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An Analysis of Marine Shell Ornament Distribution

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An Analysis of Marine Shell Ornament Distribution Human-Material Interaction in the Aurignacian of Europe, 35,000-27,000 BP: An Analysis of Marine Shell Ornament Distribution by Lisa Rogers B.A. (Hons), University of Victoria, 2013 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Anthropology Lisa Rogers, 2018 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Human-Material Interaction in the Aurignacian of Europe, 35,000-27,000 BP: An Analysis of Marine Shell Ornament Distribution by Lisa Rogers B.A. (Hons), University of Victoria, 2013 Supervisory Committee Dr. April Nowell, Supervisor Department of Anthropology Dr. Ann Stahl, Departmental Member Department of Anthropology ii Abstract The Aurignacian period (35,000-27,000 BP) is the earliest phase of human occupation in the European Upper Paleolithic. As early inhabitants moved across the landscape they came into contact with others and left behind material traces of these interactions. Ornaments, or beads and pendants, made from marine shells are found in large numbers in Aurignacian assemblages. These objects are particularly useful for exploring the circulation of people and materials, as their presence far from the sea can be indicative of dynamic interactions between materials, individuals, and groups. This research explores the processes of human-material interactions during the Aurignacian based on the shapes of marine shells used as ornaments. More specifically, a network analysis is used to determine whether there are discernible patterns in the geographic distribution of marine shell shapes used for the creation of ornaments. Through the use of a social network analysis software called Gephi, this research visually maps the interactions between sites and regions during the Aurignacian. By creating network visualizations that are analyzed mathematically, in addition to geographic maps of site locations, patterns in the interactions within which materials and people were entangled are explored. Engaging with theories of materiality and material affordances (Conneller 2011; Gosden 2005; Malafouris 2013; Robb 2015; Wells 2008, 2012), this research sheds light on the active role of ornaments in the complex interactions between people and materials during the Aurignacian. The results support the notion that particular shapes of shells were preferentially selected and that some regions, such as the Dordogne of France, were important centers in the broader circulation of materials. iii Table of Contents Supervisory Committee .................................................................................................................. ii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ xi Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Aurignacian Ornaments............................................................................................................... 1 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 2 Defining Terms ........................................................................................................................... 4 Ornaments–are they personal?................................................................................................. 4 Are they objects or art? ............................................................................................................ 4 Social networks versus interactions ......................................................................................... 5 Outline of Thesis ......................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2: Background to the Aurignacian .................................................................................... 8 What was the Aurignacian?......................................................................................................... 8 The Proto and Early Aurignacian .......................................................................................... 10 Climate, Geography, and Environment ..................................................................................... 14 General trends across Europe ................................................................................................ 14 Regionally specific trends ..................................................................................................... 14 The Peopling of Europe............................................................................................................. 18 Modern humans in the Levant ............................................................................................... 18 Modern human migration into Europe .................................................................................. 19 Modern human and Neandertal interaction in the Aurignacian ............................................ 19 Material Culture ........................................................................................................................ 21 Tool technologies .................................................................................................................. 21 Rock painting, engraving, and finger fluting ......................................................................... 21 Figurines ................................................................................................................................ 24 Textiles .................................................................................................................................. 26 iv Ornaments .............................................................................................................................. 26 Other Practices .......................................................................................................................... 27 Funerary caching and the processing of remains................................................................... 27 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3: Ornaments and Marine Shells in the Aurignacian ...................................................... 31 A Brief History of the Study of Ornaments .............................................................................. 31 Ornaments and Standardization ................................................................................................ 33 Interpretations of Marine Shell Use .......................................................................................... 35 Marine shell use in the Upper Paleolithic .............................................................................. 36 Descriptions of Marine Shell Ornaments used in the Aurignacian ........................................... 37 Bivalves ................................................................................................................................. 41 Scaphopods and Cephalopods ............................................................................................... 41 Gastropods ............................................................................................................................. 42 Echinoidea ............................................................................................................................. 47 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 47 Chapter 4: Material Affordances and Processes of Interaction .................................................... 49 The Material World ................................................................................................................... 49 A brief history of materiality ................................................................................................. 49 Material affordances .............................................................................................................. 52 Material affordances in archaeological research ................................................................... 55 Interaction.................................................................................................................................. 60 An SNA approach .................................................................................................................. 60 Beyond networks: processes of human interaction ............................................................... 61 Human-Material Interactions ...................................................................................................
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