Where the Pavement Ends: An Assessment of the Near Absence of Haliotis rufescens in the Archaeological Record on Alta California's North Coast

Abstract

Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) is a common constituent in coastal middens south of San Francisco Bay and was such an important part of the diet there that red abalone middens or pavements are the most common site type in some areas at various periods in prehistory. The record north of San Francisco Bay stands in stark contrast—abalone are all but absent even in rich shell midden deposits. We explore four possible explanations for the lack of red abalone in the record, such as return rate discrepancies, competition with sea otters (Enhydra lutris), a lack of boat-based foraging, and the draw of terrestrial resources. We conclude that a combination of factors limited the appeal of red abalone for north coast foragers, including the inadequacy of boats as a platform for diving, competition with sea otters and, most importantly, enhanced terrestrial returns—including anadromous fish runs on coastal rivers—in northern California compared to southern California.