Animal bones in archaeology — species identification, butchery, and diet reconstruction
Zooarchaeologists identify animal species from fragmentary bone remains using comparative collections and morphological features (size, shape, joint morphology, trabecular structure). The two key quantification measures are NISP (Number of Identified Specimens) and MNI (Minimum Number of Individuals, calculated from the most abundant lateralized skeletal element). Butchery marks — cut marks from stone or metal tools, percussion marks from marrow extraction, and burning patterns — reveal processing techniques. Age-at-death profiles from tooth wear and epiphyseal fusion distinguish kill-off of old animals (pastoral herd culling) from prime-age hunting patterns. The shift from predominantly wild fauna (red deer, aurochs, wild boar) to domestic species (sheep, goat, cattle, pig) is a signature of the Neolithic transition.