Differential recovery of Pacific Island fish remains

The effects of differential recovery have been documented and discussed for almost a century. Screening experiments using comparative collections are one avenue for understanding recovery bias because they develop expectations about what is likely to be recovered. In this study, modern reference specimens of Pacific Island fish were screened through 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) and 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) mesh. Recovery rates are examined across taxa, body size, and element type. The experimental recovery rates are then compared to those from an archaeological fish assemblage from the Moturakau rockshelter, Aitutaki, Cook Islands, to examine how well the data derived from screening experiments are able to predict archaeological recovery patterns. The experimental data is able to accurately predict the taxa recovered in the Moturakau sample. The impact of differential recovery on a variety of interpretations utilizing archaeological fish remains is then discussed.