An Analysis of Urchin Harvesting at Tse-Whit-Zen Village
Research Mentor(s)
Campbell, Sarah
Description
Research on marine resources indicates size-selective harvesting reduces the population size over time. Tse-Whit-Zen Village’s shell midden, on the Olympic Peninsula, has remains of two different urchin species used as food by early inhabitants. The remains are fragmented, making comparisons of body size over time impossible. The size of ossicles (in the urchin’s jaw) are linearly related to body size, but it is difficult to differentiate ossicle fragments by species. I measured 550 ossicles and statistically assigned them to species. I then examined the average size of each species over time to determine whether size-selective harvesting could be observed archaeologically.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
14-5-2015 10:00 AM
End Date
14-5-2015 2:00 PM
Department
Biology
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sea urchins--Washington (State); Sea urchins--Growth; Shellfish fisheries--Washington (State)
Geographic Coverage
Tse-whit-zen Village Site (Wash.)
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
An Analysis of Urchin Harvesting at Tse-Whit-Zen Village
Research on marine resources indicates size-selective harvesting reduces the population size over time. Tse-Whit-Zen Village’s shell midden, on the Olympic Peninsula, has remains of two different urchin species used as food by early inhabitants. The remains are fragmented, making comparisons of body size over time impossible. The size of ossicles (in the urchin’s jaw) are linearly related to body size, but it is difficult to differentiate ossicle fragments by species. I measured 550 ossicles and statistically assigned them to species. I then examined the average size of each species over time to determine whether size-selective harvesting could be observed archaeologically.