Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands

Geoffrey Clark; Michelle C. Langley; Mirani Litster; Olaf Winter; Judith R. Amesbury

Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands

Geoffrey Clark, Michelle C. Langley, Mirani Litster, Olaf Winter, Judith R. Amesbury

Research output: A Conference proceeding or a Chapter in Book › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

We present experimental and micro-trace evidence for an unusual Cypraeidae bead type associated with the earliest cultural deposits of the Bapot-1 site in the Marianas Islands in Western Micronesia. Results show that these ground-section cowry beads were strung together while worked dorsum found at this same site were used as pendants/lids. The probable occurrence of ground-section beads on Tikopia island ~4000 km from the Marianas suggests that these distinctive shell artefacts can assist archaeological understanding of early Oceanic dispersals and interaction among different colonising Neolithic groups in the Indo-Pacific.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Archaeology of Portable Art
Subtitle of host publication	Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian Perspectives
Editors	Michelle Langley, Mirani Litster, Duncan Wright, Sally K. May
Place of Publication	United Kingdom
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
Chapter	10
Pages	142-161
Number of pages	20
ISBN (Electronic)	9781315299112
ISBN (Print)	9781138237766
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2018
Externally published	Yes

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https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315299112/chapters/10.4324/9781315299112-10

Cite this

Clark, G., Langley, M. C., Litster, M., Winter, O., & Amesbury, J. R. (2018). Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands. In M. Langley, M. Litster, D. Wright, & S. K. May (Eds.), The Archaeology of Portable Art: Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian Perspectives (pp. 142-161). Taylor & Francis. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315299112/chapters/10.4324/9781315299112-10

Clark, Geoffrey ; Langley, Michelle C. ; Litster, Mirani et al. / Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal : A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands. The Archaeology of Portable Art: Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian Perspectives. editor / Michelle Langley ; Mirani Litster ; Duncan Wright ; Sally K. May. United Kingdom : Taylor & Francis, 2018. pp. 142-161

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title = "Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands",

abstract = "We present experimental and micro-trace evidence for an unusual Cypraeidae bead type associated with the earliest cultural deposits of the Bapot-1 site in the Marianas Islands in Western Micronesia. Results show that these ground-section cowry beads were strung together while worked dorsum found at this same site were used as pendants/lids. The probable occurrence of ground-section beads on Tikopia island ~4000 km from the Marianas suggests that these distinctive shell artefacts can assist archaeological understanding of early Oceanic dispersals and interaction among different colonising Neolithic groups in the Indo-Pacific.",

keywords = "shell beads, archaeology, ornaments, Colonization, Mariana Islands",

author = "Geoffrey Clark and Langley, {Michelle C.} and Mirani Litster and Olaf Winter and Amesbury, {Judith R.}",

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Clark, G, Langley, MC, Litster, M, Winter, O & Amesbury, JR 2018, Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands. in M Langley, M Litster, D Wright & SK May (eds), The Archaeology of Portable Art: Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian Perspectives. Taylor & Francis, United Kingdom, pp. 142-161. <https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315299112/chapters/10.4324/9781315299112-10>

Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands. / Clark, Geoffrey; Langley, Michelle C.; Litster, Mirani et al.
The Archaeology of Portable Art: Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian Perspectives. ed. / Michelle Langley; Mirani Litster; Duncan Wright; Sally K. May. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2018. p. 142-161.

Research output: A Conference proceeding or a Chapter in Book › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal

T2 - A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands

AU - Clark, Geoffrey

AU - Langley, Michelle C.

AU - Litster, Mirani

AU - Winter, Olaf

AU - Amesbury, Judith R.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - We present experimental and micro-trace evidence for an unusual Cypraeidae bead type associated with the earliest cultural deposits of the Bapot-1 site in the Marianas Islands in Western Micronesia. Results show that these ground-section cowry beads were strung together while worked dorsum found at this same site were used as pendants/lids. The probable occurrence of ground-section beads on Tikopia island ~4000 km from the Marianas suggests that these distinctive shell artefacts can assist archaeological understanding of early Oceanic dispersals and interaction among different colonising Neolithic groups in the Indo-Pacific.

AB - We present experimental and micro-trace evidence for an unusual Cypraeidae bead type associated with the earliest cultural deposits of the Bapot-1 site in the Marianas Islands in Western Micronesia. Results show that these ground-section cowry beads were strung together while worked dorsum found at this same site were used as pendants/lids. The probable occurrence of ground-section beads on Tikopia island ~4000 km from the Marianas suggests that these distinctive shell artefacts can assist archaeological understanding of early Oceanic dispersals and interaction among different colonising Neolithic groups in the Indo-Pacific.

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KW - archaeology

KW - ornaments

KW - Colonization

KW - Mariana Islands

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AN - SCOPUS:85049946402

SN - 9781138237766

SP - 142

EP - 161

BT - The Archaeology of Portable Art

A2 - Langley, Michelle

A2 - Litster, Mirani

A2 - Wright, Duncan

A2 - May, Sally K.

PB - Taylor & Francis

CY - United Kingdom

ER -

Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: A rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands

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