Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Finding the Identifiable Species in Shagreen: multidisciplinary perspectives on marine shagreen and historical elasmobranch exploitation in Europe’s early modern period

Project description

Marine species’ historical exploitation for marine shagreen

Marine shagreen, a type of leather crafted from sharks, rays, and skates, gained popularity in northwestern Europe during the 17th to 19th centuries for its aesthetic appeal and resistance to water. Understanding the historical exploitation and trade of elasmobranchs (the subclass containing sharks, rays, and skates) is vital for establishing their ecological history. Currently, one-third of elasmobranch species are at risk of extinction, yet the absence of historical data hampers conservation efforts. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FINS project seeks to identify the elasmobranch species targeted for marine shagreen production in early modern Europe. Employing a multi-methodological approach that integrates biocodicology, historical research, ecological studies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative methodologies, the project aims to offer valuable insights into elasmobranch exploitation during this era.

Objective

Marine shagreen is a luxurious, storied leather material made from the skins of elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, skates). Admired for being visually striking, waterproof, and conveying a sense of worldliness, shagreen became coveted by the wealthy and elites of 17th-19th century northwestern Europe. Crafted from shark or ray skin, once turned into shagreen, more precise taxonomic identifications are not possible. Provided the multinational origins, the elasmobranch species targeted span the Atlantic Ocean to the Indo-Pacific. Finding the Identifiable Species in Shagreen (FINS) aims to use a multimethodological approach to analyse museum objects and unveil which species of elasmobranchs were targeted for marine shagreen production in Europes early modern period. Historical archival research will be undertaken to refine our knowledge of anticipated target species while non-destructive and minimally destructive methods will be employed to directly analyse shagreen objects for taxonomic identifications. Understanding the historical exploitation, trade, and demand for elasmobranch skins in this time period, which coincides with the rise of industrialised fishing efforts, is critical and a timely endeavour to establish the ecohistory of these keystone taxa. One third of all elasmobranch species are classified as being threatened with extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. A key challenge to ongoing elasmobranch conservation efforts is the lack of historical data and ecological baselines. Through a combination of biocodicology, historical analysis, ecological research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative approaches, we aim to provide valuable insights into the material culture, environmental history, and ecological dynamics related to elasmobranch exploitation during this period.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 214 934,40
Address
NORREGADE 10
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark

See on map

Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

No data

Partners (1)

My booklet 0 0