Brazilian Shellmounds from a Zooarchaeological Perspective
Bibliographic Data
Shellmounds are archaeological sites built by fishermen-hunters-catchers with high concentration of marine faunal remains, composed basically of shells of edible marine and terres- trial molluscs, carapaces of crustaceans, fish remains, human and animal bones, among others. They are relicts of prehistoric settlements characterized as distinct features on the sandy coastal plain, sandy bars of coastal lagoons and rocky islands and bays, constituting an important testi- mony of paleodiversity and Brazilian prehistory. This article aims to present studies that have been developed with the zooarchaeological vestiges recovered in shellmound of the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which broaden the scope of the concept of biodiversity, generating long term perspectives, combining multiple approaches and methods to improve understanding of environmental changes. A malacological, ichthyological and carcinological study was carried out on the zooarchaeological remains recovered in the shellmounds. Selected well-preserved shells, otoliths and charcoal from hearths in sequential layers were used for radiocarbon dating analysis and for fishery characterization over time. Shells were also used as valuable tools in the study of the 14C marine reservoir effect and the terrestrial molluscs have proven to be an important alter- native to represent the atmospheric carbon isotopic concentration. Besides the otoliths represent reliable chronological records, they proved to be excellent markers of environmental isotope sig- nals. Although the shellmounds are artificial accumulations, the zooarchaeological remains there represent a sample of the existing fauna at the times of their construction and can provide informa- tion about the paleoenvironment, making it possible to establish comparisons with current times
Archaeology · Biodiversity · Biology · Fauna · Geography · Prehistory · Radiocarbon dating · Taphonomy · Zooarchaeology · Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Ecology
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