Shell Middens in Atlantic Europe

Shell deposits, or middens, abound along the shores of Europe, but researchers tend to be isolated and relatively few have been excavated. Taken from a September 2005 workshop at the U. of York that drew researchers together to share findings, these 18 papers reflect the physical variability of the middens, the evidence they bear about the prehistoric human life around them, and the different methods researchers have used to study them. Topics include questions about Mesolithic coastal settlements and shell middens in Norway and Denmark, relations of middens to the marine environment and other artifacts, evidence of food storage, myths and middens in Scotland, Ireland and the Shetland Islands, modern data gathering techniques and their applications, and evidence of the use of marine resources in Cantabrian Spain and in the Bay of Biscay. The collection closes with an overall review of the relationship of the middens and sea peoples. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)