Microstratigraphic traces of site formation processes and human activities

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show how micromorphology is able to furnish information with the degree of precision necessary for analysing site formation processes and traces of activities in a variety of settings. Use of large resin-impregnated thin sections allows contextual analysis of taphonomy and depositional relationships between sediments and artefact and bioarchaeological remains. We illustrate this by reference to results from a three-year NERC project which examined depositional sequences in core domestic and ritual contexts in three early urban sites in the Near East in different sociocultural and environmental contexts. We discuss how micromorphology is able to trace different pre-depositional, depositional and post-depositional histories of components, before considering its contribution to detecting spatial and temporal variation in uses of space; enabling identification of single depositional episodes within secondary contexts. Together these capacities are providing richly networked data on human activities and behaviour.

Preliminary ethnoarchaeological research on modern animal husbandry in Bestansur, Iraqi Kurdistan: Integrating animal, plant and environmental data

“…Studying the formation histories of the dung deposits and their archaeological identification and significance Macphail and Goldberg (1985), Canti (1998), Canti (1999 Charles (1998), Charles et al (1998), Forbes (1998), Jones (1998), Valamoti (2013) Secondary product use -dung as building material and source of fuel Watson (1979), Kramer (1982), Miller and Smart (1984), Miller (1996), Matthews et al (1997), Anderson and Ertug-Yaras (1998), Reddy (1999), Sillar (1999), Matthews (2008) results, and there is much scepticism over analytical performance (Frahm 2013;Frahm and Doonan 2013). Inter-instrument performance of pXRF equipment has proved that between different instruments statistically identical results are not produced (Goodale et al 2012).…”

Occupation surfaces sealed by the Avellino eruption of Vesuvius at the Early Bronze Age village of Afragola in southern Italy: A micromorphological analysis

“…In contrast, the occupation surface in the corners (132 and 133) of the hut portrays a granular surface with charcoal inclusions and a more mixed accumulation. The differences in the microstratigraphy and the type of inclusions in these samples can be attributed to the location of these samples in the corners of the hut, as microdebris tends to accumulate in corners more than in open areas due to simple foot traffic or because of sweeping (Matthews et al, 1997;Goldberg et al, 2009). Sample 133 taken immediately at the entrance to the hut is the most compacted, and probably reflects its location in a main passage area.…”

“…A wide range of studies have focused on the identification of the use of space on the basis of artifacts, chemical residues, domestic architecture, plant and animal remains, and mineralogical and geological analyses (Schiffer, 1972;Manzanilla & Barba, 1990;Rapoport, 1990;Goldberg & Whitbread, 1993;Pearson & Richards, 1994;Matthews et al, 1997;Sullivan & Kealhofer, 2004;Tsartsidou et al, 2008). Ethnoarchaeological studies have also contributed to the body of knowledge on sedimentary accumulation in different rooms and areas of human settlements ( Horne, 1994;David & Kramer, 2001).…”

“…This technique is unique in its ability to identify human living floors, occupational deposits, and other past human activities (Gé et al, 1993;Goldberg & Whitbread, 1993;Matthews et al, 1997;Holliday, 2004;. Macphail (Macphail et al, 1997;Macphail & Crowther, 2004), for example, has produced detailed guidelines for detecting floor deposits and occupation surfaces in micromorphological thin sections.…”

Geoarchaeology of La Tène Sunken Houses at Syrovice, Czech Republic: Importance for Understanding Living Strategies

“…Micromorphology in archaeological contexts has become a commonly used method to detail the processes of site development (goldberg, Macphail 2006;French 2003). The identification of floor layers has been successfully used in different archaeological periods and regions, such the neolithic (Karkanas, efstratiou 2009;Boivin 2000), early Iron age (Jarošová et al 2010), urban sites in the near east (Matthews et al 1997) and the Medieval period (Milek 1997;Kuna et al 2011;lisá et al 2008).…”