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WHALE BONES AND SHELL PURPLE‐DYE AT MOTYA (WESTERN SICILY, ITALY)
Author(s) -
REESE DAVID S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0092.2005.00227.x
Subject(s) - sperm whale , whale , archaeology , whaling , mediterranean climate , geography , assemblage (archaeology) , fishery , biology , biochemistry , myoglobin
Summary. Excavations 30 years ago at sixth–fifth century BC Motya in western Sicily produced a unique assemblage of four Sperm whale vertebrae, crushed purple‐dye shells, and stone tools. The whale vertebrae were the platforms for breaking the shells. Here I discuss recent sightings of Sperm whales in the Mediterranean, the archaeological evidence for whaling in the Mediterranean, and possible whale products available, as well as Italian shell purple‐dye evidence.