The aim of this study is to identify the preferred animal species at Byzantine city of Amorium and accordingly to find the spatial relationship between context and the purpose of animal use such as dietary habits, workshop activities, possible socioeconomic differentiation and subsistence economy as well as the ecology of Amorium environment. The animal bones were examined in order to determine their species. The identified animal bones were assessed by calculating the frequencies of the each species. Thus, which species were the most essential for the diet, and the basic aims of the animal economy, could be determined. In addition to domestic animals, the wild fauna was also studied to answer the question of which species were chosen for exploitation and whether or not wild sources were of considerable portion, gathered by fishing and hunting. For the spatial analysis, the species compositions as well as the skeletal representation tables of each assemblage of each different context were studied. The species composition appeared similar amongst most of the contexts but the skeletal representation tables gave more information on the use of species, especially allowing the separation of contexts containing domestic refuse and the contexts that had an overwhelming proportion of bones elements that could have been used for industrial activities (bone working).

Ce travail est fondé sur l’analyse de 28 000 restes osseux, provenant de deux sites inédits, Archontiko Giannitson et Angelochori Imathias (Macédoine, Grèce) et les résultats obtenus intégrés à une synthèse de la documentation publiée à l’échelle de l’ensemble de la Grèce septentrionale sur toute la période de l’âge du Bronze. Les proportions entre les espèces exploitées indiquent que l’économie vivrière était largement centrée sur le petit bétail avec toutefois un taux d’espèces sauvages relativement important. Les activités pastorales étaient dominées par l’exploitation des caprinés et du porc et mettent en évidence la recherche d’une rentabilité maximale dans la gestion des cheptels ainsi qu’une généralisation de l’utilisation des produits secondaires : lait, laine, force de travail etc. Les pratiques de chasse étaient très variées comme en témoigne la diversité des taxons déterminés. La capture d’oiseaux, de poissons, de mollusques, de grands et de petits mammifères démontre l’intérêt des populations pour la faune sauvage. En diachronie, une nette évolution est observable à travers une diversification des spectres fauniques et des productions. Au Bronze Récent, l’économie animale se caractérise par une nouvelle augmentation de la diversité et par une concentration des activités pastorales sur le petit bétail. Enfin, ces adaptations aux nouvelles demandes des populations ont également conduit à l’apparition d’innovations techniques comme le charriot et la charrue qui coïncident avec l’arrivée des premiers équidés domestiques dans le monde égéen. / This work is based on the analysis of 28 000 bones from two sites : Archontiko Giannitson and Angelochori Imathias (Makedonia, Greece). The results have been included to a synthesis of the documentation of the Bronze Age in Northern Greece. Species proportions indicate that the supplying was largely focused on small animals with a relatively high rate of wild fauna. Pastoral activities were dominated by the use of sheep/goat and pig and highlights the search for maximum efficiency in the management of livestock as well as an increased use of « secondary products » : milk, wool, labor etc. Hunting practices were varied as shown by the diversity of taxa identified. The capture of birds, fishes, shellfishes, large and small mammals demonstrate the interest of societies for these faunas. A clear trend is seen in diachrony through a diversification of wild fauna’s spectra and productions. In the Late Bronze Age, the animal economy is characterized by a further increase in the diversification and a concentration of pastoral activities on small cattle. Finally, the adaptation to new demands have also led to the development of technical innovations such as the plow and the cart, coinciding with the appearance of domestic horses in the Aegean world.