Fishing

Bibliographic Data

ID23424191
AuthorsH K Robson (0000-0002-4850-692X, University of York), Adam Boethius (0000-0002-8923-6233, Lund University), Kenneth Ritchie (0000-0001-5952-6689, Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaelogy, Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation)
Year2025
Pages698-720
Publication date2025-02-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeCHAPTER
VenueOxford Handbook of Mesolithic Europe (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198853657.013.41
OpenAlexW4407788703
ISBN9780198853657
LanguageEN
References cited24

Fish played a vital role in the development of the European Mesolithic; from their colonization of the continent during the Upper Palaeolithic to ongoing debates regarding their importance across the Neolithic transition, they are central to many discussions. Here, we focus on the European Mesolithic zooarchaeological fish dataset, in which we have collated >640,000 identified fish remains from 358 sites. We aim to document the development of fishing from the Early-through-Middle Holocene across the continent. While acknowledging certain limitations—for instance preservation and recovery biases, research histories, and language constraints—by assembling this comprehensive dataset it is possible to begin to evaluate how fishing developed during the Mesolithic. Importantly, it is possible to compare the trajectories evidenced from different areas. The transition from freshwater to marine-focused fisheries and the development of distinctive local traditions are highlights of the research.

Biology · Fishery · Fishing · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories

Tools

Open DOI