Summary
While marine resources played a crucial role in Mesolithic societies, the role of coastal adaptations associated with the first Neolithic farmers is still poorly known. The present project aims to investigate Mesolithic and Neolithic shell midden formation using sedimentary microscopic signatures on anthropic deposits from Atlantic Iberia. SEArch will apply state-of-the-art developments on lipid biomarkers and stable isotopes analysis of organic molecular data stored in archaeological sediments. The main objective is to understand behavioural and environmental changes associated with the exploitation of aquatic resources. SEArch will achieve this goal with a three-fold approach: (1) by reconstructing formation processes at key shell midden sites; (2) by identifying (macroscopically invisible) fish and shellfish to infer foraging locals and processing strategies, and (3) by inferring temporality of foraging behaviour using C and N stable isotopes. The project will create experimental datasets on thermal alteration of bioclasts and construct a novel marine biomarker database for archaeologists. The SEArch project seeks to contribute to the debate on the Neolithization process of western Europe by taking a contextualized approach to the study of coastal adaptations and their role as possible resilient behaviours during the Neolithization process.
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| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101003409 |
| Start date: | 01-09-2020 |
| End date: | 31-08-2022 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | 147 815,04 Euro - 147 815,00 Euro |
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Original description
While marine resources played a crucial role in Mesolithic societies, the role of coastal adaptations associated with the first Neolithic farmers is still poorly known. The present project aims to investigate Mesolithic and Neolithic shell midden formation using sedimentary microscopic signatures on anthropic deposits from Atlantic Iberia. SEArch will apply state-of-the-art developments on lipid biomarkers and stable isotopes analysis of organic molecular data stored in archaeological sediments. The main objective is to understand behavioural and environmental changes associated with the exploitation of aquatic resources. SEArch will achieve this goal with a three-fold approach: (1) by reconstructing formation processes at key shell midden sites; (2) by identifying (macroscopically invisible) fish and shellfish to infer foraging locals and processing strategies, and (3) by inferring temporality of foraging behaviour using C and N stable isotopes. The project will create experimental datasets on thermal alteration of bioclasts and construct a novel marine biomarker database for archaeologists. The SEArch project seeks to contribute to the debate on the Neolithization process of western Europe by taking a contextualized approach to the study of coastal adaptations and their role as possible resilient behaviours during the Neolithization process.Status
CLOSEDCall topic
WF-02-2019Update Date
17-05-2024
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