An aid to the identification of fish bones from southeast Arabia: The influence of reference collections on taxonomic diversity (original) (raw)
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More on the identification of fish bones from southeast Arabia
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2021
Identification of fish bones from archeological sites in southeast Arabia requires access to an extensive reference collection. This is often not possible, and repeated use of these resources when they are available ultimately damages bones. This paper provides a platform from which high-resolution images of 60 species of marine fishes from southeast Arabia can be downloaded, aiding identification and providing illustrations that other researchers can modify to produce graphics to highlight taphonomic modification to bones or illustrate measurements taken.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2019
Fishing is known to have been an integral component of life in prehistoric coastal communities in southeastern Arabia and the recovery of fish bones from sites away from the coast indicates that fish were also an important resource at inland sites in this area. Recent excavations undertaken at the late prehistoric (c.2000-c.800 BCE) site of Saruq al-Hadid, UAE, a desert site located c.40 km away from Emirate of Dubai's coastline, have recovered a large assemblage of fish remains including a substantial number of sagittal otoliths from a variety of marine species. In this paper, we present the results of Laser Ablation ICP-MS analysis of the chemical composition of 143 sagittal otoliths recovered from Saruq al-Hadid and use the data to make preliminary inferences regarding the provenance, season of capture and method of preservation of these fish. We tentatively suggest that the otolith chemistries observed in this study indicate that fish from both the Persian Gulf and Omani coast are present at Saruq al-Hadid. Additionally, we are also able to rule out salting as a preservation method for the fish represented by these otoliths. However, we also highlight the extensive array of variables that may influence these data and acknowledge that the nature of the dataset prevents any firm conclusions being drawn regarding these topics at this stage in the study. Despite the limitations of this preliminary study, we argue that the otoliths from Saruq al-Hadid have significant research potential and conclude by outlining methods that might be employed to take this study further in the future.
This paper summarises the preliminary results of an analysis of the mammalian, bird and fish vertebrate fauna from site H3 at Sabiyah in Kuwait. The site is a settlement located on the northern shore of Kuwait Bay. Radiocarbon dating, as well as distinctive pottery found at the site, confirms that the settlement dates to the late 6th/early 5th millennium BC. Domestic livestock exploited include sheep/goat and cattle. Hunting was carried out for gazelle, fox and marine turtle. Birds so far identified include cormorants. The numerous fish remains include requiem sharks, sawfish, sea catfish, groupers, jacks/trevallies, emperors, seabream and tuna. Most fishing was probably carried out in shallow waters adjacent to the site, although some larger jacks and groupers, and particularly the tuna, must have been caught in deeper offshore waters. A large number of sea catfish otoliths were recovered from the site. These are currently being studied by the authors in the Fish Ageing Laboratory of the Mariculture and Fisheries Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Preliminary data suggest that the sea catfish were caught during both summer and winter months. Interestingly, some of their otoliths had been utilised as blanks for the manufacture of beads.
Column Sampling and the Archaeology of Small fish at Ts'ishaa (McKechnie 2005)
"Archaeologists working on the Northwest Coast have periodically employed the use of core and column sampling to describe the taxonomic composition of fish recovered from small volumes of fine-screened archaeological deposit (Cannon 2000; Casteel 1976a; Coupland 1991; Fawcett 1991; Hanson 1991; Monks 1977; Moss 1989; Wigen and Eldon 1987). Although the controlled recovery and laboratory processing of these fine-screened (less than 6 mm) matrix samples is known to be an effective way to describe the composition of fish in a shell midden deposit, this type of analysis is rarely conducted in more than a single area of a site, and the results are not often explicitly compared to fauna identified from adjacent excavation units (but see Cannon 2000). As a result, taxonomic frequencies of fine-screened fish remains are often not included in the spatial, temporal and quantitative investigation of prehistoric subsistence practices on the Northwest Coast, even though fish remains are often the most numerous and ubiquitous vertebrate taxa present in shell midden deposits. Here, I describe fish recovered from five fine-screened column samples and compare this with the large assemblage of fish remains identified from excavation units at Tsʼishaa (Frederick and Crockford, 2005). My purpose in doing so is to provide a broader assessment of the context and significance of the fauna recovered from the site as a whole. My column sample analysis is based an assemblage of 20,245 fine-screened fish remains and is compared to an assemblage of 45,333 fish specimens examined from 1⁄4" excavation units, where fish account for the overwhelming majority of the fauna identified (66–98% NISP, Frederick and Crockford 2005)."
