The traditional view on the use and utilization of coastal resources during the Paleolithic, especially those inhabiting the intertidal (molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms), considers that these are resources of little importance for hunter-gatherers societies, in which the collection for food would have been carried out in a seasonal and unorganized manner. In recent years, however, a number of papers have been published that point to a greater relevance of these resources in the subsistence strategies, and the technological and social organization of these societies. Some of these works have allowed the formulation of new interpretive models and hypotheses that give greater importance to coastal resources for Palaeolithic human societies.

Contrary to the traditional view, recent investigations have taken into account that the role of intertidal resources should not only be assessed in relation to their nutritional potential, but in a broader context, since their use is not exclusively dietary, but also technological and ornamental.

However, in spite of the publication of some works, referring to specific contexts, no comprehensive study of intertidal resource management strategies during these periods has been conducted until now using the new approach and novel methodologies.

Therefore, the starting hypothesis of this project argues that, contrary to what the traditional view proposes, intertidal resources played an important role in the subsistence strategies and the technological and social organization of the hunter-gatherer groups of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in the Cantabrian region.

The specific objectives of the project are:

1) Evaluating the characteristics of the exploitation of shells as food over time from the biometry of the shells. We aim to test the hypothesis previously proposed in the scientific literature that shell collection during these periods was performed with limited intensity and organization.

2) Determining the seasonal patterns (annual or seasonal collection) of shell collection through time from the analysis of oxygen isotopes in shell carbonates. We aim to test the previous hypothesis that the collection of molluscs was seasonal.

3) Establishing the role of shells within the technological framework of human societies of Middle and Upper Paleolithic. We aim to determine the role played by shells from other points of view other than food (in this case, their use as a tool), with the intention of assessing the global contribution of these resources to the subsistence strategies of human groups.

4) Establishing the social meaning of the use of ornaments made from shells and other materials. We aim to reconstruct the social dynamics of human groups and the evolution of social behaviors throughout the study period. Finally, the information obtained will be used to verify or refute the starting hypothesis about the importance of these resources and their evolution over time.