Robin Twaddle

Measure by Measure: The Interpretation of Human Behaviour from the Identification and Metric Analysis of the Hawaiian Limpet (Cellana spp.) from Prehistoric Archaeological Sites in Hawai‘i

Reliable speciation protocols used for identifying shellfish from prehistoric archaeological site... more Reliable speciation protocols used for identifying shellfish from prehistoric archaeological sites provides robust data for interpreting prehistoric human behaviour. Because prehistoric Hawaiian shell middens are dominated by the limpet Cellana spp., this taxon has previously been utilised to document anthropogenic impacts on the marine environment and for reconstructing subsistence practices. However, without accurate species-level identifications of marine shellfish from archaeological sites and an understanding of the surrounding coastal marine environment, it is difficult to differentiate culturally from environmentally influenced variations in shellfish size and abundance. This research presents newly designed and tested speciation methods developed specifically for whole and fragmentary archaeological limpet shell. Species-level identifications are then made using assemblages from four prehistoric archaeological sites situated along the northern coast of Moloka„i, Hawai„i. Results reveal that analysis of temporal and spatial fluctuations in the size and abundance of Cellana spp. provides detailed information regarding human subsistence behaviour. However, these variations alone do not provide irrefutable evidence of anthropogenic impact. In order to make meaningful inferences about prehistoric subsistence practices and human impact on marine resources, a holistic approach encompassing ecological information about marine ecosystems, ecology of targeted shellfish, and the variation of shellfish diversity and size in archaeological midden sites throughout a study area is required.

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