Archaeozoology in Sub-Saharan Africa 211
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210 Field Manual for African Archaeology. Chapter 5 $5&+$(2=22/2*<,168%6$+$5$1$)5,&$ Wim Van Neer 1 $UFKDHR]RRORJ\RU]RRDUFKDHRORJ\GHDOVZLWKWKHDQL VHSDUDWHO\IRU¿QHUVLHYLQJRQDPPDQGPPPHVK PDOUHPDLQVIRXQGDWDUFKDHRORJLFDOVLWHV7RJHWKHUZLWK DQG ZLOO DOORZ FRUUHFWLQJ RI YDOXHV REWDLQHG RQ WKH DUFKDHRERWDQLFDO VWXGLHV WKH IDXQDO DQDO\VLV DOORZV PPVFUHHQ6XFKVHGLPHQWVDPSOHVFDQDOVREHVKDUHG UHFRQVWUXFWLRQRIWKHSDVWHQYLURQPHQWDVZHOODVWKH ZLWKDUFKDHRERWDQLVWVLQWHUHVWHGLQPDFURERWDQLFDO UH ZD\SHRSOHLQWHUDFWHGZLWKSODQWVDQGDQLPDOVLQIRUPHU mains and charcoal, and it is therefore useful to agree on WLPHV$QLPDOERQHVDQGWHHWKDUHWKHPRVWFRPPRQO\ WKHVDPSOLQJVWUDWHJLHVZLWKRWKHUVSHFLDOLVWVSULRUWRWKH encountered remains, but mollusk shells, bird feathers, H[FDYDWLRQ:KHQUHWULHYLQJIDXQDOUHPDLQVLQWKH¿HOG ¿VKVFDOHVHJJVKHOOIUDJPHQWVLQVHFWUHPDLQVDQLPDO it is important that no selection is carried out by the ex droppings are other examples of material that can be FDYDWRUV$OODQLPDOUHPDLQVLQFOXGLQJWKRVHWKDWPD\ found. VHHPXQGLDJQRVWLFRUWRRVPDOOWREHLGHQWL¿DEOHKDYHWR Preservation conditions YDU\ D ORW LQ VXE6DKDUDQ be kept for analysis by the archaeozoologist. Moreover, $IULFDDQGFHUWDLQUHJLRQV\LHOGYHU\OLWWOHIDXQD7KH WKHSURSRUWLRQRIXQLGHQWL¿DEOHUHPDLQVLQDQDVVHP DFLGVRLOVLQODUJHSDUWVRI&HQWUDO$IULFDUHVXOWLQWKH blage is also important as it is a measure of the degree dissolution of the mineral part of animal bone, teeth of fragmentation and thus the state of preservation. It is DQGVKHOO)DXQDOUHPDLQVIURPWKDWUHJLRQDUHWKHUHIRUH evident that to prevent further breakage, care needs to mainly from cave sites or from particular structures, EHWDNHQWRZUDSDQGEDJWKHPDWHULDODGHTXDWHO\DQGWR such as pits, in rather recent sites. Rapid and deep burial DOZD\VLQFOXGHODEHOV:KHQWKHERQHVDUHVWLOOKXPLG of animal remains is essential for good preservation as WKH\VKRXOGEHDOORZHGWRGU\VORZO\DYRLGLQJH[SRVXUH LWZLOOOLPLWVXUIDFHZHDWKHULQJDQGGHVWUXFWLRQE\VFDY WRWKHVXQDVWKLVZLOOUHVXOWLQVSOLQWHULQJRIWKHERQH engers, bacteria and fungi. The different animal tissues 2QZHWERQHVWKDWDUHSDFNHGLQSODVWLFEDJVPRXOGZLOO DOVRKDYHGLIIHUHQWSUHVHUYDWLRQFKDQFHVWRRWKHQDPHO develop and labels may also be destroyed if they are not preserves better than dentine or bone, and compact bone protected by plastic. There is no need to sort the fau of mammal preserves better than thin bird bone. These