Animal use in Han dynasty cities: Zooarchaeological evidence from Yishengci, Nanyang (China)

Abstract

Using zooarchaeological methods, this article examines and discusses the faunal remains recovered from a Han dynasty non-elite residential site in Yishengci, situated in the southeastern corner of the ancient city of Wan (Nanyang, Henan Province). Despite its limited size, the assemblage provides valuable insights into the local economy, which the relative taxonomy suggests was predominantly agricultural, with pigs, cattle, and dogs being the most prevalent species. Pigs played a crucial role as meat producers, with cattle and dogs also contributing to a lesser extent. The evidence points to the exploitation of animals for traction in addition to the manufacture of animal-derived products including the use of horns and antlers for tool-making. Patterns in faunal mortality and biometry suggest that animals served as a meat source for the urban population and supported intensive small-scale agriculture in the surrounding area. Population size, land management and high-yield farming production were important factors that shaped, and were shaped by animal use at Yishengci. This research contributes to a better understanding of the subsistence strategies that supported the increasing urbanization during the early empire, supplementing what is predominantly known from historical texts and iconography.