Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people
International audience Improving our knowledge of subsistence strategies and food processing techniques of past societies is of prime interest for better understanding human cultures as well as multiple aspects of human evolution. Beyond the simple matter of food itself, a substantial portion of soc...
Published in: | PLOS ONE |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Other Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/document https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/file/2021_Soulier_PlosOne.pdf https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 |
id |
ftecolehess:oai:HAL:halshs-03171610v1 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftecolehess:oai:HAL:halshs-03171610v1 2024-06-23T07:56:22+00:00 Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people Soulier, Marie-Cécile Travaux et recherches archéologiques sur les cultures, les espaces et les sociétés (TRACES) École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J) Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 2021-01-13 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/document https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/file/2021_Soulier_PlosOne.pdf https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 en eng HAL CCSD Public Library of Science info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/document https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/file/2021_Soulier_PlosOne.pdf doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess ISSN: 1932-6203 EISSN: 1932-6203 PLoS ONE https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 PLoS ONE, 2021, 16 (1), ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0245213⟩ [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2021 ftecolehess https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 2024-06-05T23:34:08Z International audience Improving our knowledge of subsistence strategies and food processing techniques of past societies is of prime interest for better understanding human cultures as well as multiple aspects of human evolution. Beyond the simple matter of food itself, a substantial portion of socioeconomic behavior is expressed in what, how, when, and with whom we eat. Over the last few decades, diverse methodologies for the analysis and interpretation of cut marks have progressively provided new insights for past butchery practices. For example, a recent study of the production of antelope biltong in South Africa concluded that the drying of meat generates high frequencies of longitudinal cut marks. This paper presents a cut mark analysis of faunal remains recovered by Lewis Binford from 8 campsites occupied by Nunamiut groups from the end of 19 th to middle of the 20 th century in the area around Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. The preparation of meat-primarily from caribou (Rangifer tarandus)-varied at these sites according to the season of occupation and was, depending on the site, either immediately consumed, processed after being stored in ice-cellars, or dried and stored. These faunal assemblages therefore provide a unique opportunity to explore the material traces of different meat preparation and preservation techniques in order to identify whether specific patterns can be identified and subsequently used to explore subsistence practices in the past. Binford's Nunamiut faunal assemblages, which were produced by individuals using traditional techniques and methods, were analyzed in order to 1) further test the hypothesis that meat drying produces high frequencies of longitudinal cut marks, 2) explore the common assumption that skilled butchers leave smaller numbers of cut marks on bones compared to less experienced individuals, and 3) test whether cut mark patterns vary as a function of the processing techniques employed. The introduction of a %cutL index represents a quicker alternative to geo-referencing ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Rangifer tarandus Alaska HAL-EHESS : Le portail HAL de l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales PLOS ONE 16 1 e0245213 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
HAL-EHESS : Le portail HAL de l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales |
op_collection_id |
ftecolehess |
language |
English |
topic |
[SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory |
spellingShingle |
[SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory Soulier, Marie-Cécile Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
topic_facet |
[SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory |
description |
International audience Improving our knowledge of subsistence strategies and food processing techniques of past societies is of prime interest for better understanding human cultures as well as multiple aspects of human evolution. Beyond the simple matter of food itself, a substantial portion of socioeconomic behavior is expressed in what, how, when, and with whom we eat. Over the last few decades, diverse methodologies for the analysis and interpretation of cut marks have progressively provided new insights for past butchery practices. For example, a recent study of the production of antelope biltong in South Africa concluded that the drying of meat generates high frequencies of longitudinal cut marks. This paper presents a cut mark analysis of faunal remains recovered by Lewis Binford from 8 campsites occupied by Nunamiut groups from the end of 19 th to middle of the 20 th century in the area around Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. The preparation of meat-primarily from caribou (Rangifer tarandus)-varied at these sites according to the season of occupation and was, depending on the site, either immediately consumed, processed after being stored in ice-cellars, or dried and stored. These faunal assemblages therefore provide a unique opportunity to explore the material traces of different meat preparation and preservation techniques in order to identify whether specific patterns can be identified and subsequently used to explore subsistence practices in the past. Binford's Nunamiut faunal assemblages, which were produced by individuals using traditional techniques and methods, were analyzed in order to 1) further test the hypothesis that meat drying produces high frequencies of longitudinal cut marks, 2) explore the common assumption that skilled butchers leave smaller numbers of cut marks on bones compared to less experienced individuals, and 3) test whether cut mark patterns vary as a function of the processing techniques employed. The introduction of a %cutL index represents a quicker alternative to geo-referencing ... |
author2 |
Travaux et recherches archéologiques sur les cultures, les espaces et les sociétés (TRACES) École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J) Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Soulier, Marie-Cécile |
author_facet |
Soulier, Marie-Cécile |
author_sort |
Soulier, Marie-Cécile |
title |
Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
title_short |
Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
title_full |
Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
title_fullStr |
Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
title_full_unstemmed |
Exploring meat processing in the past: Insights from the Nunamiut people |
title_sort |
exploring meat processing in the past: insights from the nunamiut people |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/document https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/file/2021_Soulier_PlosOne.pdf https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 |
genre |
Rangifer tarandus Alaska |
genre_facet |
Rangifer tarandus Alaska |
op_source |
ISSN: 1932-6203 EISSN: 1932-6203 PLoS ONE https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 PLoS ONE, 2021, 16 (1), ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0245213⟩ |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610 https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/document https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03171610/file/2021_Soulier_PlosOne.pdf doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245213 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
e0245213 |
_version_ |
1802649425497030656 |