Ohio History Journal

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE 45

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                 45

ANIMAL REMAINS6

By ROBERT M. GOSLIN

Animal remains were found in great abundance at this site

scattered through the black earth of the village deposit. They in-

clude the bones of various mammals, fishes, birds and reptiles, as

well as the shells of mussels and snails. Most of the bones are

in a fragmentary condition but on the whole they are in an ex-

cellent state of preservation. All of the animal skeletal material

was saved and carefully studied in order to determine the number

of species which were used by the Indian group occupying the

site. Such information not only enlightens us as to their food

habits and the use they made of certain bones for tools and orna-

ments, but is also of value to the biologist in checking the occur-

rence of different species and the changes which have taken place

in the fauna in historic times.

The total number of bone and shell fragments recovered from

the area excavated was approximately five thousand four hundred.

 

MAMMALS.

The twenty-one different species of mammals represented will

be discussed in the order of their abundance as indicated by the

total number of bones present for each form.

Virginia Deer: The bones of the deer are the most numerous

of any of the mammals found on the site. One thousand, one

hundred and sixty specimens were identified. We may infer from

this that the deer was the most important single meat source for

the inhabitants of the village. The bones of the deer were used

for the manufacture of awls, projectile points, flint-chipping tools

and ornaments; and it may be safely assumed that deer hides

were used for clothing and other household purposes.

Raccoon: The raccoon is represented by seven hundred and

ninety-four bones, among which are many jaw and leg bones.

 

6The writer is indebted to the following individuals for assistance in the identi-

fication of faunal remains: Birds, Dr. Alexander Wetmore, Assistant Secretary,

Smithsonian Institution; Shells, Dr. Frank C. Baker, Curator, Museum of Natural

History, University of Illinois; Fishes, Mr. Milton B. Trautman. Assistant Curator

of Fishes, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan; and Dr. Carl L. Hubbs,

Curator of Fishes, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.