Animals in Mortuary Practices of Bronze-Age Pastoral Societies: Caprine Use at the Site of Dunping in Northwestern China.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Animals in Mortuary Practices of Bronze-Age Pastoral Societies Archaeological evidence from Bronze-Age burial sites across northwestern China reveals that pastoral societies between the seventh and fourth centuries BC deliberately incorporated animal remains—particularly caprine skulls and hooves—into mortuary practices, yet the specific selection criteria and cultural significance of these choices have remained unclear. Researchers examined 70 burials at Dunping in southern Gansu, analysing caprine skeletal elements, species composition, evidence of butchering, post-depositional damage, and age-at-death data to reconstruct how these animals were selected, processed, and ritually deposited. The analysis identified distinct mortality profiles and selection patterns for sheep and goats compared with contemporaneous sites in neighbouring regions, suggesting that different pastoral communities assigned varying degrees of economic and social importance to caprines within their burial rituals. These findings indicate that caprine inclusion in mortuary contexts served dual purposes—functioning as both markers of subsistence practices and ritual significance—and that the specific patterns of skeletal element deposition (particularly skulls and hooves) reflected deliberate cultural choices rather than random inclusion of animal remains. Understanding these Bronze-Age mortuary practices provides context for how pastoral societies organised their ceremonial life and valued livestock, information relevant to understanding the development of pastoral economies in East Asia and the cultural exchanges between nomadic and sedentary populations during this transformative period.

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Key Findings

• •Analysis of caprine remains from 70 burials at Dunping (7th-4th centuries BC) revealed deliberate selection and ritual treatment of sheep and goat skeletal elements in mortuary contexts
• •Skulls and hooves were the predominant animal parts interred, indicating specific mortuary ritual preferences among pastoral societies
• •Mortality profiles and skeletal element representation differed between Dunping and contemporaneous burial sites, suggesting varying economic and social significance attributed to caprines across pastoral communities
• •Evidence of human-induced modifications on caprine bones indicates intentional slaughtering and processing practices integrated into burial ceremonies

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