Meaningful Mesolithic Martens?

The presence of pine martens at prehistoric hunter-gatherer settlements has predominantly been interpreted as evidence of fur harvesting. In line with recent decades’ criticism of anthropocentric interpretations, this article revisits the interactions between pine martens and humans at the well-known hunter-gatherer site of Tybrind Vig (ca. 5600-4000 BC) on the island of Funen. The pine marten remains at Tybrind Vig have been interpreted as evidence of specialised hunting reflecting early fur economies. At this settlement, several pine martens were skinned and the remains discarded on the outskirts of the settlement. From a socio-zooarchaeological perspective, we question this one-sided economic interpretation and, on the contrary, pinpoint indications that this particular species was deliberately and respectfully deposited after being skinned. In doing so, we draw inspiration from recent trends in the interpretation of archaeological evidence and contribute to the picture of animal-human relations in our distant past.