Oyster shells as history books

[FIRST PARAGRAPH] A collaborative project was established in 2002 that has brought together geochemistry and archaeology in order to investigate environmental change and the harvesting strategies of ancient peoples. The objectives of this study are to decipher the life history and environmental information contained in shells of the European oyster, Ostrea edulis, by analyzing geochemical variations along shell growth. This approach provides an independent measure of age and season of death, as well as a record of environmental change in temperature and salinity through the life of the oyster. By understanding the life history and environmental records contained in modern oyster shells, we can analyze shells from archaeological sites to gain an historical perspective of harvesting practices and environmental change in ancient shellfisheries.