Shell geochemistry and environmental instability along the Georgia Coast during the Late Archaic Period (5000 - 3800 BP)

This dataset includes stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) data collected from eastern oysters (n=19) (Crassostrea virginica) and hard clams (n=59) (Mercenaria spp.) from the Late Archaic (ca. 50000-3500 cal. BP) Sapelo Shell Rings on Sapelo Island, Georgia. A total of 1064 isotope samples were collected and analyzed from these shells. The data are part of a larger project reconstructing paleo-climate and Native American adaption and resilience in the context of climate instability along the South Atlantic coast of North America during the Late Archaic Period. Shell isotope samples were collected by multiple researchers over the last decade. Carey Garland added to and cleaned the data between June 2020 and December 2021. The dataset was structured to include site name, location, and provenience (e.g., unit, level, etc.) associated with each shell analyzed, as well as all raw isotope data. The original database contains sensitive information, such as the specific location of archaeological sites. If a professional archaeologist needs site location information, they can contact the Georgia Archaeological Site File.