By Sheila Hamilton-Dyer 1Fish bone from selected contexts

The sieved samples submitted for examination are from three deposits deliberately selected as they were noted as containing significant amounts of fish remains. Oven 1470 contained a large amount of charcoal in the basal fill (sample 14) but also an ‘ashy ’ layer above it which was noted as including very small fish remains. The probable latrine trench 4162 contained three fills part way down that were noted as possibly containing very small fish bones. The sample from the lower fill of pit 4230 was selected for comparative purposes, being almost contemporary with the latrine but of ‘normal ’ deposits. The fish (and other faunal remains) were so numerous and so small that they had not been picked out of the residues and flots but submitted entire. Almost all of the material is from the flots and was retained on sieves of 300 micron and above. Taxonomic identifications were made using the author’s modern comparative collection. All of the material was first examined at a superficial level in order to establish the overall constituents and amounts represented. Sub-samples were used to estimate the numbers of the fish elements. Measurements of a few vertebrae were taken for estimates of fish length and the material was also visually compared with recent specimens. Estimates of the number of individuals were based on the numbers of the prootic bone in sub-samples