Provenance Analysis of Olivella Biplicata Shell Beads from the California and Oregon Coast by stable Isotope Fingerprinting
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-2005
Keywords
Stable isotopes, California, Oregon, Olivella, Provenance analysis, Prehistoric beads
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2005.04.005
Abstract
While Olivella beads are a common component of archaeological sites in California, and were widely traded in prehistory, no method has been developed to trace individual beads to a point of origin. This study examines the potential of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes to source Olivella beads from the Pacific coast. The study shows that 1) the oxygen isotopic composition of modern Olivella biplicata shells faithfully varies with ambient seasurface temperature and local upwelling, lending themselves to sourcing studies; 2) oxygen isotope ratios in modern shells can be used to identify shells that grow north versus south of Point Conception, California; and 3) shell carbon isotope ratios may further subdivide these two regions into more spatially restricted source zones. Analyses on a small sample of 10 beads found at various archaeological sites within the interior of California suggest that all were made in southern California.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
No
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Journal of Archaeological Science, v. 32, issue 10, p. 1501-1514
Scholar Commons Citation
Eerkens, Jelmer W.; Herbert, Gregory S.; Rosenthal, Jeffrey S.; and Spero, Howard J., "Provenance Analysis of Olivella Biplicata Shell Beads from the California and Oregon Coast by stable Isotope Fingerprinting" (2005). School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications. 1587.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/1587
