Subsistence to Symbolism: Faunal Assemblages and Indigenous Hunting Practices in North Cachar Hills, Assam

Atashi Maitra

This research contributes to environmental archaeology in the Indo-Pacific by examining long-term human–environment relationships through faunal assemblages from the North Cachar Hills (Dima Hasao), Assam. Rather than viewing animal remains solely as evidence of diet, the study situates indigenous hunting practices within multispecies traditional ecologies, where animals influence mobility patterns, seasonal resource use, territorial organisation, and social organisation. By analysing cut marks, burning traces, bone breakage, and deposition patterns alongside ethnographic observations and local ecological knowledge, the research reconstructs strategies of adaptation, resilience, and resource management within hunting–foraging lifeways over time. The study also explores how animals are central to ritual practices, feasting, exchange networks, and belief systems, showing that faunal assemblages reflect social identity, hierarchy, and community values. In this sense, animal remains function as both ecological and cultural records, providing insight into past human behaviour, environmental engagement, and collective memory. By combining zooarchaeology, archaeological science, and indigenous knowledge systems, the paper highlights the interpretive potential of faunal evidence to understand sustainability, biodiversity interactions, and long-term adaptation to environmental change. Overall, the research offers a historically grounded perspective on how indigenous communities of Northeast India managed their resources, interacted with their environment, and embedded ecological knowledge in cultural practices. It contributes to broader debates on human– environment dynamics, resilience, and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific region, offering lessons relevant to contemporary environmental and climatic challenges.