陕西凤翔雍山血池遗址2016~2018年祭祀坑出土三牲骨骼研究

Zooarchaeological Analysis of Sacrificial Animals in the Sacrificial Pits at the Xuechi Site(2016-2018 Season)in Yongcheng,Fengxiang,Shaanxi

本文对血池遗址祭祀坑出土的马牛羊三牲骨骼进行了鉴定,主要为马(256匹),其次为牛(31头),羊最少(8只)。马骨年龄偏小,全为马驹,分布于南北向的马坑和东西向的车马坑内。南北向的马坑马骨数量多,时代早于东西向的车马坑。牛在东西向牛坑内,全为牛犊。羊和牛为南北向的合葬坑,年龄主要在1~3.5岁之间,时代和南北向的马坑接近,均为战国时期。战国时期对祭牲的马有严格的年龄限制,均为马驹,但对牛羊祭牲没有严格的年龄限制,到西汉时期,除马继续为马驹外,牛变成了牛犊。

This paper presents the results of zooarchaeological analysis of three types of sacrificial animals(horses,cattle,and sheep/goat)from the excavation of the Xuechi site between 2016-2018.The results show that the horses(a total of 256)consisted of the majority in the assemblage,followed by cattle(31)and sheep/goat(8).All horses that were found from those north-south and east-west oriented horse pits were killed at young ages,and belonged to foal.Horse skeletons from the north-south oriented horse pits outnumbered and predated those in the east-west counterpart.Similarly,cattle from the east-west oriented cattle pits were all calf.Sheep and goat were found primarily in those north-south oriented pits and buried together with cattle.The culling age was between 1 and 3.5 years old.Those north-south oriented pits were contemporary with the north-south horse pits and dated to the Warring States period.Apparently,the sacrificial rituals in the Warring States period had a strict requirement in the slaughtering age of horses,but similar requirement was not imposed on the selection of cattle and sheep/goat sacrifices.During the Western Han period,foal was used continuously,and calf became the category of cattle selected as sacrificial offering.