Mangareva Fishing Strategies in Regional Context: an Analysis of Fish Bones from Five Sites Excavated in 1959

A pioneering analysis of 11,340 fish bones from five rockshelters in Mangareva (French Polynesia) reveals that fishing strategies were dominated by inshore species, primarily captured using hook techniques and netting. The study, conducted on samples excavated in 1959, identified 13 fish families, including parrotfishes, groupers, and surgeonfishes, with a notable absence of offshore species compared to nearby regions like Reao Atoll and Henderson Island. Measurements of parrotfish lower pharyngeals suggest temporal changes in fish size, while a decline in bone density at one site hints at reduced fishing activity in later prehistory. This research underscores the unique composition of Mangareva's archaeo-fauna and its significance in understanding regional fishing practices.

Weisler, M. I., & Green, R. C. (2013). Mangareva Fishing Strategies in Regional Context: an Analysis of Fish Bones from Five Sites Excavated in 1959. Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 4(1), 73–89. https://doi.org/10.70460/jpa.v4i1.104