A Study on the Production Methods and Use of Shell Blades through Experimental Archaeological Methods

This study aimed to reveal the production methods and use of shell blades made from hard clams(Meretrix petechialis) excavated from Neolithic shell middens along the west coast of Korea, through experimental archaeological methods. The manufacturing process of the shell blades was set into three stages: rough rubbing, the 1st flaking, and the 2nd flaking. the Production Method was conducted to produce shell blades in the IB and ID types, which are most frequently identified. As a result, 40 shell blades were produced from 100 hard clams. The use experiment was conducted in three stages(use-wear estimation → experimental use → use-wear analysis). Based on the estimation and experimental results, focused on marine food resources, the shell blades were identified as tools used for tasks such as removing scales, processing, and cutting fish, in addition to gathering seaweed. This judge that they were used for similar purposes as flaked tools, which are designed for disassembly and processing. As a result of the use-wear analysis of the manufactured shell blades used in the use experiment wear marks and flake scars caused by the tools wearing down during use were observed. However, striations indicating the direction of use were not observed. The target shell middens were classified into two types based on their characteristics and the assemblage of artifacts within each site, in order to examine the production locations and possible uses of shell blades. Type ① is characterized by a low quantity of artifacts and remains of animals, and no features interpreted as stone-piled structures were identified within the midden. However, since shell blades were recovered, it is considered likely that they were produced near the shell midden and used for gathering seaweed or wild plants. Type ②, in contrast, is characterized by a higher quantity of artifacts and remains of animals, with stone-piled features also identified. Flake tools assumed to have been used for similar purposes were found, and shell blades and flake tools were judged to have been likely used in or around the stone-piled features for gathering seaweed, removing fish scales, cutting body parts, and gutting fish.