Why are middens important? Freshwater shell middens provide valuable information about past Aboriginal economy and land use. They are one of the few sources of information about Aboriginal use of lakes, rivers and swamps. Although mussel shells are fragile, they often survive longer than animal bones and plant remains.

Why are middens so important?

Archaeologically, middens preserve a record of thousands of years of coastal occupation. ... In shell middens, bone artifacts and food remains are preserved, as well as ceramics. These materials, when combined with the shell and botanical remains, provide information about diet, technology, and seasons of site occupation.

What are middens and how are they beneficial to archaeologists?

A midden can allow the archaeologist to reconstruct past human behaviors, things such as relative status and wealth and subsistence behaviors.