The Archaeology Of Animals

Download or read book The Archaeology of Animals written by Simon J. M. Davis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-11-12 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since the discovery of fossil remains of extinct animals associated with flint implements, bones and other animal remains have been providing invaluable information to the archaeologist. In the last 20 years many archaeologists and zoologists have taken to studying such "archaeofaunal" remains, and the science of "zoo-archaeology" has come into being. What was the nature of the environment in which our ancestors lived? In which season were sites occupied? When did our earliest ancestors start to hunt big game, and how efficient were they as hunters? Were early humans responsible for the extinction of so many species of large mammals 10-20,000 years ago? When, where and why were certain animals first domesticated? When did milking and horse-riding begin? Did the Romans influence our eating habits? What were sanitary conditions like in medieval England? And could the terrible pestilence which afflicted the English in the seventh century AD have been plague? These are some of the questions dealt with in this book. The book also describes the nature and development of bones and teeth, and some of the methods used in zoo-archaeology.

Download or read book The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals written by Kitty F. Emery and published by Lockwood Press. This book was released on 2013-11-15 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recognition of the role of animals in ancient diet, economy, politics, and ritual is vital to understanding ancient cultures fully, while following the clues available from animal remains in reconstructing environments is vital to understanding the ancient relationship between humans and the world around them. In response to the growing interest in the field of zooarchaeology, this volume presents current research from across the many cultures and regions of Mesoamerica, dealing specifically with the most current issues in zooarchaeological literature. Geographically, the essays collected here index the different aspects of animal use by the indigenous populations of the entire area between the northern borders of Mexico and the southern borders of lower Central America. This includes such diverse cultures as the north Mexican hunter-gatherers, the Olmec, Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Central American Indians. The time frame of the volume extends from the earliest human occupation, the Preclassic, Classic, Postclassic, and Colonial manifestations, to recent times. The book's chapters, written by experts in the field of Mesoamerican zooarchaeology, provide important general background on the domestic and ritual use of animals in early and classic Mesoamerica and Central America, but deal also with special aspects of human-animal relationships such as early domestication and symbolism of animals, and important yet otherwise poorly represented aspects of taphonomy and zooarchaeological methodology. Spanish-language version also available (ISBN 978-1-937040-12-3).

Download or read book The Symbolic Role of Animals in Archaeology written by Pam J. Crabtree and published by University of Pennsylvania Museum. This book was released on 2018-09-10 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The papers in this volume represent a range of approaches to the study of the symbolic roles of animals in human cultures. The theme that unites these papers is their use of a variety of different kinds of evidenceincluding archaeological, faunal, historical, ethnographic, artistic, and folkloric datain the reconstruction of animal symbolism.

Download or read book The Archaeology of Animals written by Simon J. M. Davis and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1987 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Stone Age mammoth-hunters to Roman black rats, this book explains how fossils found on archaeological sites help to unravel some of the mysteries which surround our ancestors.

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Zooarchaeology written by Umberto Albarella and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 865 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animals have played a fundamental role in shaping human history, and the study of their remains from archaeological sites - zooarchaeology - has gradually been emerging as a powerful discipline and crucible for forging an understanding of our past. This Handbook offers a cutting-edge, global compendium of zooarchaeology that seeks to provide a holistic view of the role played by animals in past human cultures. Case studies from across five continents explore ahuge range of human-animal interactions from an array of geographical, historical, and cultural contexts, and also illuminate the many approaches and methods adopted by different schools and traditions instudying these relationships.

Download or read book Animals as Neighbors written by Terry O'Connor and published by Animal Turn. This book was released on 2013 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For thousands of years, humans have categorized animals as either domestic or wild. And yet, around the world, a more nuanced relationship exists, that of commensal animals, species that have adapted to our homes, our towns, and our artificial landscapes, finding ways to gain benefit from our activities and so becoming an important part of our everyday lives. A fascinating investigation, this text draws on archaeological records to explore human-animal relations.

Download or read book Social Zooarchaeology written by Nerissa Russell and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-11-14 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book to provide a systematic overview of social zooarchaeology, which takes a holistic view of human-animal relations in the past. Until recently, archaeological analysis of faunal evidence has primarily focused on the role of animals in the human diet and subsistence economy. This book, however, argues that animals have always played many more roles in human societies: as wealth, companions, spirit helpers, sacrificial victims, totems, centerpieces of feasts, objects of taboos, and more. These social factors are as significant as taphonomic processes in shaping animal bone assemblages. Nerissa Russell uses evidence derived from not only zooarchaeology, but also ethnography, history and classical studies, to suggest the range of human-animal relationships and to examine their importance in human society. Through exploring the significance of animals to ancient humans, this book provides a richer picture of past societies.