Allan Shumaker Wrote:
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> DDeden Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hans Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > When do shrimp enter the archaeological
> > record? In
> > > otherwords when do there remains start
> > showing up
> > > in middens and other garbage dumps?
> >
> > 1) I don't know the arch. record on shrimp
>
> I don't either but it is an interesting idea.
>
> > 2) Shrimp have thin shells, easily decompose
> > AFAIK, while thick hard-shelled molluscs
> last
> > longer.
>
> Similar problem concerning evidence of fish
> consumption. Fish bones are very small and don't
> preserve well.
>
> > 3) AFAICT Humans have been consuming
> freshwater
> > and saltwater shrimp, crayfish etc. for
> millions
> > of years.
>
> The current high sea level makes finding the
> marine evidence difficult. There are middens of
> marine mollusks in South Africa and Itrea that
> date back to 100,000-120,000 years. Recently there
> was an article on Neanderthals with evidence that
> they consumed seafood.
>
> > 4) Ancient human ancestors may have been
> less
> > sedentary, more migratory, so middens
> wouldn't
> > accumulate in the same way as at more recent
> > settlements of concentrated populations.
>
> Certainly the population was lower but I question
> the assertion that earlier ancestors were more
> nomadic. The technological level was lower, thus
> making hunting more difficult. If these ancient
> ancestors found an enviroment (seacoast) with a
> constant, easily obtained food source (fish &
> mollusks), why move?

Localized over-population, sewerage inducing red tide vibreo spp., over use of local materials, concentration. Same thing as harbor cities now, except they didn't have 5 mile long sewer pipes into the ocean. Perhaps some areas did support more or less permanent populations, but others were more marginal. I have a tendency to view pre-Hss as seasonal migrants, Homo sapien sapien as increasingly sedentary, with early agriculture even more so, and river-coastal trade replacing the previous migrations, with local community rulers regulating trade, rules & rituals (aka sewerage, "clean" foods, rites. DDeden