18,000-year-old conch shell is played by modern musician for the first time.

Further investigation of shell found in the 1930s leads to new conclusion about shell’s ancient function.

By Anne Kuckertz

 

When an 18,000-year-old conch shell was originally discovered in 1931 by archeologists H. Bégouën and J. T. Russell In France, they did not think much of it. Ninety years later, a team of researchers lead by archeologist Carole Fritz at the French National Center for scientific research used modern imaging techniques to determine that the conch was actually a musical instrument. Fritz and her team published their findings on February 10, 2021 in the peer reviewed scientific journal Science Advances.

 

Bégouën and Russell found the shell in the Marsoulas cave, a site well known for its ancient cave art, in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. The conch shell was unearthed amongst bone fragments, an overused shell, and various tools. The apex of the shell was broken off, but researchers back then hypothesized that the apex had been damaged naturally. They concluded that the shell was a loving cup used by the ancient Magdalenian people for ceremonial reasons.

 

Fritz and her colleagues had an inkling that there was more to the story. With updated knowledge that the apex of the shell is the hardest part and almost impossible to break naturally they deduced that it was most likely done on purpose. To find out more they used computed tomography (CT) (a series of x-rays spliced together to create a detailed 3D image of the inside of objects) to visualize the interior of the shell. They discovered holes that they believe were most likely made by the Magdalenian people. The researchers hypothesized that the holes were probably created to allow room for a mouthpiece to be inserted through the shell. They think that a mouthpiece would have allowed easier and clearer playing.

 

The team enlisted the help of a musicologist to hear a piece of the past. The musician buzzed his lips against the opening in the apex to play the shell in a manner similar to modern trombonists. When asked about hearing the shell being played for the first time in recent history Fritz said that it was a “big emotion and [a] big stress because it was [the] original shell.” The musicologist informed researchers that, without a mouthpiece, the shell was difficult to play. Since they were testing the real artifact the team decided to have him stop after three notes. The researchers determined that the notes were closest to the modern-day C, C sharp, and D.

 

To try and hear more, the research team created a 3d printed model so that they could further experiment without fear of damaging the original shell. They constructed a tube-like mouthpiece that they believed was like what the Magdalenian people could have used. They feel that further experimentation with mouthpieces could provide more insight in to how the conch shell sounded 18,000 years ago.

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Eagerness, inclusivity, teamwork, and organization make a good principal, studies show.

Researchers describe the effect good principals have on their schools.

By Anne Kuckertz

 

Education and public policy researcher, at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, Jason Grissom and his coworkers recently combed through over 200 education studies. They discovered what makes a principal succeed and why it is important that schools have strong and diverse leadership. Grissom says that “having high quality leaders in every school is really important because the magnitude of the impact they have on student outcomes is pretty large.”   

 

The Wallace Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to fostering equitable education, commissioned the review and released it in February 2021. The review uses data gathered from 219 studies conducted in the past 20 years to identify four overarching behaviors that make a principal successful. The first is actively engaging in teacher development by giving feedback on instructional skill. The second is fostering an inclusive environment so that all students can focus on learning. The third is emphasizing teamwork amongst teachers. And the fourth is allocating resources such as time, money, and personnel effectively.

 

An example Grissom gives of effective resource management is ensuring that staff have time during the school day to meet. By being intentional about scheduling lunch or recess, a principal ensures that they can meet with their staff. According to Grissom, this time is especially useful if a principal trains teachers to follow a protocol during these meetings. That way, teachers can have a targeted discussion and make the most of their time.

 

In the review, Grissom and his team also emphasize the effect that principals have on both student and teacher outcomes. Schools where principals exhibit the four key successful behaviors often have stronger academic performance and reduced absences and suspensions/expulsions, according to the review. These schools also tend to have lowered teacher turnover and better working conditions.

 

The review also found that racial or ethnic minority students were more likely to have higher standardized test scores and rates of attendance if their principal belonged to the same minority group as them. According to the review, principal diversity affects teacher outcomes in a similar manner (minority teachers have more positive outcomes if their principal is from the same racial and/or ethnic background). Grissom wishes to further his research by focusing on how principalships can be diversified. He plans to study factors such as gender, ethnicity, and race.

 

The conclusions drawn in this review are already informing how principal training programs are being designed. David Boren, the director of the Educational Leadership program at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah, will be using the recommendations provided in the review to guide how he runs his principal training program. Boren commented on the reliability of the review’s findings saying, “we're making decisions about courses, scope and sequence” and ““it sure is nice when I have confidence in the results that I'm using.”