Moss, Madonna L. Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon
Herring Bones in Archaeological Sites: the Record of Tlingit Use of Yaaw (Pacific Herring Clupea pallasi) with Virginia Butler and James Tait Elder Our role in the Herring Synthesis Project has been to study past herring distribution and abundances using zooarchaeology. Our work has three parts. First, we have created a database summarizing current knowledge of zooarchaeological records from southeast Alaska. Taxonomic information for herring and other vertebrate and invertebrate fauna has been compiled from all existing archaeological site reports including Forest Service and contract reports that are not widely distributed. We have targeted sites that received some sub-surface testingfrom shovel probes to substantial excavation and all faunal data have been included. Reviewing the entire faunal record will allow us to consider ways the Tlingit, Haida, and their ancestors relied on broad food webs and how these strategies may have varied over time and space. Given the small size of herring remains, they are especially prone to loss and are numerically under-represented unless fine mesh sieving and laboratory analysis of bulk samples are undertaken. The second phase of the project will involve analysis of faunal records to identify temporal and spatial trends in herring and other animal records. In the third phase of the project, we will incorporate the archaeological herring records (site location and other attributes, such as age, site function, other animal bone records) into the Herring Synthesis GIS Tom Thornton is developing based on Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge and historic catch and herring resource records.
