Zooarcheology and bone technology from Arenosa shelter (41VV99), lower Pecos region, Texas
Abstract
Research into the zooarchaeology and bone technology of the Lower Pecos
cultural region provided in insight into extraction of faunal resources from the
arid canyon lands of the region by its prehistoric inhabitants and how they
incorporated those resources into human subsistence and technological systems.
Using samples from the National Park Service held-in-trust faunal and bone
artifact collections obtained from Arenosa Shelter during excavations at 1960s,
the current research detailed the extensive use of faunal resources in the site and
use of diverse econiches in subsistence pursuits by prehistoric inhabitants of the
region. In particular, heavy reliance on resources from the rivers themselves was
documented. The current research discovered specific processing methods for the
many medium to large fish caught by prehistoric inhabitants. Filleting was used
prehistorically in preparing fish for consumption and raises the possibility of both
long-term storage and transport of food products away from the rivers and
canyons themselves. Also encountered in the faunal study was a specific skinning
method used prehistorically to remove whole pelts, preserving the distinctive
features of the head. Presence of this method, termed caping, raises the
possibility of pelt use for shamanistic purposes and may have implications for
connections to the region’s prominent rock art. More typical was the
documentation of fauna-related subsistence pursuits with a heavy reliance on
rabbits, artiodactyls, and certain other terrestrial animals from late Pleistocene to
Historic times. Detailed butchering sequences were determined from the analysis.
From those pursuits, subsistence byproducts entered the technological system as
input for bone technology subsystem operating in parallel to and in support of
subsystems based on other raw materials. Detailed analysis of manufacturing and
use wear characteristics was conducted using a large sample of the bone artifacts
from Arenosa Shelter. The analysis enabled the prehistoric manufacturing
process for bone implements and ornaments to be defined. The use wear
component was the first of its kind in this region and documented use of
implements in support of subsistence, textile, lithic, and other segments of the
technological system over a significant time period.
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