Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi

MUNIBE(Suplemento/Gehigarria) - nº nº
3100 128-137 000-000 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN 2010 2003 D.L. ISSN SS-1055-2010 XXXX-XXXX
Shell as a raw material for tools and jewellery in Mesolithic Scotland
Concha como materia prima para la elaboración de útiles
y objetos de adorno en el Mesolítico de Escocia
KEY WORDS: Scotland, Mesolithic, shell, ornaments, tools.
PALABRAS
GAKO-HITZAK:Eskozia,
CLAVE:Escocia, Mesolitoa, Mesolítico, maskorra, concha, apaingarriak, adornos, herramientas. tresnak.
Karen HARDY (1)
ABSTRACT
and Scotland shell middens has thousands are relatively of miles common. of coastline Most and of the numerous shells in prehistoric these middens sites. appear Many of to Scotland’s be related Mesolithic to food however sites lie near in certain or adjacent sites evidence to the coast
shells as jewellery and as raw material for tool manufacture is beginning to emerge. Little is currently known about the use of shell as a raw material
in Scotland and this article discusses the current evidence.
for
RESUMEN
centes Escocia a ella. tiene Aquí miles los concheros de millas de son línea relativamente costera y numerosos comunes. En sitios ellos, prehistóricos. mayor parte Los de sitios las conchas mesolíticos parecen se ubican estar cerca relacionadas de costa, con o alimento;
sin embargo, Poco se ciertas sabe actualmente evidencias en sobre los sitios el uso indican de la la concha utilización como de materia las conchas prima como en Escocia adorno y o este materia artículo prima discute para la manufactura evidencia actual. de herra-
adyamientas.
LABURPENA
sertzaren Eskoziako ondoan. kostaldeak Maskortegiak milaka miliako aurkitzea luzera nahiko du, arrunta bai eta da. historiaurreko Maskortegietan, leku ugari maskor ere. gehienek Mesolitoko elikadurarekin lekuak itsasertzetik dute zerikusia; hurbil daude, hala edo ere, itsadentzia
batzuek adierazten dute maskorrak apaingarri gisa eta tresnak egiteko lehengai gisa ere erabiltzen zirela. Gutxi dakigu, gaur egun, ebi-
erabilera zuen Eskozian maskorrak lehengai gisa, eta artikulu honek gaur egungo ebidentzia jorratzen du. zer
(1)ICREA at Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (khardy@icrea.cat).
1. INTRODUCTION
Scotland west. As has well a vast as coastline its mainland to the north, coastline, east
Scotland north and also west. has A wide hundreds variety of of islands molluscs lying can to the
found on most coastlines, including both gastropods
include and cockles bivalves. (Family Examples Cardiidae), of common mussels bivalves
be
(Family Pectinidae), Mytilidae) gastropods and include scallops limpets Patellidae) and winkles (Family Littorinidae). (Family
and Shellfish historic were times, important as the large in Scottish numbers prehistoric
middens dating from the Mesolithic up to relatively of shell
recent 2009, Hardy times and demonstrates Wickham-Jones (Hardy 2009). and Caldwell
manufacture; Shell provides it is waterproof a versatile and raw can material have for a very tool
sharp containers cutting and edge. shell Large can be shells fashioned can be into used jewellery.
record Ethnographic a wide range accounts of social from uses across for shells the world
as
including
vey messages currency, gift or ideas exchange, in code, in as medicine, charms, to as con-
sinkers, as fertility objects particularly as marriage net
gifts, to stuff as amulets mouths against of dead sterility, people for divination (Carey 1998; and
Gaibole 1969, Sciama 2004, Claassen and Eicher 1999, 1998, Jackson Sillitoe 1917, 1988). Mair
Large Oceania tiger as lamps, cowries vegetable were used peelers extensively and scrapers,
pottery octopus smoothers lures, (Spennemann net sinkers, 1993). ornaments Shell arte-
and
in
facts (e.g. Bar-Yosef are also widespread Mayer 2005, on Chilardi archaeological et al. 2005, sites
Serrand O’Connor and 2004, Bonnissent Wilkens 2005) 2005, Szabo and
artefacts But little or for is decoration known about in Scotland the use of though shells perforateral
Mesolithic cowrie and shells Neolithic have been sites identified (Lacaille on 1954, seve-
as
ming, Bonsallet Connock al.1992, et Clarke al. 1992, and Hardy Shepherd 2009, forthco-
1987). Limpet rings occur on the Neolithic Mellars
Isbister in Orkney (Henshall 1983) but is not site clear of