AbstractsAnthropology

This research aims at determining the uses of marine and land molluscs (meat and shell) in five late pre-colonial sites (~AD1000-1500) located in the north western part of the Dominican Republic. The specific systematic archaeological survey was carried out in order to obtain the representative samples. The following research questions were formulated: 1) Which molluscan species and in what quantity have been recovered in each site? 2) Is there any quantitative/qualitative change visible in the shell material recovered in each site as the sites’ locations move further inland from the coast? 3) What was the function of the molluscs whose shells were recovered in each site? 4) What socio-economic processes could have caused these changes observed in the composition of shell assemblages? These questions were answered with the data that was generated by the analyses of the gathered archaeological material. Advisors/Committee Members: Hofman, C.L (advisor), Atczak, A.T (advisor).