Shell as a Raw Material: Mechanical Properties and Working Techniques in the Tropical Indo-West Pacific

Abstract

Considering the temporal depth and geographical breadth of shell-working within the archaeological record, the lack of literature addressing identification and analytical protocols is somewhat surprising. As a starting point, this paper investigates the microstructural and physical properties of three major taxa selected for artefact production in the tropical IndoPacific region. Against this baseline information, the technological choices of ancient Pacific shell-workers are assessed, leading to the conclusion that from at least the terminal Pleistocene, shell-workers altered their techniques in accordance with the various structural properties of different types of shell.

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