Abstract: The study aimed at analysing the exploitation of farm and wild-living animals as in the consumption of early mediaeval human communities in Western Pomerania based on osteological materials from archaeological sites. In total, 444 113 domestic mammal bones, 5 923 wild mammal bones as well as13 659 bird bones, 11 726 fish bones and single reptile and mollusc remains were identified. Among the bones of domestic mammal species, those from slaughter livestock (cattle, pig and sheep/goat) definitely prevail. Horse, dog and cat remains, treated as non-consumption ones, constitute about 2%, with horse ones clearly prevailing in this group, constituting about 1% of the bone material of domestic animals. In all analysed sites, pig bones are represented most abundantly. They constitute almost 68% and are thrice as numerous as cattle bones and over six times more abundant than sheep/goat ones. In this respect, bone materials from Wolin and Mścięcino with pig bones reaching even 71–72% deserve particular attention as this is an exceptional and unparalleled situation in early mediaeval bone assemblages from other archaeological sites in the area of the southern Baltic coast. Cattle bones constitute more than 22%, while those of small ruminants slightly more than 10%, belonging mostly to sheep. Bone remains of wild-living mammals, constituting slightly more than 1% of the mammal material, are represented by 17 species. They were divided into two sub-groups, with the first one comprising such game species like wild boar, red deer, roe deer, aurochs, elk and hare (more than 92%) which, apart from skins, furs and bones, yield meat as well. Red deer remains clearly prevail among them (more than 67%) but there are many antler fragments with cut and antler-working marks, this referring to a certain degree to roe deer ones, too. Wild boar bones (16.8%) as well as roe deer and hare ones (12.8% in total) constitute a considerable percentage, while those of aurochs and elk (about 3.1%) are the fewest. The second sub-group includes animal species which were above all hunted for their skins and furs, i.e. bear, wolf, fox, wildcat, marten, otter, seal, badger, beaver and squirrel. Their remains constitute more than 6.8% of the total number of these bones. A separate category within this group is few rat bones found solely in assemblages from large urban complexes (Wolin and Szczecin).

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