Fish´n bones

The book deals with research questions on fish, fishing and fish consumption in archaeology, which were presented and discussed in person by specialists in Vienna in 2022 after a long period of isolation and the threat of COVID-19. These specialists in fish and especially fish bones meet every two years for a conference for scientific exchange, this time organised in Vienna. Fish-archaeological topics and research were presented there. The relationship between humans, fish and the environment are always at the centre of research. The anthology spans a wide range of technical and historical innovations, from prehistoric- and historically important archaeological sites to relevant areas of archaeo-ichthyological research. The research relates to fishing, fish consumption and the ecological habitats of fish. However, archaeological finds can only ever reveal a small section of the living environment of people and fish in ancient times. Therefore, the book deals with the history of the deposition of archaeo-ichthyological finds themselves as well as their complete recovery. The loss of very small fish bones would alter the results and distort the interpretation of these results. This book presents fish archaeological approaches, such as the identification criteria of fish bones of different fish species or the estimation of fish catch sizes. The estimation of fish catch sizes allows reconstructions to be made about the archaeological fishing methods on the one hand and the environmental conditions of the aquatic environment on the other hand. An important aspect is, written records provide another source of information on fishing. These written records document the catching of certain fish, the transport or preservation of fish and the various fishing methods for certain fish. Fish consumption also reflects the social position of the consumers, depending on the archaeological contexts. The archaeological fish remains shed light on the importance of fish in Prehistory, Roman times and the Middle Ages through to Modern times in urban, rural and monastic contexts from various European sites.