Shucking the ager Tarraconensis: An archaeomalacological study of a late roman oyster dump at Mas dels Frares (Constantí, Catalonia)

• First archaeomalacological evidence of oyster consumption in a rural Late Antique villa. • Securely contextualised Ostrea edulis deposit dated by AMS radiocarbon analysis. • Episodic oyster consumption documented outside elite urban contexts. • Evidence for near-coastal exploitation of marine resources in the ager Tarraconensis. The exploitation and consumption of oysters in the Roman world are commonly associated with urban and elite contexts, while evidence from rural settlements remains comparatively limited, particularly for Late Antiquity. This paper presents an archaeomalacological study of a discrete oyster shell deposit recovered from the Roman villa of Mas dels Frares (Constantí, Tarragona), located within the peri -coastal ager Tarraconensis . The assemblage comprises 104 shell remains (NR), corresponding to a minimum of 53 individuals (MNI), all identified as Ostrea edulis . The shells were recovered from two superimposed stratigraphic units interpreted as internal stratification within a single refuse deposit. An integrated analytical approach combining taxonomic identification, taphonomic analysis, biometric measurements and radiocarbon dating allows the deposit to be characterised in terms of formation processes, chronological framework and the scale of the associated consumption and discard event. Taphonomic evidence indicates rapid burial following disposal in a stable terrestrial context, while biometric data document moderate size variability among adult individuals, without indications of deliberate size selection or standardised harvesting practices. Radiocarbon results place the deposit between the mid-6th and the early 7th centuries AD, consistent with the final occupation phases of the villa. Rather than overturning established interpretations of oyster consumption as a marker of elite behaviour, the Mas dels Frares assemblage offers a well-contextualised counterpoint that highlights the potential for occasional oyster consumption in peri -coastal rural villa environments during Late Antiquity. In doing so, the study underscores how small but securely contextualised archaeomalacological assemblages can provide meaningful insights into patterns of consumption and access to marine resources in Late Antique rural environments.