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North Atlantic Fishes in Inland Context: Pickled Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in the Historic Period

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Abstract

Several North Atlantic fish species were salted, pickled, or smoked and widely transported throughout inland North America during the 19th century. Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are among the most frequently referenced in historic accounts. These two are the fishes whose remains are reported most often from 19th-century archaeological contexts. Because mackerel were graded and priced primarily by fork length, they potentially offer a useful means of assessing socioeconomic status. A method for estimating mackerel fork length from remains recovered from archaeological contexts is provided for 10 bones of the mackerel skeleton. Bulk fine-screening of at least some deposits containing human food refuse is recommended to guard against recovery bias of remains from higher priced, larger mackerel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0720, USA

    Walter E. Klippel & Judith A. Sichler

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  1. Walter E. Klippel
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  2. Judith A. Sichler
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Klippel, W.E., Sichler, J.A. North Atlantic Fishes in Inland Context: Pickled Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in the Historic Period. Hist Arch 38, 12–24 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03376666

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