
Animals as Neighbors
The Past and Present of Commensal Animals
Terry O'Connor(Author)
Michigan State University Press
Published on 1. September 2013
Book
Hardback
184 pages
978-1-61186-095-5 (ISBN)
Description
In this fascinating book, Terry O'Connor explores a distinction that is deeply ingrained in much of the language that we use in zoology, human-animal studies, and archaeology-the difference between wild and domestic. For thousands of years, humans have categorized animals in simple terms, often according to the degree of control that we have over them, and have tended to see the long story of human-animal relations as one of increasing control and management for human benefit. And yet, around the world, species have adapted to our homes, our towns, and our artificial landscapes, finding ways to gain benefit from our activities and so becoming an important part of our everyday lives. These commensal animals remind us that other species are not passive elements in the world around us but intelligent and adaptable creatures. Animals as Neighbors shows how a blend of adaptation and opportunism has enabled many species to benefit from our often destructive footprint on the world. O'Connor investigates the history of this relationship, working back through archaeological records. By requiring us to take a multifaceted view of human-animal relations, commensal animals encourage a more nuanced understanding of those relations, both today and throughout the prehistory of our species.
Reviews / Votes
"A fascinating evolutionary and social history of our relationship with a wide range of commensal mammal and bird species, raising the question of what it really means to be a 'wild animal.' This important interdisciplinary study will be of great interest and relevance to both archaeologists and biologists."-Dr. Samuel Turvey, Zoological Society of London.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
East Lansing, MI
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Paper over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
76
Dimensions
Height: 261 mm
Width: 182 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
648 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-61186-095-5 (9781611860955)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
12/2014
1st Edition
Michigan State University Press
€55.29
Available for download
Person
Terry O'Connor is Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of York. He was formerly a trustee of York Archaeological Trust from 2005 to 2010, and was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2008. He was editor of International Journal of Osteoarchaeology from 2005 to 2011.
Content
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Human Environment
Chapter 2 - Sources of Evidence
Chapter 3 - The Archaeology of Commensalism
Chapter 4 - Mesomammals
Chapter 5 - Rats, Mice, and Other Rodents
Chapter 6 - Birds
Chapter 7 - Commensalism, Coevolution, and Culture
Chapter 8 - Planning for the Future
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Human Environment
Chapter 2 - Sources of Evidence
Chapter 3 - The Archaeology of Commensalism
Chapter 4 - Mesomammals
Chapter 5 - Rats, Mice, and Other Rodents
Chapter 6 - Birds
Chapter 7 - Commensalism, Coevolution, and Culture
Chapter 8 - Planning for the Future
Notes
Bibliography
Index