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Iron Gates Animals

Recommended reading on this topic is the excellent monograph by Beth Prinz, 'Mesolithic Adaptations on the Lower Danube', 1987.

Pre - Dam 20th Century fish fauna of the Iron Gates Gorge

From Berg, L. Freshwater fishes of the USSR and adjacent countries, 1962

Taxon	Common Name	Av. Wt./Lgth
Abramis ballerus	Blue bream	100 gm
Abramis brama	Bream	3 kg, rarely to 6 kg
Abramis sapa	White-eye bream	0.8 kg
Acipenser ruthenus	sterlet	to 6.5 kg, rarely to 16 kg
Alburnus alburnus	Bleak	length to 170 mm
Aspius aspius	Asp	2 - 4 kg, rarely to 12 kg
Barbus barbus	Barbel	to 4 kg, rarely to 10 kg. The roe are poisonous
Blicca bjoerkna	Silver bream	1.25 kg
Carassius aratus gibelio	Prussian carp	0.5 - 1.1 kg
Carassius carassius	Crucian carp	to 5 kg
Chalcalburnus Chalcoides mento	Danube shemaya	22 - 25 cm
Chondrostoma nasus	Nase	to 2.5 kg
Cymnocephalus schraetser	Striped ruff	to 240 mm
Cyprinus carpio	carp	to 16 kg
Esox lucius	Pike	16 - 24 kg, rarely to 65 kg
Lepomis gibbosus	Pumpkinseed	Introduced from North America, eats eggs and young of other fish
Leuciscus cephalus	Chub	to 4 kg, rarely to 8 kg
Leuciscus idus	Ide	0.8 - 2.4 kg, rarely to 8 kg
Pelecus cultratus	Chekhon	200 - 500 gm, rarely to 3.5 kg
Perca fluviatilis	Freshwater perch	0.8 - 1.2 kg, rarely to 4 kg
Rutilus rutilus	Roach	200 gm
Scardinius erythro-phthalmus	Rudd	100 - 400 gm, rarely to 2 kg
Siluris glanis	Catfish or Sheatfish	to 300 kg
Stizostedion lucioperca	Pike perch	8 - 12 kg, rarely to 18 kg
Tinca tinca	Tench	1.2 - 1.6 kg, rarely to 7.5 kg
Vimba vimba	Black Sea vimba	200 - 400 gm, rarely to 800 gm
Zingel zingel	Zingel	to 240 mm

Pre - Dam 20th Century amphibians of the Iron Gates Gorge

From The Iron Gates Complex Atlas

Taxon	Common Name
Bombina bombina	Fire-bellied toad
Bombina v. variegata	Orange-speckled toad
Bufo b. bufo	Common toad
Bufo v. viridis	Green toad
Hyla a. arborea	Green tree frog
Pelobates f. fuscus	Spadefoot toad
Pelobates syriacus balcanicus	Balkan toad
Rana dalmatina	Frog
Rana esculenta	Edible frog
Rana r. ridibunda	Marsh frog
Salamandra s. salamandra	Spotted salamander
Trituris c. cristatus	Crested newt
Trituris c. dobrogicus	Newt
Trituris v. vulgaris	Smooth newt

Pre - Dam 20th Century reptiles of the Iron Gates Gorge

From The Iron Gates Complex Atlas

Taxon	Common Name
Emys orbicularis	Pond tortoise
Testudo h. hermanni	Tortoise
Ablepharus Kitaibelii stepaneki	-
Lacerta a. agilis	Sand lizard
Lacerta m. muralis	Wall lizard
Lacerta practicola pontica	Lizard
Lacerta t. taurica	Bull lizard
Lacerta v. viridis	Green lizard
Lacerta vivipara	Common lizard
Anguisfragilis colchicus	Slow worm
Coronella a. austriaca	Smooth snake
Elaphe l. longissima	Aesculapian snake
Natrix n. natrix	Grass snake
Natrix tesselata	Tessellated snake
Vipera a. ammolytes	Viper
Vipera benus benus	Adder

Pre - Dam 20th Century smaller mammals of the Iron Gates Gorge

From The Iron Gate Complex Atlas, and Graf, J. 1968, 'Animal Life of Europe'

