Abstract

This paper has two aims. Firstly, it reviews zooarchaeological implications of the allometric relationship between dry bone weight and total weight in mammals, birds and fish. Secondly, it illustrates how weight data from bone (and other cultural inclusions) can serve as valuable indicators of intra-site and inter-site behavioural patterning. Univariate and multivariate techniques of statistical analysis are applied to data from Viking Age and medieval settlement sites in northern Scotland.