The consumption of molluscs in the first farming societies: the Neolithic settlement of La Draga (northeast of the Iberian Peninsula)

Abstract

The consumption of wild resources, including molluscs, continued in the first farming societies together with the consumption of domestic resources. Remains of continental and marine molluscs have been found at the Neolithic site of La Draga (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula), dated in 5320–4800 cal BC, and about 35 or 40 km away from the Mediterranean coast (nowadays and when the site was occupied). The contact between the site and the coast has already been attested due to the presence of other remains like mineral raw materials that come from the coastal ranges. As the presence of continental molluscs must be due to natural processes, the marine molluscs have been studied more exhaustively. The most common species is Mytilus galloprovincialis, followed by Glycymeris sp. and Spondylus sp. These species were used in different ways, as food but also as tools and raw material for making ornaments. The presence of Mytilus galloprovincialis is not very common on the other Mediterranean contemporaneous sites where, in general, species from sandy bottoms are more abundant.