TY - JOUR
T1 - Shell artefacts in Cape York Peninsula
T2 - A literature review
AU - Wallis, Lynley A.
AU - Martellotta, Eva
AU - Dardengo, Mia
AU - Burke, Heather
AU - Cole, Noelene
AU - Barker, Bryce
AU - Rangers, Laura
AU - Cape Melville, Flinders and Howick Islands Aboriginal Corporation,
AU - Waarnthuurr-iin Aboriginal Corporation,
AU - Munthiwarra Aboriginal Corporation,
PY - 2024/8/17
Y1 - 2024/8/17
N2 - As Australia’s largest peninsula, Cape York Peninsula in Queensland presents abundant opportunities to understand the complex relationship between people and coastal environments. Beyond merely being food refuse, shells demonstrate considerable cultural significance as both practical tools and symbolic objects. Yet studies of shell artefacts across Cape York Peninsula have been limited. The Agayrr Bamangay Milbi (ABM) Project, a Traditional Owner-led archaeological and heritage project focused on the southeast Cape, offers an opportunity to address this issue. As a first step, a comprehensive examination of the existing literature on shell artefacts in the region illuminates their diverse functions and cultural implications, and review of anthropological and archaeological work undertaken since 1985, including new results from archaeological survey, updates the earlier work of Schall (1985). Shell artefacts fall into several categories: utility tools, spoons, fish hooks, component elements (primarily of larger wooden objects), ornaments, rattles and containers. The rich source material underscores the need for more focused and systematic analysis of manufacturing techniques, actualistic studies, and investigations of residues and use-wear on shell objects, as well as detailed studies of specific object classes. Future investigations should focus on conducting more extensive technological analyses and exploring the socio-cultural significance of shell artefacts in greater detail.
AB - As Australia’s largest peninsula, Cape York Peninsula in Queensland presents abundant opportunities to understand the complex relationship between people and coastal environments. Beyond merely being food refuse, shells demonstrate considerable cultural significance as both practical tools and symbolic objects. Yet studies of shell artefacts across Cape York Peninsula have been limited. The Agayrr Bamangay Milbi (ABM) Project, a Traditional Owner-led archaeological and heritage project focused on the southeast Cape, offers an opportunity to address this issue. As a first step, a comprehensive examination of the existing literature on shell artefacts in the region illuminates their diverse functions and cultural implications, and review of anthropological and archaeological work undertaken since 1985, including new results from archaeological survey, updates the earlier work of Schall (1985). Shell artefacts fall into several categories: utility tools, spoons, fish hooks, component elements (primarily of larger wooden objects), ornaments, rattles and containers. The rich source material underscores the need for more focused and systematic analysis of manufacturing techniques, actualistic studies, and investigations of residues and use-wear on shell objects, as well as detailed studies of specific object classes. Future investigations should focus on conducting more extensive technological analyses and exploring the socio-cultural significance of shell artefacts in greater detail.
KW - Cape York Peninsula
KW - Shell artefacts
KW - Coastal environments
KW - Agayrr Bamangay Milbi (ABM) Project
KW - socio-cultural significance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85217490463&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/LP190100194
U2 - 10.25120/qar.27.2024.4088
DO - 10.25120/qar.27.2024.4088
M3 - Review article
SN - 0814-3021
VL - 27
SP - 1
EP - 19
JO - QUEENSLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
JF - QUEENSLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
ER -