Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi

Shell as a raw material for tools and jewellery in Mesolithic Scotland
probably This small no assemblage more than the of worked tip of the scallop iceberg. shell
is very likely that the use of shell in Scotland was It
much suggests more and widespread it is possible than that this the small presence sample
worked or culturally modified shells has largely of
gone tough undetected. and consequently Scallop are shells not only are excellent large and
working into tools, but could also be used in for
range of different ways as whole shells. In Tierraa
del used Fuego as recipients for example, for collecting large mussel oils and shells animal were
as meat was being cooked, as containers in which fat
to hair, prepare as jewellery paints, and as tweezers as knives to and remove scrapers facial
(Bridges and Clemente, 1949, Orquera in press). and The Piana Scottish 1999, Mansur
shells are large enough to have been used scallop
while it is not possible to reconstruct specific uses, and
the ces small is sufficient number of to worked suggest and that clearly during used pie-
Mesolithic they are likely to have been an important
receptacles raw material for various for tool substances. manufacture or used as
the
matic. One The final shell group midden of modified at Sand shell consists remains predominantly
a of small limpet proportion shell. Of (around the limpet 3%) shells had in holes the
enig-
midden, in place them. to one The side holes of are the always apex. They found are in easily the same
tinguishable from the natural erosion that occurs dis-
the apex.
at
lapillus), Limpet species predators of starfish include and dogwhelk different species (Nucella
of through crab, however the shells only to the reach dogwhelk the meat drills inside. holes
Dogwhelk side of the perforations apex of the limpet, are normally and they sited are to small one
and symmetrical shells from and Sand. unlike A the sample holes of found perforated on the
limpets demonstrates collected that from though the the beach holes at in Sand archaeological
they are limpets generally are sited both in larger around and the less same symmetri-
area,
today
cal perforated than the limpet holes made shells by was predators. also examined A sample fromof
midden kably similar. sites A on number Oronsay of and limpet these shells were from remar-
Cave have perforations that appear the have been Ulva
made are several from the ways inside which (Russell the holes et al. 1995). could There
been created; one explanation for this may have
the friable nature of the shell as the perforations lie in
have become enlarged over time through natural
135
erosion. were made It is as also part of possible the extraction that the process, perforations
in knocking the shell off the rock or in extracting either
limpet from the shell. Alternatively, the holes may
have tling and been trampling created as or a when result prepared of subsequent for use set-
bait. Ethnographic evidence from Guernsey as
demonstrates in limpets and that string fishermen them up used to suspend to knock in willow holes
pots The evidence in order to from catch Sand, crayfish where (Palinurus a large assemblage
Barratt of 2009), fishbone suggests has been that a studied catch-all (Parks method and
elephas).
stationary traps is likely to have been used. These of
traps the tide would and may have not caught therefore fish have as they been swam baited. with
immediately, Limpets can they be can roasted also be or hung boiled and and dried eaten
salted for storage however, eating large numbers or
of unless limpets the the can limpet’s cause radula serious or ‘toothed health tongue’ problems
removed before consumption (Solem 1965). is
beach Though and are limpets clearly with the result holes of in natural occur processes,
limpets it is with very holes unlikely will that not these contain were meat. collected Small as
on the
assemblages several other of sites perforated (Hardy limpets and Wickham-Jones also occur BC 2009) to recent from many times). different periods (7thmillennium
5. CONCLUSION
Scottish Examples Mesolithic of modified and Neolithic. shell are This rare may in the
partly due to the absence of burials with decorative
a raw shells material that are has found not in been other widely places. recognised But shell as
be
Scotland so the current evidence unlikely to in
represent to have degraded, its true extent. Scottish Equally mussel some (fam. shell Mytilidae) is likely
shell but these for example thin shells can do be not very survive sharp well when in Scottish fresh,
archaeological contexts.
which However was abundantly shell is a available wonderful and natural it seems resource
to believe that it was not widely used. The distinction
the Mesolithic between the which perforations are likely on to cowrie be natural, shells from
hard
those the Neolithic examples which were and
demonstrably popularity as demand artificial, for perhaps them may reflects have exceeded
their
supply.
MUNIBE Suplemento - Gehigarria 31, 2010
S.C. Aranzadi. Z.E. Donostia/San Sebastián