This paper presents the results of a study about the presences of archaeological remains of camels in Europe and Italy. The domestication of the two type of camels (Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius) was an important step in human civilization in Asia: in fact it has promoted important progress in economic and cultural development. However, time and places of the origin of domestication of these animals remain unresolved; the paper discusses the present knowledges. In Western Europe and North Africa remains of camelids have occasionally been found in Roman provincial sites throughout the Empire. The import of camelids to the Provinces of the Roman Empire has been attested in the past by the bone finds coming from several archaeological sites, from Iberia to Pannonia and from Italy to Britannia. Considering also the textual sources and the iconography, the uses of the camels and the introduction in the Roman Province will be discussed. The historical writings show that the two species were also well known in Medieval times, especially in Italy, French and Spain.
Presenze di cammelli nell'Antichità in Italia e in Europa: aggiornamenti
DE GROSSI MAZZORIN, Jacopo
2010-01-01
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a study about the presences of archaeological remains of camels in Europe and Italy. The domestication of the two type of camels (Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius) was an important step in human civilization in Asia: in fact it has promoted important progress in economic and cultural development. However, time and places of the origin of domestication of these animals remain unresolved; the paper discusses the present knowledges. In Western Europe and North Africa remains of camelids have occasionally been found in Roman provincial sites throughout the Empire. The import of camelids to the Provinces of the Roman Empire has been attested in the past by the bone finds coming from several archaeological sites, from Iberia to Pannonia and from Italy to Britannia. Considering also the textual sources and the iconography, the uses of the camels and the introduction in the Roman Province will be discussed. The historical writings show that the two species were also well known in Medieval times, especially in Italy, French and Spain.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
