The fish from Zamostje and its importance for the last hunter-gatherers of the Russian Plain (Mesolithic-Neolithic)

Zamostje, located on the river Dubna, a tributary of the Volga, was as early as the Mesolithic and Neolithic an important site for hunting as well as fishing: thousands of fish bones, very well preserved in a wet environment were excavated here. Many fishing-related implements have also been recovered: bark floats, hooks, harpoons, tools for scaling the fish, and two fish-traps containing the skeletons of several trapped fish.

The analysis of several thousand fish bones (recovered using a 1 mm mesh sieve) now provide a clear picture of the species diversity present during the entire habitation duration at this site; these are mainly pike (Esox lucius), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Cyprinids. Our analysis also allows for size reconstructions of the captured fish, providing information on the fishing techniques used and the seasonality of fishing activities.

This is the first comprehensive study of fish remains from Zamostje, key to understanding the importance and techniques of fishing in this exceptionally rich site during the different stages of its habitation.