Título del libro: Neotropical And Caribbean Aquatic Mammals: Perspectives From Archaeology And Conservation Biology
Título del capítulo: The archaeology of the interaction between marine mammals and humans in central and southeastern mesoamerica
RAUL VALADEZ AZUA; BERNARDO RODRIGUEZ GALICIA;
Autores externos:
Idioma:
Inglés
Año de publicación:
2014
Resumen:
The chapter describes the zooarchaeological data of aquatic mammal exploitation in central, but mainly southeastern Mesoamerica. The area, which housed the great pre-Columbian civilizations like the Maya or Teotihuacans, indicates a relatively low level of exploitation of aquatic animals. From the Yucatan peninsula, a set of 19 sites is described, where either zooarchaeological material (e.g. bone or teeth remains) or iconographic evidence of aquatic mammals were found. Among theMaya, the most frequently exploited aquatic mammal was the manatee (Trichechus manatus), although several sites of the northern peninsula's coast also yielded bone and teeth fragments of the west Indian Seal (Monachus tropicalis). According to ethnohistorical accounts, aquatic mammals were considered important in Ancient Mesoamerica, since not only their meat and fat was used, but the bones also served as raw material for sculptures, and small figurines representing seals or even whales were sometimes crafted out of clay or stone. Yet, it is believed that the Ancient Mesoamericans did not frequently hunt mammals in the coastal waters, since the agricultural milpa system offered sufficient access to a diet based on vegetables and fauna. © 2014 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Entidades citadas de la UNAM:
ISBN:
9781633213142
Editorial:
Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Nombre de la publicación:
The archaeology of the interaction between marine mammals and humans in central and southeastern mesoamerica
Página inicial:
25
Página final:
57
Tipo de producto:
Capítulo de un Libro
