A critical overview of archaeological animal bone studies

In the course of a general review of archaeological animal bone studies, this paper draws particular attention to the importance of data quality, and the assessment of the integrity and information potential of bone samples, and the integration of such studies with the rest of archaeology and with palaeobiology. Taxonomic identification and bone diagenesis remain two key problem areas, the second of which is slowly yielding to detailed research. The integration of animal bone studies with the rest of archaeology is discussed, with particular reference to the linking of research questions with particular interpretative models. Animal bone studies are seen as a fundamental part of archaeology, with a contribution to make to palaeobiology, rather than the converse.