Taxon	Common Name
Apodemus agrarius	striped mouse
Apodemus flavicollis	yellow-necked mouse
Apodemus microps	mouse
Apodemus sylvaticus	long-tailed field mouse
Micromys minutus	harvest mouse
Mus musculus	house mouse
Rattus rattus	black rat
Crocidura leucodon	field shrew
Crocidura suareolens	shrew
Neomys anomalus	southern water shrew
Sorex araneus	common shrew
Cricetus cricetus	common hamster
Arvicola terrestris	water vole
Microtus arvalis	common vole
Sciurus vulgaris	red squirrel
Talpa europea	common mole

Mesolithic Fish fauna from Ostrovul Banului

From Boroneant, 1973, 'Recherches Archeologiques sur la culture Schela Cladovei del la zone des Portes de Fer', Dacia, N.S. XVII pp. 5 - 39

Taxon	Common Name
Acipenser ruthenus	sterlet
Hus hus	beluga
Leuciscus cephalus	chub
Abramis brama	bream
Ciprinus carpio	carp
Siluris glanis	catfish
Stizostedion lucioperca	perch-pike

Mesolithic Mammals from Icoana

From: Bolomey, A. 1973, 'An outline of the Late Epipaleolithic Economy of the Iron Gates: The evidence on bones', Dacia, N.S. XVII, pp 41-52

No = number of bones
MNI = Minimum Number of Individuals

MNI represents an attempt to work out how many different animals there are in a deposit. If there are three skulls, for example, then there are obviously three separate animals. However if for example a left thigh bone and a right thigh bone are found in distinct layers, it is also reasonable to allocate them to different animals, and count them as two individuals. This is important when trying to work out the role of various animals in the economy of the site. The MNI is artificially reduced if careful excavation procedures are not followed. In addition, smaller animals are under represented if the deposits are not sieved.

Taxon	Common Name	No/MNI	MNI%
Sus sp.	pig	2038/40	31.0%
Cervus elaphus	red deer	1474/26	20.2%
Capreolus capreolus	roe deer	237/14	10.9%
Canis sp.	dog/wolf	236/12	9.3%
Castor fiber	beaver	34/9	7.0%
Martes sp.	marten	44/8	6.2%
Rupicapra rupicapra	chamois	22/4	3.1%
Felis silvestris	wild cat	7/3	2.3%
Meles meles	badger	13/3	2.3%
Canis lupus	wolf	9/2	1.5%
Ursus arctos	brown bear	16/2	1.5%
Lepus europaeus	brown hare	11/2	1.5%
Bos/Bison	bison	21/2	1.5%
Lutra lutra	otter	2/1	0.8%
Lynx lynx	lynx	2/1	0.8%
		-------------
		4056/129

Prehistoric Fauna from Padina

From:Clason, A.T. 1980, 'Padina and Starcevo: Game, Fish and Cattle' Palaeohistoria, XXII, p. 148

Taxon	Common Name	Late Mesolithic	Early Neolithic
Domestic
Bos tauros	cattle	7	21
Ovis/capra	sheep/goat	6	6
Sus domesticus	pig	12	5
Canis familiaris	dog	42	179
Wild
Erinaceus europaeus	hedgehog	-	1
Lepus capensis	brown hare	4	1
Castor fiber	beaver	37	10
Vulpes vulpes	fox	6	-
Canis/lupus	dog/wolf	-	3
Canis lupus	wolf	6	3
Martes martes	pine marten	3	2
Martes sp.	marten	3	4
Felix sylvestris	wild cat	4	4
Lynx lynx	lynx	2	2
Meles meles	badger	1	-
Ursus arctos	brown bear	30	15
Equus sp.	horse	1	-
Sus scrofa	pig	55	50
Sus sp.	pig	23	10
Capreolus capreolus	roe deer	37	10
Cervus elephus	red deer	763+114	263+50
Bos/cervus	-	41	12
Bos primigenius	aurochs	28	8
Bos sp.	-	17	8
Rupicapra rupicapra	chamois	3	20
Aves	birds	16	4
Emys orbicularis	European pond terrapin	1	1
Fish
Hucho hucho	Danube salmon	15	41
Acipenser sp./Huso huso	sturgeon	8	55
Siluris glanis	cat fish	201(24)	1298
Cyprinus carpio	carp	-	32
Cyprinidae	-	80	229
unidentified	-	63	620
Total		-------	------
		1653	2959

