When excavating a clam garden, archaeologists seek once living materials that can be radiocarbon dated, such as clam shells or barnacle scars. When a clam garden rock wall was originally built, and then afterwards when sediments accumulated on the nearly created clam garden terrace, shellfish or barnacles became trapped and died. Since these organisms contain carbon, they can be radiocarbon dated to determine the age of the clam garden.
Joanne McSporran
Joanne McSporran
Daryl Fedje trenching a clam garden wall to find shells for radiocarbon dating that were trapped in the building of the wall.
A clam shell that was trapped and died during the building of the wall (circled in red). Dating the time of death of this clam gives us a date on when the wall was built.
Dana Lepofsky
Dana Lepofsky
Scars from barnacles on rocks that were moved to make the wall are excellent ways to date wall building.
Scars from barnacles on rocks that were moved to make the wall are excellent ways to date wall building.
Nicole Smith
Dana Lepofsky excavating a clam garden wall to find material for radiocarbon dating.
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