High-throughput microCT and ZooMS collagen fingerprinting of Scombrid bone from the Marquesas Islands

Collagen peptide mass fingerprinting of archaeofaunal remains, or Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), has increasingly established itself as a valuable tool for improving our understanding highly-fragmented faunal assemblages. Although there have been developments in sampling strategies that attempted to reduce damage precious archaeological specimens, these tend yield spectra inferior quality those yielded destructive approaches. Also, an effort mitigate the impacts on assemblages, researchers are beginning turn microCT digital preservation this enhances their value further studies. Here we combine ZooMS and microCT, application over one hundred scombrid remains from Hanamiai site Marquesas, which spans time period initial human colonization Polynesians at ca. AD 1250 until around 1900. Almost all hypurals collagen fingerprints (71 73) were confirmed skipjack. The results suggest striking continuity fishing practices with inferred emphasis involving sailing canoes being present settlement. focus appears be daytime skipjack rather than night yellowfin, kawakawa dogtooth tuna might otherwise expected. • First use high-throughput scanning bone. Identification new species biomarkers scombrids. Discovered canoes.