Efficiency-based frameworks have a long history in archaeological research and have been used particularly by zooarchaeologists when interpreting forager behaviour. The use of optimality models, such as the prey- and patch-choice models in Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT), have the ability to identify episodes of resource depression, but also behavioural anomalies in the archaeological record that deviated from predicted optimal behaviour. Deviations may be the result of social, cultural, or environmental factors. We investigated prehistoric harvesting of the culturally-important Hawaiian limpet (Cellana spp.) across fourteen sites on the windward, north coast of Moloka‘i, Hawaiian Islands. Prehistoric harvest of the three endemic limpet species (C. exarata, C. sandwicensis, C. talcosa) is compared with OFT-predicted harvesting, natural limpet abundance, and contemporary traditional gathering. Our results indicate that prehistoric limpet abundance does not reflect efficiency-based predictions or natural abundance of limpet populations. Ancient limpet harvesting in Hawai‘i is instead similar to present-day gathering and may have been shaped by social and cultural influences.

基于效率的框架在考古研究中具有悠久的历史，尤其是动物考古学家在解释觅食行为时已经使用过。最佳模型的使用，例如最佳觅食理论（OFT）中的猎物和斑块选择模型，具有识别资源减少事件的能力，而且可以识别考古记录中与预测的最佳行为不同的行为异常。差异可能是社会，文化或环境因素造成的。我们调查了夏威夷群岛Moloka'i北海岸上风向14个地点的文化重要性夏威夷帽贝（Cellana spp。）的史前收获。三个特有物种戚史前收获（C.泥螺，C. sandwicensis，C. talcosa）与OFT预测的收成，天然羽扇豆丰度和当代传统采集进行了比较。我们的结果表明，史前贝类的丰度并不反映基于效率的预测或贝类种群的自然丰度。相反，夏威夷的古代帽贝收获类似于今天的聚会，可能是受到社会和文化影响的。