Archaeozoology (also called zooarchaeology) is the branch of archaeology and anthropology that studies animal remains from archaeological sites to understand past human–animal relationships. It combines biology, archaeology, and anthropology to reconstruct diet, economy, environment, and cultural practices.

🌍 Definition

• Archaeozoology / Zooarchaeology: The analysis of animal bones, shells, and other remains recovered from archaeological contexts.
• Scope: Includes domesticated animals, hunted species, fish, birds, mollusks, and even insects.
• Goal: To interpret how humans used, managed, and symbolized animals in different societies.

🔑 Anthropological Contexts

• Subsistence & Diet:
  • Identifies what people ate (meat, fish, shellfish) and how food was processed.
  • Example: Cut marks on bones reveal butchery practices.
• Domestication & Economy:
  • Tracks the transition from hunting to herding and farming.
  • Studies selective breeding and animal management.
• Environment & Climate:
  • Animal remains indicate past ecosystems and human adaptation to them.
• Symbolism & Ritual:
  • Animals used in sacrifice, burial offerings, or art reflect cultural meanings.
• Technology & Material Culture:
  • Bones, antlers, and shells used as tools, ornaments, or pigments.

📚 Importance in Anthropology

• Human–Animal Interaction: Shows how animals shaped human survival and identity.
• Cultural Diversity: Reveals differences in diet, ritual, and economy across societies.
• Chronology & Trade: Identifies species introduced through migration or exchange.
• Interdisciplinary Insight: Links archaeology with zoology, ecology, and paleontology.

In short: Archaeozoology is the study of animal remains in archaeology, revealing diet, domestication, environment, and symbolism in past human societies.