Measuring Seasonality in Codakia orbicularis Clams from Lucayan Sites in the Bahamas

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The shells of Codakia orbicularis clams are common at archaeological sites throughout the Bahama archipelago. These clams were harvested as food, and their abundance indicates that they were processed in habitation areas. Previous studies have suggested that the shells record daily, tidal, and seasonal growth sequences that can be used to determine when during the year that the living animal was harvested. However, there are a number of problems with those earlier studies that need to be addressed before clam shells can be exploited to their full potential. This study examines a large number of recently harvested living animals and compares them to archaeological specimens from the central Bahamas. Visual observations of cross-sectioned shells, along with carbon and oxygen istotope measurements, are used to develop a model of Codakia growth that can be used to determine the time of year when specific shells were harvested. In addition, the isotopic signatures should contribute to the refinement of paleoclimate models for the medieval Warm Period which coincides with the Lucayan occupation of the Bahamas.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24106