Refining the definition of cultural levels at Karabi Tamchin: a quantitative approach to vertical intra-site spatial analysis

Mapping the past: GIS and intrasite spatial analyses of fossil deposits in paleontological sites and their applications in taxonomy, taphonomy and paleoecology

“…Their results indicate that this sorting pattern refers to transport conditions and that the size, shape, and density of bones are key factors during the transportation. The vertical and horizontal distribution of different types of bones are varying according to the physical properties of the bonebed, and thus, the variations in depositional processes are best demonstrated in three dimensions to establish the relative changes across the site (Anderson and Burke, 2008;Bamforth et al, 2005;Britt et al, 2009;Gallotti et al, 2011).…”

“…The importance of spatial technology in the interpretation of paleontological and archeological data has long been recognized and can be classified into three categories: data management, visualization, and spatial analysis (Harris and Lock, 1995;Goodchild et al, 1992;Breithaupt et al, 2004;Katsianis et al, 2008;McCoy and Ladefoged, 2009;Wheatley, 1995;Wheatley and Gillings, 2003;Anemone et al, 2011 and references there in). Also, several mapping techniques were developed characterizing the processes which influenced the formation of the excavated site (e.g., Jennings and Hasiotis 2006;Anderson and Burke, 2008; Benito-Calvo and de la Torre, 2011; Gallotti et al, 2011;de la Torre and Benito-Calvo, 2013;Bertog et al, 2014;Birkenfeld et al, 2015;Giusti and Arzarello, 2016 and reference there in). Archaeologists have already implemented quantitative methodologies in order to evaluate the measured data (e.g., Nigro et al, 2003;McPherron, 2005;McCoy and Ladefoged 2009;Anderson and Burke, 2008;Houshiar et al, 2015; Giusti and Arzarello, 2016 and references therein), but in paleontology these methods are infrequently applied, and researchers rather relied on the visual interpretation of bone distributions for the identification of spatial patterning within paleontological levels (Eberth et al, 2006).…”

“…Also, several mapping techniques were developed characterizing the processes which influenced the formation of the excavated site (e.g., Jennings and Hasiotis 2006;Anderson and Burke, 2008; Benito-Calvo and de la Torre, 2011; Gallotti et al, 2011;de la Torre and Benito-Calvo, 2013;Bertog et al, 2014;Birkenfeld et al, 2015;Giusti and Arzarello, 2016 and reference there in). Archaeologists have already implemented quantitative methodologies in order to evaluate the measured data (e.g., Nigro et al, 2003;McPherron, 2005;McCoy and Ladefoged 2009;Anderson and Burke, 2008;Houshiar et al, 2015; Giusti and Arzarello, 2016 and references therein), but in paleontology these methods are infrequently applied, and researchers rather relied on the visual interpretation of bone distributions for the identification of spatial patterning within paleontological levels (Eberth et al, 2006). This phenomenon probably can be explained because the paleontological sites usually represent a broader time interval, and the sedimentological, taphonomical, and taxonomical data are more incomplete and less reliable for the quantitative analyses (Oheim, 2007).…”

Evidence for Neandertal use of fire at Roc de Marsal (France)

“…It is often the case that such studies are done using a stratigraphic layer as the primary unit of analysis (e.g., Alperson-Afil et al, 2009;Anderson and Burke, 2008). However, geological units potentially incorporate numerous occupations during hundreds or even several thousands of years.…”

Spatial analysis of intra-site use at a Late Paleolithic site at Shuidonggou, Northwest China

“…Traditional analysis of the living floor focused on two-dimensional factors, evaluating social and individual activities through the relationships of cultural remains on the same living floor [12][13][14]. Recently, an increasing number of researchers have applied three-dimensional coordinates, placing the archaeological remains not only in the horizontal plane, but also vertical and three-dimensional space, redefining "living floor" and "discrete activity area", and discussing discrete occupational events in the same anthropogenic layer or paleosurface [15]. At the same time, post-depositional disturbance is also considered, so the site formation process and real-life time events can be accurately reconstructed [16].…”