Fish remains from archaeological sites as indicators of former trade connections in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

Une synthèse des données archéozoologiques sur le commerce de poissons dans la partie orientale de la Méditerranée, depuis le Chalcolithique jusqu 'au temps des croisades, est présentée. Cette revue est basée sur des données bibliographiques et sur des ensembles fauniques inédits, étudiés par les auteurs, provenant de 76 sites. Des restes de poissons provenant du Nil, de la Méditerranée et de la mer Rouge sont fréquemment rencontrés sur des sites archéologiques situés en dehors de la distribution naturelle des espèces et indiquent dès lors qu 'il s 'agit de denrées qui faisaient l 'objet de commerce ou d 'échange. Des indications sur le commerce de poissons d 'eau douce d'Anatolie sont également présentées. Les trouvailles ichtyofauniques sont discutées en fonction de la provenance des poissons et des régions vers lesquelles ils étaient exportés. En utilisant les données archéologiques, les indications des artefacts et les informations historiques disponibles, les changements diachroniques observés dans le commerce de poisson sont décrits, en tenant compte du contexte économique et politique de chacune des régions productrice et consommatrice.

Oxygen and strontium isotopes as provenance indicators of fish at archaeological sites: the case study of Sagalassos, SW Turkey

“…On the contrary, the exclusion of Gölcük Lake as a potential origin is consistent with previous work. Despite its geographical proximity to Sagalassos and the presence of modern carp, it was suggested that the species was recently introduced in Golcük Lake (Geldiay and Balık, 1996;Van Neer et al, 2004). This is in accordance with the absence of carp in Golcük Lake reported in the 1940s by Kosswig and Sözer (1945).…”

“…Taking into account the abundant archaeological information on former trade relationships provided by the analysis of ceramics, coins, building stones and epigraphy (Devijver and Waelkens, 1997;, it is highly unlikely that the carp originated from outside the region of Anatolia that has been considered herein. Unlike the Egyptian fish imports that were sundried or smoked, carp are traditionally not cured and long distance trade of cyprinids in general seems almost non-existent (Van Neer et al, 2004). We suppose that carp was traded in fresh form, also because this species is able to survive for a long time out of the water when it is covered with humid vegetal matter.…”

“…Documenting the origin of imported food items such as fish is essential to identify former trade connections (Van Neer et al, 2004). The classical town of Sagalassos is located in western Anatolia (Turkey) approximately 110 km north of the coastal town of Antalya (Fig.…”

Fish bones and amphorae: evidence for the production and consumption of salted fish products outside the Mediterranean region

“…124 It continued into Byzantine times, as shown by a midden deposit of the 5th-6th c. at the monastery of Kom el-Nana, 125 Van Neer 1997;Hamilton-Dyer 2001. 119 The remains of Nilotic fish, found not only in the Eastern Desert of Egypt but also in the Levant and Anatolia, were sold in dried form and probably transported in baskets: Van Neer et al 2004. The trade in dried fish products of this sort falls outside the limits of the present study.…”

New Evidence for Fish Processing in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean: FormalisedEpinephelusButchery in Fifth CenturybcKinet Höyük, Turkey

“…62, 73, 148-149, Van Elsbergen, 1997. Archaeological remains of fish species found outside their historical zoogeographic distribution not only provide ample evidence for cross-regional trade but also indicate the existence of established traditions of commercial fish processing at the producer end (Van Neer et al, 2004;Saidel et al, 2006). Unmediated archaeozoological evidence for fish processing in the Eastern Mediterranean, however, is virtually non-existent.…”