Remains of Iron Age pork feast found in Wales

An analysis of animals bones found at a prehistoric feasting site in Wales has revealed that pork, specifically the right forequarters of the animals, was heavily featured on the menu.

“Surprisingly, nearly 80% of the animal remains at Llanmaes were from pigs, at a time when sheep and cattle were the main food animals and pork was not a favoured meat. What is perhaps more remarkable is that the majority of the pig bones were from just one quarter of the animal – the right forequarter. It might be that each household had to donate the same cut of meat to be included in the feast – that way everyone would have to slaughter a pig in honour of the feast.

“This selective pattern of feasting principally on just one quarter of one species is genuinely globally unparalleled and particularly startling as it continued over a period of centuries during the Iron Age.”

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Story: Cardiff University | Photo: National Museum Wales