Calipash and calipee:Population dynamics and foraging ecology of archaeological sea turtles

This thesis examines ancient sea turtles from the Levant and more recent archaeological sea turtle bones from the Netherlands. The research investigates foraging ecology, DNA preservation, provenance, and trade. Only two sea turtle species, green turtles and loggerhead turtles, breed and nest in the Mediterranean. Understanding the historical ecology of ancient Mediterranean sea turtle populations hunted in the Bronze and Iron ages was the main goal of the thesis. The Netherlands also participated in large-scale exploitation during colonial times, but sea turtle bones are rare in the archaeological record. By studying archaeological sea turtle bones, the research sheds light on the biological characteristics of archaeological sea turtle populations.The thesis statistically assigns ancient Mediterranean green turtles to modern foraging grounds using palaeoproteomics and stable isotope analysis. Sea turtle trade by the Netherlands is also explored. The possibilities of ancient DNA analysis of archaeological sea turtle remains is investigated, with a focus on DNA preservation. This research integrates marine biology and zooarchaeology to better understand ancient and historical sea turtle exploitation and ecology. The results contribute to nature preservation discussions and emphasise learning from the past for present conservation efforts