Assessing the Accidental Versus Deliberate Colour Modification of Shell Beads: a Case Study on Perforated Nassarius kraussianus from Blombos Cave Middle Stone Age levels
Assessing the Accidental Versus Deliberate Colour Modification of Shell Beads: a Case Study on Perforated Nassarius kraussianus from Blombos Cave Middle Stone Age levels
复制标题
DOI：
10.1111/arcm.12072
复制
发表时间：
2015-02
期刊：
影响因子：
1.6
通讯作者：
F. d’Errico;M. Vanhaeren;K. Niekerk;C. Henshilwood;R. Erasmus
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
F. d’Errico;M. Vanhaeren;K. Niekerk;C. Henshilwood;R. Erasmus
色彩在珠饰中起着重要的作用。据报道，中石器时代遗址的早期贝壳珠发生了颜色变化。然而，确定着色剂并证明着色过程的故意性质并不简单。在这里，我们提供了在现代海洋中收集的Nassarius kraussianus （Nk）的颜色和结构变化的分析数据，以及在氧化和还原气氛中加热的同一物种的壳。与来自南非Blombos洞穴中石器时代72 ka的Nk贝壳珠的比较，以及来自同一水平的其他未用作装饰品的malacological遗迹的背景分析，确定了现代Nk thanatocoses和加热贝壳颜色变化的机制，并表明尽管一些Nk贝壳珠被加热，但没有证明对贝壳珠的故意热处理。
Colour plays an eminent role in beadwork. Colour modifications are reported on early shell beads from Middle Stone Age sites. However, identifying the colouring agent and demonstrating the intentional nature of the colouring process is not straightforward. Here, we provide analytical data on colour and structural modifications observed on Nassarius kraussianus (Nk) collected in modern thanatocoenoses and on shells of the same species experimentally heated in oxidizing and reductive atmospheres. Comparison with Nk shell beads from the 72 ka old Middle Stone Age levels of Blombos Cave, South Africa, and contextual analysis of other malacological remains from the same levels that were not used as ornaments identify the mechanisms responsible for the change of colour in modern Nk thanatocoenoses and heated shells, and show that although some Nk shell beads were heated, intentional heat treatment of shell beads is not demonstrated.