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The Use of Aquatic Resources by Early Mesolithic Foragers in Southern Scandinavia

Boethius, Adam LU orcid (2018) In The Early Settlement of Northern Europe 1. p.311-334
Abstract
A long tradition in research on prehistoric southern Scandinavia recognizes full use of aquatic resources in the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle Culture (5500–4000 cal BC): coastal sites are frequently found containing well-preserved fish bones, and isotope values from human collagen indicate a high dietary intake of marine resources. However, recent finds and new methodologies suggest that the view of a terrestrially focused diet in the Early Mesolithic period (9500–6800 cal BC) can be reinterpreted, and the use of freshwater resources is found to be more important than previously known. Aquatic resources can therefore be seen to be a major source of sustenance for foraging societies in Scandinavia much earlier than has been realized... (More)
A long tradition in research on prehistoric southern Scandinavia recognizes full use of aquatic resources in the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle Culture (5500–4000 cal BC): coastal sites are frequently found containing well-preserved fish bones, and isotope values from human collagen indicate a high dietary intake of marine resources. However, recent finds and new methodologies suggest that the view of a terrestrially focused diet in the Early Mesolithic period (9500–6800 cal BC) can be reinterpreted, and the use of freshwater resources is found to be more important than previously known. Aquatic resources can therefore be seen to be a major source of sustenance for foraging societies in Scandinavia much earlier than has been realized previously. At Norje Sunnansund, an Early Mesolithic site located in Blekinge, south-eastern Sweden, large amounts of fish bones have been found, and these have been used to estimate the amount of fish being
caught at the site, by analyzing different rates of taphonomic loss. The results from the excavated part of the settlement suggest that at least 48 tonnes of fish were caught. The large amount of caught fish and the evidence of the means of preparing and storing them provides the earliest example of a large-scale fishing society, and the knowledge required to catch and prepare this volume of fish has further implications at a more structural societal level. A structured society is a prerequisite for the development of sedentism and enables large groups of people to gather during an extended time period. Conservative dietary estimates from the recovered fish bone material suggest that enough fish was caught to sustain 100 adults living solely on fish for over three years. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
The Ecology of Early Settlement in Northern Europe : Conditions for Subsistence and Survival - Conditions for Subsistence and Survival
series title
The Early Settlement of Northern Europe
editor
Persson, Per ; Riede, Felix ; Skar, Birgitte ; Mjelva Breivik, Heidi and Jonsson, Leif
volume
1
pages
311 - 334
publisher
Equinox Publishing
ISBN
9781781795156
9781781796030
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
12cf2844-1d54-4579-b515-bf16ba7da30e
date added to LUP
2018-02-14 20:20:17
date last changed
2023-04-24 13:18:29
@inbook{12cf2844-1d54-4579-b515-bf16ba7da30e,
  abstract     = {{A long tradition in research on prehistoric southern Scandinavia recognizes full use of aquatic resources in the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle Culture (5500–4000 cal BC): coastal sites are frequently found containing well-preserved fish bones, and isotope values from human collagen indicate a high dietary intake of marine resources. However, recent finds and new methodologies suggest that the view of a terrestrially focused diet in the Early Mesolithic period (9500–6800 cal BC) can be reinterpreted, and the use of freshwater resources is found to be more important than previously known. Aquatic resources can therefore be seen to be a major source of sustenance for foraging societies in Scandinavia much earlier than has been realized previously. At Norje Sunnansund, an Early Mesolithic site located in Blekinge, south-eastern Sweden, large amounts of fish bones have been found, and these have been used to estimate the amount of fish being<br/>caught at the site, by analyzing different rates of taphonomic loss. The results from the excavated part of the settlement suggest that at least 48 tonnes of fish were caught. The large amount of caught fish and the evidence of the means of preparing and storing them provides the earliest example of a large-scale fishing society, and the knowledge required to catch and prepare this volume of fish has further implications at a more structural societal level. A structured society is a prerequisite for the development of sedentism and enables large groups of people to gather during an extended time period. Conservative dietary estimates from the recovered fish bone material suggest that enough fish was caught to sustain 100 adults living solely on fish for over three years.}},
  author       = {{Boethius, Adam}},
  booktitle    = {{The Ecology of Early Settlement in Northern Europe : Conditions for Subsistence and Survival}},
  editor       = {{Persson, Per and Riede, Felix and Skar, Birgitte and Mjelva Breivik, Heidi and Jonsson, Leif}},
  isbn         = {{9781781795156}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  pages        = {{311--334}},
  publisher    = {{Equinox Publishing}},
  series       = {{The Early Settlement of Northern Europe}},
  title        = {{The Use of Aquatic Resources by Early Mesolithic Foragers in Southern Scandinavia}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}