Experimental lithic tool displacement due to long-term animal disturbance

Abstract

Controlled experiments in lithic technology tend to focus on controlling the human component of lithic tool manufacturing and use; however, animal disturbance can move and alter artifacts in non-random ways, thus altering the behavioral meaning assigned to artifacts and their contexts. The patterning visible in archeological debris on a horizontal plane can provide evidence for activity zones, pathways, and site formation processes. While the effects of trampling actors on the vertical displacement of artifacts have shown that artifacts can be dramatically displaced, the horizontal movement due to trampling is relatively less studied, particularly the effect over extended time periods. Here, an experimental investigation of experimentally produced lithic tools in three contexts with varying degrees of animal trampling intensity is described, and the resulting patterns of artifact displacement are presented. Animal trampling can produce directed, non-random patterning in how artifacts are moved from their original location. The role that bedding slope plays in transport direction given different degrees of activity is also explored. These results show that trampling can produce patterned artifact scatters similar to activity centers and should be taken into consideration for spatial analyses of archeological formation processes.

The role of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) on landscape dynamics and lithic taphonomy in La Pastosa Islet, North Patagonia, Argentina

“…The distance traveled depends on both the size of the acting agent and artifacts. It is possible that the agent's range of action involves only changes in the position and orientation of the major axis without displacement (Schoville, 2019). Penguins are one of the largest and most numerous of the burrow-nesting colonial seabirds (Butler, 1995).…”

Experimental Development of Transport Percussion Marks on Obsidian Clasts, Pilauco Site, Chilean Northwestern Patagonia

“…In archaeology, experimentation has been used in many types of disciplines, from replication of use wear, zooarchaeology, taphonomy, pottery, to butchering experimentation [36][37][38][39][40]. In the field of transport experimentation, the contributions are very few, and rather refer to experiments in nature [41] or to the production of micro-traces by animal trampling, for example [42].…”

Is a spatial investigation possible without long-distance refit/conjoin? Application to the MIS 11 lithic assemblage of levels E and J from La Cansaladeta site (Tarragona, Spain)

“…Vertical displacement can be the result of different cases. In terms of horizontal movement, the lithic elements can be explained by human and animal activities (Schoville 2019). Especially, the effect of the carnivores plays a very significant role in the hearthrelated areas.…”

“…66-67;Schiffer 1972;Wilson 1994). Animal trampling is also one of the other examples of unintentional activity (Schoville 2019).…”