Hearths or Middens as we call them in Aotearoa New Zealand provide us with a snapshot of what the indigenous Māori were hunting, gathering and consuming and how long ago.
They are a treasure trove of information that can be read in a similar way to tree rings and ice core samples.
"The shell species the midden is composed of tell us about the past environment in the surrounding area; shell species like pipi live in sandy bays while mussels cling to rocky shores. If the shell species change over time, or differ from those found in the area today, we can ask questions about resource management, cultural change, or environmental change. Bivalves (shells with two halves) lay down layers of shell incrementally as they grow."
Clearly Māori had better "resource management" skills than the plundering invaders!
It’s not only the Māori. It’s difficult for me to imagine ANYONE being worse managers of the living planet than the current version of humans. Maybe I’m just having a bad day?
Hearths or Middens as we call them in Aotearoa New Zealand provide us with a snapshot of what the indigenous Māori were hunting, gathering and consuming and how long ago.
They are a treasure trove of information that can be read in a similar way to tree rings and ice core samples.
"The shell species the midden is composed of tell us about the past environment in the surrounding area; shell species like pipi live in sandy bays while mussels cling to rocky shores. If the shell species change over time, or differ from those found in the area today, we can ask questions about resource management, cultural change, or environmental change. Bivalves (shells with two halves) lay down layers of shell incrementally as they grow."
Clearly Māori had better "resource management" skills than the plundering invaders!
https://otagomuseum.nz/blog/midden-archaeological-treasure-trove/
It’s not only the Māori. It’s difficult for me to imagine ANYONE being worse managers of the living planet than the current version of humans. Maybe I’m just having a bad day?