Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

ENVIRONMENT - Levente FŰKÖH: The role of malacological examinations in arheology

drainage areas remained permanently under water (Füzesabony-Guba-kút; FüzesabonyKisbudai-berek). Anthropogenic activity must also be taken into consideration. Its two forms represent a transition between two directions of research methodology. 1. Molluscs as jewellery. Decorative gastropods and bivalves were used for this purpose. Marine bivalves were the most suitable. It was difficult or impossible to procure such bivalves in the Carpathian Basin. Consequently, large, well-ornamented fossil specimens were used. Taxonomic and palaeontological studies on such pieces of jewellery can answer the following questions: Where was the source of these fossils and what was the direction of main trading routes? For example, a half valve from a Miocene bivalve has found during archaeological excavations that preceded construction in the area of the M3 Motorway (Kompolt-Tagi-rét). Presumably it had been collected in the vicinity of Mátraszöllős). 2. Bivalves and gastropods as nutriments. Such materials may be found during the exposure of archaeological sites located along rivers or lakes. To our knowledge, the most suitable molluscs for this purpose are large-sized bivalves that belong to the Unionidae family. Half-valves of the aforementioned bivalves are found in great quantities at many localities. Although little is known of this type of mass-occurrences, this material is worth collecting, since as methods improve we will get closer to exposing their information content. Half-valves of Unio pictorum (bivalve) and large-sized Lymnaea stagnalis (gastropod) occurred in great quantities at the Füzesabony-Gubakút, archaeological site. Those molluscan remains were found in neolithic houses and graves. Presumably they were brought to the site as food from the nearby Laskó-stream. Increasing numbers of injured gastropod shells are being identified at archaeological excavations. Mainly the shells of Helix pomatia shells bear damages, but in the case of small-sized gastropods such as Cepaea vindobonensis and Bradybena fruticum similar phenomena also can be observed. Damages occur near the beak, because the adductor muscle sticks there in all discussed species. During the course of excavations at Kölyuk II (Jenő Hillebrand) Cave in 1975, many thus damaged shells of Helix pomatia came to light from a small rock shelter. It is unclear why those shells were carried there. According to certain malacologists, gastropods served as food for ancient people. Others say that the shells are residue of animal nutriment. This latter theory is confirmed by finds from the archaeological excavations related to the M3 Motorway. Characteristically, gastropods were collected by small mammals. However, examples of anthropogenic activity can also be observed. At the site of Kompolt-Kistér, Cepaea species were found in the wall of a plastered oven. A mixture of the aforementioned categories could be observed, since the valves of animals that previously had served as food could be turned into nacre jewellery. Alternatively, the broken valves with sharp edges could be used as tools. 3. The analysis of malacological data could provide answers to questions which cannot be obtained using archaeological data only. They are indicative of the climate, the average precipitation, and the vegetation that prevailed during the formation of culture bearing layers. Even chronological problems can be solved when the local development of malacofauna is known. Demonstrating anthropogenic activity with help of Molluscan faunas Modifying the environment and upsetting the equilibrium between natural associations are phenomena that have emerged with mankind. During the analysis of vertebrate and malacological materials from cave sediments of Northern Mountain Range it was observed that the faunal picture determined by ecological parameters had changed because 207