Deccan College to host three-day webinar on ‘Molluscs and Ancient Human Societies’

The webinar titled ‘Molluscs and Ancient Human Societies’ and the meeting of the Archaeomalacology Working Group (AMWG) will be held during September 28 – 30.

Molluscs were commonly used as a dietary source at many ancient settlements, including thr Indus Valley Civilization. Their shells were also used to make a wide range of objects and ornaments.

As these shells are abundantly found at many archaeological sites, archaeologists made extensive use as potential tools for studying paleo-subsistence, paleo-economy, socio religious significance, paleoclimate and environment.

The AMWG, a sub-branch of the International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ), comprises many international scholars as members specializing in the study of ancient molluscs.

The meeting, that was originally scheduled in Pune last year, had to be held online this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Experts from the US, UK, Israel, France, Spain, Serbia, Iran, China, Thailand, Italy along with scholars from India will participate in this meet.

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Some of the topics under discussion will be molluscs as dietary use, shells as exchange items, shell middens, paleo-environmental studies, shell working, rituals, literature and more from sites located between Alaska to Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Two special lectures will be delivered by J Mark Kenoyer of University of Wisconsin, USA and Daniella E Bar-Yosef Mayer on role of shells in the Indus Valley civilizations and she’ll beds from ancient times.