ABSTRACT
Chapter 11 discusses the ways in which archaeologists reconstruct ancient subsistence.
To establish entire ancient diets is often near-impossible, except when isotopic analysis
on bones can be used or human coprolites are available. We describe zooarchaeology,
the study of animal bones, the identification of animals, the study of butchering meth-
ods, and comparing different assemblages. Next, we turn to botanical remains and flo-
tation methods before briefly surveying ways of studying birds, fish, and mollusks. We
also assess ways in which rock art can throw light on ancient subsistence.
