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Palaeolithic mollusc exploitation at Riparo Mochi (Balzi Rossi, Italy): food and ornaments from the Aurignacian through Epigravettian

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mary C. Stiner
Mary C. Stiner*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Building 30, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721, USA. mstiner@u.arizona.edu
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Abstract

This study considers exploitation of marine molluscs at Riparo Mochi (Italy) in cultural and ecological context. Five shell assemblages from this site represent the early Upper Palaeolithic (c. 36,000 BP) through Late Epigravettian (c. 9000 BP) periods. Taphonomic analysis reveals four kinds of shell debris: ornaments, food refuse, marine sponge inclusions, and land snails. While human foraging agendas at Riparo Mochi shifted over the five Palaeolithic phases, the kinds of marine shells favoured as ornaments remained nearly constant.

Keywords

Riparo MochiBalzi RossiGrimaldi cavesPalaeolithic ornamentsItalymarine molluscsAurignacianGravettianEpigravettianzooarchaeologytaphonomy
Type
Papers
Information
Antiquity , Volume 73 , Issue 282 , December 1999 , pp. 735 - 754
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1999

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