Shell Microband Analysis as a Tool in New Zealand Archaeology

Archaeology;New Zealand;Sclerochronology;Austrovenus stutchburyi;Biological rhythms;Seasonality;Palaeoseasonality;Dating;Wairau Bar;Settler population;Shellfishing;Microband analysis;SEM;Scanning Electron Microscopy;EDS;Cockle;Estuary;Resource use;tidal cycles;lunar cycles;Dating alternative;human settlement;maori resource use;shellfish;midden deposit;seasonal resource;malacology;backscatter electron micoscopy;seasonal growth;summer growth;early new zealand hunting

Trilford, Danielle ; Walter, Richard

University of Otago

关键词: Archaeology;    New Zealand;    Sclerochronology;    Austrovenus stutchburyi;    Biological rhythms;    Seasonality;    Palaeoseasonality;    Dating;    Wairau Bar;    Settler population;    Shellfishing;    Microband analysis;    SEM;    Scanning Electron Microscopy;    EDS;    Cockle;    Estuary;    Resource use;    tidal cycles;    lunar cycles;    Dating alternative;    human settlement;    maori resource use;    shellfish;    midden deposit;    seasonal resource;    malacology;    backscatter electron micoscopy;    seasonal growth;    summer growth;    early new zealand hunting;   

Others  :  https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/bitstream/10523/5745/1/TrilfordDanielleM2014MA.pdf.

美国|英语

来源: Otago University Research Archive

【 摘 要 】

Recent improvements in animal biology and microscopy now allow for finer-grained analyses of microstructures in archaeofaunal specimens than previously possible. Novel new applications of microscopy methods applied to in the intertidal New Zealand cockle (Austrovenus stutchburyi) species demonstrate a strong link between microbands and tidal and lunar cycles. The application of the technique has significant implications for high-precision seasonal and absolute dating in New Zealand archaeology. Applying the technique to a short-lived archaeological midden deposit from Wairau Bar demonstrates the time-of-death in archaeological samples can be calculated with much higher-precision than tools which are currently available in the temporal-dating suite. The method holds significant potential for sclerochronological, Bayseian applications in radiocarbon dating, and palaeoclimate analyses.