Trevor Orchard
University of Toronto, Anthropology, Department Member
More than a century of academic research; avocational collecting; and, more recently, cultural resource management archaeology has produced a massive number of archaeological collections from sites in Ontario. There has been relatively... more
More than a century of academic research; avocational collecting; and, more recently, cultural resource management archaeology has produced a massive number of archaeological collections from sites in Ontario. There has been relatively widespread discussion over the past several decades of the “curation crisis” that has arisen from this increasingly large-scale production of archaeological collections. We focus here on creating broader understanding of the potential of such collections for archaeological research and for engaging with other interested parties. We aim to work toward making such collections better understood and more widely accessible. Legacy collections can be a valuable resource for research and can help advance an understanding of Ontario’s heritage. We highlight the challenges of connecting researchers with collections and present ideas on how to make them more accessible. Drawing on our experiences in CRM, museum, and university contexts, we aim to present a multi-faceted perspective on facilitating research with archaeological collections. Through this perspective, we address what legacy collections are; who has generated these collections; where such collections can be found in the Ontario context; how researchers can identify and access legacy collections; and, perhaps most importantly, why researchers might benefit from working with legacy collections. Finally, we aim to highlight the vast, and largely under-exploited, research potential of legacy collections by highlighting some examples of recent research projects that have drawn upon legacy collections.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Anthropology, Environmental Archaeology, Conservation Biology, Archaeological Science, and 15 moreArchaeozoology, Applied Archaeology, Conservation Ecology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Fish and Marine Ecology, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, First Nations of Canada, Faunal Analysis, Animal Remains, Ancient Fishing, European Contact Americas, Fish Bones, Archaeology of fishing, and Archaeology of Colonialism
Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), though of varying importance to First Nations across the Northwest Coast of North America, was a particularly important resource for the Haida, Tlingit, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Makah living on the... more
Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), though of varying importance to First Nations across the Northwest Coast of North America, was a particularly important resource for the Haida, Tlingit, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Makah living on the exposed outer coast of the region. The dietary importance and scale of halibut use, however, are difficult to determine due to seemingly inconsistent ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological accounts. Among the Haida and Makah, ethnographic descriptions highlight the importance of both halibut and salmon; early historic accounts mention halibut repeatedly, but only rarely mention salmon; while archaeological data point to a high abundance of salmon, and reveal only low, though persistent, quantities of halibut. Drawing on examples from Haida and Makah territories, this paper examines these various lines of evidence and explores possible biases that account for the differences in the importance and relative abundance of salmon and halibut that they reflect. We aim to compare these variable sources of data to gain greater insight into the nature of halibut use throughout the Late Holocene on the Northwest Coast.
Research Interests:
The maritime fur trade (1785–1840s) led to the local extinction of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in many parts of the northeast Pacific. On the basis of studies of extant sea otter populations, it has been established that they have a... more
The maritime fur trade (1785–1840s) led to the local extinction of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in many parts of the northeast Pacific. On the basis of studies of extant sea otter populations, it has been established that they have a disproportionate effect on nearshore ecosystems by limiting sea urchin abundance and facilitating the establishment of nearshore kelp forests; in the absence of sea otters, a local reduction in kelp-derived carbon is therefore expected. We measured the isotopic composition (δ13C and δ15N) of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) bone collagen from late Holocene archaeological sites in southern Haida Gwaii, BC, Canada, using δ13C as a proxy for kelp-derived carbon in the diet and δ15N as a proxy for trophic position. We observed significant spatial variability in rockfish kelp-derived carbon (δ13C), but not trophic level (δ15N). Kelp-derived carbon varied largely as a function of site characteristics (wave exposure), suggesting that local oceanographic conditions are important factors with respect to consumer tissue isotopic compositions. Kelp-derived carbon decreased in post-European contact rockfish relative to pre-European contact rockfish, likely as a result of the reduction of kelp forests associated with the local extirpation of sea otters. Although we detected a reduction in kelp-derived carbon in rockfish diets, we found no shift in trophic level at sites occupied following the maritime fur trade. This implies a shift in local ecosystems, and particularly in carbon sources, following the maritime fur trade, likely due to a trophic cascade resulting from the local extirpation of sea otters. Stability in rockfish trophic levels, however, implies that rockfish continued to feed at similar trophic levels, consuming prey with similar nitrogen isotopic compositions.