Archaeological Evidence of the Earliest Domestic Cats in the Territory of Latvia

In the territory of Latvia bones of a wild cat (Felis silvestris) have been found sporadically since late Neolithic(1), but reliable evidence of domestic cats (Felis catus) appears in the archaeological layers starting from 12th13th century AD, for example, in Tanīskalns (2), Aizkraukle, Tērvete and Daugmale hillforts, Rauši settlement,and Mārtiņsala (3), Lokstene (4), Turaida and Cēsis medieval castles. While the occurrence of cut marks detected are relatively low and various skeletal elements can be found (skulls, long bones), it is likely that in Livoniacats were treated primarily as mousers and pets, and were kept mainly in residences of higher status of society(hillforts, castles), at least for final period of Northern Crusades (12th-14th c. AD). In addition, it is arguable thatthose few bones with cut marks found in hillfort (Daugmale) and settlement (Rauši) context and associated withspecimens treated as fur animals, actually are of wild cats