Social Zooarchaeology
Humans and Animals in Prehistory

The first book to provide a systematic overview of social zooarchaeology, arguing that animals have always played a range of roles in human societies.

Nerissa Russell (Author)

9780521767378, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 November 2011

562 pages, 2 tables
26 x 18.4 x 3.5 cm, 1.11 kg

'Russell's endeavor 'to stimulate richer, more complete accounts of local prehistories' to build a fuller understanding of the history of human-animal relations has been achieved, and I am thus a better zooarchaeologist and educator for having read this volume.' Deborah Ruscillo, American Journal of Archaeology

This is the first book to provide a systematic overview of social zooarchaeology, which takes a holistic view of human-animal relations in the past. Until recently, archaeological analysis of faunal evidence has primarily focused on the role of animals in the human diet and subsistence economy. This book, however, argues that animals have always played many more roles in human societies: as wealth, companions, spirit helpers, sacrificial victims, totems, centerpieces of feasts, objects of taboos, and more. These social factors are as significant as taphonomic processes in shaping animal bone assemblages. Nerissa Russell uses evidence derived from not only zooarchaeology, but also ethnography, history and classical studies, to suggest the range of human-animal relationships and to examine their importance in human society. Through exploring the significance of animals to ancient humans, this book provides a richer picture of past societies.

1. Beyond protein and calories
2. Animal symbols
3. Animals in ritual
4. Hunting and humanity
5. Extinctions
6. Domestication as human-animal relationship
7. Pets and other human-animal relationships
8. Animal wealth
9. Meat beyond diet
10. Studying human-animal relations.

Subject Areas: Zoology & animal sciences [PSV], Animals & society [JFFZ], Prehistoric archaeology [HDDA], Archaeology [HD], Social & cultural history [HBTB], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]