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The Very Long-term Iberian Fish Database Archaeological Fish Occurrences within the Iberian Peninsula
Sónia Gabriel1, James H Barrett2, Neftalí Sillero3
1CEAU-FAUP, Centre for Studies in Urbanism and Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. sgabriel@arq.up.pt.
Scientific Data
|March 27, 2026
Summary
The Very Long-term Iberian Fish Database (VLT_IberianFISH) compiles 94,204 fish remains from 225 archaeological sites in Iberia. This resource tracks aquatic environments and human exploitation over 90,000 years.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Paleontology
- Environmental History
Background:
- Iberian Peninsula's long human history is evidenced by abundant fish remains.
- Existing data on fish remains are fragmented across numerous sources.
- Understanding past aquatic environments and human-fish interactions is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Very Long-term Iberian Fish Database (VLT_IberianFISH).
- To consolidate scattered data on fish remains from Iberian archaeological sites.
- To provide a comprehensive resource for studying long-term ecological and human patterns.
Main Methods:
- Compilation of 94,204 fish remains from 441 samples.
- Inclusion of data from 225 archaeological sites across Iberia.
- Taxonomic identification of remains to species, genus, family, or order levels.
Main Results:
- The VLT_IberianFISH database contains 94,204 fish remains.
- Data spans from the Middle Palaeolithic to the 19th century (approx. 90,000 years).
- Identified portion (NISP = 81,312) offers detailed taxonomic information.
Conclusions:
- VLT_IberianFISH is a valuable, centralized resource for Iberian aquatic ecosystems.
- The database facilitates research on long-term fish distribution and human resource use.
- It supports interdisciplinary studies on environmental change and human occupation.
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