The Classroom of Europe: New teaching material on The Role of Shells in the Daily Life of Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers

ArCHe is pleased to announce that a new teaching resource has been added to The Classroom of Europe. The material, authored by DC Anass Butsch (CNRS), deals with The Role of Shells in the Daily Life of Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers. It introduces pupils aged 10–12 to the importance of shellfish in Mesolithic coastal communities. Through accessible explanations, archaeological examples, and a hands-on shell-gathering activity, learners can explore how people lived along the Atlantic coast thousands of years ago.

DC Anass Butsch is standing in the far background while teaching a class of kids seen in the foreground with their backs to the camera.

Anass Butch teaching in the school classroom. Photo: Catherine Dupont.

The teaching material is now available online and can be used both in the classroom and outdoors. It offers background information, species identification, and guidance for safe exploration of local shores—helping students connect past coastal lifeways with their own surroundings.

You can read more and download the full material here: The Role of Shells in the Daily Life of Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers

This resource is part of the growing collection of open-access teaching materials developed by ArCHe’s doctoral candidates. More material will be published throughout the project.

Kids and a few adults are collecting sheelfish at a rocky seashore. The shore can be seen in the foreground while the ocean is in the background. — Children collecting shellfish at seashore. Photo: Catherine Dupont

Published Sep. 4, 2026 11:21 AM - Last modified Sep. 4, 2026 11:21 AM