究，除了评估不同基地使用的畜牧方法外，还将能够调查牲畜的流动性。该项目将丰富考古学的叙述，使人们对这些引人注目的考古遗址的人类-动物-环境相互作用的理解脱颖而出。它还将为当前关于畜牧业对环境和气候的影响以及可持续农业做法的辩论提供投入。

OVERVIEWThe aim of the project is to apply a multi-proxy approach that combines zooarchaeological and multi-isotope analytical techniques, to provide a more nuanced understanding of the human-animal-environment interactions that enabled key religious houses to function in Late Medieval Ulster.The Church in Medieval Ireland underwent a period of reorganisation in the 12th century, with the introduction of a diocesan structure across the island and new reformed religious orders such as the Cistercians at Mellifont Abbey, Co. Louth, in 1142. This reform process received amplification in the last decades of the century with the arrival of Anglo-Norman adventurers in the east and south of Ireland in the years after 1169 and a range of new orders became established with cloister-based complexes becoming the primary form of monasticism across the island. Five of the main monastic orders present in Late Medieval Ireland will be included in the project and selected sites will include St. Mary's, Devenish Island, Co. Fermanagh (Augustinian); Cathedral Hill, Downpatrick, Co. Down (Benedictine); Newry Abbey, Co. Down (Cistercian); Bishopsgate Priory, Coleraine, Co. L'Derry (Dominican) and Massereene Friary, Co. Antrim (Franciscan). Substantial zooarchaeological assemblages from these sites are curated within the Historic Environment Division, Department of Communities, but many have either never been analysed or were studied during the 1950s when techniques were only developing. Understanding of human-animal-environment interactions is often forgotten in archaeological narratives for this reason but yet would have been crucial for ensuring the survival and sustainability of these communities. The local environment of each of these establishments would have provided the resources necessary for survival but is also directly connected to the main stressors faced by a population and by extension their animals. Zooarchaeological analysis will enable the profile of animals exploited at each foundation to be determined in relation to composition of the main domestic herds which will have been directly related to the associated environment. Analysis of sex and age ratios will ascertain how the animals were being utilised and whether the focus of livestock farming practices was for meat, milk and/or additional secondary products. Investigation of animal palaeopathology will provide further information on human-animal interactions and potential environmental stressors. The study of Strontium, Oxygen, Sulphur, Carbon and Nitrogen isotopes from the faunal assemblages will enable an investigation of livestock mobility in addition to assessment of the husbandry methods used at the different foundations. The project will enrich archaeological narratives by bringing understanding of human-animal-environment interactions at these high-profile archaeological sites to the fore. It will also feed into current debates concerning the impact of livestock husbandry on the environment and climate in addition to sustainable farming practices.