QDOUHPDLQVE\DQLPDOJURXSZKLFKZLOOEHGRQHE\WKH VRFDOOHG GLIIHUHQWLDO SUHVHUYDWLRQ FKDQFHV VKRXOG EH DUFKDHR]RRORJLVW +RZHYHU PDNLQJ VXUH WKDW VPDOOHU NHSWLQPLQGZKHQLQWHUSUHWLQJVSHFLHVUDWLRVRUVNHO fragile bones are packed separately from more bulky re HWDOHOHPHQWUHSUHVHQWDWLRQZLWKLQDVLQJOHVSHFLHV7KH PDLQVLVYLWDODVWKLVZLOOUHGXFHGDPDJH:KHQZRUNHG exclusive presence of large bovid tooth fragments on a RUKDOI¿QLVKHGREMHFWVDUHIRXQGWKDWDUHPDGHRIERQH VLWHLVOLNHO\WRUHÀHFWSRRUSUHVHUYDWLRQFRQGLWLRQVIRU ivory, or shell, these are often kept separate as artefacts. instance. ,WLVXVHIXOWRVKRZWKHVHLWHPVWRWKHDUFKDHR]RRORJLVW In order to not bias the faunal assemblages preserved VRWKDWLQIRUPDWLRQFDQEHSURYLGHGRQWKHW\SHRIUDZ at a site, it is vital to carry out a correct sampling . Dur materials used. LQJWKHH[FDYDWLRQDQLPDOUHPDLQVFDQEHKDQGFROOHFW ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ RIWKHIDXQDOUHPDLQVLVWKHQH[WVWHS HGLQWKHWUHQFK ¿J EXWLWLVLPSRUWDQWWKDWWKHVHGL ¿QGLQJ RXW IRU HDFK IUDJPHQW WKH DQLPDO VSHFLHV LW ment is sieved in order to retrieve the smaller bones that FRPHVIURPDQGWKHVNHOHWDOHOHPHQWIURPZKLFKLWLV ZLOORWKHUZLVHEHLQHYLWDEOHORVW ¿J ([SHULPHQWV GHULYHG,GHQWL¿FDWLRQLVEDVHGRQWKHPRUSKRORJ\RI KDYHVKRZQWKDWQRWRQO\VPDOOVSHFLHVDUHPLVVHGZKHQ the bones and on their size. Other information that can no sieving is carried out, but that also smaller bones of sometimes be retrieved from isolated bones is the age PHGLXPVL]HG DQG HYHQ ODUJH PDPPDOV DUH ORVW 'H DQG WKH VH[ RI WKH LQGLYLGXDO 3DWKRORJLHV DV ZHOO DV SHQGLQJRQWKHW\SHRIVRLOGU\ ¿J RUZHWVLHYLQJ WUDFHVOHIWRQWKHERQHV±E\KXPDQVDQGDQLPDOV±DUH FDQEHGRQHSUHIHUDEO\ZLWKDPHVKZLGWKRIPP7KLV UHFRUGHG$OO WKHVH GDWD SURYLGH LQWHUHVWLQJ LQIRUPD ZLOOJXDUDQWHHWKHUHWULHYDORIPRVWPDPPDOELUGDQG tion useful for the reconstruction of subsistence prac ¿VKERQHV6PDOOHUYROXPHVRIVHGLPHQWFDQEHVDPSOHG WLFHV KXQWLQJVWUDWHJLHVKHUGLQJDQGFXOOLQJVWUDWHJLHV RIGRPHVWLFVSHFLHVVHDVRQDOLW\HWF )RUDQDGHTXDWH Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Brussels. W. Van Neer. Archaeozoology in Sub-Saharan Africa 211 Fig. 1. +DQGFROOHFWHGERQHFRQVLVWLQJPDLQO\RIGRPHVWLFFDWWOHDQG Fig. 2. 0LQXVFXOH ¿VK ERQHV UHWULHYHG ZLWK D ¿QH PHVKHG VLHYH 3URYH large Nile perch, from a food preparation facility in predynastic Hiera QDQFHHDUO\5RPDQ4XVHLUDO4DGLP(J\SW 3KRWR:9DQ1HHU NRQSROLV(J\SW7KHFRORXUVYDU\IURP\HOORZWREURZQEODFNJUH\ DQGZKLWLVKLOOXVWUDWLQJGLIIHUHQWGHJUHHVRIH[SRVXUHWR¿UH7KHVFDOH EDULVFP 3KRWR:9DQ1HHU Fig. 3. 