ANT 3126
Introduction to Zooarchaeology
Description
Zooarchaeology is the study of faunal remains (bone and shell) from
archaeological contexts to understand human use of animals for both
food and other purposes. This class provides an introduction to
the method, theory, and practice of zooarchaeology.
We examine the application of zooarchaeology to different types of
research questions and archaeological assemblages. We also
examine the factors related to both natural and human modification of
bone and shell (e.g., taphonomy, butchering practices, tool production).
You are required to master a variety of biological data related to
vertebrate skeletal structure using modern animal skeletons. Once
you have mastered skeletal biology and systematics (taxonomy for
different vertebrates), you will identify a sample of vertebrate faunal
material from an archaeological assemblage and prepare a report on that
material.
Syllabus
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