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Historical Archaeology, and 42 moreZooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, Stable Isotope Analysis, Environmental Archaeology, Conservation Biology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Maritime History, Marine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Applied Archaeology, Conservation Ecology, Stable Isotopes, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Fish and Marine Ecology, Historical Ecology, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, First Nations of Canada, Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Fishing in antiquity, Animal Remains, Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Rockfish, European Contact Americas, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Fish Bones, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Archaeology of fishing, Archaeology of Colonialism, Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems, and Sea Otter Adaptations
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, and 26 moreEnvironmental Archaeology, Archaeozoology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Subsistance Strategies (Archaeology), Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Fur Trade Studies, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Animal Remains, European Contact Americas, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Archaeology of Colonialism, Otters, Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems, and Sea Otter Adaptations
We examined the isotopic composition (d13C and d15N) of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) bone collagen from ten late Holocene (ca. 5200 years BP - AD 1900) archaeological sites in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada. Because sea otters are... more
We examined the isotopic composition (d13C and d15N) of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) bone collagen from ten late Holocene (ca. 5200 years BP - AD 1900) archaeological sites in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada. Because sea otters are now extinct from much of this region and have not fully recolonized their former range (e.g. Haida Gwaii and most of northern BC) these data represent an important first step towards better understanding sea otter foraging ecology in BC. The isotopic data suggest a diet composed primarily of benthic invertebrates, with a very low reliance on epibenthic fish. There is very low isotopic and thus inter-individual dietary variability in Holocene BC sea otters during the late Holocene. Furthermore, zooarchaeological abundance data suggest that otters represented a widespread and significant focus of aboriginal hunting practices on the northern BC coast during the mid- to late-Holocene. The consistent reliance on a small number of low-trophic level prey and limited dietary variability in Holocene BC sea otters may reflect top-down impacts on otter populations by aboriginal peoples. As part of our assessment of sea otter diet, we review trophic discrimination factors (D13C and D15N) for bone collagen from published literature and find marked variability, with mean values of +3.7 +/- 1.6 for D13C (n = 21) and +3.6 +/- 1.3 for D15N (n = 15).
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, and 31 moreStable Isotope Analysis, Environmental Archaeology, Marine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Applied Archaeology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Historical Ecology, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, Marine mammals (Marine Conservation), Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Animal Remains, Marine mammals and ecology, Nitrogen Isotope Collagen, Carbon Isotope Collagen, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Archaeology of Colonialism, Otters, Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems, and Sea Otter Adaptations
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Zooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, and 29 moreEnvironmental Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Archaeozoology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Subsistance Strategies (Archaeology), Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Fishing in antiquity, Fishing, Animal Remains, Social Complexity (Archaeology), Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Rockfish, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Fish Bones, Pacific Salmon, Complex Hunter-Gatherers, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Haida Gwaii, Archaeology of fishing, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Stable Isotope Analysis, Environmental Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), and 25 moreArchaeozoology, Archaeological Method & Theory, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Subsistance Strategies (Archaeology), Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Salmonids, Faunal Analysis, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Fishing in antiquity, Animal Remains, Digital Radiography, Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Fish Bones, Pacific Salmon, Osteometry, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Radiography, and Archaeology of fishing
Cannon and Yang (2006) argue that a sedentary winter village based on stored pink and chum salmon began at Namu approximately 7000 B.P. In contrast, we argue that (a) available data support neither a sedentary winter village by that date... more
Cannon and Yang (2006) argue that a sedentary winter village based on stored pink and chum salmon began at Namu approximately 7000 B.P. In contrast, we argue that (a) available data support neither a sedentary winter village by that date nor a subsistence focus on stored pink and chum salmon; (b) the timing and ubiquity of salmon exploitation and storage was not as the authors assert; instead, stable, long-term adaptations focused on taxa other than salmon are found elsewhere on the Northwest Coast; and (c) seasonality estimation based on growth increments is a valid methodology.