'U\ VLHYLQJ DW DQ H[FDYDWLRQ LQ QRUWKHDVWHUQ 1LJHULD 3KRWR3%UHXQLJ)UDQNIXUWUHI6)% Fig. 4 0RGHUQVNHOHWRQVRI¿VKZLWKNQRZQERG\OHQJWKDUHXVHGDVFRP SDULVRQ IRU WKH LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ RI DUFKDHRORJLFDO ¿VK ERQHV 7KLV DOORZV establishment the skeletal element, the species, and an estimation of the OHQJWKRIWKHFRUUHVSRQGLQJ¿VK 3KRWR5%,16%UXVVHOV LGHQWL¿FDWLRQUHIHUHQFHFROOHFWLRQVFRQVLVWLQJRIPRG FDQDOVRGRDPDMRUSDUWRIWKHLGHQWL¿FDWLRQRQVLWHXV HUQVNHOHWRQVRIDQLPDOVWKDWZHUHFRUUHFWO\LGHQWL¿HG LQJDOLPLWHGUHIHUHQFHFROOHFWLRQWKDWKHVKHFDQEULQJ are needed. Ideally, faunal remains should be studied in ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQJXLGHVDWODVHVSXEOLFDWLRQVGHDOLQJZLWK a lab, institute or museum that holds extensive collec RVWHRPHWU\DUHKHOSIXOWRROVIRUWKHLGHQWL¿FDWLRQERWK WLRQVRIFRPSDUDWLYHVSHFLPHQV ¿J ,Q$IULFDDIHZ LQWKH¿HOGDQGLQWKHODEEXWWKHLUVROHXVHE\DQXQH[ such places exist, for instance the National Museums in SHULHQFHGUHVHDUFKHUVKRXOGGH¿QLWHO\EHGLVFRXUDJHG .HQ\DRUWKH,)$1DW'DNDUWKDWDOVRKDYHWKHIDFLOLWLHV $WODVHV ¿J SURYLGHLQIRUPDWLRQLQWZRGLPHQVLRQV WR SUHSDUH VNHOHWRQV$ ZHOO WUDLQHG DUFKDHR]RRORJLVW RQO\DQGGRQRWUHÀHFWWKHPRUSKRORJLFDOYDULDWLRQWKDW 212 Field Manual for African Archaeology. Chapter 5 H[LVWVZLWKLQDVLQJOHVSHFLHV,GHQWL¿FDWLRQRI$IULFDQ DQGWKDWZHUHGHSRVLWHGLQDVWUXFWXUHWKDWPD\KDYHDFW archaeofauna can be problematic for particular animal ed as a trap. The data are presented in tabular form and groups because they may consist of numerous species W\SLFDOO\FRQVLVWRIVSHFLHVOLVWVLQGLFDWLQJKRZPDQ\ of similar size and morphology. This is the case, for in UHPDLQVRIHDFKVSHFLHVZHUHLGHQWL¿HGDQGOLVWVZLWK VWDQFHIRUDQWHORSHVRUIRUFDW¿VK&HUWDLQVNHOHWDOHOH skeletal element distribution per species. PHQWVFDQEHYHU\GLDJQRVWLF IRULQVWDQFHMDZVWHHWK 7KH¿UVWVWHSLQWKH interpretation of faunal remains RUKRUQFRUHV EXWRWKHUVVXFKDVULEVRUYHUWHEUDHFDQ FRQVLVWVRIXQGHUVWDQGLQJKRZWKHIDXQDOUHPDLQVZHUH XVXDOO\RQO\EHDWWULEXWHGWRDVL]HFODVVDQGZLOOWKHQ GHSRVLWHGDQGZKDWKDSSHQHGWRWKHPEHWZHHQWKHPR IRU LQVWDQFH EH ODEHOHG DV µPHGLXPVL]HG ERYLG¶ %H PHQWWKDWDQDQLPDOGLHGDQGZKHQLWVUHPDLQVZHUHGLV VLGHVWKHYHU\YDULHG$IULFDQZLOGIDXQDWKHDUFKDHR FRYHUHGGXULQJWKHH[FDYDWLRQ7KLVVRFDOOHGµ tapho- zoologist often also may have to take into account the nomical analysis’ should precede the reconstruction of possible presence of domestic animals. Recognising the past environment and of the subsistence strategies. WKHPLVQRWDOZD\VVWUDLJKWIRUZDUG