The study of fish remains from British archaeological sites
The subject of this study falls into two parts. Firstly an examination of the methodology of the analysis of archaeological fish remains. It considers the problems of recovering and quantifying material and then the aims and difficulties of analysis. Several lines of evidence can be used to study how the fish were caught and utilised but much of it is ambiguous and natural agencies can produce similar patterns. One major use-for fish remains lies in the study of seasonality; behavioural evidence is not as reliable as is often claimed but growth rings and sometimes fish size are clear indicators. Integrated with this is a case study of a large and well-recovered assemblage of fish remains from a series of five fourth millennium bc. shell middens on the small island of Oronsay(Inner Hebrides). The fauna is dominated by the young age stages of one species, the saithe(Pollachius virens) but at least fifteen other fishes are represented; they are mostly found along rocky shores or in inshore waters. The size of the assemblage and the lack of selectivity, both in species and sizes, suggests a technique of mass capture such as a weir or nets; however, a combination of methods including line fishing from boats seems
Wilkinson, Michael Rex
Archaeology
The study of fish remains from British archaeological sites. The subject of this study falls into two parts. Firstly an examination of the methodology of the analysis of archaeological fish remains. It considers the problems of recovering and quantifying material and then the aims and difficulties of analysis. Several lines of evidence can be used to study how the fish were caught and utilised but much of it is ambiguous and natural agencies can produce similar patterns. One major use-for fish remains lies in the study of seasonality; behavioural evidence is not as reliable as is often claimed but growth rings and sometimes fish size are clear indicators. Integrated with this is a case study of a large and well-recovered assemblage of fish remains from a series of five fourth millennium bc. shell middens on the small island of Oronsay(Inner Hebrides). The fauna is dominated by the young age stages of one species, the saithe(Pollachius virens) but at least fifteen other fishes are represented; they are mostly found along rocky shores or in inshore waters. The size of the assemblage and the lack of selectivity, both in species and sizes, suggests a technique of mass capture such as a weir or nets; however, a combination of methods including line fishing from boats seems
study fish remain british archaeological_site subject study fall_two_part firstly examination analysis archaeological fish remain considers problem recover quantify material aim difficulty analysis several line evidence use study fish utilise much ambiguous natural agency produce similar_pattern one_major use for fish remain lie study seasonality behavioural evidence reliable often claim growth ring sometimes fish size clear indicator integrated case_study large well recovered assemblage fish remain series shell small_island fauna dominate young_age stag specie least fifteen fish represent mostly find along water size assemblage lack selectivity specie size suggest technique mass capture net however combination method_include line fishing boat seem