Could also be a form of refrigeration if crops were grown in the valley but benefited by cooler temp storage at higher altitudes Likewise it could have been sn

Could also be a form of refrigeration if crops were grown in the valley but benefited by cooler temp storage at higher altitudes Likewise it could have been snow/ice farming to have it available into the summer. Not sure what the weather was like here that long ago but it’s another angle to explore.