The Ertebolle fisheries of Denmark, 5400--4000 B.C

During the Late Mesolithic (Ertebolle) period, the hunter-gatherers living in Denmark were closely tied to the sea. In order to understand their lives, it is necessary to know the marine resources that were fundamental to their adaptation. Archaeological fish remains from eight coastal sites on the island of Zealand and the peninsula of Jutland were analyzed and compared with previously published fish assemblages. Differences in the nature of fishing between eastern and western Denmark are seen in the types of fish that were procured and the degree of specialization (as defined by the diet breadth model of optimal foraging theory) of the fishery. Sites in eastern Denmark had a more specialized fishery that was usually focused on catching gadiform fishes, while sites in western Denmark were more generalized and displayed greater variability between assemblages.