Floor formation processes and the interpretation of site activity areas: An ethnoarchaeological study of turf buildings at Thverá, northeast Iceland

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe importance of identifying activity areas on archaeological sites has focussed much ethnoarchaeological and geoarchaeological research on floor formation processes, especially the cultural practices and preservation conditions affecting the distributions of artefacts, organic residues, and elements. In order to broaden the understanding of site formation processes in northern regions, an ethnoarchaeological study integrating geoarchaeological methods was conducted at abandoned 19th-and early 20th-century turf buildings at the farm of Thverá, northeast Iceland. Micromorphological analysis of the floor deposits in different rooms, compared to the former resident's descriptions of how space had been used and how floors had been maintained, revealed that only a few activities resulted in the accumulation of residues that were diagnostic of how space had been used on a daily basis. Instead, floor layers were dominated by residues associated with maintenance events, such as the intentional spreading of ash, and the laying of fresh turf.

No time to waste. Evidence for communal waste management among hunter-gatherer-fishers at Riņņukalns, Latvia (5400-3200 BC).

“…Clearly, these coprolite deposits show an internal microlayering, consisting of a massive lower matrix, with horizontally embedded bone fragments, and a more aggregate upper part. This is consistent with micromorphological observations of other kinds of byre and stabling floor deposits (Milek, 2012;Égüez et al, 2018). Furthermore, these individual microlayers are on many occasions sealed by lenses and thicker microlayers (mF7) of charred organic matter, sometimes containing moss, bark or leaves, indicative of in situ burning events after deposition of the excrements.…”

“…(Égüez et al, 2018) for dung deposits found in pastoral campsites. A comparable situation is described by Milek (Milek, 2012), who describes the process of 'periodic wetting' in floor deposits of byrehouses, and the associated compact massive microstructure and redistribution of elements. Massive phosphatic matrices are also found in cesspits (Macphail and Goldberg, 2018, 266-267), but it is unclear whether these also include the microlayers observed at Riņņukalns.…”

No time to waste. Evidence for communal waste management among hunter-gatherer-fishers at Riņņukalns, Latvia (5400-3200 BC).

“…Clearly, these coprolite deposits show an internal microlayering, consisting of a massive lower matrix, with horizontally embedded bone fragments, and a more aggregate upper part. This is consistent with micromorphological observations of other kinds of byre and stabling floor deposits (Milek, 2012;Égüez et al, 2018). Furthermore, these individual microlayers are on many occasions sealed by lenses and thicker microlayers (mF7) of charred organic matter, sometimes containing moss, bark or leaves, indicative of in situ burning events after deposition of the excrements.…”

“…(Égüez et al, 2018) for dung deposits found in pastoral campsites. A comparable situation is described by Milek (Milek, 2012), who describes the process of 'periodic wetting' in floor deposits of byrehouses, and the associated compact massive microstructure and redistribution of elements. Massive phosphatic matrices are also found in cesspits (Macphail and Goldberg, 2018, 266-267), but it is unclear whether these also include the microlayers observed at Riņņukalns.…”

Geo-ethnoarchaeology in action

“…Similar to Goldberg and Whitbread (1993) and Milek (2012), Friesem et al (2014b), observed much better preservation of diagnostic activity residues associated with rich organic matter. In addition, houses in which the roof collapsed rapidly after abandonment or due to conflagration events caused the fast burial of residues deposited on the floor surface and thus enabled better preservation.…”

Site formation processes of outdoor spaces in tropical environments: A micro-geoarchaeological case study from backyard Lo Gach, southern Vietnam

“…2, Fig 8a -8b) is consistent with midden waste dumps and spreads (Albert et al 2008: 73;Shahack-Gross et al 2009: 175;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018) rather than an isolated feature such as a storage pit (Balbo et al 2015;Kadowaki et al 2015). There is an absence of dung indicators, such as faecal spherulites, amorphous organic matter or ingested, finely comminuted plant remains (Shahack-Gross 2011;Milek 2012;Shahack-Gross 2017;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018). Microfacies D is therefore interpreted as the remains of rice processing waste.…”

No time to waste. Evidence for communal waste management among hunter-gatherer-fishers at Riņņukalns, Latvia (5400-3200 BC).

