Autochthony and orientation patterns in Olduvai Bed I: a re-examination of the status of post-depositional biasing of archaeological assemblages from FLK North (FLKN)

Domı́nguez-Rodrigo, Manuel; Bunn, Henry T.; Pickering, Travis Rayne; Mabulla, Audax; Musiba, Charles M.; Baquedano, Enrique; Ashley, Gail M.; Martín, Fernando Diéz; Santonja, Manuel; Uribelarrea, David; Barba, Rebeca; Yravedra, José; Barboni, Doris; Arriaza, Carmen; Gidna, Agness

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2012.02.027

Cited by 49 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Assemblages affected by water disturbance may adopt a variety of forms, ranging from (peri)autochthonous rearranged assemblages and biased lag assemblages to transported assemblages. A substantial amount of research has been aimed at evaluating the degree of distortion introduced by physical processes (namely, water flows and, to a lesser extent, slope gravity) in paleontological and archaeological sites during the biostratinomic stage of their formation (see reviews in [1], [2], [3]). The diverse variables most frequently used to infer physical disturbance include the following: sedimentology, where mineral grain size selection is suggestive of depositional energy; preferential orientation of items [4], [5], [6]; the presence of physical signs of modification caused by transportation, such as rounding, polishing and abrasion [7], [8]; for bones, differential anatomical representation according to element type [6], [9]; and for lithic assemblages, a combination of quantitative variables based on average weight, a large-to-small artefact ratio and the relative representation of the fraction <50 g, where those assemblages affected by water show high values for the former two variables and low values for the latter [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Accuracy of Different A-Axis Types for Measuring the Orientation of Bones in the Archaeological and Paleontological Record

Domı́nguez-Rodrigo

García-Pérez

2013

PLoS ONE

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Orientation of archaeological and paleontological materials plays a prominent role in the interpretation of site formation processes. Allochthony and authochthony are frequently assumed from orientation patterns or lack thereof. Although it is still debated to what extent orientation of items can be produced in original depositional contexts, the recent use of GIS tools to measure orientations has highlighted several ways of reproducing A-axes with which to address these taphonomic issues. In the present study, the three most relevant A-axis types are compared to test their accuracy in reproducing water current direction. Although results may be similar in specific bone shapes, differences are important in other shapes. As known in engineering working with wind and fluid mechanics (developing shape optimization), longitudinal symmetrical axes (LSA) are the one that best orient structures against or in the same direction of wind and water. The present work shows that this is also the case for bones (regardless of shape), since LSA produce the most accurate estimates of flow direction. This has important consequences for the interpretation of orientation patterns at sites, since this type of axis is still not properly reproduced by GIS available tools.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Accuracy of Different A-Axis Types for Measuring the Orientation of Bones in the Archaeological and Paleontological Record

Domı́nguez-Rodrigo

García-Pérez

2013

PLoS ONE

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“…Determining the spatial distribution of archaeological and paleontological remains has been frequently addressed through the analysis of artefact and ecofact evidence orientation and the influence of agents such as water currents (Voorhies 1969;Petraglia and Potts 1994;Gutiérrez and Kaufmann 2007;Benito-Calvo and de la Torre 2011;Domínguez-Rodrigo et al 2012;Domínguez-Rodrigo and García-Pérez 2013). During both the continental phase and the marine phase of the GNLQ1 site, the influence of rivers and waves, tides and currents, respectively, might represent disruptive factors to the original dispersion of the bone assemblage.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Watson's test calculates the deviations between the data and the chosen distribution. If these deviations prove to be excessive (larger than 0.186, see Zar 1984, Table B35), the statistic used for calculation will also be, by definition, excessive and the null hypothesis will be rejected (Polo García and Felicísimo 2008;Domínguez-Rodrigo et al 2012). In recent studies, both Domínguez-Rodrigo et al (2012) and Domínguez-Rodrigo and García-Pérez (2013) have discussed the different protocols utilized in order to define the orientation angle of samples.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If these deviations prove to be excessive (larger than 0.186, see Zar 1984, Table B35), the statistic used for calculation will also be, by definition, excessive and the null hypothesis will be rejected (Polo García and Felicísimo 2008;Domínguez-Rodrigo et al 2012). In recent studies, both Domínguez-Rodrigo et al (2012) and Domínguez-Rodrigo and García-Pérez (2013) have discussed the different protocols utilized in order to define the orientation angle of samples. In this case, due to the fact that some of the bones were removed in blocks as a result of the consolidation of the sediment in which they were borne, angle direction was determined via the symmetrical longitudinal axis (SLA), which involves a line symmetrically dividing the bone fragment (Domínguez-Rodrigo and García-Pérez 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Terrestrial and maritime taphonomy: differential effects on spatial distribution of a Late Pleistocene continental drowned faunal bone assemblage from the Pacific coast of Chile

