Size and shape of Greek Late Neolithic livestock suggest the existence of multiple and distinctive animal husbandry cultures

In this paper we discuss domestic livestock morphometric data from the Late Neolithic Greek regions of Macedonia and Thessaly. Six sites are considered, including a substantial and previously unpublished dataset from Promachon (Macedonia). The analysis of the size and shape of the animals indicates great variation between sites and regions, suggestive of the co-existence of multiple styles of husbandry. The site of Sitagroi stands out for its large and robust cattle and sheep, probably a consequence of its environmental setting, as well as the dynamism of its cultural and economic connections. In Thessaly, despite the existence of inter-site connections documented through the material culture, different sites maintained their independence in terms of husbandry choices.