Research Interests: Environmental Archaeology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Northwest Coast, and 14 moreHunter-Gatherer Archaeology, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Fishing in antiquity, Animal Remains, Social Complexity (Archaeology), Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Fish Bones, Pacific Salmon, Herring, Complex Hunter-Gatherers, and Archaeology of fishing
Simple linear regression for estimating fish length has been applied to remains of Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) from two sites on Shemya Island (ATU-003 and ATU-061). Al-though five major methods have been used for the estimation of... more
Simple linear regression for estimating fish length has been applied to remains of Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) from two sites on Shemya Island (ATU-003 and ATU-061). Al-though five major methods have been used for the estimation of fish size from archaeological remains, Casteel (1976:122) suggests that the best method involves simple linear regression. Because skeletal size and fish length are highly correlated and form a linear relationship, the simple linear regression approach involves the creation of regression formulae that compare the length of a fish to specific measurements of skeletal elements. The derived formulae can then be used to estimate the size of fish from measurements of archaeological remains. Estimating the sizes of fish prehistorically harvested allows more detailed conclusions to be drawn regarding ancient fishing practices. In addition, possible impacts of identified harvesting methods on past fish populations can also be assessed, as illustrated by the Pacific cod example presented here.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Environmental Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), and 27 moreMarine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Historical Ecology, Human impacts on ancient environments, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Allometry, Fishing in antiquity, Animal Remains, Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Regression, Regression Analysis, Aleutian islands, Fish Bones, Prehistoric fisheries, Osteometry, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Fishing Gear Selectivity, Archaeology of fishing, Pacific Cod, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
This study presents isotopic data (d13C and d15N from bone collagen) for 104 samples representing 29 vertebrate taxa from late pre-contact through to contact era (ca. 2000 – 100 BP) Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada) from a wide... more
This study presents isotopic data (d13C and d15N from bone collagen) for 104 samples representing 29 vertebrate taxa from late pre-contact through to contact era (ca. 2000 – 100 BP) Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada) from a wide variety of mostly marine organisms. The results demonstrate the considerable isotopic variability that characterizes potential prey items in coastal contexts and underscores the need for baseline faunal data to interpret human subsistence practices. Based on these data, a detailed marine food web was constructed, which provides insight into local ecological conditions. We present a simple method for quantifying the trophic level of ancient fauna using d15N of bone collagen. Finally, we discuss the implications of this study for the reconstruction of human diet.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Stable isotope ecology, Zooarchaeology, Stable Isotope Analysis, and 40 moreEnvironmental Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Marine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Applied Archaeology, Stable Isotopes, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Isotope Ecology, Bird remains (Zooarchaeology), Fish and Marine Ecology, Historical Ecology, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Food webs, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Animal Remains, Ancient Fishing, Ichthyoarchaeology, Rockfish, Nitrogen Isotope Collagen, Carbon Isotope Collagen, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Fish Bones, Pacific Salmon, Herring, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Coastal Archaeology, Marine Food Webs, Archaeology of fishing, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Eighteenth century European contact in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia), and elsewhere on the Northwest Coast, sparked the lucrative maritime fur trade, and led to a shift in Haida economic focus. The subsequent... more
Eighteenth century European contact in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia), and elsewhere on the Northwest Coast, sparked the lucrative maritime fur trade, and led to a shift in Haida economic focus. The subsequent extirpation of sea otters from much of the coast soon after the initiation of the trade had cascading effects on ecologically related species, and resulted in further changes in Haida subsistence adaptations. This paper examines the results of ongoing archaeological research in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (Southern Queen Charlotte Islands) in order to increase our understanding of changing Haida adaptation during this dynamic period.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, and 28 moreEnvironmental Archaeology, Marine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Archaeology of Colonialisms, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, First Nations History, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Fishing in antiquity, Animal Remains, Ancient Fishing, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Coastal Archaeology, Marine invertebrates, Archaeology of fishing, Archaeology of Colonialism, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Paleoethnobotany in the Northwest Coast is in the process of developing methodological conventions and establishing the range and sophistication of questions that can be asked of its data. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of... more
Paleoethnobotany in the Northwest Coast is in the process of developing methodological conventions and establishing the range and sophistication of questions that can be asked of its data. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of archaeobotanical remains from three Haida village middens, focusing in particular on the taphonomic concerns that face palaeoethnobotanists during analysis and interpretation. We explore the process of sourcing the various types of remains encountered in midden contexts in an attempt to distinguish those that are culturally vs. naturally deposited. Determining the origins of different constituents of archaeobotanical assemblages is the first step towards interpretation and the ability to address questions of broader social and economic import.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Archaeobotany, Environmental Archaeology, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, and 19 morePaleoethnobotany, North American archaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Taphonomy, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, North Pacific archaeology, Archeobotany, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, northwest coast Indians diet, northwest coast Indians berries, northwest coast Native plants, Northwest Coast Subsistence, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Coastal Archaeology, Haida, Haida Gwaii, and Pacific Northwest Coast
