Iron Age animal husbandry at Tell es-Sâfi/Gath: Notes on the fauna from Area D

Faunal remains comprise a significant portion of finds recovered from most archaeological sites in Israel. Among other issues relating to factors such as animal evolution and ecology, their examination can elucidate past human diet, symbolic and cultural behavior, technology relating to animals and animal products, as well as the site's environment and even paleoclimate of a region (e.g., Reitz and Wing 2008; Russell 2011). These issues were considered when we examined the faunal assemblage recovered from the late Iron Age I (tenth century b.c.e.) through Iron Age IIA-B (post-830 b.c.e.) deposits excavated in Area D at Tell es-Sâfi/Gath.