Faunal Remains from the Byzantine Street (Area S2), Jerusalem

The faunal assemblage from the Byzantine Street (Area S2) in the City of David derives from domestic refuse accumulated on a street surface and from redeposited construction fill associated with episodes of street repair during the late Byzantine–Early Islamic periods. The assemblage presents minimal environmental-related damage, however, it is highly fragmented, indicating rapid burial followed by post-depositional disturbance. Taxonomic composition is dominated by sheep and goats, with lower frequencies of pigs and cattle, alongside chicken, fish and molluscs, reflecting patterns of everyday urban consumption. Caprine age-at-death profiles are skewed toward adults, suggesting herd management strategies that emphasized secondary products and herd maintenance rather than meat-focused provisioning from the rural hinterland. This pattern contrasts with Roman-period assemblages from Jerusalem, where caprine mortality profiles are frequently dominated by younger individuals and reflect consumer-oriented supply systems. Pig remains are few and derive mainly from juvenile individuals, consistent with their role as a purely meat-oriented resource. Their low frequency is best interpreted as reflecting incremental changes in urban provisioning systems rather than an abrupt dietary shift. Overall, the assemblage provides insight into household-scale animal use and changing economic strategies in Jerusalem during the transition from the Byzantine to the Early Islamic periods.