archaeo(zoo)logy and taxonomy roel lauwerier national service for archaeology, cultural landscape...
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Archaeo(zoo)logy and taxonomy
Roel LauwerierNational Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Built Heritage (RACM)
Workshop Users of taxonomic informationEuropean Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT), 23-2-2008
Story of the pastresources
Archaeological remains are the most important source of knowledge of most periods of our past.
5 000 before present
15 000 before pr.
10 000 before present2 000 before
present
Written sources
Archaeology reconstructing images of the past
Study of past societies through their material remains
Biological remains interaction humans - living environment
• Plant remains
• seeds and fruits
• pollen
• wood
• …
Biological remains interaction humans - living environment
• Animal remains
• bone
• antler
• teeth
• …
Archaeological questions and archaeozoology interaction humans - living environment
• Domestication
• Hunting – stock breeding
• Food production
• Food consumption, preparation
• Trade, interaction
• Handicraft
• Environment
• Non-economic aspects
• …
Archaeozoology parameters
•Traces of cutting, sawing, gnawing, burning, …
• Age at death
• Skeletal elements
• …
• Species
Identifying species reference collections
Morphological identification
• atlases, measurements, indices
• reference collections
Identifying species reference collections
Primary organization
• skeletal element
Composition
• Dutch soil
• archaeological relevance
Archaeozoological ‘taxonomy’ and nomenclature
Domestic mammals
cattle
sheep
sheep or goat
pig
horse
dog
Wild mammals
aurochs
red deer
wild boar
…
Bos taurus
Ovis aries
Ovis aries / capra hircus
Sus domesticus
Equus caballus
Canis familiaris
Bos primigenius
Cervus elaphus
Sus scrofa
…
Reference system for archaeozool. information BoneInfo (www.racm.nl)
Refers to information on studied archaeozoological complexes from the Dutch territory (soil and water)
Size
• 1500 complexes, 18000 species records, 3400 references
Parameters (selection)
• location (coordinates, toponym, municipality, ...)
• type of complex (e.g. hunting camp, farm, legionary fort, town)
• period (e.g. late Palaeolithic, mid Roman period)
• species
• (grey) literature
BoneInfo (www.racm.nl)Selection form
BoneInfo (www.racm.nl)Reports
Archaeozoology and taxonomy struggling with species
Characteristics of (most) archaeozoologist
• Not animals but humans are their main focus
• Most of them have studied archaeology / anthropology, not biology
• They live in an other world as taxonomists do
• It is a small world
• Many of them work for private companies
Archaeozoology and taxonomy struggling with species
Identifying bone fragments
• wild – domestic
• hybrids
• morphologically alike species
Do we know the studies that are relevant for archaeozoology?
Changing taxonomy and nomenclature
What is the actual information?
What has changed?
Where can we find this information?
National Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Built Heritage (RACM)
www.racm.nl
Roel Lauwerier, [email protected]