Prehistoric fishing on Rapa Island

Vogel, Yolanda; Anderson, Atholl

doi:10.22459/ta37.11.2012.07

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…For fish bone assemblages from the 6.4 mm screens, scarids and serranids are rank 1 and 2, respectively, at MLEb-1 and MLEb-31, and rank 2 and 3 at MLEb-33. However, the 3.2 mm samples, while similar in taxonomic composition, showed greater variation in the rank ordering of these taxa when compared to the 6.4 mm samples, similar trends were noted from Rapa Islands archaeological sites, where 2 mm screens were utilised (Vogel and Anderson 2012).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Archaeomalocological methods, forager decision-making, and intertidal ecosystems: Two millennia of mollusc exploitation on a remote Pacific atoll

Harris¹

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Archaeomalocological methods, forager decision-making, and intertidal ecosystems: Two millennia of mollusc exploitation on a remote Pacific atoll

Harris¹

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“…There has been an emphasis, in New Zealand, on MNI and the methodologies that best generate MNI, and these typically involve the use of five paired mouth parts and some ‘special’ bones (Leach, ). In the tropical Pacific, there has been a move towards the analysis of a much wider range of paired bones (Campbell, ; Vogel, ; Vogel & Anderson, ; Walter, ; Walter & Anderson, ; Walter & Green, ) and the inclusion of otoliths (Weisler, ). The most recent innovation has been the addition of vertebrae to the suite of identified elements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Varying Role of Vertebrae in Pacific Fishbone Analysis: Comparing Tropical Versus Temperate Midden Assemblages

Harris

Lilley

Walter

2017

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Archaeologists working in the tropical Pacific have demonstrated the feasibility and value of including fish vertebrae in midden analyses, and recent New Zealand studies draw similar conclusions. This work provides an illustrated guide to the identification of vertebrae from key New Zealand fish taxa and shows the effects of including vertebrae on a large fishbone assemblage from southern New Zealand. We note major differences between New Zealand and tropical Pacific assemblages resulting from the inclusion of vertebrae. Unlike the Indo-Pacific taxa of the tropical Pacific, no New Zealand species have been shown to be sensitive to the inclusion of vertebrae. In both places, including vertebrae results in changes in relative abundance and rank order; but in New Zealand, this is a function of processing practices, not fishing behaviours. This work serves to highlight changes in the Polynesian fishing adaption following the colonisation of New Zealand. Copyright

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“…Despite the fact that vertebrae preserve in a range of depositional site contexts, their use most commonly extends to those easily identifiable vertebrae of sharks, rays and skates (Elasmobranchii; e.g. Clark & Szabó, ; Vogel & Anderson, ) or hypurals (terminal vertebrae) of tuna, mackerel and bonito (Scombridae; e.g. Fraser, , ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Protocols for Identifying Pacific Island Archaeological Fish Remains: The Contribution of Vertebrae

Lambrides

Weisler

2013

Int. J. Osteoarchaeol.

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Three fish bone identification protocols used for determining taxa composition for Pacific island archaeofaunal assemblages are evaluated. The protocols include using the following: (1) the most commonly identified five paired cranial bones and 'specials' or unique elements; (2) an expanded number of cranial bones; and (3) the less common inclusion of all vertebrae. Explicit identification and quantification protocols are outlined for systematically incorporating all vertebrae which, predictably, increases the number of identified specimens for an assemblage, thus providing more bones useful for reconstructing live fish biomass (weight and length). Significantly, a range of unique archaeological vertebrae are useful for calculating minimum number of individuals. Using a well-preserved assemblage from Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group, southeast Polynesia, numbering 6480 fish bones (concentration index = 21 580 m3 ), we demonstrate differences in rank-order abundance from three taxon identification protocols. For example, when using all vertebrae grouper (Serranidae) and surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) are more numerically equivalent than when relying mostly on cranial bones for identification for minimum number of individuals and number of identified specimens. This has important implications for making comparisons between sites or across regions where different identification protocols were used. This pilot study demonstrates that using all vertebrae for taxon identification and quantification, not just unique hypurals (terminal vertebrae) or those from sharks and rays (Elasmobranchii), should be standard practice for identifying a greater number of bones to taxon and thereby providing better reconstructions of prehistoric fishing and subsistence practices in the Pacific.

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Prehistoric fishing on Rapa Island

Cited by 4 publications

References 15 publications

Archaeomalocological methods, forager decision-making, and intertidal ecosystems: Two millennia of mollusc exploitation on a remote Pacific atoll

Archaeomalocological methods, forager decision-making, and intertidal ecosystems: Two millennia of mollusc exploitation on a remote Pacific atoll

The Varying Role of Vertebrae in Pacific Fishbone Analysis: Comparing Tropical Versus Temperate Midden Assemblages

Assessing Protocols for Identifying Pacific Island Archaeological Fish Remains: The Contribution of Vertebrae

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