THE JOURNAL OF ISLAND AND COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 2023
Different Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age sites located in the Ras al-Hadd cape and Ras al-Jinz Bay area (Ash-Sharqiyyah South Governorate, Sultanate of Oman) have provided thousands of zooarchaeological dolphin remains suggesting a strong reliance on the exploitation of these animals. Dolphins are hard to identify to the species level due to a highly comparable interspecies osteological morphology as well as a general lack of extensive osteological reference collections. As a result, such remains are frequently identified as “dolphin”, without any further species identification being undertaken. In this study, we assess whether an osteometric method for distinguishing the nine dolphin species that are present in Omani waters can be used to identify the zooarchaeological specimens. Zooarchaeology by Mass-Spectrometry (ZooMS) was also undertaken on a subset of the specimens but proved ineffective due to the poor preservation of the material in an arid climate. This evidence strengthens the need for effective species identification methods based on traditional zooarchaeological methods. This research is based on our ongoing analysis of the thousands of dolphin remains from the Omani zooarchaeological assemblages.
2008. Fish remains from the Bronze Age levels of Tappeh Hessar (Damghan, Iran).
Sous la direction de P. Béarez, S. Grouard et B. Claverl. Editions APDCA, Antibes. pp. 357-365.
Le matériel ichtyofaunique de Tappeh Hessar (Iran) provient de 4 structures archéologiques de la période du Bronze, plus précisément Hessar III B (2640-2390 BC). Parmi les 214 restes osseux de poissons, 58 ont pu être déterminés (27,1 %). Les taxons identifiés sont principalement des espèces d'eau douce de la famille des Cyprinidés, notamment du genre Rutilus, qui semble se répartir en deux groupes de tailles. Il est possible que cette discrimination résulte de la présence de deux espèces consommées : une petite, le gardon Rutilus rutilus et une autre plus grande, Rutilus frisii, qui est répandue dans le bassin de la mer Caspienne. Il n'est cependant pas exclu qu'il s'agisse d'individus de tailles extrêmes de Rutilus rutilus. La fréquence des éléments anatomiques nous montre une représentation des éléments du crâne de 27 % du NR, tandis que ceux du corps atteignent 72 %. Au niveau du crâne, il manque les éléments des 2/3 antérieurs, ce qui pourrait être la conséquence d'un étêtage préalable. Cela nous fait supposer que les poissons ont été consommés après leur préparation en vue de leur conservation. La conservation a pu être sur les lieux de pêche. La présence de l'espèce Rutilus frisii sur le site de Tappeh Hessar pourrait être le témoignage d'échanges avec des communautés riveraines de la mer Caspienne. Mots-clés. Iran, Tappeh Hessar, âge du Bronze, Cyprinidés, Rutilus.
Analysis of Fish Bones from the Tantura F Shipwreck, Israel INTRODUCTION
Underwater excavations of the Tantura F shipwreck in the Dor/Tantura lagoon, Israel, which dated to the local early Islamic period, exposed, for the first time, remains of amphorae with tens of thousands of fish remains. Taxonomic identification exhibited the preponderance of tiny cichlids (Cichlidae). Moreover, elements of the entire skeleton were represented in the assemblages. We therefore concluded that the amphorae were probably filled with fish sauce. We discuss the possible origins of the fish sauce, whether local or imported. These finds are important as they provide clear evidence that Dor was populated during the Islamic period and probably continued to be an important port along trade sea routes. RESUMEN: Excavaciones subacuáticas llevadas a cabo en el pecio de Tantura F, en la laguna costera de Dor/Tantura en Israel, y datadas en el periodo islámico temprano, evidenciaron, por vez primera, la presencia de docenas de miles de restos de peces dentro de ánforas. La identificación taxonómica reveló la dominancia de diminutos cíclidos (Cichlidae) de los que la totalidad de los elementos del esqueleto apuntan a la presencia de ejemplares completos. Al parecer, las ánforas transportaban algún tipo de salsa de pescado, de la que desconocemos su carácter si local o importado. Estos hallazgos son importantes al demostrar que Dor estuvo ocupado durante el arranque del período islámico manteniendo seguramente su condición de núcleo de referencia en las antiguas rutas de navegación marítima. PALABRAS CLAVE: CICHLIDAE, PERIODO ISLÁMICO TEMPRANO, SALSA DE PES-CADO, PROCESADO DE PESCADO, RUTAS MARÍTIMAS, ISRAEL 15. ARCH. VOL. 22_ARCHAEOFAUNA 08/08/13 18:40 Página 189
2000
A preliminary analysis is provided of the vertebrate faunal remains from a newly discovered ‘Ubaid settlement located on the island of Dalma in the United Arab Emirates. The site dates to the early 5 millennium BC. Fishing and hunting were of great importance although animal husbandry was also practiced, a small amount of bones of domestic sheep/goat being present at the site. Gazelle were sometimes hunted, and marine turtle, dugong and dolphin only appear to have been occasionally exploited. Other marine resources utilised included crabs and marine mollusca. Fish bones however form the most significant component of the assemblage. Ongoing analysis of the fish remains suggests that a wide range of species are present, including inshore as well as pelagic species. Major groups include the subclass Elasmobranchii (cartilaginous sharks and rays) as well as the following families amongst the Osteichthyes (bony fishes): Belonidae (needlefish), Serranidae (groupers), Sparidae (seabreams) ...