Archaeology and Land Snails: A Practical Write-Up
Land Snail Practical Write Up
Land snails are used as an archaeological methodology of reconstructing the past and are an environmental method that can fill in the gaps of other methods. For example, pollen and macroscopic plant matter study show the general change of a large area and only survive when waterlogged. Chalk lands are prime archaeological landscapes useful for study and land snail evidence can survive in them where other evidence cannot. Also, as oppose to representing a large scale generalized area land snails indicate a local environment. This is because land snails, like many insects, do not move far and when the environment changes they do not adapt, but instead always require a specific habitat or a small number of suitable habitats. There are over 118 species of land snail and slug in the British fauna and there have been only a small number of extinctions. This along with their rarity in adaptation or change means the modern snails can be studied and each of their different habitat preferences understood. They are also very sensitive to change in land use. All of these points mean that the presence of certain types of snail show a very specific environment which can be narrowed down by identification of these and used to show a past environment.
Snails are identified archaeologically by shell morphology because any soft tissue has been previously destroyed. Whilst most assemblages will contain a majority of broken shells each one is unlikely to hold over 30 types of snail species so identification of a small number of these can soon lead to a general pattern of the number and types that are within the sample being studied. Differences in the axis, apex, whorl, spire, columella, mouth, lip and the overall shape and colour lead to the morphology of a preserved snail shell. Whilst many look similar subtle differences in these features usually lead to a fairly certain conclusion. However, some such as Ceciliodes acicula can be extremely difficult
Land snails are used as an archaeological methodology of reconstructing the past and are an environmental method that can fill in the gaps of other methods. For example, pollen and macroscopic plant matter study show the general change of a large area and only survive when waterlogged. Chalk lands are prime archaeological landscapes useful for study and land snail evidence can survive in them where other evidence cannot. Also, as oppose to representing a large scale generalized area land snails indicate a local environment. This is because land snails, like many insects, do not move far and when the environment changes they do not adapt, but instead always require a specific habitat or a small number of suitable habitats. There are over 118 species of land snail and slug in the British fauna and there have been only a small number of extinctions. This along with their rarity in adaptation or change means the modern snails can be studied and each of their different habitat preferences understood. They are also very sensitive to change in land use. All of these points mean that the presence of certain types of snail show a very specific environment which can be narrowed down by identification of these and used to show a past environment.
Snails are identified archaeologically by shell morphology because any soft tissue has been previously destroyed. Whilst most assemblages will contain a majority of broken shells each one is unlikely to hold over 30 types of snail species so identification of a small number of these can soon lead to a general pattern of the number and types that are within the sample being studied. Differences in the axis, apex, whorl, spire, columella, mouth, lip and the overall shape and colour lead to the morphology of a preserved snail shell. Whilst many look similar subtle differences in these features usually lead to a fairly certain conclusion. However, some such as Ceciliodes acicula can be extremely difficult
Bibliography: Allen M. 2012. More about Landsnail Analysis: Mollusc Analysis. Allen Environmental Archaeology. http://www.themolluscs.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35 (29/04/2012) Carter S.P Davies P. 2008. Land and Freshwater Molluscs. Oxbow Books Evans J Kerney M.P. 1999. Atlas of the land and freshwater Molluscs of Britain and Ireland. Harley Books Kerney M.P Regan E. and Anderson R. 2010. Land and Freshwater. Mollusc Ireland. National Museums Northern Ireland -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Allen M. 2012. More about Landsnail Analysis: Mollusc Analysis. Allen Environmental Archaeology. http://www.themolluscs.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35 (29/04/2012) [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. Evans J. 1972. Land snails in Archaeology. Oxbow, Oxford. page 99 [ 4 ]