Stone age settlement of the norsminde fjord, jutland, denmark. The danish term kokkenmoddinger plural was first used by japetus steenstrup to describe shell heaps and continues to be used by some researchers. The selection first elaborates on the formation of ethnographic collections, colonization of islands by humans, and shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology. Shellfish can be collected from intertidal areas using a spade or rake and put through a sieve to extract the ones of marketable size. Shell middens, cultural chronologies, and coastal settlement. Michael trinkley chicora foundation research contribution 118 chicora foundation, inc. The research represents the first investigation of largescale early medieval middens in britain and the. A shell midden or shell mound is an archaeological feature consisting mainly of mollusk shells. The first evidence for systematic shellfish collection by msa people along the south coast of south africa was initially made at klasies river kr during excavations between 1967 and 1968 as reflected by the large quantities, density, and presence of marine shell throughout the stratigraphic sequence of this site speed, 1969, voigt, 1973. Only then will we be able to evaluate its relevance for understanding the development of modern human behavior. As a result, i discuss the potential meaning of continued shellfish gathering and consumption as a way of maintaining culturally significant practices in a changing world.
In scandinavia, there are many mounds of shellfish debris. Alway, via unbc theres a good, recent article in the globe and mail pdf on some exciting preliminary findings by dr farid rahemtulla of unbc at a site on calvert island map. Ceci described a series of weird donutshaped shell middens, consisting of prehistoric pottery and artifacts and shell located on hillsides in new england. Oct 19, 2017 the inhabitants ate shellfish, of course, mostly soft shell clams. Ices international council for pdf free download photograph. A typical native american oyster deposit, or midden, dating to about 1,000 years ago. Jan 30, 2018 white rock, canadathe vancouver sun reports that an ancient midden made up of shell, charcoal, and animal bones has been discovered in british columbia. Next up for the local victoria branch of the archaeological society of b. The study of shell middens in archaeology thoughtco. The shell mounds contain layers of information, like rings on a tree, that reveal something about native american diet, migration, and tools used to harvest and process food.
Pdf shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology revisited. Excavation of an inland midden n15250 at muhunoa west in the horowhenua is reported by butts 1981, 1982. University of aberdeen early medieval shellfish exploitation. Ceci described a series of weird donutshaped shell middens, consisting of prehistoric pottery and artifacts and shell located on hillsides in new. Jul 19, 2019 the name kitchen midden comes from the danish word kokkenmodding kitchen mound, which originally referred specifically to coastal mesolithic shell mounds in denmark. The reconstruction of predepositional cooking treatments used by prehistoric coastal populations for processing aquatic faunal resources is often difficult in. Po box 8664 861 arbutus drive columbia, sc 292028664 8037876910 this paper represents remarks made at the s. Test excavations were conducted at the site during the summer of 1973 by oregon state university under the direction of dr. Native american secrets lie buried in huge shell mounds. Most shell middens on the coast are younger than 5000 years old. Po box 8664 861 arbutus drive columbia, sc 292028664 8037876910 this paper represents remarks made at the.
Possible early pigment use in southcentral africa, what customer demand is. Coastal shell middens and agricultural origins in atlantic. Globally, shell middens, that is sites in which discarded mollusc shells. Shell midden archaeology suggests that clams became prevalent in the passamaquoddy diet about 3,000 years ago, when people shifted toward more coastal living sanger 1971.
Gathering seafood by hand can be as easy as picking shellfish or kelp up off the beach, or doing some digging for clams or crabs, or perhaps diving under the water for abalone or lobsters. Lense of shell midden exposed in slip examples in the auckland region nichol, r. Pdf on jan 1, 1987, gregory waselkov and others published shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology find, read and cite all the research you. Shellfish gathering can be an important ingredient in overall adaptation, and, thus, we need to integrate it more fully into our discussions of msa adaptations. Some of these mounds are of sea shells left by some food gathering peoples. Shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology revisited. A midden, by definition, contains the debris of human activity, and should not be confused with wind. I know of some of this research to be presented and if i can add an editorial comment. Furthermore a small scatter of shell midden can often be an indicator. Ancient shell midden uncovered in british columbia. This article reports on the emerging evidence for largescale exploitation of shellfish during a hitherto understudied period for shell midden archaeology in northwest europe. On the northwest coast, the oldest known shell midden is in alaska. Jul 28, 20 unbc student cory hackett excavates a unit in shell midden photo credit. Excavations at pico ramos, a chalcolithic cave site, oxford.
During my phd, i pioneered a method for ascertaining the seasonality and age of the european oyster, ostrea edulis, which i applied to casestudies from danish shellmiddens. Geoarchaeological research on shell middens has mostly focused on two subjects. Shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology created date. Sclerochronological analysis of shell midden faunal remains offers a unique opportunity to study climate. Shellfish gathering, marine paleoecology and modern human. Archaeologists dealing with problems posed by shell middens often seem oblivious of substantial contributions made in previous workunderstandably so, because the published literature of this subdiscipline is voluminous and has never been adequately synthesized. Gathering seafood by hand can be as easy as picking shellfish or kelp up off the beach, or doing some digging for clams or crabs, or perhaps diving under the water for abalone or lobsters shellfish can be collected from intertidal areas using a spade or rake and put through a sieve to extract the ones of marketable size seafood can be found in coastal zones as well as rivers and lakes. This zooarchaeology course teaches students to identify, analyze, and interpret bone and shell remains discovered in archaeological excavations. Archaeopress, british archaeological reports, international series. Aquatic food acquisition and longterm change in the jomon culture junko habua, akira matsuib, naoto yamamotoc, tomonori kannod auniversity of california, department of anthropology, 232 kroeber hall, berkeley, ca 947203710, united states b center for archaeological operations, independent administrative institution, national institutes for cultural. All in all, shellfish gathering is now seen as a lowrisk way of gathering food, as opposed to hunting of terrestrial game where success is dependent on technology, weather and seasonality, training and expertise, and potentially also fitness and strength. They inform archaeologists about human adaptations to coastal environments, the evolution of coastal economies, ritual practices, and prehistoric architecture. Coastal shell middens and agricultural origins in atlantic europe.
