Problems of Identification and Quantification in Archaeozoological Analysis, Part I: Insights from a Blind Test

Morin, Eugène; Ready, Elspeth; Boileau, Arianne; Beauval, Cédric; Coumont, Marie-Pierre

doi:10.1007/s10816-016-9300-4

Cited by 53 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Specimen quantification strategies have been hotly debated over the last several decades in zooarchaeology [44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54]. In short, there is no single quantification method that works well at every site, nor is every technique equally applicable to solving every question.…”

Section: Faunal Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

The Maya Preclassic to Classic transition observed through faunal trends from Ceibal, Guatemala

et al. 2020

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It is well known that the development of the ancient Maya civilization had significant and long-lasting impacts on the environment. This study assesses a large collection of faunal remains (>35,000 specimens) recovered over a span of several kilometers in and around the archaeological site of Ceibal, Guatemala, in order to determine whether the composition of animal resources was continuous throughout the site's history between 1000 BC and AD 1200, or whether there were any changes that could be attributed to sociopolitical or environmental causes. Results show a steep uniform decline in the number of freshwater mollusks across the site that occurred during the Preclassic to Classic transition, when large region-wide political changes, including the development of more complex and centralized political organization, took place throughout the Maya region. Evidence of species introductions (e.g., turkeys from central Mexico and possibly the Dermatemys river turtle from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec) and variations in resource exchange (e.g. marine shells) over time indicate that Ceibal was one of likely many communities involved in long-distance animal exchange networks. The results of the faunal analysis at Ceibal show how the ancient Maya had a complex and ever-changing relationship with the local wildlife, with outcomes that can still be observed in the environment today.

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Section: Faunal Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

The Maya Preclassic to Classic transition observed through faunal trends from Ceibal, Guatemala

et al. 2020

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“…To better inform the archaeological study of bone grease processing, we derived criteria of identification using specimens from a blind test (Morin et al 2016a, 2016b). The primary goal of the blind test was to assess the robustness of counting methods commonly employed in archaeozoology, including Number of Identified Specimens (NISP) and Minimum Number of Elements (MNE).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the blind test, variation in estimates of faunal abundance was evaluated by comparing tallies between the participants (test of replicability) and by comparing the tallies with the known abundances (test of accuracy) for two control assemblages differing in degree of fragmentation. One of these control assemblages is the BGRE, an experiment focused specifically on bone grease processing described in Morin et al (2016a).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we present new experimental data that help to more firmly detect this practice in the archaeological record. These data were derived from material used in a blind test of faunal identification and quantification (Morin et al 2016a, 2016b). Specifically, we used specimens from the Bone Grease Rendering Experiment (BGRE), in which we marrow-cracked and processed red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) long bones for bone grease.…”

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confidence: 99%

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New Criteria for the Archaeological Identification of Bone Grease Processing

Morin

Soulier²

2017

Am. Antiq.

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Bone grease processing is frequently used in archaeology to investigate human diet breadth because it constitutes a costly mode of lipid procurement. However, problems of equifinality often complicate the identification of this activity. This paper develops new criteria focused on morphology, the presence of micro-inclusions, and forms of damage that were derived from a bone grease rendering experiment that involved red deer(Cervus elaphus)long bones. Because they are poorly represented in a distinct experiment focused exclusively on marrow extraction, the criteria presented here appear to provide robust signatures of bone grease processing. A survey of the actualistic literature shows that certain bone processing activities, such as stewing and soup making, mostly involve coarse spongy fragments. Because these fragments are too large to be ingested, grease can be extracted from them only through heating or boiling. In contrast, bones ingested in bone meal or as flour necessitate pulverization. A high percentage of coarse fragments may therefore provide a proxy for cooking technology or, minimally, the use of fire, if other patterns are consistent with grease extraction. Given the evolutionary significance of these innovations, the criteria presented here may help to strengthen arguments about dietary shifts during the Paleolithic and later periods.

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“…Blind testing is a highly important method in archaeology, especially when dealing with techniques which might be affected by human biases and subjectivity, allowing the identification of weaknesses within the examined technique (Evans, ). Rots, Pirnay, Pirson, and Baudoux () define blind tests as “an objective means to evaluate the accuracy of information retrieved by a specific method.” Indeed, blind tests are commonly used in microwear and macrowear studies (Bamforth, ; Bamforth, Burns, & Woodman, ; Newcomer, Grace, & Unger‐Hamilton, ; Rots et al, ), residue analysis (Hayes, Cnuts, Lepers, & Rots, ; Lombard & Wadley, ; Rots, Hayes, Cnuts, Lepers, & Fullagar, ; Wadley & Lombard, ; Wadley, Lombard, & Williamson, ), archaeozoological studies (Blumenschine, Marean, & Capaldo, ; Giovas, Lambrides, Fitzpatrick, & Kataoka, ; Gobalet, ; Lloveras, Moreno‐García, Nadal, & Thomas, ; Morin, Ready, Boileau, Beauval, & Coumont, ), micromorphology (Shahack‐Gross, ), and radiocarbon dating (Kim et al, ; Olsen et al, ). However, so far, no such tests have been applied to macroscopic raw material sorting (but see Ferguson & Warren, ; Price, Carr, & Bradbury, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blind test evaluation of consistency in macroscopic lithic raw material sorting

Agam

Wilson

2018

Geoarchaeology

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Most archaeological lithic raw material studies depend upon a macroscopic classification. However, since the human eye is a limited tool, some inconsistencies in classification may arise. Thus, a process for evaluating and increasing the reliability of macroscopic classification is needed. We present the results of a blind test designed to evaluate consistency in macroscopic lithic materials analysis, based on archaeological material taken from the Acheulo‐Yabrudian site Qesem Cave (Israel), focusing on interobserver error, aimed at identifying consistencies and weaknesses within our own study scheme. Twelve students, with various degrees of experience and familiarity with the Qesem material, sorted 100 randomly selected flint pieces into flint types, based on a previously established database, after a brief tutorial process. In addition, the authors, LW and AA, performed the same test. We then compared the results, using LW's results as an anchor. Our results show that experience affects the consistency in classification, demonstrating that it is an acquired skill. Furthermore, the blind test allowed us to identify weaknesses within the classification scheme. We suggest that blind tests should be regularly used to check accuracy and reproducibility of results and to assess the definitions set by the analyst, allowing fine‐tuning and calibration of the classification process.

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Problems of Identification and Quantification in Archaeozoological Analysis, Part I: Insights from a Blind Test

Cited by 53 publications

References 39 publications

The Maya Preclassic to Classic transition observed through faunal trends from Ceibal, Guatemala

The Maya Preclassic to Classic transition observed through faunal trends from Ceibal, Guatemala

New Criteria for the Archaeological Identification of Bone Grease Processing

Blind test evaluation of consistency in macroscopic lithic raw material sorting

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