Trampling versus cut marks on chemically altered surfaces: an experimental approach and archaeological application at the Barranc de la Boella site (la Canonja, Tarragona, Spain)

Pineda, Antonio; Saladié, Palmira; Vergès, Josep María; Huguet, Rosa; Cáceres, Isabel; Vallverdú, Josep

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2014.06.018

Cited by 66 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Biostratinomy and fossildiagenesis are two fundamental components of the taphonomic timeline that separate the original carcass from what we are able to study today (Fernández‐López, 1991, 2000). The complex relationship between these two phases are not always clear (Fernández‐López & Fernández‐Jalvo, 2002), nevertheless the amount of information produced by both are of considerable importance considering their contribution to the gradual increase of overlapping traces (Blasco & Rosell, 2009; Pineda et al ., 2014; Gümrükçu & Pante, 2018). Here, an in‐depth analysis of trampling mark formation and morphology has been able to confirm the presence of two different types of naturally produced trampling marks.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…To provide an example, in some cases, marks have been seen to present more striae than in others (Behrensmeyer et al ., 1986; Olsen & Shipman, 1988), although other inconsistencies have also been noted and debated (Domínguez‐Rodrigo et al ., 2009). Although the situation improved through the combination of criteria using multivariate statistical approaches (Domínguez‐Rodrigo et al ., 2009), and has provided interesting data for cut mark studies (Pineda et al ., 2014; Moclán et al ., 2018; Pineda et al ., 2019), the subjective nature of most variables is still an issue under question (Domínguez‐Rodrigo et al ., 2017; Val et al ., 2017; Merritt et al ., 2018; Domínguez‐Rodrigo et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although this is usually true, a great deal of biostratinomic and diagenetic processes can condition this. Bioturbation is frequently responsible for mixing archaeological and geological levels, producing additional trampling on bones (Armourt‐Cheli & Andrews, 1990), although fluvial and chemical alterations to bone surfaces often erase or alter many of these features (Pineda et al ., 2014; Gümrükçu & Pante, 2018; Pineda et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…C O U R T E N A Y ET AL . (Pineda et al, 2014;Moclán et al, 2018;Pineda et al, 2019), the subjective nature of most variables is still an issue under question Val et al, 2017;Merritt et al, 2018;Domínguez-Rodrigo et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scratches and grazes: a detailed microscopic analysis of trampling phenomena

Courtenay

Huguet

Yravedra

2020

Journal of Microscopy

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Summary Sedimentary abrasion and postdepositional damage to fossil remains are of great interest if considering the possible distortion they could produce in the archaeological and paleontological record. Since their discovery, natural agents such as trampling phenomena have been a topic of great taphonomic interest. Nevertheless, the majority of investigation into these traces has focused almost exclusively on their differentiation from other anthropic agents such as cut marks. In recent years, advances into bone surface modification analysis via geometric morphometrics have proven useful for in‐depth characterization of different taphonomic traces; including cut, tooth and percussion marks. Through this, a preliminary study of trampling marks using advanced 3D digital microscopy was able to detect differences between what have since been known as scratch and graze marks. The present study expands from this, developing a more detailed analysis of these traces. Here, we use advanced data science techniques to provide a means of understanding trampling mark variations, contributing to our knowledge of site formation processes. Our results show how scratch and graze marks are a product of progressional decay and changes in cortical hardness, providing a new means of understanding taphonomic processes. Lay Description The study of microscopic bone surface modifications in archaeology and palaeontology is of great importance, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the formation of a site and providing a means of interpreting the fossil register. The damage that sedimentary abrasion can produce, however, is likely to distort and influence these studies, thus requiring a detailed understanding of the different traces that can be found on different materials. Here, we use advanced 3D digital microscopy and pattern recognition algorithms to analyse the different marks produced in different sedimentological contexts, also controlling for other variables such as the state of the bone when buried, the type of bone and the time exposed to these types of damages. Through this detailed microscopic analysis of these types of damages, we are able to conclude that morphological variations in trampling marks are product of the state of decay when the bones are buried.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scratches and grazes: a detailed microscopic analysis of trampling phenomena

