Identifying the agent of accumulation: zooarchaeological analysis of fish remains recovered from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Les Pedroses in Asturias, Northern Spain.

A collection of fish remains recovered from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Les Pedroses in the Spanish province of Asturias have been examined to determine the nature of accumulation. Research focused on the anatomy, taxonomy, taphonomy and osteometry of the remains. The site is located along a tributary of the Sela river valley Asturias in the municipality of Ribadesella. Previous excavations have uncovered evidence of human occupation ranging from the Solutrean to the Early Holocene. The fish remains were recovered from four stratigraphical layers found at the back of the vestibule along the northern wall of the cave. The oldest layer has been radiocarbon dated to 12.250±40 BP or 14.328-14.004 Cal BP, which puts it well within the Late Upper Magdalenian. It is followed by a transitionary layer, an Early Holocene layer and a superimposed layer. Taxonomic identification of the remains was conducted with the help of fish bone reference collections housed at the Laboratory for...Show moreA collection of fish remains recovered from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Les Pedroses in the Spanish province of Asturias have been examined to determine the nature of accumulation. Research focused on the anatomy, taxonomy, taphonomy and osteometry of the remains. The site is located along a tributary of the Sela river valley Asturias in the municipality of Ribadesella. Previous excavations have uncovered evidence of human occupation ranging from the Solutrean to the Early Holocene. The fish remains were recovered from four stratigraphical layers found at the back of the vestibule along the northern wall of the cave. The oldest layer has been radiocarbon dated to 12.250±40 BP or 14.328-14.004 Cal BP, which puts it well within the Late Upper Magdalenian. It is followed by a transitionary layer, an Early Holocene layer and a superimposed layer. Taxonomic identification of the remains was conducted with the help of fish bone reference collections housed at the Laboratory for Archaeozoological Studies of Leiden and the Laboratory for Zooarchaeological Research at the University of Amsterdam. A family, genus or species level identification could be obtained for the majority of fish remains found in the assemblage. A mix of marine and freshwater fishes were identified with Clupeids and Salmonids being best represented taxa in all four stratigraphical layers. Vertebrae were by far the best represented skeletal elements. Over half of the skeletal elements in all four stratigraphical layer could be identified as vertebrae. All skeletal elements were measured according to the guidelines established in Watt et al. (1997) for vertebrae and Morales & Rosenlund (1979), when applicable. Total length and weight of the fishes was estimated through the use of global rachidean profiles. Clupeid and salmonids vertebrae, the most common taxa and skeletal elements, were compared to two reference specimens taken from the Laboratory for Archaeozoological Studies of Leiden. We estimate the clupeids had fork length of less than 24 cm and the salmonids had a total length of around 29.5 cm and weighted roughly 200 grammes. The total length and weight of all other taxa falls somewhere in-between, likely on the side of the Clupeids. The presence of bone surface modifications such as compression or digestion and degree of fragmentation was documented for each skeletal element in the assemblage. Over 90% of the remains were fragmented with 10 to 20% of vertebrae showing signs of compression or digestion. The absence of chopmarks, cutmarks or burning marks and the overall small size ranges of the fishes discounts an anthropogenic origin of accumulation. The osteometrical, taphonomical, taxonomical and anatomical aspects of the assemblage best fit the characteristics of fish bones deposited by otters (Lutra lutra L.). The seasonality inferred from the fishes suggests human occupied Les Pedroses during the late summer and autumn months. This research has illustrated the archaeological value in fish remains, which are typically understudied in the region.Show less

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Identifying the agent of accumulation: zooarchaeological analysis of fish remains recovered from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Les Pedroses in Asturias, Northern Spain.