Neolithic Shell Blades in Korean West Coast

This study aimed to reveal the raw material, production methods, and typological classifications of the shell blades from the Neolithic shell midden sites, such as Eurwang-dong in Incheon, Daejuk-ri I and II in Seosan, Gonam-ri in Anmyeon-do, and Norae Island in Gunsan in Korean West Coast. The shell blades analyzed in this study were made of hard clams(Meretrix petechialis) collected for food. Although the studied shell blades generally do not show a preference for specific sizes, larger shells appear to have been intentionally selected to make the shell blades from the Norae Island shell midden. The shell blades seem to have been produced in three stages: rubbing the ventral edge of a shell, flaking the outer shell layer of the ventral edge (the 1st flaking), and flaking the inner shell layer revealed by the first flaking process (the 2nd flaking). The blades are classified into type I and type II by their production method during the 2nd flaking stage. The outer shell layers of type I blades were flaked from the concave side toward the convex side, while those of type II blades were flaked in both directions. The blades are further classified into types A(front), B(posterior), C(center), D(across the entire area), and E(other) by the position of the secondary ventral edge flaking of the inner layer. 34.72% of the studied blades are classified as type ID, 29.17% as IB, 12.50% as IID, 11.11% as IC, 5.56% as IA, 4.17% as IE, and 2.78% as IIB. Therefore, type ID blades, which were flaked from the inside to the outside across the entire ventral area, seem to have been the most popular. Judging by the fact that the blades made of same shell species and manufacturing process were popular in the West Coast region during the Neolithic Period, it can be assumed that the blades were widely used and played a somewhat important role in this region at the time.