Generating a temporal baseline of human-animal exploitation in varying ecological environments between 1300CE and 1900CE for the Caribbean island of Saba

Summary

The archaeological study of historical human-environment interactions is important to elucidate the inherent links between cultural and biological/environmental diversity through time. Such studies are particularly significant in island settings, often characterized by sensitive biogeographical and ecological histories underlying current environment and social conditions. Zooarchaeology is a leading sub-discipline in the study and creation of archaeological human-environment interaction baselines for island settings. To better understand the human–environment interactions on Saba in the Caribbean and to understand long term temporal trends in animal exploitation spanning pre-colonial and colonial era contexts and cultures we studied zooarchaeological material from sites dating between 1300CE and 1900CE. We will be discussing patterns of animal exploitation within and between different ecological habitats on the island as well as different cultural groups through time, compiling a temporal baseline of human-animal interaction. Here we present evidence of long term temporal trends in animal exploitation spanning pre-colonial and colonial era contexts and cultures. Not only does this provide valuable information about the human-environment interaction history on Saba but it also produces data regarding the history of animal and habitat diversity of the island with inter-disciplinary interest beyond archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16865