Molluscs in archaeology : methods, approaches and applications / edited by Michael J. Allen.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Allen, Michael J., editor.

ProQuest ebook central.

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Series:

Studying scientific archaeology ; 3.

Studying Scientific Archaeology ; 3

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mollusk remains (Archaeology)--Congresses.

Mollusk remains (Archaeology).

Genre:

Conference papers and proceedings.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 434 pages) : illustrations (some color), maps (some color.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxbow Books, 2017.

System Details:

text file

Summary:

The subject of 'Molluscs in Archaeology' has not been dealt with collectively for several decades. Most previous volumes have concerned either land or marine molluscs, or mollusc shells as artefacts. The 23 specially commissioned papers address many themes. Marine molluscs from archaeological sites may represent food waste or their shells having been utilised as tools, artefacts and ornaments. Land snails are also found as food waste in middens, but more commonly their microscopic remains are used to examine site environment and land use histories. This comprehensive collection by many leading researchers in the field will give the reader an overview of the whole topic: methods of analysis and approaches to interpretation. It aims to be a broad-based textbook giving readers an insight into how to apply analysis to different present and past landscapes. Contributors present marine, freshwater and land snail studies, and examine topics such as diet, economy, climate, environment and land-use, isotopes and molluscs as artefacts, providing archaeologists and students with the first port of call regarding methods and principles, and the potential information molluscs can provide. Combining authoritative overviews with a range of case studies, Molluscs in Archaeology concentrates on analysis and interpretation and reviews the 'heavier' science in terms of potential, application and interpretational value. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part 1 Palaeo-Environments; Environment and Land-Use

Terrestrial Habitats, Contexts and Landscapes 5

1 Land snails in archaeology / Michael J. Allen Allen, Michael J. 6

2 The geoarchaeology of context: sampling for land snails (on archaeological sites and colluvium) / Michael J. Allen Allen, Michael J. 30

3 Numerical approaches to land snail palaeoecology / Matt Law Law, Matt 48

4 Molluscs and the palaeo-environment of coastal blown sand and dunes / Thomas Walker Walker, Thomas 65

5 Molluscs from dune-machair systems in the Western Isles: archaeological site formation processes and environmental change / Matt Law Law, Matt, Nigel Thew Thew, Nigel 82

6 Caves and mollusks / Chris O. Hunt Hunt, Chris O., Evan A. Hill Hill, Evan A. 100

Wetlands and Fresh- and Brackish-Water 111

7 Molluscs from the floodplain alluvial sediments in the Thames Valley / Mark Robinson Robinson, Mark 112

8 Wetlands: freshwater and slum communities / Terry O'Connor O'Connor, Terry 127

Part 2 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction: Europe, the Mediterranean and Near East

9 The southern English chalklands: molluscan evidence for the nature of the post-glacial woodland cover / Michael J. Allen Allen, Michael J. 144

10 (Some thoughts on) using molluscs for landscape reconstruction and ecology in Malta / Michael J. Allen Allen, Michael J., Bri Eastabook Eastabook, Bri 165

11 Molluscan remains from early to middle Holocene sites in the Iron Gates reach of the Danube, southeast Europe / Catriona Pickard Pickard, Catriona, Adina Boroneant Boroneant, Adina, Clive Bonsall Bonsall, Clive 179

12 Land mollusc middens / Victoria K. Taylor Taylor, Victoria K., Martin Bell Bell, Martin 195

Part 3 Marine and Food and Diet

13 Marine molluscs from archaeological contexts: how they can inform interpretations of former economies and environments / Liz Somerville Somerville, Liz, Janice Light Light, Janice, Michael J. Allen Allen, Michael J. 214

14 Oysters in archaeology / Jessica Winder Winder, Jessica 238

15 Shell middens / Karen Hardy Hardy, Karen 259

16 The collection, processing and curation of archaeological marine shells / Greg Campbell Campbell, Greg 273

Part 4 Artefacts

17 Shell ornaments, icons and other artefacts from the eastern Mediterranean and Levant / Janet Ridout-Sharpe Ridout-Sharpe, Janet 290

18 Molluscan shells as raw materials for artefact production / Katherine Szabó Szabó, Katherine 308

19 How strong is the evidence for purple dye extraction from the muricid gastropod Nucella lapillus (L. 1758), from archaeological sites in Britain and Ireland? / Janice Light Light, Janice, Thomas Walker Walker, Thomas 326

20 Marine shell artefacts: cautionary tales of natural wear and tear as compared to resourceful anthropogenic modification processes / Janice Light Light, Janice 342

Part 5 Science and Shells

21 Bivalves and radiocarbon / Ricardo Fernandes Fernandes, Ricardo, Alexander Dreves Dreves, Alexander 364

22 Radiocarbon dating of marine and terrestrial shell / Katerina Douka Douka, Katerina 381

23 Stable isotope ecology of terrestrial gastropod shells / André Carlo Colonese Colonese, André Carlo 400.

Notes:

Papers based on conference held at the Natural History Museum on 26 April 2014.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI Available via World Wide Web.

Description based on print version record.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

ISBN:

9781785706097

1785706098

Publisher Number:

99973866357

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.