The fish fauna from Arenosa Shelter (41VV99), Lower Pecos region, Texas

Salvage excavations (1965-1968) at Arenosa Shelter in the arid Lower Pecos cultural region yielded over 47,000 faunal specimens and 1000 bone artifacts. This large Pecos River terrace site is near the Rio Grande confluence and international border. Recent research using US National Park Service collections studied the subsistence and bone technology practices of prehistoric residents. Small to large fish remains formed a significant minority of the faunal sample. The remains provided evidence of previously undocumented capture and carcass processing techniques used during the Middle to Terminal Late Archaic. Fish skeletal material also entered the region's bone technology to be used in specific, limited roles as tools.