Breed character or pathology? Cattle with loose horns from the Eneolithic site of Hostivice–Litovice (Czech Republic)

Archaeological finds of a ritual character from Hostivice–Litovice are classed as Eneolithic cattle burials (depositions). One pit from the Funnel Beaker Period (Baalberge group; ca. 3800–3500 BC) contained a subadult bovine skeleton, whose skull bore loose horns (scurs) while still alive. This type of horn, which is movable or possibly hanging, is known from recent breeds and is caused by a special combination of alleles on two locuses and its phenotypic expression is sexually specific. However, this can also be simply a pathological state (teratology, atrophy, dysplasia or fractures), possibly caused by deliberate deformative manipulation on the horns. Such manipulations are known from recent breeding as well as from the prehistory. Both possible causations of this unique find from Hostivice–Litovice and related finds of hornlessness are discussed.