López

Cartajena

Carabias³

et al. 2015

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Site GNL Quintero 1 (GNLQ1), located on the central coast of Chile, is the only documented Late Pleistocene drowned terrestrial site along the Pacific Coast of South America. Faunal evidence at the site is varied, and so far, remains of the following taxa have been found: extinct Camelidae, Cervidae, Equidae, Mylodontidae, Xenarthra, but also Myocastoridae, Canidae and Octodontidae. Both geological and paleoenvironmental data indicate that GNLQ1 developed in a floodplain or low-energy environment during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Prior to the post-glacial rising of the sea level, the site would have been located several kilometres inland as the paleoshoreline was farther out on the continental shelf. In accordance with this background, the present study addresses the analysis of the spatial distribution of the bone deposits of GNLQ1 by considering both scenarios, the terrestrial phase related to the formation and modification of the fossil assemblage prior to the transgression, and the marine phase, subsequent to inundation. Results indicate modifications related to low-energy flow environment and carnivore activity dominated during the terrestrial phase and the action of marine organisms during the marine phase. Other taphonomic modifications are not easily attributable to either one or the other environmental context.GNL Quintero S.A

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“…Several spatial methodologies have recently been proposed to gain valuable information on how natural processes affect the accumulation of remains. Fabric analysis applied to archeology is the study of the orientation of each find in an archeological deposit, by measuring its direction (bearing) and inclination (plunge); it is being used successfully to detect preferred orientations and assess natural perturbations [8], [32–36]. However, we do not have bearing and plunge measurements for all the Ambrona remains we are studying.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Accumulation Processes at the Middle Pleistocene Site of Ambrona (Soria, Spain). Density and Orientation Patterns in Spatial Datasets Derived from Excavations Conducted from the 1960s to the Present

et al. 2016

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The Middle Pleistocene site of Ambrona (Soria, Spain) is a major reference for European Acheulean studies. The origin of the lithic and fauna accumulations at this site was first thought to be anthropogenic, but later studies showed that it was mainly natural. The first person to conduct excavations at the Ambrona site was the Marquis of Cerralbo, in 1914; other research groups followed in more recent times (the Howell & Freeman team and the Santonja & Pérez-González team). The digs yielded a great amount of information, but until now it had never been unified. In this paper, we compile all the available published and unpublished excavation documentation from the 1960s to the present. We use these maps and sections to present our spatial study of the LSM (Lower Stratigraphic Member) at the Ambrona site, combining stratigraphic criteria with GIS density and orientation analysis. This study enabled us to define the main concentrations of the LSM, providing an initial contribution to an assessment of their accumulation processes. Most of the concentrations preserved in the ancient shore area of the site display marked orientation patterns which coincide with the direction of the main water flows into the Ambrona wetland. However, random orientation patterns were observed in the central part of the site (Alpha concentration); they may be mostly preserved without undergoing transport processes, as previous taphonomic studies also confirm.

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Autochthony and orientation patterns in Olduvai Bed I: a re-examination of the status of post-depositional biasing of archaeological assemblages from FLK North (FLKN)

Cited by 49 publications

References 55 publications

Testing the Accuracy of Different A-Axis Types for Measuring the Orientation of Bones in the Archaeological and Paleontological Record

Testing the Accuracy of Different A-Axis Types for Measuring the Orientation of Bones in the Archaeological and Paleontological Record

Terrestrial and maritime taphonomy: differential effects on spatial distribution of a Late Pleistocene continental drowned faunal bone assemblage from the Pacific coast of Chile

Assessment of Accumulation Processes at the Middle Pleistocene Site of Ambrona (Soria, Spain). Density and Orientation Patterns in Spatial Datasets Derived from Excavations Conducted from the 1960s to the Present

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