Zooarchaeology in the twenty- first century: where we come from, where we are now, and where we are going

After more than a century of growth, zooarchaeology has started fulfilling its full potential. The recognition of the centrality of zooarchaeological investigations in archaeology represents the most important, and hopefully enduring, development. Zooarchaeology remains, however, ultimately inter-disciplinary and cannot be pigeonholed within either Science or Humanities. Zooarchaeologists use a multitude of approaches, and contribute to all aspects of investigations of past human life, ranging from social structure, to economy, diet, ecology, ideology, and religion. The discipline has developed a set of well-established methods, whose widespread use enhances data comparability. It is, however, important that the research strategies and approaches of zooarchaeologists remain dynamic and open to constant scrutiny. Zooarchaeology is today highly international, enjoying a healthy level of open communication. There is, however, the need to reach out to areas where the discipline is still underdeveloped, as those will generate new stimuli as well as research opportunities.