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Integrating faunal and botanical remains using multivariate statistics to reconstruct (pre)historic subsistence
Shyama Vermeersch1,2, Simone Riehl1,2,3, Britt M Starkovich1,2,3
1SFB 1070 ResourceCultures, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Methodsx
|August 26, 2021
Summary
Integrating animal and plant remains offers a holistic view of past subsistence strategies. This approach enhances our understanding of ancient agriculture and its societal impacts.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Environmental Archaeology
- Paleoecology
Background:
- Archaeological studies often separate faunal and botanical remains, despite their interdependence in past agricultural systems.
- Methodological differences create an arbitrary distinction, limiting comprehensive understanding of subsistence practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present a customized, integrated method for analyzing faunal and botanical data.
- To improve the understanding of past subsistence strategies, agricultural systems, and their societal implications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing correspondence, detrended correspondence, and canonical correspondence analyses for data integration.
- Customizing the method by adjusting data selection criteria, incorporating parameters like chronology and precipitation, and enhancing data visualization.
Main Results:
- The integrated approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of the relationships between animal husbandry and crop cultivation.
- Demonstrated the application of customized multivariate statistical analyses to archaeological data.
Conclusions:
- An integrated analysis of faunal and botanical remains provides a more accurate representation of past subsistence and agriculture.
- This integrative method offers a robust framework for understanding social and political dynamics in past societies.
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