Fish otolith geochemistry, environmental conditions and human occupation at Lake Mungo, Australia

Long, Kelsie; Stern, Nicola; Williams, Ian S.; Kinsley, Leslie; Wood, Rachel; Sporcic, Katarina; Smith, T. B.; Fallon, Stewart; Kokkonen, Harri; Moffat, Ian; Grün, Rainer

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.01.012

Cited by 36 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Hearths that contain nothing but the remains of burned and unburned fish bone are found only in this unit (Stern, 2014) and radiocarbon age determinations indicate that they all accumulated at the height of the Last Glacial Maximum (Long et al, 2014). These LGM fish bone hearths contain the remains of small numbers (9-25) of a single species of fish, the Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua (J. Richardson, 1845)).…”

Section: Molluscs In the Archaeological And Palaeontological Record Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These LGM fish bone hearths contain the remains of small numbers (9-25) of a single species of fish, the Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua (J. Richardson, 1845)). Oxygen isotope and trace element analyses of a sample of Golden Perch otoliths show that the fish entered a freshwater lake several years before their death and that salinity levels increased during their sojourn in the lake (Long et al, 2014). Although it has been suggested that the death of these fish in relatively more saline waters supports Bowler's suggestion (1998) that stupefied fish were scooped up from shallow waters (Long et al, 2014), the size and numbers of fish is consistent with more than one capture technique (Lovell, 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Oxygen isotope and trace element analyses of a sample of Golden Perch otoliths show that the fish entered a freshwater lake several years before their death and that salinity levels increased during their sojourn in the lake (Long et al, 2014). Although it has been suggested that the death of these fish in relatively more saline waters supports Bowler's suggestion (1998) that stupefied fish were scooped up from shallow waters (Long et al, 2014), the size and numbers of fish is consistent with more than one capture technique (Lovell, 2015).Fish bones and small fragments of mussel shell are found in some hearths in all the stratigraphic units. However, no shell middens were encountered in the 2-km 2 foot survey area in the central part of the lunette (Stern et al, 2013).…”

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Pleistocene shell tools from Lake Mungo lunette, Australia: Identification and interpretation drawing on experimental archaeology

Weston

Szabó

Stern

2017

Quaternary International

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Three freshwater mussel shell tools recovered from the Lake Mungo lunette, in semi-arid south-eastern Australia with bracketing age estimates of 40-30 ka, and a possible fourth tool with bracketing age estimates of 50-40 ka, are described. An experimental approach, combined with detailed structural and taphonomic analysis of the shell establishes the presence of both deliberate cultural modification and wear traces from use on the mussel fragments. The characterization of Australian Pleistocene stone artefacts as being simple and unchanging is steadily being challenged through recent studies of Pleistocene assemblages from Lake Mungo and elsewhere, and these early shell tools reinforce the multidimensionality of ancient Australian technologies. Disciplines Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication DetailsWeston, E., Szabo, K. & Stern, N. (2017). Pleistocene shell tools from Lake Mungo lunette, Australia: identification and interpretation drawing on experimental archaeology. Quaternary International, 427 229-242. AbstractThree freshwater mussel shell tools recovered from the Lake Mungo lunette, in semi-arid south-eastern Australia with bracketing age estimates of 40-30 ka, and a possible fourth tool with bracketing age estimates of 50-40 ka, are described. An experimental approach, combined with detailed structural and taphonomic analysis of the shell establishes the presence of both deliberate cultural modification and wear traces from use on the mussel fragments. The characterization of Australian Pleistocene stone artefacts as being simple and unchanging is steadily being challenged through recent studies of Pleistocene assemblages from Lake Mungo and elsewhere, and these early shell tools reinforce the multidimensionality of ancient Australian technologies. KeywordsShell tool, Experimental archaeology, Lake Mungo, Pleistocene archaeology, Australian prehistory 1: IntroductionExpedient shell tools are being identified more frequently in archaeological assemblages as awareness of these types of tools, and the techniques for identifying and analysing them, improves (e.g. Lucero, 2004, Szabó, 2005, Lammers, 2008, Harris, 2011, Romagnoli et al., 2014, Fujita and Melgar, 2014, Cuenca-Solana, 2015, Szabó and Koppel, 2015. Despite this recent work, there remain considerable gaps in our knowledge of the criteria that can be used to identify and interpret shells across a wide range of taxa that have been modified for and through use. Here, we present the identification of utilised freshwater mussel shells from the Pleistocene landscape at Lake Mungo, coupled with innovative techniques for their recognition and interpretation.An understanding of the structural composition and internal arrangement of the specific shell taxa being studied underpins all robust analytical methodologies when examining worked shell. Such considerations are presented here, followed by an experimental use-2 wear programme prefacing the analysis of archaeological freshwater mussels collected during recent...

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Section: Molluscs In the Archaeological And Palaeontological Record Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Pleistocene shell tools from Lake Mungo lunette, Australia: Identification and interpretation drawing on experimental archaeology

Weston

Szabó

Stern

2017

Quaternary International

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“…Hearths contain fish remains, the geochemistry of which reveals that they lived in a freshwater lake and died under evaporative conditions (Long et al . ); this gives some indication as to the potential duration of the lake‐full and drying phases during Unit E's deposition.…”

Section: The Lake Mungo Grinding Stone Assemblagementioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for Pleistocene seed grinding at Lake Mungo, south‐eastern Australia

Fullagar

Hayes

Stephenson

et al. 2015

Archaeology in Oceania

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“…For instance, fish may also have become trapped in the low‐oxygen waters and been more easily caught (Long et al . : 84). However, unlike the Willandra Lakes, which are overflow lakes from the Lachlan River system, the New England lagoons are hydrologically discrete, and fill and flood from both regular summer cyclonic rains from Queensland (Hobbs & Jackson ) as well as intense east coast lows, which can sometimes develop in winter and bring rare heavy snowfalls to the eastern highlands.…”

Section: Lagoons As Aboriginal Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Aboriginal resources change through time in New England upland wetlands, south‐east Australia

Beck¹,

Haworth²,

Appleton³

2015

Archaeology in Oceania

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Fish otolith geochemistry, environmental conditions and human occupation at Lake Mungo, Australia

Cited by 36 publications

References 62 publications

Pleistocene shell tools from Lake Mungo lunette, Australia: Identification and interpretation drawing on experimental archaeology

Pleistocene shell tools from Lake Mungo lunette, Australia: Identification and interpretation drawing on experimental archaeology

Evidence for Pleistocene seed grinding at Lake Mungo, south‐eastern Australia

Aboriginal resources change through time in New England upland wetlands, south‐east Australia

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