Digging for Clams
Shell Midden Analysis in New England
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11380449 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jordan E Kerber (Brown University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1985 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 97-113 |
| Publication date | 1985-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | North American Archaeologist (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0197-6931 • E-ISSN: 1541-3543 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2190/phyh-vp0r-lfm1-7eyd |
| OpenAlex | W1972065951 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 10 |
Analysis of shellfish and other faunal remains from coastal middens is a powerful tool for archaeologists studying a wide range of problems. Results of analysis of four prehistoric middens excavated on Potowomut Neck, Warwick, Rhode Island are discussed. The recovered data are used in comparing the properties and contents of each midden in order to identify distinct activities and interpret seasonality of settlement. It is demonstrated that these middens were largely specialized shellfish processing stations utilized on a seasonal basis, although other activities were also recognized. Examination of one midden suggests that the stratification of shellfish was related to the development of the nearby Potowomut River estuary. Results of shell midden analysis in general, however, provide only a partial picture of an entire subsistence-settlement system and therefore should be integrated with information from other site types both within and outside the coastal zone
Aquatic animal · Archaeology · Biology · Bivalvia · Digging · Estuary · Fish · Fishery · Geography · Midden · Mollusca · Mytilidae · Prehistory · Settlement (finance · Shellfish · Subsistence agriculture · Taphonomy · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Geology · Oceanography · Paleontology
Seasonal dating and the valve-pairing technique in shell-midden analysis
The role of molluscs in coastal economies
Calibration of radiocarbon dates
Oxygen Isotope Analysis as a Means of Determining Season of Occupation of Prehistoric Midden Sites
A Reconsideration of Shellmounds with Respect to Population and Nutrition
A Prehistoric Population Estimate Using Midden Analysis and Two Population Models
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,13 |
| Citation span | 1987 - 2014 (28) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |