Investigating Neolithic subsistence at Gadachrili Gora (Georgia, South Caucasus): zooarchaeological analysis and a multi-isotope approach (preliminary study)

This paper was presented at the YRA Workshop 2026 in Reykjavík.

The South Caucasus plays an important role in discussions of Neolithic lifeways as a corridor of the Near East and Eurasian steppe. However, subsistence practices are not sufficiently explored through integrated zooarchaeological and biochemical approaches, particularly in Georgia. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of faunal remains from Gadachrili Gora, a late Neolithic settlement of Shulaveri-Shomu culture, excavated between 2012-2015.
The study focuses on two main occupation layers that are currently being prepared for radiocarbon dating to establish a clearer chronological framework. A primary objective is to compare these layers and investigate potential changes in herding strategies and domestication practices through time. The faunal assemblage is dominated by domesticated species: sheep, goat, cattle, pig, and dog, while wild taxa such as auroch, red deer, turtle, bird, and a few small-sized mammals (hare, mouse) occur in smaller quantities. This composition is consistent with assemblages from other Shulaveri-Shomu sites. Age-at-death profiles indicate that domesticated animals were primarily exploited for meat.
Taphonomic observations suggest intensive carcass processing, with highly fragmented bones displaying longitudinal fractures indicating deliberate processing for marrow extraction. Stable isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium is currently underway to investigate animal diet, foddering practices, and seasonal mobility.

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