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Interpretation of Gopher Remains From Southwestern Archaeological Assemblages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Brian S. Shaffer
Brian S. Shaffer*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843–4352
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Abstract

Fossorial rodents are often considered intrusive into archaeological deposits because of their burrowing behavior. However, ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological studies document the consumption of rodents historically and prehistorically. Several methods were developed to differentiate cultural specimens from noncultural specimens. These methods were applied to a sample from the NAN Ruin in southwestern New Mexico. Results of these comparisons indicate that gophers were procured by the human population at the site.

Resumen

Resumen

Los roedores son normalmente considerados intrusivos en depósitos arqueológicos debido a sus hábitos cavadores. Sin embargo, estudios etnográficos, etnohistóricos y arqueológicos han documentado el consumo histórico y prehistórico de roedores. Se desarrollaron varios métodos para diferenciar especímenes culturales y no culturales. Estos métodos fueron aplicados a una muestra proveniente de NAN Ruin, en el suroeste de New Mexico. Los resultados de estas comparaciones indican que los topos fueron introducidos por la poblacion humana del sitio

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , October 1992 , pp. 683 - 691
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1992

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