Dear Zooarchers,

My colleague, Polydora Baker, and I intend to organise the following session for ICAZ 2006:

Landscape zooarchaeology: Multi-site analysis, hinterlands and the reconstruction of distribution networks

Researchers often enthuse about using data gleaned from vertebrate assemblages to reconstruct distribution networks, economic organisation and socio-cultural relationships.   While the identification of either a ‘consumer’ or ‘producer’ site may (or may not) be relatively straightforward through a consideration of anatomical distributions and mortality profiles, the reconstruction of the distribution networks themselves and their attendant control mechanisms is problematic and rarely achieved.  This situation appears to stem from the limited availability of datasets for any given economic or cultural polity.  Ideally zooarchaeologists would like to comment upon how animals and animal products moved through the landscape and the degree to which husbandry practices and exploitation determined socio-economic and -cultural settlement hierarchies.  The aim of this session is to draw together case-studies and methodological approaches that address these issues.  Papers might include the analysis of multi-site assemblages from discreet topographical areas, the complementary use of historical documentation to reconstruct the movement of animals and animal products, and/or the application of novel techniques, for example ‘geographic information systems’ (GIS), to zooarchaeological analyses.  Such approaches are not necessarily restricted to ‘economic’ processes and may equally apply to the ‘ritual’ or ‘ceremonial’ movement of animals.  It is envisaged that papers will cover a range of chronological epochs from both the Old- and New Worlds to provide an eclectic overview of diverse approaches to this under-developed component of zooarchaeological analysis.

This is a first call for papers, so please feel free to contact either of us to discuss ideas and potential papers.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Our emails and phone numbers are: [log in to unmask] +44 (0)2392 856789; [log in to unmask] +44 (0)2392 856774

Cheers, Andy

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Andy Hammon (Zooarchaeologist)

Environmental Studies Branch

English Heritage

Fort Cumberland

Fort Cumberland Road

Eastney

Hampshire, PO4 9LD

+44 (0)2392 856789

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