Article dans une revue
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Année : 2024
Seasonal exploitation of intertidal resources at El Mazo (N Iberia) reveals optimized human subsistence strategies during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe
Over the last few decades, research has significantly enhanced our understanding of the role played by shellfish in human subsistence during the Mesolithic period along the Atlantic coast of Europe. Instrumental to this advance has been the analysis of stable oxygen isotope measurements (delta 18O) from mollusc shells, which offers valuable insights into the seasonality of shellfish exploitation. The delta 18O values serve as reliable indicators of past seasonal seawater temperature variations experienced by the molluscs, enabling us to accurately determine the time of year when past humans collected them. Recent studies using this approach have successfully identified seasonal exploitation patterns of the topshell Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) in Atlantic Europe. However, uncertainties remain regarding the exploitation schedule of Patella depressa Pennant 1777, one of the most abundantly collected species in Mesolithic sites. Here we used shell delta 18O values of P. depressa from the Mesolithic sites of El Mazo (Northern Iberia) to determine its seasonality of exploitation. Our study reveals that P. depressa was prevalently exploited during colder months. Modern specimens of the same limpet species were also collected during two annual cycles to assess potential seasonal changes in meat yield return. Results obtained has profound implications for better understanding how last coastal foragers managed available littoral resources throughout the year.
Seasonal exploitation of intertidal resources at El Mazo (N Iberia) reveals optimized human subsistence strategies during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe
Résumé
en
Over the last few decades, research has significantly enhanced our understanding of the role played by shellfish in human subsistence during the Mesolithic period along the Atlantic coast of Europe. Instrumental to this advance has been the analysis of stable oxygen isotope measurements (delta 18O) from mollusc shells, which offers valuable insights into the seasonality of shellfish exploitation. The delta 18O values serve as reliable indicators of past seasonal seawater temperature variations experienced by the molluscs, enabling us to accurately determine the time of year when past humans collected them. Recent studies using this approach have successfully identified seasonal exploitation patterns of the topshell Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) in Atlantic Europe. However, uncertainties remain regarding the exploitation schedule of Patella depressa Pennant 1777, one of the most abundantly collected species in Mesolithic sites. Here we used shell delta 18O values of P. depressa from the Mesolithic sites of El Mazo (Northern Iberia) to determine its seasonality of exploitation. Our study reveals that P. depressa was prevalently exploited during colder months. Modern specimens of the same limpet species were also collected during two annual cycles to assess potential seasonal changes in meat yield return. Results obtained has profound implications for better understanding how last coastal foragers managed available littoral resources throughout the year.
Auteur(s)
Asier Garcia-Escarzaga1, 2
, Igor Gutiérrez-Zugasti3
, Rosa Arniz-Mateos3
, David Cuenca-Solana3, 4
, Manuel R. Gonzalez-Morales3
, Jana Ilgner2
, Mary Lucas5, 2
, André C. Colonese1
, Patrick Roberts6, 2
1
UAB -
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona = Autonomous University of Barcelona = Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
( 98227 )
- UAB Campus 08193 Bellaterra Barcelona
- Espagne
2
MPIG -
Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology = Max-Planck-Institut für Geoanthropologie
( 1198603 )
- Allemagne
3
UC / UniCan -
Universidad de Cantabria [Santander] = University of Cantabria [Spain] = Université de Cantabrie [Espagne]
( 95448 )
- Avda. de los Castros, s/n – 39005 Santander – España
- Espagne
4
CReAAH -
Centre de Recherche en Archéologie, Archéosciences, Histoire
( 1089201 )
- Université de Rennes 1 Bâtiment 24-25 Campus de Beaulieu 263, Avenue du général Leclerc Campus de Beaulieu CS 74205 - 35042 Rennes Cedex- France
- France
Le Mans Université ( 7566 )
;
Université de Rennes ( 105160 )
;
Université de Rennes 2 ( 406201 )
;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR6566 ( 441569 )
;
Ministère de la Culture ( 542949 )
;
Nantes Université - UFR Histoire, Histoire de l'Art et Archéologie ( 1088513 )
;
Nantes Université - pôle Humanités ( 1083401 )
;
Nantes Université ( 1083366 )
5
UiT -
The Arctic University of Norway [Tromsø, Norway]
( 519250 )
- Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norvège
- Norvège
6
UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] -
The University of Queensland
( 250752 )
- Brisbane, St Lucia, QLD 4072
- Australie
Langue du document
Anglais
Nom de la revue
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
(ISSN : 1866-9557, ISSN électronique : 1866-9565)
Revue non référencée dans Sherpa-Romeo
Volume
16
Numéro
5
Page/Identifiant
76
Date de publication
2024
Audience
Internationale
Vulgarisation
Non
Comité de lecture
Oui
Licence
Paternité
Domaine(s)
Sciences de l'Homme et Société/Archéologie et Préhistoire
Financement
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [HAR2016-75605-R, HAR2017-86262-P]; MINECO; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [PID2021-124059NB-I00, PID2021-124589NA-I00]; Alexander von Humboldt Foundation thought a Humboldt Research Fellowship; EarlyFoods (Evolution and impact of early food production systems) [2021_SGR_00527]; Basque Country Postdoctoral Programme [POS_2020_2_0032]; University of La Rioja through a posdoctoral grant; Catalonia Postdoctoral Programme through a Beatriu de Pinos fellowship [2020 BP 00240]; European Union [HEU-101064225-NEARCOAST]; University of Cantabria [CVE:2019-8461]; ICTA-UAB "Maria de Maeztu'' Programme for Units of Excellence of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [CEX2019-000940-M]; Max Planck Society
Asier Garcia-Escarzaga, Igor Gutiérrez-Zugasti, Rosa Arniz-Mateos, David Cuenca-Solana, Manuel R. Gonzalez-Morales, et al.. Seasonal exploitation of intertidal resources at El Mazo (N Iberia) reveals optimized human subsistence strategies during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2024, 16 (5), pp.76. ⟨10.1007/s12520-024-01960-3⟩. ⟨hal-04577335⟩