Bone from the 2001 field season have not been analyzed because it was impossible to bring it from Syria to the United States. Dr. Michelle Loyet was able to analyze the animal bone from the 1996 field season. This is a short summary from her report prepared and presented to the Syrian Department of Antiquities during 2000.

There is a higher proportion of taxa from the river in Area 8 compared to Area 2.



A larger portion (7.4%) of the Area 8 bone assemblage is represented by wild fauna than is found in the Area 2 assemblage (5.47%). The mortality profiles (age at which domesticated animals were slaughtered) for Area 8 is very similar to the rates from the city's market (Area 6) and elite residential area (Area 2). This suggests that there was only one meat market for the community and that the elite and non-elite ate animals of the same approximatel age.

Statistical evaluation indicates that Area 8 and Area 2 (more elite) have similar distribution of sheep/goat body parts. While frequencies of skeletal parts from the two areas are statistically different (rho = -.3551, P = 0.0964), it is not possible to determine based on visual examination what the differences are. As is the case with mortality profiles, it must be determined that at Tuneinir, body part representation in the assemblage is not a reliable rtest of socio-economic status.

Number of Identified Specimens from Area 8

Ovis aries (sheep) = 4
Capra hircus (goat) = 1
Ovis/Capra (undifferentiated sheep/goat) = 552
Bos taurus (cattle) = 52
Equus caballus (wild horse) = 1
Equus asinus (ass) = 12
Equus spp. = 1
Sus scrofa domesticus (pig) = 5
Gazella sp. = 21
Camelus dromedarius (camel) = 13
Aves = 20
Fish = 5 Pelycypod = 29
Canis (dog) = 29

*note the presence of the pig bones (Sus scrofa domesticus) in Area 8 indicates that it was a Christian neighborhood. That confirms the identification based upon the iron cross.

Photographic Credits: Professor David Hanlon, SLCC-MC Last updated 28 February 2005.