Late Holocene Shell Midden and Human Remains from Praia Da Rocha, Mo¸Cambique

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Late Holocene Shell Midden and Human Remains from Praia da Rocha, Mo¸cambique Ilona Benedetti∗1, Jonathan Haws2, Nuno Bicho3, Mussa Raja4,5, Jo~aoCascalheira5, Brandon Zinsious6, and Michael Benedetti1 1University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) { Etats-Unis´ 2University of Louisville { Louisville Kentucky USA, Etats-Unis´ 3Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behavior, Universidade do Algarve (ICArEHB) { Portugal 4Universidade Eduardo Mondlane { Mozambique 5Universidade do Algarve { Portugal 6University of Connecticut (UCONN) { Etats-Unis´ Résumé Praia da Rocha is an open-air site at Cabo das Correntes, Inhambane Province, Mo¸cambique where human bones were reported eroding out of a coastal dune near a beach resort in 2016. Cabo das Correntes is one of several rocky headlands along the Indian Ocean coast of Inham- bane associated with shell middens and archaeological sites. The geologic context at Praia da Rocha consists of a shifting coastal dune field and older stabilized dune sand resting on Holocene beach rock. Several thin shell middens (10-30 cm) outcrop in the dune field. Hu- man skeletal remains were excavated from one of these middens (PR1) in June 2017, along with pottery and a hearth feature. Radiocarbon ages were determined on a human hand bone (phalanx) and a marine mussel shell (Perna perna) at the excavation site. The radiocarbon age on the bone is 267 ±15 BP (1637-1673 cal AD, 79% probability). The age on the shell is 612 ±15 BP, which after marine reservoir correction suggests the shell is no older than 1681 cal AD. The skeletal collection at Praia da Rocha likely consists of 2 individuals. The first individual is a nearly complete skeleton represented by 152 bones (73.8% of skeleton). A cranium and possibly some long bones of this specimen were re-buried by local residents in a ceremony and were left undisturbed. The second individual is represented by only 2 bones. We analyzed age, sex, stature, health, and diet for the first individual. Age at death was estimated as mature to senile (> 50 years) by evaluation of the auricular surface, pubic sym- physis, and mandible. Sex was estimated to be female, based on visual evaluation of the hip bone. Stature was estimated as 1.65-1.79 m, based on metrical evaluation of the radius, ulna, and fibula. The skeleton presented no obvious evidence of trauma or pathology. Despite the coastal context, isotope data on the dated phalanx (13C and 15N) suggest a predominantly C4 terrestrial diet. Four teeth recovered in the excavation demonstrated advanced dental abrasion associated with age and environmental conditions. Mots-Clés: Shell midden, human skeletal remains, Mo¸cambique, Late Holocene ∗Intervenant sciencesconf.org:uispp2018:182902.

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