Fishing in Denmark during the Ertebølle periodxs

Abstract Fishing in Denmark during the Ertebølle period is discussed on the basis of almost 100000 identified fishbones from 14 coastal and two inland settlements. Forty‐one fish species were identified from coastal materials, 15 from inland ones. The frequency distribution of total body length of the numerically most important fish species was estimated from bone measurements, using logarithmic regression equations. Otoliths were analysed in order to provide an estimate of season of catch. The main conclusion of the study is that fishing was predominantly conducted by means of stationary fish traps with which uncritical samples of the local fish faunas were taken. Regional differences in the spectrum of species and their relative frequencies are shown to exist. Examples of connections between the coast and inland are given.