DC6: Geographical and seasonal patterns in marine mammal exploitation – ethnographic insights into prehistoric practices

Objectives 

The doctoral candidate will pursue a novel approach in the study of prehistoric marine mammal exploitation, exploring the ways in which the life-cycles, behaviour and physiology of marine mammals (incl. seals, porpoises, dolphins, whales), along with the characteristics of coastal and marine environments and the technologies used by human communities have influenced catching methods and seasonal cycles in marine mammal hunting. 

Archaeologically recovered remains will be interpreted through a biologically informed study of ethnographic accounts that deal with traditional marine mammal hunting, in order to further our understanding of the relationships linking particular mammal taxa, landscapes and seasonal conditions, and particular catching methods. 

The study will encompass the diversity of prehistoric marine mammal exploitation across Europe, and will span life sciences (including biology and bioarchaeology with archaeozoology), archaeology and ethnography, forging new conceptual links between the study of human-animal relationships in prehistory, traditional lifeways of the recent past and present day, and concerns for the future of marine and coastal habitats and species.  

Expected results 

The project will gather and analyse archaeological data from the Baltic Sea coast and several other (contrasting) coastal areas of Europe:  

• Data and previous analytical results on archaeologically recovered faunal assemblages of marine mammals (additional taxonomic/ anatomical identification or isotopic study is not envisaged in the project) 
• Remains of prehistoric marine mammal hunting gear 
• Palaeoenvironmental and subfossil fish faunal data characterizing the aquatic habitats 
• Human bioarchaeological data obtained in previous studies that reflects subsistence on marine food resources.  

For interpreting this data, the project will identify and study major ethnographic sources on traditional marine mammal hunting in Europe and beyond that provide detailed evidence on the human exploitation of the archaeologically represented animal taxa. Together, this will permit the first assessment of major biological, environmental and technological parameters relevant to marine mammal exploitation in prehistory on a European scale, identifying geographical and seasonal variation.  

Building up an advanced capability for integrating and applying life science (biology, bioarchaeology), social science (ethnography) and humanities (archaeology) research data, the PhD will be equipped for a variety of potential academic/non-academic career paths involving interdisciplinary contributions to sustainable development.