Research Interests: Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Environmental Archaeology, Archaeozoology, and 20 moreHunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, First Nations History, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Animal Remains, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Archaeology of fishing, Archaeology of Colonialism, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Analyses of archaeological faunal assemblages often require the use of varied quantitative techniques for reconstructing aspects of the harvested populations. This is particularly important with the increasing use of zooarchaeological... more
Analyses of archaeological faunal assemblages often require the use of varied quantitative techniques for reconstructing aspects of the harvested populations. This is particularly important with the increasing use of zooarchaeological data outside of the realm of traditional archaeological inquiry. Detailed size estimations of archaeological faunal specimens can be used to distinguish between the remains of individual animals, aiding in the reconstruction of minimum number calculations. Statistical regression provides a particularly useful technique for generating size estimations which may then be used to calculate such modified MNI values. This paper outlines a methodology for utilising regression estimated sizes in MNI calculations, and tests the methodology in the context of a case study involving fish remains from Aleutian Islands archaeological sites. The use of this methodology to generate modified MNI values results in consistent increases over values calculated using traditional MNI approaches. Such an approach, while more costly in terms of required effort, is felt to be preferable to traditional approaches in contexts where detailed size estimations are usefully calculated to answer other research questions.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Environmental Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Archaeozoology, and 14 moreArchaeological Method & Theory, North American archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Subsistance Strategies (Archaeology), Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Allometry, Animal Remains, Ichthyoarchaeology, Regression, Fish Bones, Osteometry, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, and Archaeology of fishing
Prey-size selectivity by Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) is relevant for understanding the foraging behavior of this declining predator, but studies have been problematic because of the absence and erosion of otoliths usually used... more
Prey-size selectivity by Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) is relevant for understanding the foraging behavior of this declining predator, but studies have been problematic because of the absence and erosion of otoliths usually used to estimate fish length. Therefore, we developed regression formulae to estimate fish length from seven diagnostic cranial structures of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius). For both species, all structure measurements were related with fork length of prey (r2 range: 0.78−0.99). Fork length (FL) of walleye pollock and Atka mackerel consumed by Steller sea lions was estimated by applying these regression models to cranial structures recovered from scats (feces) collected between 1998 and 2000 across the range of the Alaskan western stock of Steller sea lions. Experimentally derived digestion correction factors were applied to take into account loss of size due to digestion. Fork lengths of walleye pollock consumed by Steller sea lions ranged from 3.7 to 70.8 cm (mean=39.3 cm, SD=14.3 cm, n=666) and Atka mackerel ranged from 15.3 to 49.6 cm (mean=32.3 cm, SD=5.9 cm, n=1685). Although sample sizes were limited, a greater proportion of juvenile (≤20 cm) walleye pollock were found in samples collected during the summer (June−September) on haul-out sites (64% juveniles, n=11 scats) than on summer rookeries (9% juveniles, n=132 scats) or winter (February−March) haul-out sites (3% juveniles, n=69 scats). Annual changes in the size of Atka mackerel consumed by Steller sea lions corresponded to changes in the length distribution of Atka mackerel resulting from exceptionally strong year classes. Considerable overlap (>51%) in the size of walleye pollock and Atka mackerel taken by Steller sea lions and the sizes of these species caught by the commercial trawl fishery were demonstrated.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, Environmental Archaeology, and 25 moreFish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Archaeozoology, Paleodiet, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, North American archaeology, Marine Mammals, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, Human impacts on ancient environments, Northwest Coast, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Faunal Analysis, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Animal Remains, Ichthyoarchaeology, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Sea Otters, Fish Bones, Faunal Analysis, Zooarchaeology, Haida Gwaii, Archaeology of fishing, and Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
The analysis of kinship relations and kinship terminology, has long been a central focus of anthropological inquiry. Additionally, linguistic relationships and changes in languages have often been argued to reflect prehistoric intergroup... more
The analysis of kinship relations and kinship terminology, has long been a central focus of anthropological inquiry. Additionally, linguistic relationships and changes in languages have often been argued to reflect prehistoric intergroup relationships and groups movements. This paper seeks to provide a basic analysis of selected kin terms for five Northwest Coast languages, namely Spokane, Shuswap, Saanich, Ahousaht, and Ditidaht. In addition, the role that such linguistic data can play in addressing the larger questions of the region's prehistory will be addressed. Specifically, the linguistic data presented will be analyzed from the perspective of Elmendorf's (1961) hypothesis regarding the prehistoric relationships between Interior and Coastal SaIish Ianguages.
Research Interests:
The analysis of faunal remains from archaeological sites can make significant contributions both to the interpretation and understanding of prehistoric subsistence and to the re-creation of palaeoecological and palaeobiological... more
The analysis of faunal remains from archaeological sites can make significant contributions both to the interpretation and understanding of prehistoric subsistence and to the re-creation of palaeoecological and palaeobiological conditions. A number of methods have been employed in the quantification of zooarchaeological data, including calculation of the Number of Identified Specimens Present (NISP), the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI), and the meat weight represented by an assemblage of skeletal remains. The use of statistical regression for the estimation of the live size of fish from skeletal remains provides more precise data, which are particularly useful for interpreting skeletal assemblages from both archaeological and biological perspectives.