Direct radiocarbon dating of fish otoliths from mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) from Long Point, Coorong, South Australia

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are reported from five sites at Long Point, Coorong, South Australia. The dates range from 2938–2529 to 326–1 cal. BP, extending the known period of occupation of Long Point. Previous dating at the sites indicated intensive occupation of the area from 2455–2134 cal. BP. Results provide a detailed local chronology for the region, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal use of Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different midden chronologies

Otoliths in archaeology: methods, applications and future prospects

Otoliths are small structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish that act as organs of equilibrium and as direction and sound detectors. They possess unique characteristics that set them apart from other skeletal structures, notably a continuous growth structure deposited on a daily basis. While otolith analyses are widely employed in modern fisheries studies, they have slowly been increasing within archaeological and palaeoenvironmental research. This paper overviews the development and future prospects of otolith studies in archaeology. The main methods of analysis are outlined and major advances and research in each area detailed. In spite of some limitations, the benefits and unique information that otolith analyses can provide ensure that otoliths should be an important part of archaeological research. Continuing development of methods and technologies within this area will serve to further increase the importance and use of otoliths, while raising the profile of this unique resource

Pre-Columbian fishing on the coast of the Atacama Desert, northern Chile: an investigation of fish size and species distribution using otoliths from Camarones Punta Norte and Caleta Vitor

The bountiful marine resources of the northern Chilean coast offset the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert in pre-Columbian times, underwriting permanent human occupation, and providing the basis for a long tradition of marine subsistence. We analyzed fish otoliths (n = 549) recovered from the sites of Camarones Punta Norte (occupied ca. 7,000–5,000 years ago) and Caleta Vitor (occupied ca. 9,500–300 years ago) to investigate species distribution and changes over time. We also estimated the size of the fish based on relationships between otolith weight and fish total length (TL) obtained from modern samples of the predominant species, Sciaena deliciosa. The estimated size range of S. deliciosa from Caleta Vitor included fish that were significantly larger than those from Camarones Punta Norte, with the maximum TL (970 mm) almost double the modern maximum length documented. The fluctuating abundance of fish species and other marine taxa from Camarones Punta Norte indicates intense but sporadic use of the site over the span of occupation. In contrast, human occupation of the Caleta Vitor estuary is more continuous. Comparisons of the fish assemblages with a nearby contemporaneous site, Quebrada de los Burros in southern Peru, suggest that fishing technologies were similar along this section of the Pacific coast

Pre-Columbian Fishing on the Coast of the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile: An Investigation of Fish Size and Species Distribution Using Otoliths From Camarones Punta Norte and Caleta Vitor

The bountiful marine resources of the northern Chilean coast offset the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert in pre-Columbian times, underwriting permanent human occupation, and providing the basis for a long tradition of marine subsistence. We analyzed fish otoliths (n = 549) recovered from the sites of Camarones Punta Norte (occupied ca. 7,000–5,000 years ago) and Caleta Vitor (occupied ca. 9,500–300 years ago) to investigate species distribution and changes over time. We also estimated the size of the fish based on relationships between otolith weight and fish total length (TL) obtained from modern samples of the predominant species, Sciaena deliciosa. The estimated size range of S. deliciosa from Caleta Vitor included fish that were significantly larger than those from Camarones Punta Norte, with the maximum TL (970 mm) almost double the modern maximum length documented. The fluctuating abundance of fish species and other marine taxa from Camarones Punta Norte indicates intense but sporadic use of the site over the span of occupation. In contrast, human occupation of the Caleta Vitor estuary is more continuous. Comparisons of the fish assemblages with a nearby contemporaneous site, Quebrada de los Burros in southern Peru, suggest that fishing technologies were similar along this section of the Pacific coast.MCFD was funded by a University of Adelaide Research Abroad Scholarship and the Adelaide University Graduates Union R.C. Heddle Award for travel to Arica, Chile. BMG acknowledges support from an Australian Research Council Discovery grant (DP110100716) and an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT100100767). SU is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT120100656). FONDECYT project grant 1150763 and CONICYT´as Pograma de Investigacion Asociativa (PIA) Anillo project ´ Codigo SOC1405 funded archaeological re- ´ search in Chile

Long-term archaeological and historical archives for mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus, populations in eastern South Australia

Native fish populations have been strongly impacted by fishing, habitat alteration and the introduction of invasive species. Understanding the dynamics of native fish populations prior to commercial fishing can be problematic, but provides critical baseline data for fish conservation, rehabilitation and management. We combined fish size, age and growth data, as well as month of catch data, from archaeological fish otoliths (1670–1308 cal BP to 409–1 cal BP), historical anecdotes (CE 1871–1999), and contemporary data sources (CE 1984–2014) to examine changes to mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus, populations in the waters of eastern South Australia. We found that the data from the three different sources – archaeological, historical and contemporary – corroborate each other in many aspects. The time of catch for all three datasets was seasonal, with increases evident during the summer months. No significant changes in fish length over time were evident over the time span of the three data sources. Given the impact that fishing in the region is regarded to have had, this may imply that while the maximum recorded sizes of the species have remained stable, the abundance of these large specimens may have declined.This research was conducted with the support of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (G2011/7636 awarded to BMG and MD). The authors wish to thank AINSE Ltd. for providing financial assistance (ALNGRA11014 awarded to BMG and MD) to enable radiocarbon dating of five otolith samples to be conducted, and Greg Ferguson at SARDI who assisted with the ageing and growth determination for the archaeological mulloway. BMG acknowledges funding from the Australian Research Council through an ARC Future Fellowship (FT100100767) and an ARC Discovery project (DP110100716). SU is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT120100656). Work on this paper was undertaken while SU was visiting as an Honorary Fellow in the School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia