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 Indo- Pacific 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.