‘Cervified’: a method for the morphometric identification of red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) archaeological bones

Abstract This paper presents a new method for differentiating postcranial bone remains of red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), fallow deer ( Dama dama ), and roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) from archaeological contexts. These species have a very similar bone morphology and partly overlapping size ranges, often preventing species-level identification in faunal research. Traditional methods, such as the use of diagnostic morphological criteria, or aDNA analysis, present practical and methodological limitations. In this study, bone biometric data from modern specimens, sourced from various institutions across northern and southern Europe, are analysed to determine size ranges and shape indices that can separate the three species, focussing on both adult and immature individuals. By comparing measurement values from archaeological remains with these biometric criteria, species identification can be attempted. The low-tech nature of this approach and the transparent, diagrammatic presentation of biometric results make the new method objective, highly accessible, and inclusive. In European and Mediterranean archaeology, the separation of fallow deer from other cervid species is crucial in the investigation of past biogeography, trading activities, hunting strategies, cultural values, and social status.