1
0-8493-1123-3/03/$0.00+$1.50
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Prehistoric and Ancient
Historic Interactions
between Humans and
Marine Turtles
Jack Frazier
CONTENTS
1.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................1
1.2 Zooarchaeology: Archaeological Specimens of Marine Turtles ....................2
1.2.1 Zooarchaeological Remains in the Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula,
and Indian Ocean Basin ......................................................................3
1.2.2 Zooarchaeological Remains in the Western Hemisphere ..................6
1.2.3 Summary of Zooarchaeological Remains ........................................18
1.3 Archaeology: Cultural Artifacts Related to Marine Turtles .........................19
1.3.1 Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles in Arabia
and the Middle East ...........................................................................19
1.3.2 Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles in the Western Hemisphere .....22
1.3.3 Summary of Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles ...........................25
1.4 Ancient Historic Accounts of Human–Turtle Interactions ..........................26
1.5 Conclusions and Discussion .........................................................................29
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................31
References................................................................................................................31
1.1 INTRODUCTION
A usual opening for descriptions about marine turtles is to announce proudly that
they have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and have outlived even
the dinosaurs. Our species, of course, has been on the planet for much less time,
just a few hundred thousand years; commonly there has been a tacit assumption
that interactions between these ancient reptiles and people have really only become
significant in historic or contemporary times. The object of this chapter is to explore
the antiquity and complexity of human–turtle relations by providing a summary
1
1123_C01.fm Page 1 Friday, November 15, 2002 11:13 AM
0-8493-1123-3/03/$0.00+$1.50
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Prehistoric and Ancient
Historic Interactions
between Humans and
Marine Turtles
Jack Frazier
CONTENTS
1.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................1
1.2 Zooarchaeology: Archaeological Specimens of Marine Turtles ....................2
1.2.1 Zooarchaeological Remains in the Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula,
and Indian Ocean Basin ......................................................................3
1.2.2 Zooarchaeological Remains in the Western Hemisphere ..................6
1.2.3 Summary of Zooarchaeological Remains ........................................18
1.3 Archaeology: Cultural Artifacts Related to Marine Turtles .........................19
1.3.1 Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles in Arabia
and the Middle East ...........................................................................19
1.3.2 Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles in the Western Hemisphere .....22
1.3.3 Summary of Cultural Artifacts of Marine Turtles ...........................25
1.4 Ancient Historic Accounts of Human–Turtle Interactions ..........................26
1.5 Conclusions and Discussion .........................................................................29
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................31
References................................................................................................................31
1.1 INTRODUCTION
A usual opening for descriptions about marine turtles is to announce proudly that
they have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and have outlived even
the dinosaurs. Our species, of course, has been on the planet for much less time,
just a few hundred thousand years; commonly there has been a tacit assumption
that interactions between these ancient reptiles and people have really only become
significant in historic or contemporary times. The object of this chapter is to explore
the antiquity and complexity of human–turtle relations by providing a summary
1
1123_C01.fm Page 1 Friday, November 15, 2002 11:13 AM