Negotiating a Dynamic Dune Landscape: A Holistic Zooarchaeological Perspective on Human–Animal Interactions at Gunung Wingko, Indonesia

Faiz Abdurrahman

This paper re-examines human–animal interactions at Gunung Wingko, southern Yogyakarta, Indonesia, through a holistic zooarchaeological reassessment of faunal materials recovered during the 1976 excavation. Located within a dynamic marine aeolian transitional zone shaped by active barchan dunes, the site offers a key case study for understanding how geomorphological conditions influenced subsistence and settlement strategies in Indo-Pacific prehistory. The study systematically re-analyses 701 identified faunal specimens (NISP) from the 1976 assemblage by classifying taxa, assigning habitat categories, and examining proportional distributions. These results are integrated with stratigraphic and micro geomorphological data from the dune system. By embedding quantitative faunal evidence within its sedimentary and landscape context, the research moves beyond descriptive reporting toward a more interpretative and spatially informed model. The assemblage reflects a multi habitat exploitation strategy: marine and estuarine fish predominate, indicating intensive coastal resource use, while Bovidae, Cervidae, and Suidae point to inland hunting. Freshwater molluscs and turtles further confirm the use of riverine environments. Spatial correlation between faunal composition and relatively stable dune margins suggests deliberate site placement in areas offering elevation, visibility, and proximity to diverse ecological zones. Rather than viewing the 1976 data solely as indicators of diet, this study recontextualises them within a framework of adjacent habitat exploitation and spatial risk management. It demonstrates how integrated zooarchaeological and geomorphological analysis can generate a multidimensional reconstruction of human–animal relationships in coastal Indo-Pacific settings.