DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15391822
title: Research Compendium for 'On the exploitation and significance of bivalve shells at the Magdalenian site of Petersfels (Southwestern Germany) using an integrated approach'

description: Compendium DOI:

https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.15391823

The content available at the provided Zenodo DOI reproduces the results as documented in the publication. The files hosted at https://github.com/ArmandoFalcucci/Glycymeris-Perforations represent the developmental versions and might have undergone modifications since the paper's publication.

 




Maintainer of this repository:

Armando Falcucci (armando.falcucci@uni-tuebingen.de)




 

Paper (in preparation):


Flavia Venditti, Armando Falcucci, Benjamin Schürch. On the exploitation and significance of bivalve shells at the Magdalenian site of Petersfels (Southwestern Germany) using an integrated approach. Journal Name, Volume Number, Page Numbers (in preparation). DOI: [Insert DOI]



Abstract:

Shells from marine and freshwater mollusks serve as valuable proxies for understanding cultural and environmental interactions in human history. They provide insights into past activities, exchange networks, and ecological dynamics. The site of Petersfels in Germany, rich in modified shells, offers a unique opportunity to investigate the significance of mollusk shells for the Magdalenian of central Europe. This study presents findings from our investigation of the nearly complete collection of bivalve shells recovered from the site, including 84 Glycymeris sp. specimens, 2 Gryphaea arcuata, 2 Polymesoda sp., and a fragment of an Ostrea sp. By integrating a qualitative and quantitative approach, we aimed to 1) uncover the origins and selection of the bivalves, 2) discuss modifications of shells made by anthropogenic and natural agents, and 3) elucidate aspects of their functions and symbolism. Our findings reveal that the bivalve shells were repurposed into ornaments. Despite taphonomic alterations affecting surface traces, we observed signs of modification, prolonged use, and reuse, such as parallel striations and flat facets from abrasion, as well as a perforation technique consistent with sawing. Double-perforated shells indicate a willingness to reuse them after the first perforation wears out. The two fossil specimens of Gryphaea arcuata and the fragment of an oyster were instead perforated by drilling. The entire sample showed rounded and smooth perforations and evidence of plastic deformations, hinge thinning, and worn facets resulting from extended use. The evidence of reusing shells and their extended lifespan highlights their significance in the symbolic and artistic expressions of the Magdalenian groups, reflecting the intricate social and symbolic communication among these prehistoric communities.



Keywords:


Bivalve shells, Ornaments, Magdalenian, Petersfels, Use-wear analysis, Multivariate statistical analysis.



 

Overview of contents and how to reproduce:


This repository contains data, code, and output files associated with the paper. The files are organized into the following directories:



data: Includes the shell dataset and the 2D outline coordinates of the perforations.

script: Contains the R script for data analysis and visualization.

output: Houses the generated outputs from the analysis.


To replicate the results from the paper, follow these steps:



Download the entire repository.

Open the Glycymeris-Perforations.Rproj R project file.

Navigate to the script folder and run the R script.




Licenses:


Code: MIT http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT, copyright holder: Armando Falcucci (2025).

Data and intellectual work: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), copyright holder: Flavia Venditti, Armando Falcucci & Benjamin Schürch (2025).