Courtenay

Huguet

Yravedra

2020

Journal of Microscopy

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“…The Hyaenidae are represented by more than 25 coprolites. Chemical alteration of the bones has prevented the identification of cut-marks, but percussion marks have been documented (Pineda et al, 2014), as has carnivore activity OSC.…”

Section: La Minamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Early Acheulean technology of Barranc de la Boella (Catalonia, Spain)

Mosquera

Ollé

Saladié

et al. 2016

Quaternary International

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a b s t r a c tSince 2007, excavations at Barranc de la Boella (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) have revealed three localities with rich archaeo-paleontological assemblages: La Mina, El Forn and Pit 1. Palaeontology, palaeomagnetism and cosmogenic analyses have dated these localities to close to 1 Ma. The presence of Mammuthus meridionalis, Hippopotamus antiquus, Stephanorhinus cf. hundsheimensis, Mimomys savini and Victoriamys chalinei stand out in the sample of macro and micro-mammals.The lithic assemblages from the three sites are made up of percussion cobbles, choppers, choppercores, cores, simple flakes, and some retouched flakes: mainly denticulates and notches. In the case of the El Forn and Pit 1 localities, two large cutting tools have been recovered: a cleaver-like tool and a pick made of hard-wearing schist. The lithic assemblage of Pit 1, which includes several refitting lithic sets, is closely associated with the remains of a young-adult Mammuthus meridionalis, in a clear butchering site context. This evidence suggests that Barranc de la Boella is the oldest European Early Acheulean site, and one of the oldest butchering site on the subcontinent during the late Early Pleistocene. The study of the variability among these three localities in similar environmental conditions, together with information from other sites, are discussed in order to gain further knowledge about the appearance of the Acheulean in Europe, and its continuity or discontinuity in relation to pre-existing technologies.

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Barranc de la Boella (Catalonia, Spain): an Acheulean elephant butchering site from the European late Early Pleistocene

Mosquera

Saladié

Ollé

et al. 2015

J Quaternary Science

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Evidence of late Early Pleistocene elephant butchery activity has been excavated in the Pit 1 locality at Barranc de la Boella (Catalonia, Spain). The fossil assemblage mainly comprises the remains of one prime adult individual of Mammuthus meridionalis, together with 125 lithic artefacts, among which several refitting groups of chert have been identified. The lithic assemblage from the Pit 1 locality is composed of cobbles, cores, simple and retouched flakes, together with a large, well-fashioned pick of hard-wearing schist. Spatial, zooarchaeological, taphonomic, technical and use-wear analyses confirm that the occupation was devoted to butchery of the mammoth carcass. The activity zone is in a fluvio-deltaic area that incises the terrace Tþ60 of the lower Francolí river basin, 50 m a.s.l. Palaeomagnetic and cosmogenic analyses, as well as microfaunal (Mimomys savini, Victoriamys chalinei) and macrofaunal biostratigraphy (Mammuthus meridionalis), support the timing of the occupation to the late Matuyama chron. These various lines of evidence point to Barranc de la Boella being the oldest Early Acheulean butchering site in Europe. Ongoing excavations at several localities at Barranc de la Boella are yielding new data on the palaeoenvironmental, geochronological and technological framework of these occupations. Finally, the evidence is integrated into current understanding of the subsistence strategies practised by Early Pleistocene hominins.

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Trampling versus cut marks on chemically altered surfaces: an experimental approach and archaeological application at the Barranc de la Boella site (la Canonja, Tarragona, Spain)

Cited by 66 publications

References 26 publications

Scratches and grazes: a detailed microscopic analysis of trampling phenomena

Scratches and grazes: a detailed microscopic analysis of trampling phenomena

The Early Acheulean technology of Barranc de la Boella (Catalonia, Spain)

Barranc de la Boella (Catalonia, Spain): an Acheulean elephant butchering site from the European late Early Pleistocene

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