Shackleton, N. J. (1969). Marine mollusca in archaeology. In: n.e. Science in Archaeology. pp. 407-414.
Title The title of the publication or report |
Marine mollusca in archaeology | |||
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Issue The name of the volume or issue |
Science in Archaeology | |||
Page Start/End The start and end page numbers. |
407 - 414 | |||
Biblio Note This is a Bibliographic record only. |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database. The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions. | |||
Publication Type The type of publication - report, monograph, journal article or chapter from a book |
MonographChapter | |||
Abstract The abstract describing the content of the publication or report |
A surprising variety of information is obtainable from sea shells, whose abundance on archaeological sites should render them of particular value to archaeologists. Three main types of information provided by sea shells are described: the part played by mollusca in the site's economy as food and as artefacts; their use as a key to the climatic history of the site; and their contribution to absolute dating by means of 14C determinations. Careful examination shows whether shells were collected live or washed up on the beach; the volume of meat they represent can be measured; their use as scrapers can sometimes be demonstrated; and palaeotemperature analysis can indicate the temperature of the sea in which the mollusca lived and even the season at which they were eaten. Radiocarbon determinations can be obtained either from the calcium carbonate of the shells or, more reliably, from the organic fraction. Samples of shell well-dated by other means can also assist radiocarbon laboratories to investigate past exchanges of 14C between atmosphere and ocean. | |||
Year of Publication The year the book, article or report was published |
1969 | |||
Locations Any locations covered by the publication or report. This is not the place the book or report was published. |
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Source Where the record has come from or which dataset it was orginally included in. |
BIAB
(British Archaeological Abstracts (BAA))
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Created Date The date the record of the pubication was first entered |
05 Dec 2008 |