Whales and Whaling: New Perspectives and Approaches for Documenting Long-Term Exploitation of Cetaceans

Human have been exploiting whales and other large marine mammals for thousands of years. Often initially focused on the opportunistic use of stranded carcasses, active whale hunting technologies and strategies emerged worldwide in different times and places. In spite of their importance as sources of food, fuel and raw materials, there are fewer archaeological studies of cetaceans than any other hunted mammal group. Today, cetaceans are amongst the most threatened groups of mammals, due to dramatic global declines resulting from industrial overharvesting and other anthropogenic influences. Archaeology has an important role to play in not only in deciphering the timing, socio-cultural context and technological developments of active whaling, but also in providing essential baseline information on the past geographical distribution and abundance of now-threatened species. This session will explore ongoing challenges and new perspectives for documenting past cetacean exploitation from a wide range of geographic areas and time periods. Potential examples include (but are not limited to) historical, archaeological, morphological and molecular approaches for reconstructing the timing, intensity, technology and socio-economic importance of cetacean exploitation, and documenting both natural and anthropogenic impacts on large marine mammal populations worldwide.