Towards a Deeper Integration of ZooMS and Zooarchaeology at Palaeolithic Sites: Current Challenges and Future Directions

Advances in biomolecular methods, in particular the study of ancient proteins (palaeoproteomics), have revolutionised how we can taxonomically identify archaeological bone fragments. Alongside traditional zooarchaeological assignments based on the visual inspection of morphological criteria, variations in collagen type I amino acid sequences can now be used to distinguish which animal a bone fragment belonged to. Using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, this method, known as Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), is now being applied regularly to archaeological faunal assemblages and, often at a large-scale, at Palaeolithic sites. However, detailed explorations of how these ZooMS datasets can best be integrated with zooarchaeological and taphonomic data are only in their infancy. To further advance this field, we hosted a workshop at the University of Kent in 2023, bringing together both zooarchaeologists and ZooMS specialists, to showcase and discuss various ways of integrating ZooMS and zooarchaeological data, especially within Palaeolithic contexts. This special issue results from the papers presented at this workshop. In this introductory paper we reflect on the open discussion sessions that formed an essential part of the workshop. First, we discuss a series of methodological challenges; this includes the recording of zooarchaeology and taphonomy on morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments, ZooMS study design and sample selection, pre-screening and sampling, pre-treatment and collagen extraction, and the acquisition, processing and interpretation of MALDI data. Second, we delve deeper into the interpretive potential, and the wealth of future research directions, of a full contribution of ZooMS to a range of zooarchaeological research topics. In concordance with the seven research papers in this issue, this introduction illustrates how a well-designed study, integrating zooarchaeological and taphonomic observations across both the morphological and ZooMS-identified fractions, cannot only increase the number of identifiable specimen at a site, but also provide novel insights into site formation histories, collection biases, carnivore behaviour, environmental conditions and past human subsistence, including site use, seasonality, carcass transport, prey preference and butchery practices.