Fish and Chaps: Some Ethnoarchaeological Thoughts on Fish Skin Use in European Prehistory

Abstract

The following study summarizes the available ethnographical, historical, and archaeological data about the use of fish skin as a material. Fish skin and the methods of its processing are described. The fish skin utilisation accounts from around the world are collected in an organized matter. Afterwards the various factors affecting the use of this material are discussed and some concluding remarks about the further research possibilities are proposed. The use of fish skin does not appear to be based purely on climate, subsistence strategies, or the availability of fish, but also on cultural norms and traditions. Careful hypotheses can be made by using relational analogies, but ultimately a re-examination of museum collections or new archaeological discoveries are fundamental in furthering this field of research.