On nomadic transhumance at Neolithic Tepe Tula'i, Iran: A re-analysis of findings

Wheeler Pires-Ferreira (1975) concluded that only fallow goat herds (i.e. herds excluding preweanlings) occupied Tepe Tula'i, a tent site on the Zagros plain; however, the results were never analyzed statistically. This article analyzes the epiphyseal fusion results statistically for significant differences between Tepe Tula'i and Chagha Sefid, a westerly proximate, coeval, permanent mud-brick village which maintained subsistence herds (i.e. herds including pre-weanlings). A critical comparison needed to support Wheeler Pires-Ferreira's conclusion is that relative to Chagha Sefid, Tepe Tula'i has a greater proportion of fused epiphyses for goats 1 year old and younger-but this difference is highly statistically insignificant. The finding that, relative to Chagha Sefid, Tepe Tula'i has a greater overall proportion of fused epiphyses for goats up to age 2.5 years is statistically significant - yet a greater proportion of fused epiphyses at Tepe Tula'i is expected because greater carnivore ravaging, leading to a greater loss of unfused epiphyses, is expected at a tent site. That, relative to Chagha Sefid, Tepe Tula'i has a lower proportion of fused bones from goats older than 2.5 years is consistent with a between-site harvesting difference. Tepe Tula'i's faunal findings present no evidence of fallow herds, but only of subsistence herds. That the Tepe Tula'i people maintained subsistence herds, used a wide range of domestic artifacts, and lived in tents suggests they were nomadic; their use of pack goats is hypothesized.