Abstract

The contribution of shellfish to ancient subsistence has been overlooked in many archaeological studies in Central-East Polynesia. Archaeomalacology, however, can shed light on a wider range of exploited mollusks. In this paper we investigate the exploitation of the chiton Acanthopleura gemmata from the Hane Dune site, Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands. Although several previous studies have highlighted the importance of chitons in Hane’s archaeological record, little information has been presented about this important subsistence item as it is seldom identified with precision and is usually quantified by weight. Using zooarchaeological methods, spatial analysis, and biometry, we demonstrate the importance of chitons in past ‘Enata subsistence. We highlight the intensive exploitation of A. gemmata during the first three centuries of occupation of the site, beginning ca. AD 950, until its abrupt depletion, correlated with the progressive exploitation of the limpet Cellana radiata. Through this case study, we stress the importance of precise taxonomic identification and refined recovery protocols to better understand subsistence trends.

摘要

波利尼西亚中东部的许多考古研究都忽视了贝类对古代生存的贡献。然而，考古软体学可以揭示更广泛的被开发的软体动物。在本文中，我们调查了马克萨斯群岛 Ua Huka 哈恩沙丘遗址的Acanthopleura gemmata石鳖的开发情况。尽管之前的几项研究强调了石鳖在汉恩考古记录中的重要性，但有关这一重要生活物品的信息很少，因为它很少被精确识别，并且通常通过重量来量化。利用动物考古学方法、空间分析和生物测定，我们证明了石鳖在过去“埃纳塔”生存中的重要性。我们强调对资源的集约开发A. gemmata在占领该地点的前三个世纪期间，从大约开始。公元 950 年，直到其突然枯竭，与帽贝Cellana radiata的逐渐开发有关。通过这个案例研究，我们强调了精确的分类识别和完善的恢复方案对于更好地了解生存趋势的重要性。