The Role of Bone Density in Structuring Prehistoric Salmon Bone Assemblages

Butler, Virginia L.; Chatters, James C.

doi:10.1006/jasc.1994.1039

Cited by 115 publications

(83 citation statements)

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“…These measures likely underestimate certain taxa, particularly fish and small mammals, because of taphonomic issues (e.g., sediment pH, leaching, burning, compaction, and microbial action). For example, fish bones are more likely to be underrepresented compared with mammal bones because of differences in bone structure (17)(18)(19)(20). Furthermore, many sites have variable faunal preservation, limiting these more traditional zooarchaeological approaches.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia

Choy

Potter

McKinney

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Current approaches to reconstruct subsistence and dietary trends in ancient hunter-gatherer societies include stable isotope analyses, but these have focused on human remains, cooking pottery, and food residues, which are relatively rare in the archaeological record. In contrast, short-term hearths are more ubiquitous worldwide, and these features can provide valuable evidence for ancient subsistence practices, particularly when faunal remains are not preserved. To test the suitability of hearths for this purpose, we conducted multiple chemical analyses: stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of total organic matter (expressed as δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses of individual fatty acids (δ 13 C 16:0 and δ 13 C 18:0 ) from 17 well-preserved hearths present in three occupations dating between ∼13,200-11,500 calibrated years B.P. at the Upward Sun River (USR) site in central Alaska. We combined δ 15 N and δ 13 C FA data in a Bayesian mixing model (stable isotope analysis in R) with concentration dependency to each hearth. Our model values were tested against faunal indices, indicating a strong positive relationship between marine proportional contributions to each hearth and salmon abundance. Results of the models show substantial anadromous salmon use in multiple USR components, indicating recurrent use of the site for salmon processing during the terminal Pleistocene. Our results demonstrate that salmonid and freshwater resources were more important for late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers than previously thought and highlight the potential of chemical profiling of hearth organic residues for providing greater geographic and temporal insights into resource use by prepottery societies. stable isotopes | hearths | organic residue analysis | GC-combustion-IRMS | Beringia

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia

Choy

Potter

McKinney

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…25,32 Alternatively, it may be remedied by supplementing the use of photon densitometry with an independent method of volume determination, such as water displacement. 34,36 In addition to CT, several other visual imaging technologies have shown similar promise in producing bone density measurements. 37 In Box 1, we have sorted published density data sets into four classes (A-D) according to their accuracy as inferred by the method of shape adjustment used in their calculation.…”

Section: Measurements Of Bone Densitymentioning

confidence: 98%

Bone density studies and the interpretation of the faunal record

Lam

Pearson

2005

Evolutionary Anthropology

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Some bones preserve better than others. For decades, researchers have attempted to quantify this observation. While many of their intrinsic qualities are known to affect how well bones preserve in the archeological record,1 the variable that has received the most attention to date is bone density.2–6 This has become the most commonly accepted proxy measure of a bone's ability to withstand destructive forces.

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“…For the present study, we seek to quantify only one very broad expression of element frequency: the ratio of cranial to vertebral specimens. This ratio is potentially useful for taphonomic interpretation, since vertebrae of salmonids tend to be denser and therefore more resistant to destruction than their cranial bones (Butler and Chatters, 1994). To quantify crania, we included a list of 29 commonly occurring midline and paired elements; this number was divided by 52, the number in a single skull, to yield a cranial minimum animal unit (MAU).…”

Section: Element Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology, Taphonomy, and Seasonality: Understanding Differences between Dorset and Thule Subsistence Strategies at Iqaluktuuq, Victoria Island

Howse¹,

Friesen²

2017

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. This paper examines differences between Late Dorset and Thule Inuit subsistence economies at the Bell site on Victoria Island, Nunavut. This location is relatively unusual in the Canadian Arctic because local subsistence was based largely on caribou and fish, rather than the sea mammals that dominate in most other regions. For both periods, animal bone samples are quantified in terms of taxonomic frequencies, element (body part) distributions, seasonality, prey demography, and bone modifications such as cutting, burning, and gnawing. A comparison between the periods indicates many broad similarities in subsistence, but some subtle differences suggest that the Thule had a more focal and specialized economy, with a slightly different seasonal profile.Key words: Dorset; Thule; hunting technologies; taphonomy; subsistence economies; seasonality; zooarchaeology RÉSUMÉ. Le présent article porte sur les différences entre l'économie de subsistance du Dorsétien récent et l'économie de subsistance des Inuits thuléens au site Bell de l'île Victoria, au Nunavut. Cet emplacement de l'Arctique canadien est assez inhabituel en ce sens que la subsistance de la région reposait grandement sur le caribou et le poisson, et non pas sur les mammifères marins qui dominent la plupart des autres régions. Pour ces deux périodes, les échantillons d'ossements d'animaux sont quantifiés en fonction des fréquences taxonomiques, de la répartition des éléments (restes), de leur saisonnalité, de la démographie des proies et des altérations subies par les os, comme les marques de coupure, de brûlure et de rongement. La comparaison des périodes permet de remarquer de nombreuses similitudes générales sur le plan de la subsistance, mais certaines différences subtiles suggèrent que les Thuléens avaient une économie plus concentrée et spécialisée de même qu'un profil saisonnier légèrement différent.

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The Role of Bone Density in Structuring Prehistoric Salmon Bone Assemblages

Cited by 115 publications

References 0 publications

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia

Bone density studies and the interpretation of the faunal record

Technology, Taphonomy, and Seasonality: Understanding Differences between Dorset and Thule Subsistence Strategies at Iqaluktuuq, Victoria Island

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