Animal bones and human society in the late Younger Stone Age of Arctic Norway
In recent decades anthropologists and archaeologists have divided hunter-gatherer groups into two types; ~simple~ and ~complex~. However, many documented foraging communities display traits associated with both types, and the placement of past and present hunter-gatherers into either category is problematic. The substantial house remains of the late Younger Stone Age hunter-gatherers of Varangerfjord, North Norway, have been connected by many archaeologists with sedentism and, by extension, with ~complexity~ and permanent social hierarchies. This analysis takes a more direct approach social organisation, using faunal remains to better define the social relationships between households within this community. The large mammal remains from a series of houses are compared to determine whether all households had equal access to prey species and to different parts of large mammal carcasses. Towards this end, the climate and available resources are established for North Norway during the Younger Stone Age. Previous interpretations of the archaeology of the period, including the argument for ~complexity~ are then discussed. The study sites and associated faunal assemblages are presented. Seal hunting patterns are
Hodgetts, Lisa Maye
Hunter-gatherers; Seal bones
Animal bones and human society in the late Younger Stone Age of Arctic Norway. In recent decades anthropologists and archaeologists have divided hunter-gatherer groups into two types; ~simple~ and ~complex~. However, many documented foraging communities display traits associated with both types, and the placement of past and present hunter-gatherers into either category is problematic. The substantial house remains of the late Younger Stone Age hunter-gatherers of Varangerfjord, North Norway, have been connected by many archaeologists with sedentism and, by extension, with ~complexity~ and permanent social hierarchies. This analysis takes a more direct approach social organisation, using faunal remains to better define the social relationships between households within this community. The large mammal remains from a series of houses are compared to determine whether all households had equal access to prey species and to different parts of large mammal carcasses. Towards this end, the climate and available resources are established for North Norway during the Younger Stone Age. Previous interpretations of the archaeology of the period, including the argument for ~complexity~ are then discussed. The study sites and associated faunal assemblages are presented. Seal hunting patterns are
animal_bone human_society late younger stone_age arctic norway archaeologist divide hunter_gatherer group two_type simple complex however many document community display trait associate type placement past_present hunter_gatherer either category problematic substantial house remain late younger stone_age hunter_gatherer north norway connect many archaeologist sedentism extension complexity permanent social_hierarchy analysis take direct social_organisation use faunal_remains well define social_relationship household within_community large mammal remain series house compare determine_whether household equal access prey specie different_part large mammal carcass towards_end climate available resource establish north norway younger stone_age previous_interpretation archaeology period include argument complexity discuss study site associate faunal_assemblage present seal hunting pattern