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Shellfish Collection Practices of the First Inhabitants of Southwestern Puerto Rico: The Effects of Site Type and Paleoenvironment on Habitat Choice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2021

William J. Pestle Open the ORCID record for William J. Pestle [Opens in a new window] ,
Carmen Laguer-Díaz ,
M. Jesse Schneider ,
Megan Carden ,
Clark E. Sherman  and
Daniel Koski-Karell
William J. Pestle*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, PO Box 248106, Coral Gables, FL33124-2005, USA
Carmen Laguer-Díaz
Affiliation:
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Valencia College, 1800 South Kirkman Road 4-32, Orlando, FL32811, USA
M. Jesse Schneider
Affiliation:
Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Dr #230, Coral Gables, FL33146, USA
Megan Carden
Affiliation:
HistoryMiami Museum, 101 W Flagler St., Miami, FL33130, USA
Clark E. Sherman
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PO Box 9000, Mayagüez00681, Puerto Rico
Daniel Koski-Karell
Affiliation:
National Institute of Archaeology, PO Box 23673, Washington, DC20026-3673, USA
*
(w.pestle@miami.edu, corresponding author)
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Abstract

After decades of study, much remains unknown about the foraging practices of the earliest inhabitants of Puerto Rico. Here, we present an analysis of the malacological assemblages of two neighboring and (partially) contemporary early sites from the island's southwest, finding intriguing intersite differences in shellfish collection practices. We attribute this diversity to differences in site type, chronology, or changes in local coastal configuration. This work not only provides insights into prehistoric Puerto Rican foraging dynamics but also demonstrates the importance of considering factors including intra-age chronology, site type, and changes in paleoenvironmental conditions when considering ancient foraging practices.

Aún con décadas de investigación, mucho queda por ser descubierto sobre las prácticas de recolección de los habitantes más tempranos de Puerto Rico. Aqui, presentamos un análisis malacológico de dos colecciones de yacimientos vecinos y (parcialmente) contemporáneos del suroeste de la isla, que demuestra interesantes diferencias en las prácticas de recolección de moluscos. Atribuimos estas diferencias a diferencias del tipo de yacimiento, cronología, y/o a cambios locales en la cofiguración de la costa. Este trabajo provee información en la dinámica recolectora en un puerto Rico prehistórico. En adición, demuestra la importancia de considerar factores que incluyen diferencias cronológicas entre yacimientos, tipos de yacimiento, y cambios en las condiciones paleo-ambientales cuando se estudian prácticas recolectoras prehistóricas.

Keywords

CaribbeanArchaicsea levelpaleoenvironmentsubsistenceforagingshellfishEl CaribeArcaiconivel del marpaleoambientesubsistenciarecolectoresmariscos
Type
Report
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , December 2021 , pp. 850 - 857
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for American Archaeology

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References

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