Shell Technology, Rock Art, and the Role of Marine Resources during the Upper Paleolithic

A groundbreaking analysis of shell technology from the Gravettian levels of Fuente del Salín, northern Spain, reveals that marine resources played a more significant and diverse role during the Upper Paleolithic than previously believed. Unlike the traditional focus on their nutritional or ornamental value, this study demonstrates that shells were extensively used for processing red pigments in cave art and tanning hides. This technological versatility challenges the long-held assumption that marine resources were low-efficiency assets, underscoring their critical importance to Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers.

Cuenca-Solana, D., Gutiérrez-Zugasti, F. I., González-Morales, M. R., Setién-Marquinez, J., Ruiz-Martinez, E., García-Moreno, A., & Clemente-Conte, I. (2013). Shell Technology, Rock Art, and the Role of Marine Resources during the Upper Paleolithic. Current Anthropology, 54(3), 370–380. https://doi.org/10.1086/670325