Fish bones in shell middens, remains of fish hooks and common representations of fish in rock engravings demonstrate the overall significance of fish and maritime resources to indigenous people who lived in the Sydney area for thousands of years before British colonists arrived in AD 1788 (Attenbrow and Steele 1995; Stanbury and Clegg 1990; Attenbrow 2010; Attenbrow in press). Despite their importance, only limited archaeological research has been conducted on fish remains from pre-AD 1788 sites. Thirty-nine fish taxa (genus, species or other category) representing 21 families have been identified from about fifteen individual excavations of regional Aboriginal shell middens where fish remains date from c. 3000 years ago to AD 1788 (Attenbrow 2010, 145-9). Attenbrow (in press) has studied archaeological and historical information to advance our understanding of Aboriginal fishing in Sydney before the British arrived and as observed in the late 18th century.
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