Fishermen's foodways on the Petit Nord: faunal analysis of a seasonal fishing station at the Dos de Cheval site (EfAx-09), Newfoundland

Noël, Stéphane (2010) Fishermen's foodways on the Petit Nord: faunal analysis of a seasonal fishing station at the Dos de Cheval site (EfAx-09), Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Archaeological excavations at the migratory French cod fishing station site of Dos de Cheval (EfAx-09), provided a substantial collection of faunal remains which can be used to study fishermen foodways. Migratory fishing voyages presented some material constraints on the type of food that could be transported and conserved. While archival documents such as provisioning contracts and travel accounts suggest the kind of food products that were brought on board, they only vaguely discuss the incorporation of wild meat in the fishermen's diet while they were on shore. Using zooarchaeological, archaeological and historical data, the present thesis explores specific aspects of food provisioning, but also identity and social status differentiation in food consumption among the Petit Nord fishermen. It is argued that hunting was mainly a privilege of the officers, although ordinary fishermen exploited a variety of seabirds and shorebirds. The subsistence at Dos de Cheval was based almost entirely on domestic mammals, wild land mammals being used only occasionally.

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