Cuina Turcului Mammals

		Level I 12 600 B.P.		Level II 10 120 B.P.
Taxon	Common Name	No/MNI	MNI%	No/MNI	MNI%
Sus scrofa	wild swine	118/7	17.7%	6/1	2.3%
Castor fiber	beaver	72/7	17.7%	52/4	9.5%
Capra ibex	ibex	74/5	12.2%	111/8	19.4%
Rupicapra rupicapra	chamois	62/3	7.3%	49/5	12.0%
Canis lupus	wolf	35/3	7.3%	49/5	12.0%
Martes sp.	marten	29/3	7.3%	10/2	4.7%
Capreolus capreolus	roe deer	16/3	7.3%	1/1	2.3%
Alces alces	European elk	14/3	7.3%	5/1	2.3%
Ursos arctos	brown bear	23/2	5.0%	2/1	2.3%
Bos/Bison	bison	5/1	2.2%	68/6	14.2%
Lepus europeaus	brown hare	1/1	1.0%	27/2	4.7%
Vulpes vulpes	fox	14/1	2.2%	15/2	4.7%
Equus caballus	horse	2/1	2.2%	3/1	2.3%
Felix silvestris	wild cat	1/1	2.2%	1/1	2.3%
Cervus elaphus	red deer	-	0%	21/1	2.3%
Putorius putorius	European polecat	-	0%	1/1	2.3%
		-------------			-------------
		466/41			420/42

Cuina Turcului Fish

From: Nalbant, T.T. 1970 'Citeva Observatii Aspura Resturii or de Pesti Descoperite in Locuirile Romanello-Aziliene (I-II) De La Cuina Turcului-Dubova', Studii si Cercetari di Istorie Veche (si Arheologie) 21 I, pp. 41-43

No = number of bones

		Level I 12 600 B.P.	Level II 10 120 B.P.
Taxon	Common Name	No	No
Abramis brama	bream	133	43
Cyprinus carpio	carp	2	-
Cyprinidae	-	-	7
Leuciscus cephalus	chub	-	4
Siluris glanis	catfish	-	3
Esox lucius	pike	1	2
Stizostedion lucioperca	pike-perch	10	5
Perca fluviatilis	perch	1	-
Acipenser ruthenus	sterlet	-	4
Acipenser guldenstaedti	Russian sturgeon	-	7

Prehistoric fauna from Lepenski Vir

From: Bokonyi, S., 1970 'Animal remains from Lepenski Vir' Science Vol 167, pp 1702-1704

No = number of bones

Note that the dates below for the phases of Lepenski Vir are in dispute, and should be treated with caution. They are broadly correct.

		Phase I 5980- 5525 BC		Phase II 5490- 5200 BC		Phase III 5200- 5000 BC
Taxon	Common Name	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Domestic
Bos taurus	cattle					375	15.8%
Ovis aries	sheep					81	3.4%
Sus scrofa dom.	pig					8	0.3%
Canis familiaris	dog	21	5.0%	23	11.2%	140	5.9%

Wild
Bos primigenius	aurochs	14	3.3%	7	3.4%	174	7.3%
Rupicapra rupicapra	chamois					2	0.8%
Cervus elaphus	red deer	115	27.1%	111	53.9%	862	36.4%
Capreolus capreolus	roe deer	4	0.9%	1	0.5%	36	1.5%
Sus scrofa fer.	wild pig	10	2.4%	6	2.9%	211	8.9%
Asinus hydrunsinus	wild ass					7	0.3%
Felix silvestris	wild cat					1	0.04%
Lynx lynx						6	0.3%
Martes sp.	marten	6	1.4%	3	1.5%	3	.1%
Meles meles	badger	3	0.7%			7	0.3%
Ursus arctos	brown bear			1	0.5%	27	1.1%
Canis lupus	wolf					7	0.3%
Vulpes vulpes	fox					1	0.4%
Castor fiber	beaver	2	0.47%			4	0.2%
Lepus europaeus	brown hare					7	0.3%
Aves sp.	birds	6	1.4%	1	0.5	10	0.4%
Cyprinids		86	20.3%	1	0.5	14	0.6%
Siluris glanis	catfish	3	0.7%	5	2.4%	22	0.9%
Pisces sp.	fishes	154	36.3%	47	21.8%	364	15.4%
		------		------		------
Total		424		206		2369

Prehistoric Fauna from Vlasac

From: Prinz, B., 1987 'Mesolithic Adaptations on the Lower Danube'

Some idea of the labour involved in archaeology may be gleaned from the fact that nearly 30 000 animal bones were dug out, sorted and classified on just this one site. The work involved is mind boggling.

