Long-distance trade and consumption of mollusks in the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods in the Negev Desert

•A large number of edible shellfish were uncovered at Byzantine sites in the Negev Desert, Israel.•The shellfish originated from three distinct habitats: Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Nile River.•Taphonomic analysis revealed that some of the shellfish had been collected live and others as empty shells gathered on the shore.•Shellfish remains contribute to the evaluation of practices of transportation and long-distance trade in edible aquatic products.