Going underground: experimental carbonization of fruiting structures under hearths

Sievers, Christine; Wadley, Lyn

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2008.06.008

Cited by 61 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(58 reference statements)

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“…(Smoldering goat dung and organic matter can be observed in many parts of the Middle East, including Hayonim, where tick removal is one of the important objectives; P. Goldberg 1992, personal observation.) The micromorphological evidence supports ideas put forth by Sievers and Wadley (2008) and Sievers (2006) who believe that a high percentage of charred sedge seeds found in the Sibudu sediments provides indirect evidence for the presence of sedge bedding.…”

Section: A Genetic Interpretation Of Microfacies Types At Sibudusupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The lowermost sections of these layers appear to not have been significantly influenced by the overlying burning event (cf. Sievers and Wadley 2008). Together, this evidence shows that not only were the occupants of Sibudu bringing grass or reeds into the cave-likely for the construction of bedding-but they were periodically burning them, possibly as a means to remove pests or insects that had colonized the beds.…”

Section: A Genetic Interpretation Of Microfacies Types At Sibudumentioning

confidence: 86%

“…The fibrous plant material usually forms layers of finely laminated material, not always charred but probably humified or reddened [cf. (Sievers and Wadley 2008)]. The long fibers, particularly the charred ones, are commonly found interfingered with or as isolated stringers within layers of phytoliths.…”

Section: 1±29 Ka (P)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Sievers and Wadley (2008) have suggested that, in Sibudu, the high frequencies of sedge nutlets (Schoenoplectus cf. brachyceras) in the laminated deposits, particularly the ∼50-ka layers OMOD and MOD, are the result of humans bringing in local sedges for bedding or matting, noting that sedge is commonly used for woven mats today (Van Wyk and Gericke 2000).…”

Section: Concluding Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bedding, hearths, and site maintenance in the Middle Stone Age of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Goldberg

Miller

Schiegl

et al. 2009

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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277

201

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Micromorphological analysis of sediments from the Middle Stone Age site of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, provides a high-resolution sequence and evidence of site formation processes of predominantly anthropogenic deposits. This methodology allows for a detailed interpretation of individual anthropogenic activities, including the construction of hearths and bedding and the maintenance of occupational surfaces through the sweep out of hearths and the repeated burning of bedding. This analysis also provides a context for evaluating other studies at the site relating to magnetic susceptibility, paleobotany, paleozoology, anthracology, and studies of ochre.

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Section: A Genetic Interpretation Of Microfacies Types At Sibudusupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: A Genetic Interpretation Of Microfacies Types At Sibudumentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: 1±29 Ka (P)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Concluding Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bedding, hearths, and site maintenance in the Middle Stone Age of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Goldberg

Miller

Schiegl

et al. 2009

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

Self Cite

277

201

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“…It has a sequence of archaeological layers from the Middle Stone Age, dated by single-grain optically stimulated luminescence to approximately 77-38 ka. [2][3][4][5][6] Some of the evidence for the behaviour of the anatomically modern people who visited and lived at Sibudu includes stone tools, ochre, bone, perforated seashells and hearths [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] , as well as evidence for the making and use of compound adhesives 16 , and circumstantial evidence for snares 17 and bows and arrows 18 . There is evidence of the use of plant resources from pollen, phytoliths, seeds, nutlets, stems, charcoal and leaves excavated at Sibudu.…”

Section: Sibudumentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of wood anatomy to identify poisonous plants: Charcoal of Spirostachys africana

Lennox¹,

Bamford²

2015

S. Afr. J. Sci.

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Spirostachys africana Sond. (tamboti/tambotie) is a woodland tree that is often found near water. It has a poisonous and purgative latex. The archaeological site of Sibudu, a rock shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, has evidence, from well-preserved charcoal and seeds, of past environments and wood use from approximately 77-38 thousand years ago (ka). As their uses and environmental indicators are different, it is critical to confidently distinguish among the three anatomically similar woods of the Euphorbiaceae: Spirostachys africana, Sclerocroton integerrimus and Shirakiopsis elliptica. A detailed anatomical study of reference and archaeological charcoal shows that xylem vessel width increases proportionally as vessel frequency decreases, from Spirostachys africana, Sclerocroton integerrimus to Shirakiopsis elliptica. Crystals of calcium oxalate are present in ray cells of Spirostachys africana, whereas silica bodies are present in ray cells of Sclerocroton integerrimus and Shirakiopsis elliptica. Using these features, the presence of Spirostachys africana was confirmed amongst hearth charcoal of the Spotty Camel layer, with an age of approximately 58 ka and of the Mottled Deposit occupational layer, with an age of approximately 49 ka. The presence of this charcoal, collected from ancient fireplaces or sieved from surrounding sediments, implies that people at Sibudu understood and used this poisonous tree to their advantage. We are encouraged in this view by the presence of many Cryptocarya woodii leaves found on the surface of 77-ka sedge bedding at Sibudu (Wadley L et al., Science. 2011;334:1388-1391. Cryptocarya woodii has insecticidal and larvacidal properties and members of the Laurel family are well known for their medicinal properties.

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Mallol

Mentzer

Miller

2017

Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology

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Going underground: experimental carbonization of fruiting structures under hearths

Cited by 61 publications

References 33 publications

Bedding, hearths, and site maintenance in the Middle Stone Age of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Bedding, hearths, and site maintenance in the Middle Stone Age of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Use of wood anatomy to identify poisonous plants: Charcoal of Spirostachys africana

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