Excavated Fish Vertebrae as Predictors in Bioarchaeological Research

Abstract

A sample of fifty-eight fish vertebrae from an archaeological site (Gooseberry Point, Campobello Island, N.B. Canada), has been identified as belonging to Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). From their morphometric study, it was possible to conclude the original size of the fish, their age, the seasonality of the campsite and the minimum number of individuals represented by the sample. The ages estimated from reading the vertebral rings varied from five to ten years. Some showed the growth of the “summer” in which they were caught, but many didn't have the growth-of-the-year suggesting a winter fishing activity. These estimates, along with the calculated live total length (from 523–961 mm) and the total weight (from 1,126–7,522 g) indicate that the fish utilized in the site were of a large size. This study used a number of methods to calculate MNIs which resulted in variance ranging from two to thirteen individuals.

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