Molluscs as ecological indicators in palaeoanthropological contexts

Abstract

One method of investigating the palaeoecology of a site is to analyse the associated faunal remains. In palaeoanthropology faunal analysis is not uncommon, but on most occasions only a fraction of the overall fauna is analysed, often only large mammals. This discrepancy is addressed in this thesis. Here, the molluscan fauna from a range of sites is analysed from an ecological perspective, and the results compared to the palaeoecological results based on other faunal data, including, when available, small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the molluscs add anything to the overall palaeoecological picture of a site. The data are analysed from a palaeoanthropological perspective, with different hominine groups of sites compared from a palaeoecological perspective, based on the molluscan data. At the same time the value of molluscs as palaeoecological indicators is measured against data from other sources, such as other faunal data. The results show that molluscs are capable of adding important new and corroborating data that could be used to test established palaeoecological reconstructions of the past. The data support the idea that open habitats may have played an important role in the evolution of the genus Homo, but they also strongly suggest the presence of permanent water, whether in open or closed habitats.