Commensal or comestible? : the role and exploitation of small, non-ungulate mammals in early European prehistory : towards a methodology for improving identification of human utilisation
Small mammals, namely those species larger than microfauna like rats and murids but smaller than medium, sheep-size fauna, are generally one of the less studied areas of zooarchaeology. While this may be partly influenced by modern cultural biases, it is more often because finding small, rabbit-sized, mammal remains in archaeological deposits presents a problem in accurately differentiating between those arising from natural, biological and anthropogenic agencies. This thesis tackles this subject using a synthesis of different methods, examining the exploitation and role of small, non-ungulate mammals in early Western European prehistory by combining existing ethnographic knowledge and archaeological research with actualistic experiments and bone assemblage analysis. It first presents a detailed summary of the various taphonomic effects on bone from natural, biological and human action, with particular reference to those of small mammals, using empirical evidence to describe the processes and likely resultant effects. Small mammal utilisation is then contextualised using archaeological and ethnographic evidence to examine past and present practices in Europe and other areas of the world. Different acquisition
Howard, Wendy June
Small mammals ; Zooarchaeology ; Experimental archaeology ; Ethnography ; Taphonomy ; Bone modification ; Fractures ; Prehistory ; Europe ; North America ; Pueblo
Commensal or comestible? : the role and exploitation of small, non-ungulate mammals in early European prehistory : towards a methodology for improving identification of human utilisation. Small mammals, namely those species larger than microfauna like rats and murids but smaller than medium, sheep-size fauna, are generally one of the less studied areas of zooarchaeology. While this may be partly influenced by modern cultural biases, it is more often because finding small, rabbit-sized, mammal remains in archaeological deposits presents a problem in accurately differentiating between those arising from natural, biological and anthropogenic agencies. This thesis tackles this subject using a synthesis of different methods, examining the exploitation and role of small, non-ungulate mammals in early Western European prehistory by combining existing ethnographic knowledge and archaeological research with actualistic experiments and bone assemblage analysis. It first presents a detailed summary of the various taphonomic effects on bone from natural, biological and human action, with particular reference to those of small mammals, using empirical evidence to describe the processes and likely resultant effects. Small mammal utilisation is then contextualised using archaeological and ethnographic evidence to examine past and present practices in Europe and other areas of the world. Different acquisition
commensal role exploitation small non ungulate mammal early european prehistory towards improve identification human utilisation small_mammal namely species large like rat small medium sheep size fauna generally less study_area zooarchaeology may partly influence modern cultural bias often find small rabbit sized mammal remain archaeological_deposit present problem accurately differentiate arise natural biological anthropogenic agency tackle subject use synthesis different_method examine exploitation role small non ungulate mammal early western_european prehistory combine exist ethnographic knowledge archaeological bone_assemblage analysis first present_detail summary various taphonomic effect bone natural biological human_action particular_reference small_mammal use empirical_evidence describe process likely resultant effect small_mammal utilisation contextualised use archaeological_ethnographic evidence examine past_present practice europe area world different acquisition