FAUNAL STUDIES AT TATARLI HÖYÜK

Tatarlı Höyük is located 35 km. east of Ceyhan district of Adana and placed at the entrance of the Tatarlı district. The site is also located on junction of important routes that have been used since the earliest times in history as well as today. In this study, a total numbers of 1052 animal bones were recovered from 2012 excavation campaign and 998 bone remains were identified in taxonomic level. The animal bone remains were found from different periods; Hellenistic Period, Iron Age, Late and Middle Bronze Ages. The remains of domestic animals dominate all faunal samples. There are small number of wild animals are also recovered. When we look at the mammalian fauna, the large number of sheep / goat bones have been found, followed by cattle and pigs. Furthermore, equids, carnivores, deer and a small number of birds, fish and beaver are also represented in the Tatarlı faunal assemblages. Lastly, striped hyaena bones were also represented by upper and lower jaw remains in the fauna. When we look at the animal bones from 2012, it is understood that main animal economy concentrated on sheep, goat, cattle and pig, and they were also the most important animals in the local food economy. Cut marks on horse’s bones were observed this might be indicated that horse rarely consuming as food. In addition, fox and dog remains were recovered from Hellenistic Period pit number 11, cut marks were also observed on these bones. The function of pit number 11 is defined as for ritual activities, and associated with the cult of Zeus Olybris, known with Eastern Çukurova Region.