Perforated La,d snails shells in western Mediterranean during late Pleistocene-early Holocene: preliminary study

International audienceSince the beginning of the 20th century, certain works (e.g. Debruge and Mercier, 1912, Debruge, 1910) have mentioned the presence of terrestrial snail shells pierced in archaeological sites of eastern Algeria. These sites are locally called “rammadiyat” (or “escargotières”). After about a century, new studies are interested in this phenomenon (Hutterer et al., 2011, 2014, Saafi et al., Submitted). Although the appearance of perforated gastropod has been identified since the Aurignacian (in the Iberian Peninsula). and the Iberomaurusian (in North Africa), they are more abundant in recent periods (Mesolithic / Capsian). In the North African sites the percentage of pierced shells does not exceed 20% of the malacological assemblage at each site. Generally, the perforations are similar in shape, size and position. However, thanks to an ethnographic study, an experimentation program and a traceological analysis some differences can be highlighted and we have been able to identify the techniques used to make the perforations and their function. Some of the perforations were made pierced by human canine teeth or by a cutting tool (blades or slats for example). In most of the cases when the perforations are located in the upper part of the spire they are used to facilitate the extraction of the animal from its shell when the latter resists in the upper part of the shell. The perforations at the last body whorl (behind the peristome) are fewer. They are related to the production of ornaments (necklaces) and, up to now, they are only present on the Maghreb. This is an example of the new role of continental malacofauna in the daily life of human groups. Moreover, due to the limited presence at a few sites, these perforated terrestrial snail shells are considered to be markers of the mobility of human groups in the western Mediterranean