Results of expert assessment of scientific importance of osteological collections from the archaeological excavations along the Taurida highway construction on the Kerch peninsula

The paper presents results of the work conducted by an archaeozoologicalteam to carry out expert evaluation of scientific importance of osteological collectionsfrom nine settlements and four burial sites along the Taurida highway (Crimea). Basedon archaeozoological data on the Kerch Peninsula sites obtained by the team and publishedby other researchers, main episodes in the history of economic strategies implementedto exploit natural resources in this region in different historical periods were identified. It isnoted that Greek colonization brought about a drastic change in the structure of economy inthe Crimean areas in question where raising animals, predominantly, cattle, played the mostimportant part. Hunting and fishery, which were key activities to tap natural resources foranimal protein, developed in different ways. The expertise has also singled out the mostimpressive osteological collections of the sites dated to the Golden Horde and modern age.