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A New Research Method for Economic Prehistorians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Andrew Saxon  and
Charles Higham
Andrew Saxon
Affiliation:
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Charles Higham
Affiliation:
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Abstract

Mortality frequencies of domestic and wild species from prehistoric settlements are becoming increasingly important in reconstructing economic patterns, and in certain areas, for isolating stages in animal domestication. The methods whereby such mortality frequencies have been estimated, however, are considered to be unreliable and, in some cases, misleading.

This paper presents a new and considerably more accurate method for estimating the mortality frequencies of domestic animals than those currently in use, and it suggests fields where its application will prove of value as a research tool for the economic prehistorian.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 34 , Issue 3 , July 1969 , pp. 303 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1969

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