Patterns of Animal Processing in the Early Iron Age: Butchery Mark Analysis from Phupgaon, Vidarbha

Ginka Rushyendra1*, Pankaj Goyal1, and Nihildas N.2

This study presents an initial zooarchaeological analysis of butchery marks on faunal remains from the Early Iron Age site of Phupgaon in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, India. Examining animal processing practices provides insights into human–animal interactions and subsistence organization in past societies. A total of 5,201 specimens were analysed, of which 88 show clear butchery-related modifications. The assemblage was subjected to systematic macroscopic examination of bone-surface modifications, recording mark type, anatomical location, orientation, and frequency in relation to species and skeletal-element representation. Evidence indicates multiple stages of carcass processing. Modified specimens are dominated by cattle/buffalo (29.5%) and sheep/goat (13.6%). Butchery marks recur on comparable skeletal parts, particularly long bones, indicating structured carcass-processing routines. Extensive evidence for marrow extraction points to deliberate and efficient resource use. These patterns suggest that carcass processing at Phupgaon followed a systematic, socially learned routine rather than ad hoc or purely opportunistic meat removal. However, the dataset does not yet permit a clear distinction between household-level butchery and more specialized processing. This study therefore provides a framework for understanding butchery practices at the site and establishes a basis for future research incorporating larger samples and contextual data, contributing to broader discussions of subsistence organization and socio-economic behavior in Iron Age settlements of South Asia.