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International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

Publication date: 2016-01-01
Volume: 26 Pages: 203 - 210
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Author:

Thieren, Els
Van Neer, Wim

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Social Sciences, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Anthropology, Archaeology, Acipenser oxyrinchus, Acipenser sturio, archaeozoology, body length estimations, osteometry, Sturgeon, ACIPENSER-STURIO, ATLANTIC STURGEON, AGE, FISH, OXYRINCHUS, 0403 Geology, 1601 Anthropology, 2101 Archaeology, 4301 Archaeology

Abstract:

© 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Measurements on cranial and pectoral girdle bones of 56 museum specimens of modern sturgeon (Acipenser sturio and A. oxyrinchus) were used for the establishment of regression equations allowing back-calculation of size from isolated sturgeon remains. Different curve fittings (power, linear, logarithmic and exponential fit) were modeled to retain the most accurate regression. These were then applied to archaeological sturgeon remains (A. sturio/A. oxyrinchus) from Vlaardingen, a Dutch late Neolithic settlement. The back-calculated lengths obtained on the archaeological remains all stayed within the known size ranges of the two species and allowed making inferences on the possible place of capture of the fish.