Kathryn M., Holmes, Kate A. Robson Brown, William P. Oates, and Matthew J. Collins. 2005. Assessing the distribution of African Palaeolithic sites: a predictive model of collagen degradation. Journal of Archaeological Science 32(2): 157-166.
Abstract:
In order to assess the distribution of African Palaeolithic sites and hominin remains, we need an understanding of the factors that may affect the preservation of archaeological material in the fossil record. One of the main factors that is thought to affect seriously the global distribution of fossil remains is taphonomy, but it would seem that taphonomic processes may themselves be overprinted by collagen degradation.
The rate of collagen loss is highly temperature dependent, and it has been shown that bone is more likely to be preserved in areas of lower temperature and so lower collagen loss. Hence, it would be expected that fossil fauna remains would be distributed in areas of low collagen loss, i.e. low temperature. Conversely, lithics will not be subject to a temperature bias in their preservation. We have tested this hypothesis through the use of archaeological material.
Our results show that the distributions of both lithic and faunal assemblages are non-random across the African continent, with all archaeological sites being found in areas of relatively low collagen degradation. This implies that bone collagen degradation is not the only factor affecting the distribution of African Palaeolithic sites and hominin remains. We suggest that the site distribution is not a reflection of bias in excavation history, but is a real phenomenon reflecting hominin habitat choice.
Keywords:
Africa; Collagen degradation; Cave sites; Open sites; Lithic; Fauna; Hominin
Wojtala, Piotr, and Krzysztof Sobczykb. 2005. Man and woolly mammoth at the Kraków Spadzista Street (B) – taphonomy of the site. Journal of Archaeological Science 32,(2): 193-206.
Abstract:
Excavations at the Kraków Spadzista Street (B) site, Poland were conducted over 16 years in which approximately 150 m2 of the site was studied. The radiocarbon dates clustered around 23–24 ky BP, placing the site in the Gravettian cultural complex. In this paper, results from a detailed taphonomic study of faunal remains are discussed in conjunction with previous analyses of stone artefacts and site structure in order to address questions regarding site formation and Gravettian occupation. Up to 1994, not, vert, similar9000 bone remains were recovered and it was possible to identify the species and skeletal element for 5860 remains. The site contained bones of seven animal species associated with Pleistocene steppe–tundra habitats. At Kraków Spadzista Street (B), 99% of the faunal remains belong to the woolly mammoth, with other large mammal taxa represented by only isolated bones and teeth. This site yielded the largest number of mammoth bones and most individuals (MNI = 86) ever found in one place in Poland. Kraków Spadzista Street (B) represents a mammoth butchering locality and probably a mammoth hunting site as well. However, it is not yet possible to distinguish the mammoths killed by Gravettian hunters from those that died naturally and then were scavenged by people.
Keywords:
Gravettian; Pleistocene; Mammuthus primigenius; Poland
Verri, Giovanni , Ran Barkai, Avi Gopher, Michael Hass, Peter W. Kubik, Michael Paula, Abraham Ronen, Steve Weinerf, and Elisabetta Boaretto. 2005. Flint procurement strategies in the Late Lower Palaeolithic recorded by in situ produced cosmogenic 10Be in Tabun and Qesem Caves (Israel). Journal of Archaeological Science 32(2): 207-213.
Abstract:
The in situ produced cosmogenic beryllium isotope, 10Be, in flint artifacts from different layers in prehistoric caves can provide information on flint procurement. The buildup of 10Be in a flint matrix is related to the exposure time of the flint to cosmic rays. Although this exposure history can be complex, the 10Be content of flint assemblages can show whether the raw material was obtained from shallow mining and/or surface collection as opposed to sediments two or more meters below the surface. Flint artifact assemblages from two Palaeolithic caves in Israel, Tabun and Qesem, were analyzed.
In Tabun cave the flint artifacts from Lower Layer E (Acheulo-Yabrudian, around 400 000–200 000 yr) contain very small amounts of 10Be, which is consistent with flint procured from sediments two or more meters deep. Artifacts from above and below Tabun Lower Layer E show a more complex distribution, as do artifacts from all layers of Qesem cave (Acheulo-Yabrudian). This is probably due to the fact that they were surface collected and/or mined from shallow (less than 2 m) depths. We show here that artifact assemblages have different concentrations of 10Be, indicating different raw material procurement strategies.
Keywords:
Flint mining; Lower Palaeolithic; Cosmogenic isotopes; 10Be; Acheulo-Yabrudian
Addendum to: Flint procurement strategies in the late lower Palaeolithic recorded by in situ produced cosmogenic 10Be in Tabun and Qesem Caves (Israel) [J Archaeol Sci 32(2) (2005) 207-213]. Journal of Archaeological Science 32(2): 215-216.
Munro, Natalie D. and Guy Bar-Oz. 2005. Gazelle bone fat processing in the Levantine Epipalaeolithic. Journal of Archaeological Science
32(2): 223-239.
Abstract:
We investigate mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella) carcass processing to reconstruct resource intensification strategies during the Epipalaeolithic period of northern Israel. We adopt a multivariate taphonomic approach to identify the processes that most influenced bone survivorship in five gazelle assemblages. All of the assemblages are characterized by significant density-mediated biases, yet in situ attrition played a minimal role in assemblage formation. In contrast, the survivorship of hare (Lepus capensis) skeletons is not mediated by bone density indicating that different prey taxa experienced independent taphonomic histories. Both gazelle cortical and cancellous bone is highly fragmented and the degree of fragmentation and survivorship are strongly correlated with fat yields. Results of multiple tests point to intensive marrow and grease extraction as the primary determinant of gazelle bone survivorship. Although gazelle carcasses were intensively utilized throughout the Epipalaeolithic, the intensity of use is stable across the duration of the period.
Keywords:
Bone processing; Bone survivorship; Epipalaeolithic; Intensification; Levant; Gazelle; Grease; Marrow; Taphonomy
de la Torre, Ignacio and Rafael Mora. 2005. Unmodified lithic material at Olduvai Bed I: manuports or ecofacts? Journal of Archaeological Science 32(2): 273-285.
Abstract:
The existence of high percentages of so-called manuports in the Olduvai sequence has given way to abundant papers on the behavioural explanation of such accumulations of raw material. For this paper, we performed a first-hand re-examination of the lithic collections of two of the most relevant sites in Olduvai Bed I (FLK Zinj and FLK North). The analysis has unearthed extremely significant differences between the unmodified lithic material (the so-called manuports) and the other stone collections, which has demanded the search for alternative hypotheses to explain the presence of the supposed manuports at these sites. Thus, we have revised the site formation processes and have compared them with other similar sedimentary contexts in Olduvai and in nearby lacustrine basins. On the basis of our findings, we demonstrate the existence of different sized clasts in low energy contexts, and propose a natural deposition as the answer to the existence of the supposed manuports at Olduvai Bed I. In all, our analysis suggests that a great part of the unmodified lithic material from the Olduvai sites is not indicative of human action but the product of natural causes, thus being ecofacts and not genuine manuports.
Keywords:
Africa; Olduvai; Manuports; Site formation processes; Oldowan; Plio-Pleistocene
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HEREJacques Cinq-Mars
