Molluscs emergent, Part I: themes and trends in the scientific investigation of mollusc shells as resources for archaeological research

Thomas, Kenneth D.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2015.01.024

Cited by 55 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…It has since been employed in many archaeozoological studies around the world (e.g. Bailey et al, 1983;Deith, 1986;Mannino et al, 2003Mannino et al, , 2007Colonese et al, 2009;Burchell et al, 2013a,b;Eerkens et al, 2013;see Andrus, 2011;Prendergast andStevens, 2014 andThomas, 2015 for recent reviews).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing patterns of eastern Mediterranean shellfish exploitation in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene: Oxygen isotope evidence from gastropod in Epipaleolithic to Neolithic human occupation layers at the Haua Fteah cave, Libya

Prendergast

Stevens

O’Connell

et al. 2016

Quaternary International

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The seasonal pattern of shellfish foraging at the archaeological site of Haua Fteah in the Gebel Akhdar, Libya was investigated from the Epipaleolithic to the Neolithic via oxygen isotope (δ 18 O) analyses of the topshell Phorcus (Osilinus) turbinatus. To validate this species as faithful year-round palaeoenvironmental recorder, the intra-annual variability of δ 18 O in modern shells and sea water was analysed and compared with measured sea surface temperature (SST). The shells were found to be good candidates for seasonal shellfish forging studies as they preserve nearly the complete annual SST cycle in their shell δ 18

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing patterns of eastern Mediterranean shellfish exploitation in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene: Oxygen isotope evidence from gastropod in Epipaleolithic to Neolithic human occupation layers at the Haua Fteah cave, Libya

Prendergast

Stevens

O’Connell

et al. 2016

Quaternary International

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“…The general age of the deposits is often determined using radiocarbon dating (Koppel et al 2016, Thomas 2015; however, advances in an alternative technique, amino acid racemization (AAR), mentioned earlier in regard to corals, may have enhanced the ability of researchers to disentangle the time-averaging within shell middens (Koppel et al 2016(Koppel et al , 2017. There are good and bad aspects to both techniques with regards to mollusc shell material.…”

Section: Time-averaging and Thanatocoenosis Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This occurs when metastable aragonite, present in many marine mollusc shells, transitions to the more stable polymorph of calcite over time. This process can draw carbon from the surrounding environment into the outer layers of the shell, resulting in a radiocarbon age different (younger or older) than that of the original shell (Thomas 2015). Where possible, it is advised to avoid dia genetic shell material.…”

Section: Time-averaging and Thanatocoenosis Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AAR measures the proportion of an amino acid that has transitioned from the L-form, which is used by living organisms, to the stereoisomer D-form following death, this process is also known as racemization (Thomas 2015). Glycine does not have a stereoisomer and is therefore unsuitable; it should also be noted that different amino acids have different rates of racemization (Grimley & Oches 2015, Thomas 2015.…”

Section: Time-averaging and Thanatocoenosis Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Glycine does not have a stereoisomer and is therefore unsuitable; it should also be noted that different amino acids have different rates of racemization (Grimley & Oches 2015, Thomas 2015. This change happens naturally over time at a predictable rate, and so the ratio of L isomers to D isomers within a sample can be used to estimate the age.…”

Section: Time-averaging and Thanatocoenosis Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

From coral reefs to whale teeth: estimating mortality from natural accumulations of skeletal materials

Laptikhovsky¹,

Barrett²,

Hollyman³

2018

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Estimation of natural and anthropogenic (fishing, hunting) mortality is the key problem in studies of population dynamics. Numerous theoretical approaches were developed in environmental sciences to find a solution based on information that could be obtained from live representatives of populations of interest. We review the alternative methods used by marine biologists, palaeontologists and zoo-archaeologists to estimate natural and anthropogenic mortality from age-registering structures of the different taxa (corals, molluscs, fishes and mammals) collected in thanatocoenoses and containing information about the exact individual age-at-death. Not all approaches and techniques are transferrable from one field to another because they were elaborated for organisms with different morphologies and ecologies, but cross-fertilisation of ideas presented in this review might provide a new insight into studies related to population dynamics.

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Marine Molluscs

Thomas

2018

The Encyclopedia of Archaeological Sciences

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Shells of marine molluscs frequently occur in archaeological sites across the world. Many were collected for human consumption, the discarded shells forming shell middens. Their analysis can inform about the environments exploited by human foragers and environmental change on local to regional scales, especially using oxygen isotope sclerochronology. Radiocarbon dates from marine shells provide chronological frameworks for sites and coastal settlement systems. Oxygen isotopes in marine shells indicate seasonality of shellfish collection, helping reveal patterns of resource scheduling, sedentism, or mobility. Changes in shell size and species selection indicate the impact of foraging on shellfish resources and any resource management strategies. Marine shells were used for artifacts, and shell beads from early human sites indicate modern cognitive behavioral attributes and symbolism. Zoogeographical and chemical analyses of shell artifacts reveal the provenience of the raw materials and hence trade or exchange networks.

show abstract

Molluscs emergent, Part I: themes and trends in the scientific investigation of mollusc shells as resources for archaeological research

Cited by 55 publications

References 73 publications

Changing patterns of eastern Mediterranean shellfish exploitation in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene: Oxygen isotope evidence from gastropod in Epipaleolithic to Neolithic human occupation layers at the Haua Fteah cave, Libya

Changing patterns of eastern Mediterranean shellfish exploitation in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene: Oxygen isotope evidence from gastropod in Epipaleolithic to Neolithic human occupation layers at the Haua Fteah cave, Libya

From coral reefs to whale teeth: estimating mortality from natural accumulations of skeletal materials

Marine Molluscs

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