VHH/LQVHHOHWKLV $OWKRXJKKXPDQVDUHXVXDOO\WKHPDLQDFFXPXODWRURI YROXPHSS LQWKHFDVHRIGRPHVWLFFDWWOH faunal remains on an archaeological site, other agents RYHUODSLQPRUSKRORJ\DQGVL]HPD\RFFXUZLWK$IULFDQ FDQFRQWULEXWHDVZHOO7KLVLVSDUWLFXODUO\REYLRXV LQ buffalo or the larger antelopes. In the case of sheep and FDYHVLWHVZKHUHDQLPDOVFDQGLHQDWXUDOO\7KLVLQFOXGHV JRDWWKH\ZLOOQHHGWREHGLVFULPLQDWHGIURPPHGLXP QRWRQO\FDYHGZHOOLQJVSHFLHVVXFKDVEDWVEXWDOVR VL]HGDQWHORSHV VXFKDVGXLNHURULELHWF ,GHQWLI\LQJ ZRXQGHGRUVLFNDQLPDOVWKDWPD\KDYHVRXJKWUHIXJH domestic chicken is not easy either because they need to in caves. Such animals can be recognised by the fact EHGLVWLQJXLVKHGIURPWKHQXPHURXVZLOGJDOOLIRUPVWKDW that their skeletons are more or less complete and by H[LVWLQ$IULFD JXLQHDIRZOIUDQFROLQSDUWULGJH %H the intact state of preservation of the individual bones. cause so much importance is attached to domestication Several raptor bird species can roost near cave entrances and the propagation of domestic animals, basic com DQGWKHFRQWHQWVRIWKHLUUHJXUJLWDWLRQSHOOHWV ERQHVRI parative anatomical studies need to be carried out that VPDOOPDPPDOVDQGELUGV FDQDFFXPXODWHXQGHUWKHLU GH¿QHWKHGLDJQRVWLFFULWHULDHQDEOLQJWKHUHFRJQLWLRQ resting places. Skeletal remains of larger animals can be of the domestics. This has been done already for dis brought in by carnivores such as leopards and hyenas; WLQJXLVKLQJFDWWOHDQG$IULFDQEXIIDOREXWRWKHUDQLPDO WKHVHDUHXVXDOO\UHFRJQLVDEOHE\W\SLFDOPRGL¿FDWLRQV groups such as the galliforms still need to be analysed in JQDZ DQG SXQFWXUH PDUNV ERQHV VKRZLQJ HWFKLQJ RU detail. The fact that this has not yet happened is mainly SROLVKLQJ DV D UHVXOW RI JDVWULF MXLFHV$QRWKHU DFFX GXHWRDQDEVHQFHRIVXI¿FLHQWFRPSDUDWLYHVNHOHWRQVRI mulator that also produces typical marks is the porcu WKHYDULRXVVSHFLHV$GYDQFHVLQRXUNQRZOHGJHDERXW SLQH7KLVODUJHURGHQWFROOHFWVERQH DQGVRIWVWRQH RQ GRPHVWLFIRZOZLOOKHQFHQRWRQO\GHSHQGRQWKHDYDLO ZKLFKLWJQDZVWRVKDUSHQLWVLQFLVRUV ¿J $QRWKHU DELOLW\RIQHZIDXQDODVVHPEODJHVEXWDOVRRQSDUDOOHO WKLQJZRUWKUHPHPEHULQJLVWKDWQRWDOOWKHIDXQDOPD efforts to expand modern reference collections. WHULDOIRXQGDVVRFLDWHGZLWKFXOWXUDOUHPDLQVLVQHFHV 2QFHLGHQWL¿FDWLRQVDUHFDUULHGRXWWKHGDWDFDQEH VDULO\FRQWHPSRUDQHRXV&HUWDLQVSHFLHVDUHEXUURZHUV TXDQWL¿HGDQGLQWHUSUHWHG 4XDQWL¿FDWLRQusually con and can not only disturb the stratigraphy of a site, but VLVWVRIFRXQWLQJWKHQXPEHURILGHQWL¿HGIUDJPHQWV WKH DOVR FRQWULEXWH VNHOHWDO PDWHULDO ZKHQ