Zooarchaeology

Paperback, 455p, b/w figs, tabs (Cambridge UP 1999, 2nd ed 2008)

Brought right up to date for its second edition, with three chapters substantially rewritten and a greater focus on environmental change and applied zooarchaeology, this textbook is now firmly established as the key resource for those studying zooarchaeology. Unlike most of its predecessors, it covers both vertebrate and invertebrate classes, outlining methods for their identification and concentrating on detecting the relationship in antiquity between humans and animals. The examples range from the Pleistocene to the nineteenth century and are taken from sites worldwide. The chapters include basic biology; ecology; disposal of faunal remains and sample recovery; gathering primary data; humans as predators; control of animals through domestication; and evidences for past environmental conditions. The book is concisely and expertly written, the diagrams and examples are clear, and there is an excellent list of references.