Marina Schutti

The aim of this project is the examination of the relationships between humans and pigs in Cyprus between the Neolithic, from when the pigs were transported to the island by humans, until the Classical/Hellenistic period (ca. 11,000–400 BCE). From the moment the pigs reached the island and even before that, the development of numerous types of interactions between them commenced. The relationships could have varied from rather distant, during hunting for instance, over to a daily interaction when the animals were kept by the humans or to a more profound and ritual relation such as when the pigs were intentionally buried or depicted. In my research I will focus on the question of how these relationships changed over all these periods. For the achievement of such comprehension, an interdisciplinarity of archaeological evidence, (especially pig remains such as bones and teeth), written sources (ancient literature) and iconography (depictions of pigs on vases or figurines, for example) from a range of archaeological sites from the island is substantial. Other important fields of research that will be consulted are Human-Animal Studies (HAS) and zooarchaeology. The main goal is, by the contribution and combination of all of these aspects, to look beyond pigs merely being used for establishing a living, as a food provider (meat or fat, for example), for instance, but more importantly to comprehend how humans had an impact on pigs as well as pigs had an impact on humans, what types of relations existed in Cyprus over the periods mentioned above, what changes they had gone through and what kind of more profound and ritual relations can be detected.

CV

• 2020 BA Archaeology at the University of Graz
• 2021 BA Ancient History at the University of Graz
• 2023 MA Archaeology at the University of Graz
• Since October 2023 PhD candidate at the IGS "Resonant Self-World Relations in Ancient and Modern Socio-Religious Practices" at the University of Graz / Max-Weber-Kolleg der Universität Erfurt
• 2018-2023 several excavations in Greece (Kalapodi), Cyprus (Erimi Pitharka), Austria (Schöckl and Virunum) and a museum campaign in Greece (Pheneos)
• 2020-2023 Student Assistance at the at the University of Graz (Department of Ancient Eastern Mediterranean Studies)