Earliest evidence for equid bit wear in the ancient Near East: The "ass" from Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel

PloS One
Haskel J GreenfieldAren M Maeir

Abstract

Analysis of a sacrificed and interred domestic donkey from an Early Bronze Age (EB) IIIB (c. 2800-2600 BCE) domestic residential neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, indicate the presence of bit wear on the Lower Premolar 2 (LPM2). This is the earliest evidence for the use of a bit among early domestic equids, and in particular donkeys, in the Near East. The mesial enamel surfaces on both the right and left LPM2 of the particular donkey in question are slightly worn in a fashion that suggests that a dental bit (metal, bone, wood, etc.) was used to control the animal. Given the secure chronological context of the burial (beneath the floor of an EB IIIB house), it is suggested that this animal provides the earliest evidence for the use of a bit on an early domestic equid from the Near East.

References

Mar 7, 2001·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·N A CunliffeC A Hart
Mar 12, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Stine RosselDavid O'Connor
Mar 7, 2009·Science·Alan K OutramRichard P Evershed
Sep 1, 1992·The American Naturalist·J M Ayres, T H Clutton-Brock
Jul 30, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Birgitta KimuraConnie J Mulligan
Jun 21, 2016·PloS One·Elizabeth R ArnoldAren M Maeir

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Citations

Jun 12, 2021·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Sabrina GacemJordi Miró

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
scraping

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