Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi

Shell as a raw material for tools and jewellery in Mesolithic Scotland
be of the used use as of jewellery shells as today. jewellery In Scotland, in the Mesolithic the extent
and rings Neolithic at the Neolithic is still little site known. of Isbister The limpet Orkney shell
(Henshall copically but 1983) the have consistency not been of examined their shape microsgests
they may have been artificially formed. sug-
3.1. coasts Cowrie of Britain shells and occur Ireland naturally (MacDougal around 2003, the
2004) many places and they around are the found coastline, today such on beaches as the Isle in
of Howick, Skye, Northumberland. Orkney, Holy Island The small (Lindisfarne) size and relative
among rarity local of children cowries who continues collect to them. excite Two interest
and
of cowrie occur British beaches, the Spotted types
tern cowrie Britain (Trivia and monacha) the Arctic that cowrie only occurs (Trivia arctica) in wes-
1996). that occurs The Arctic all around cowrie Britain grows to (Hayward a maximum et al.
10mm while the spotted cowrie grows to 12mm. of
Though when these young two it species is sometimes are difficult possible to to distintinguish
between them on the basis of size as dis-
shells over 10mm in length are spotted all
cowries. two clearly Modern defined spotted spots on cowrie their shells surface can and have
fawn in colour while the arctic cowrie is normally are
creamy retain their white. colour Archaeological however species samples identification do not
can from be Cnoc carried Sligeach out by on size. Oronsay, A sample was of measured cowries
and are probably this demonstrates present. (Table that both 1). types of cowrie
been Cowrie found shells on several with opposing Mesolithic perforations sites in have
coast Scotland. These include Cnoc Sligeach west
Oronsay (Lacaille 1954), Cnoc Coig (Mellars on
1987), Cave on Carding the island Mill Bay of Ulva (Connock off Mull et al1992), (Russell Ulva
1995) and Sand, near Applecross (Hardy 2009) et al
(Fig. assumed 1). Although to have been the holes artificially in cowrie made shells (Simpson were
1996, 2003), this may not be the case.
drilling There through are six the gastropod shells of families their prey. that The feed most by
common (Hayward of et these, al.1996); are one the example naticids and if these muricids
dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus). Species of both is naticids
create and characteristic muricids occur holes around in the Britain shells and of both
the
their
131
prey. with a The characteristically method of attack symmetrical involves drilling shape a hole
sloping sides in order to access the meat inside. and
Cowries today and with an example holes can of be a cowrie found shell on beaches
opposing holes, identical to those found with two
archaeological sites, was collected recently on on
beach in Northumberland (Fig 1). Taborin (1993) a
also cowrie confirms shells on the beaches presence today. of naturally perforated
compact, Cowrie thick shells shell. are Several small and attempts have were a relatively
to perforate a range of large and small recently made
collected method was cowrie attempted shells. using The direct a range percussion
including the pointed tip of a sharp metal of kitchen tools
knife, needle, a the small tip crosshead of a screw screwdriver, and a small a sewing
Because of the small size of shells, there drill.
a high risk of injury to fingers. Further attempts was
indirect percussion method included hammering with
small crosshead screwdriver against the shell anda
an was attempt also attempted. to make Finally a small the incision cowrie into was the held shell
one person in pliers while another attempted by
make a hole using a hand drill and a small crosshead
screwdriver.
to
on the All of shell these surface. attempts The failed compact to make nature any impact
shell matrix together with their very small of size the
makes did succeed them difficult creating to work experimental with. Taborin holes (1993)
cowries by making a small cut or incision into the in
shell replicate which this was failed then to create expanded. a hole. An The attempt only raw to
material be hard used enough in the to Scottish perforate Mesolithic a cowrie that shell could
stone. It is perhaps conceivable that a type of drill is
was haft, constructed however due using to their a pointed small size, microlith even on this a
Figure 1. Left, modern cowrie shell collected at Howick, Northumberland;
right, cowrie shell from Sand (Scotland’s First Settlers project).
MUNIBE Suplemento - Gehigarria 31, 2010
S.C. Aranzadi. Z.E. Donostia/San Sebastián