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Lessons from the Past: Archaeological Insights on the Interaction of the Kumeyaay People with their Environment

October 18, 2018 at 6pm in the San Diego History Center Atrium


Zooarcheology yields perspectives on the interaction of the Kumeyaay people with their environment.

In celebration of California Archaeology Month, join us for a special presentation by Aaron Sasson, PhD, San Diego Zooarchaeology Laboratory San Diego Natural History Museum, as he presents an analysis of broad spectrum diets and sustainability at prehistoric Kumeyaay village sites.

Faunal assemblages from three prehistoric Kumeyaay village sites, Ystagua, Rinconada and Spindrift yielded approximately 100 animal species per site. The remarkable array of species reflects utilization of diverse marine and terrestrial habitats. It reflects a broad-spectrum diet, which focused primarily on small animals. According to the optimal foraging theory (OFT), small animals are lower ranked and regardless of their abundance, they will be ignored if a higher ranked prey (large mammal) is available. By maintaining a broad-spectrum diet rather than focus on large mammals like deer and sea lions, the Kumeyaay people were able to preserve the various local ecosystems for thousands of years.

Member Price: $5

Non-Member Price: $10

Details

Date:
October 18, 2018
Time:
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Cost:
$10
Event Category:

Venue

San Diego History Center
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA 92101 United States
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