“…Clearly, these coprolite deposits show an internal microlayering, consisting of a massive lower matrix, with horizontally embedded bone fragments, and a more aggregate upper part. This is consistent with micromorphological observations of other kinds of byre and stabling floor deposits (Milek, 2012;Égüez et al, 2018). Furthermore, these individual microlayers are on many occasions sealed by lenses and thicker microlayers (mF7) of charred organic matter, sometimes containing moss, bark or leaves, indicative of in situ burning events after deposition of the excrements.…”

“…(Égüez et al, 2018) for dung deposits found in pastoral campsites. A comparable situation is described by Milek (Milek, 2012), who describes the process of 'periodic wetting' in floor deposits of byrehouses, and the associated compact massive microstructure and redistribution of elements. Massive phosphatic matrices are also found in cesspits (Macphail and Goldberg, 2018, 266-267), but it is unclear whether these also include the microlayers observed at Riņņukalns.…”

Geo-ethnoarchaeology in action

“…Similar to Goldberg and Whitbread (1993) and Milek (2012), Friesem et al (2014b), observed much better preservation of diagnostic activity residues associated with rich organic matter. In addition, houses in which the roof collapsed rapidly after abandonment or due to conflagration events caused the fast burial of residues deposited on the floor surface and thus enabled better preservation.…”

Site formation processes of outdoor spaces in tropical environments: A micro-geoarchaeological case study from backyard Lo Gach, southern Vietnam

“…2, Fig 8a -8b) is consistent with midden waste dumps and spreads (Albert et al 2008: 73;Shahack-Gross et al 2009: 175;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018) rather than an isolated feature such as a storage pit (Balbo et al 2015;Kadowaki et al 2015). There is an absence of dung indicators, such as faecal spherulites, amorphous organic matter or ingested, finely comminuted plant remains (Shahack-Gross 2011;Milek 2012;Shahack-Gross 2017;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018). Microfacies D is therefore interpreted as the remains of rice processing waste.…”

No time to waste. Evidence for communal waste management among hunter-gatherer-fishers at Riņņukalns, Latvia (5400-3200 BC).

“…Clearly, these coprolite deposits show an internal microlayering, consisting of a massive lower matrix, with horizontally embedded bone fragments, and a more aggregate upper part. This is consistent with micromorphological observations of other kinds of byre and stabling floor deposits (Milek, 2012;Égüez et al, 2018). Furthermore, these individual microlayers are on many occasions sealed by lenses and thicker microlayers (mF7) of charred organic matter, sometimes containing moss, bark or leaves, indicative of in situ burning events after deposition of the excrements.…”

“…(Égüez et al, 2018) for dung deposits found in pastoral campsites. A comparable situation is described by Milek (Milek, 2012), who describes the process of 'periodic wetting' in floor deposits of byrehouses, and the associated compact massive microstructure and redistribution of elements. Massive phosphatic matrices are also found in cesspits (Macphail and Goldberg, 2018, 266-267), but it is unclear whether these also include the microlayers observed at Riņņukalns.…”

Geo-ethnoarchaeology in action

“…Similar to Goldberg and Whitbread (1993) and Milek (2012), Friesem et al (2014b), observed much better preservation of diagnostic activity residues associated with rich organic matter. In addition, houses in which the roof collapsed rapidly after abandonment or due to conflagration events caused the fast burial of residues deposited on the floor surface and thus enabled better preservation.…”

Site formation processes of outdoor spaces in tropical environments: A micro-geoarchaeological case study from backyard Lo Gach, southern Vietnam

“…2, Fig 8a -8b) is consistent with midden waste dumps and spreads (Albert et al 2008: 73;Shahack-Gross et al 2009: 175;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018) rather than an isolated feature such as a storage pit (Balbo et al 2015;Kadowaki et al 2015). There is an absence of dung indicators, such as faecal spherulites, amorphous organic matter or ingested, finely comminuted plant remains (Shahack-Gross 2011;Milek 2012;Shahack-Gross 2017;Karkanas and Goldberg 2018). Microfacies D is therefore interpreted as the remains of rice processing waste.…”