No = number of bones
MNI = Minimum Number of Individuals

MNI represents an attempt to work out how many different animals there are in a deposit. If there are three skulls, for example, then there are obviously three separate animals. However if for example a left thigh bone and a right thigh bone are found in distinct layers, it is also reasonable to allocate them to different animals, and count them as two individuals. This is important when trying to work out the role of various animals in the economy of the site. The MNI is artificially reduced if careful excavation procedures are not followed. In addition, smaller animals are under represented if the deposits are not sieved.

	Taxon	Common Name	No.	%	MNI
Domestic
	Canis familiaris	dog	1914	6.6%	160
Wild
	Ungulates
	Bos primigenius	aurochs	54	0.2%	4/5
	Rupicapra rupicapra	chamois	22	0.1%	4
	Cervus elaphus	red deer	6732	23.1%	90
	Capreolus capreolus	roe deer	510	1.8%	19
	Sus scrofa	wild pig	1185	4.1%	28
	Carnivores
	Felis silvestris	wild cat	45	0.2%	7/8
	Lynx lynx	lynx	5	0.02%	2
	Mustelidae	weasel	8	0.03%
	Martes martes	pine marten	248	0.9%	38
	Meles meles	badger	58	0.2%	8
	Ursus arctos	brown bear	168	0.6%	10
	Canis lupus	wolf	103	0.4%	10
	Vulpes vulpes	red fox	30	0.1%	6
	Small carnivore		13	0.04%
	Rodents and Insectivores
	Castor fiber	beaver	71	0.2%	9
	Sciuris vulgaris	squirrel	5	0.02%	3
	Lepus europaeus	brown hare	22	0.1%	4
	Erinaceus europaeus	hedgehog	1	0.003%	1
	Birds
	Pelecans cf. onocratalus	white pelican	3	0.01%
	Phalacrocorax carbo	cormorant	3	0.01%
	Egreta alba	great white egret	2	0.01%
	Anas platyryncho	mallard	2	0.01%
	Anas creca	teal	2	0.01%
	Aythya nyroca	ferrugionous duck	1	0.003%
	Aquila heliaca	imperial eagle	6	0.02%
	Milvus migrans	black kite	5	0.02%
	Haliaetos albicilla	white tailed eagle	27	0.1%
	Strix aluco	tawny owl	2	0.01%
	Carullus glanduarius	jay	1	0.003%
	Pica pica	magpie	4	0.01%
	Corvus corax	raven	4	0.01%
	Unidentified birds		87	0.3%
	Reptile
	Emys orbicularis	pond tortoise (some showed burning and butchering marks)	317	1.1%
	Fish
	Cyprinus carpio	carp	1552	5.3%
	Cyprinidae		5230	18.0
	esox lucius	pike	11	0.04%
	Siluris glanis	catfish	2283	7.8%
	Other fishes	unidentified	8372	28.8%
			-------
			29108

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This page last modified Monday 13 December 2004

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Iron Gates Animals

Pre - Dam 20th Century fish fauna of the Iron Gates Gorge

Pre - Dam 20th Century amphibians of the Iron Gates Gorge

Pre - Dam 20th Century reptiles of the Iron Gates Gorge

Pre - Dam 20th Century smaller mammals of the Iron Gates Gorge

Mesolithic Fish fauna from Ostrovul Banului

Mesolithic Mammals from Icoana

Prehistoric Fauna from Padina

Domestic

Wild

Fish

Cuina Turcului Mammals

Cuina Turcului Fish

Prehistoric fauna from Lepenski Vir

Domestic

Wild

Prehistoric Fauna from Vlasac

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