Animal Economies and Islamic Conversion in Eastern Ethiopia: Zooarchaeological Analyses from Harlaa, Harar and Ganda Harla

Excavations at three urban
sites, Harlaa, Harar, and Ganda Harla, in eastern Ethiopia have recovered
substantial assemblages of faunal remains. These, the first to be analysed from
Islamic contexts in the country, were studied to reconstruct animal economies,
and to assess if it was possible to identify Islamic conversion or the presence
of Muslims in archaeological contexts through examining butchery practices and
diet via the species present. Differences in animal economies between the sites
in, for example, management strategies, use of animals for traction, and
presence of imported marine fish, infers the development of different
traditions. However, conversion to Islam was evident, and although issues of
non-observance, mixed communities, and dietary eclecticism have to be
acknowledged, the appearance of a similar range of butchery techniques suggests
these were linked with the appearance of Muslim traders, and subsequent spread
of Islam.

在埃塞俄比亚东部三个城市遗址——哈拉、哈拉尔和甘达哈拉——的考古发掘中，出土了大量的动物遗骸。这些遗骸是该国首次在伊斯兰文化背景下进行分析的，研究者们通过对这些遗骸的研究，旨在重建动物经济体系，并评估是否能够通过考察屠宰实践和饮食结构，根据现存物种来识别伊斯兰教的传播或穆斯林在考古环境中的存在。遗址间在动物经济方面的差异，例如管理策略、动物用于牵引的用途以及进口海洋鱼类的情况，暗示了不同传统的形成。然而，伊斯兰教的转化趋势显而易见，尽管非遵守教规、混合社区和饮食的折衷主义问题必须予以承认，但类似的屠宰技术范围的涌现，表明这些技术与穆斯林商人的出现及伊斯兰教的随后传播密切相关。