Counting Your Chickens: Density and Distribution of Chicken Remains in Archaeological Sites of Oceania

Abstract

In an effort to document the density and distribution of prehistoric chicken ('Gallus gallus') remains across Oceania, this paper presents the analysis of reported faunal remains from over 500 individual archaeological and natural sites from across the Pacific. We examined the presence and absence of chicken in secure prehistoric contexts and factors which may account for this, including human choice, taphonomy, the influence of other animals on extinction events, differential access to resources, and purposeful extirpation. This research highlights the need for full study of the large percentage (18%) of Pacific avifauna collections which have yet to be analysed, to clarify the range and importance of chicken in prehistory.