Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells

Marine molluscs have been exploited by human societies since prehistoric times. Such practices have often resulted in large accumulations of shell remains in archaeological sites that offer unique information on biological, ecological and cultural aspects of human interaction with coastal systems in...

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Autores: García-Escarzaga, A.; León-Cristóbal, A.; Colonese, A. C.; Arrizabalaga, Álvaro; Iriarte-chiapusso, María José; Iriarte Avilés, Eneko; Fano Martínez, Miguel Ángel; Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban
Tipo de documento: Artículo
Estado:Accepted version
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repositorio:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/160886
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/160886
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112624
Nivel de acceso:Acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Shell middens
Atlantic façade
Northeast Atlantic Coastal hunter-gatherers
Seasonality Sea Surface Temperatures
Subsistence strategies
Basureros de conchas
Costa atlántica
Cazadores-recolectores de la costa atlántica nororiental
Estacionalidad de las temperaturas superficiales del mar
Estrategias de supervivencia
5504.05 Prehistoria
5505.01 Arqueología
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author García-Escarzaga, A.
author2 León-Cristóbal, A.
Colonese, A. C.
Arrizabalaga, Álvaro
Iriarte-chiapusso, María José
Iriarte Avilés, Eneko
Fano Martínez, Miguel Ángel
Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author_browse Arrizabalaga, Álvaro
Colonese, A. C.
Fano Martínez, Miguel Ángel
García-Escarzaga, A.
Iriarte Avilés, Eneko
Iriarte-chiapusso, María José
León-Cristóbal, A.
Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban
author_facet García-Escarzaga, A.
León-Cristóbal, A.
Colonese, A. C.
Arrizabalaga, Álvaro
Iriarte-chiapusso, María José
Iriarte Avilés, Eneko
Fano Martínez, Miguel Ángel
Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban
author_role author
collection GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
description Marine molluscs have been exploited by human societies since prehistoric times. Such practices have often resulted in large accumulations of shell remains in archaeological sites that offer unique information on biological, ecological and cultural aspects of human interaction with coastal systems in the past. In this study, stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis was carried out on archaeological shells of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) from the Mesolithic shell midden site of J3 (northern Iberian coast) to determine the seasonality of intertidal collection. The results indicate a consistent pattern of winter exploitation, supporting the emerging view that collections were governed by cost-benefit and management principles that are now widespread documented in other coastal Mesolithic sites in Europe. The consistent seasonal collections of P. lineatus during colder months can be taken as evidence of specie-specific management strategy to optimize yield while preserving local populations for future exploitation. Our results reinforce the view that European hunter-gatherers developed ecological knowledge on specific animal resources that persisted over large geographic areas. Additionally, from a palaeoenvironmental perspective, the sea surface temperatures (SST) inferred from δ18O values derived from mollusc shells (SSTδ18O) indicate that coastal marine waters during the Early Holocene in the southern Bay of Biscay were warmer than those observed today. These environmental conditions are evaluated in relation to changes in insolation and ocean currents over time.
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instname_str Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
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publishDate 2024
publishDateSort 2024
reponame_str GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
spelling Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells García-Escarzaga, A. León-Cristóbal, A. Colonese, A. C. Arrizabalaga, Álvaro Iriarte-chiapusso, María José Iriarte Avilés, Eneko Fano Martínez, Miguel Ángel Álvarez-Fernández, Esteban Shell middens Atlantic façade Northeast Atlantic Coastal hunter-gatherers Seasonality Sea Surface Temperatures Subsistence strategies Basureros de conchas Costa atlántica Cazadores-recolectores de la costa atlántica nororiental Estacionalidad de las temperaturas superficiales del mar Estrategias de supervivencia 5504.05 Prehistoria 5505.01 Arqueología Marine molluscs have been exploited by human societies since prehistoric times. Such practices have often resulted in large accumulations of shell remains in archaeological sites that offer unique information on biological, ecological and cultural aspects of human interaction with coastal systems in the past. In this study, stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis was carried out on archaeological shells of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) from the Mesolithic shell midden site of J3 (northern Iberian coast) to determine the seasonality of intertidal collection. The results indicate a consistent pattern of winter exploitation, supporting the emerging view that collections were governed by cost-benefit and management principles that are now widespread documented in other coastal Mesolithic sites in Europe. The consistent seasonal collections of P. lineatus during colder months can be taken as evidence of specie-specific management strategy to optimize yield while preserving local populations for future exploitation. Our results reinforce the view that European hunter-gatherers developed ecological knowledge on specific animal resources that persisted over large geographic areas. Additionally, from a palaeoenvironmental perspective, the sea surface temperatures (SST) inferred from δ18O values derived from mollusc shells (SSTδ18O) indicate that coastal marine waters during the Early Holocene in the southern Bay of Biscay were warmer than those observed today. These environmental conditions are evaluated in relation to changes in insolation and ocean currents over time. http://hdl.handle.net/10366/160886 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112624
spellingShingle Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
García-Escarzaga, A.
Shell middens
Atlantic façade
Northeast Atlantic Coastal hunter-gatherers
Seasonality Sea Surface Temperatures
Subsistence strategies
Basureros de conchas
Costa atlántica
Cazadores-recolectores de la costa atlántica nororiental
Estacionalidad de las temperaturas superficiales del mar
Estrategias de supervivencia
5504.05 Prehistoria
5505.01 Arqueología
status_str acceptedVersion
title Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
title_full Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
title_fullStr Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
title_full_unstemmed Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
title_short Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
title_sort Strengthening the evidence for seasonal intertidal exploitation in Mesolithic Europe and new insights into Early Holocene environmental conditions in the Bay of Biscay from the oxygen isotope composition of Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) shells
topic Shell middens
Atlantic façade
Northeast Atlantic Coastal hunter-gatherers
Seasonality Sea Surface Temperatures
Subsistence strategies
Basureros de conchas
Costa atlántica
Cazadores-recolectores de la costa atlántica nororiental
Estacionalidad de las temperaturas superficiales del mar
Estrategias de supervivencia
5504.05 Prehistoria
5505.01 Arqueología
topic_facet Shell middens
Atlantic façade
Northeast Atlantic Coastal hunter-gatherers
Seasonality Sea Surface Temperatures
Subsistence strategies
Basureros de conchas
Costa atlántica
Cazadores-recolectores de la costa atlántica nororiental
Estacionalidad de las temperaturas superficiales del mar
Estrategias de supervivencia
5504.05 Prehistoria
5505.01 Arqueología
url http://hdl.handle.net/10366/160886
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112624