Tlaamin archaeology shells, shell middens, and archaeology. Pdf on jan 1, 1987, gregory waselkov and others published shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The inhabitants ate shellfish, of course, mostly softshell clams. At a shell midden, archaeologists find the remains of settlements, campsites, and sometimes cemeteries. One of my favorite shell midden articles is lynn cecis 1984 paper in world archaeology. Native american secrets lie buried in huge shell mounds the.
A midden, by definition, contains the debris of human activity, and should not be confused with wind or tide created beach mounds. One small hole in a shell may indicate that the shell has just begun to decompose, or it may indicate a shell freshly killed by a shellboring gastropod thais sp. Shell middens, primarily made up of the shells of mollusks, were one of the first types of nonarchitectural features investigated in pioneering 19thcentury archaeology. Table 1 gives the prehistoric shellfish species at nantucket, marthas vineyard, connecticut, and wampanoag sites on the cape, ranked by percentage of the number of archaeological sites containing the species. Chronology and taphonomy at white oak point, potomac river estuary, virginia. Waselkov, shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology revisited. Advances in archaeological method and theory, volume 10 1st.
Shell middens are archaeological sites that contains an abundance of shell. White rock, canadathe vancouver sun reports that an ancient midden made up of shell, charcoal, and animal bones has been discovered in british columbia. Some of these mounds are of sea shells left by some foodgathering peoples. Questions are no longer simply what were they eating. Advances in archaeological method and theory, volume 10. Jun 21, 2018 lynn gamble is seen inside a trench in a 6,000yearold shell midden that was probably associated with ritual. Chronology and taphonomy at white oak point, potomac river estuary, virginia torben c.
Lynn gamble is seen inside a trench in a 6,000yearold shell midden that was probably associated with ritual. Pdf shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology. Two holes in a shell indicate a more fragmented condition. Archaeologists are finding clues to sustainable oysters harvesting in these remains. In advances in archaeological method and theory 10. Shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology sciencedirect. Advances in archaeological method and theory, 1987. Pdf shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology gregory. Chronology and taphonomy at white oak point, potomac river estuary, virginia, the journal of island and coastal archaeology, 10, 3, 339, 2015.
Advances in archaeological method and theory, volume 10 focuses on the progress of methodologies, approaches, techniques, and principles employed in archaeological method and theory. It is clear that the thoms creek midden at 38bu2 was the locus of diverse domestic activities beyond basic shellfish gathering. Radiocarbon data, bayesian modeling, and alternative. Shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology, gyrohorizon enlightens psychoanalysis similar research approach to the problems of art typology can be found in k. The neptune site 35la3, a small shell midden, is located approximately five kilometers south of yachats on the central oregon coast. With increasing specialization in archaeology, the next few decades should see major advances in our understanding of shellfish gathering and consumption in the prehistoric past. Chronology and taphonomy at white oak point, potomac river estuary, virginia with torben c. Prehistoric cooking versus accurate palaeotemperature. Dissertation, department of anthropology, university of north carolina, chapel hill. Shellmatrix sites are one of the most widespread archaeological deposits in the world. The term was first used in danish to describe the middens of the ertebolle culture and is also used as an adjective for the people who create middens. Rethinking shell middens archaeological conservancy.
Graduate thesis or dissertation shell and archaeology. This chapter discusses those methodological and theoretical problems that are of greatest concern to shell midden archaeologists. In recent years, the micromorphological study of brazilian shellmounds and a shell midden from tierra del fuego revealed unique information about. Shellfish meet otoliths in shell midden archaeology of the gulf of california 63 small sample occurred at each locality. Macduff everton archaeologist margo schwadron is perched on top of a shell mound at the turner river shell works site in ten thousand islands, florida. Shellfish meet otoliths in shell midden archaeology of the. Witthoft, john, 1953 broad spearpoints and the transitional period cultures in pennsylvania. But they also had a taste for deer, bear, moose, porpoise and seal. Waselkov ga 1987 shellfish gathering and shell midden archaeology. The midden was not compact like those described by adkin 1948, and although only 4 square metres were excavated, a wide range of bird, fish and shellfish species were identified from. Jul 28, 2016 a typical native american oyster deposit, or midden, dating to about 1,000 years ago. I have been interested in coastal archaeology, shell middens, the mesolithic, and the transition to agriculture for the last 10 years. Early medieval shellfish exploitation in northwest europe. Stratigraphic and spatial variability in shell middens digital.
649 1006 695 466 1088 1480 1435 1000 688 914 11 386 427 149 1286 86 1160 764 985 277 1300 1141 1159 1253 760 1033 1030 1238 206 1197 837 1485 1283