Geoarchaeology of Palaeo-American Sites in Pleistocene Glacigenic Deposits

Chlachula, Jiřı́

doi:10.5772/39226

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Under the moderate MIS 3 climates, and the territorial physiographic and palaeoecological situation (Hopkins et al 1982;Harris 2019), there were no physical geomorphic and environmental barriers to prevent a spatial expansion of the humans eastwards into present-day Alaska within the close (<2000 km) geographical limits from the Kolyma area. The pre-Last Glacial (>24 000-year-old) archaeological records from caves in northern Yukon (Cinq-Mars 1979), and in western Alberta deeply buried (up to 50 m) below the Last Glacial tills and the related glacigenic deposits blanketing the western Canadian prairies and the Rocky Mountain foothills (Chlachula 1996a(Chlachula , 1996b(Chlachula , 2012 strongly support this interpretation. To what degree the supposed late Last Glacial moisture barrier in central Beringia (Elias & Crocker 2008;Anderson & Lozhkin 2015) affected the biotic transfers and the early American migrations remains open.…”

Section: Palaeolithic Occupation and Adaptations Of Northeast Arctic Siberiamentioning

confidence: 94%

The MIS 3–2 environments of the middle Kolyma Basin: implications for the Ice Age peopling of northeast Arctic Siberia

Chlachula

Cheprasov

Новгородов

et al. 2021

Boreas

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The Kolyma region is historically famous for the unique finds of large Pleistocene fauna, yet, until very recently, absent of the time‐corresponding occupation sites. Quaternary geology and palaeontology investigations (2013–2019) in the middle reaches of the Kolyma River (NE Yakutia) have delivered new evidence on the Last Glacial (MIS 4–2) to Early Holocene sub‐arctic ecosystems and the past landscape dynamics retrieved from the fossiliferous bodies exposed from thawed grounds. The palaeoecology multi‐proxies from the MIS 3 (55–24 ka) cryolithic formations document riparian, larch‐dominated northern forests and open parklands with backwater channels, marshlands and lakes. The abundant skeletal remains of Pleistocene ungulates and carnivores, as well as relic flora point to long‐term biomass‐rich interstadial ecosystems and favourable Palaeolithic occupation habitats. Utilized animal bones, worked mammoth ivory and stone tools show the presence of pre‐modern humans in the northeast Russian Arctic >45 000 years ago. Flaked mammoth tusks suggest persistence of settlement during the Last Glacial Maximum in xeric and extremely cold (sub)arctic tundra. The postglacial climate shifts triggered major environmental and hydrological transformations. The final Pleistocene/Early Holocene warming brought restructuring of the Last Ice Age landscape and vanishing of the periglacial tundra‐steppe replaced by the present‐day larch‐dominated Siberian taiga. The mid‐Last Glacial human ecology records from the geographical limits of northeast Siberia have fundamental relevance for the reconstructions of the time trajectories and the natural conditions of peopling of Beringia.

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Section: Palaeolithic Occupation and Adaptations Of Northeast Arctic Siberiamentioning

confidence: 94%

The MIS 3–2 environments of the middle Kolyma Basin: implications for the Ice Age peopling of northeast Arctic Siberia

Chlachula

Cheprasov

Новгородов

et al. 2021

Boreas

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“…Following Schiffer's seminal (1987) book on formation theory, the focus has gradually and necessarily shifted from the artefact to the deposit (Shahack‐Gross, 2017) and towards the associated sedimentary and anthropogenic processes (Karkanas & Goldberg, 2019). Foci include studies of sedimentary processes themselves (e.g., Chlachula, 2012; Jazwa & Johnson, 2018) and the use of micromorphological techniques for context (Canti & Huisman, 2015; Shahack‐Gross, 2017). Such sedimentary studies are critical to assesses the scales of physical processes, linking the various parts of the sedimentary system in which the archaeology sits (see also Jankowski et al, 2020; Karkanas et al, 2015; Tooth & Nanson, 1995; Woodward & Goldberg, 2001), and hence inform the nature of any correlative SPD analysis or regional modelling undertaken.…”

Section: How To Improve the Use Of Spd And “Big Data” For Exploring Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedimentary unknowns constrain the current use of frequency analysis of radiocarbon data sets in forming regional models of demographic change

Ward

Larcombe

2021

Geoarchaeology

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Statistical manipulation of large radiometric data sets (big data) is increasingly applied to those grand challenges in archaeology that relate to past human‐behavioural dynamics and includes frequency analysis of radiocarbon ages (summed probability distributions [SPDs]). Australian SPD studies use the radiocarbon database “AustArch” to examine regional‐ and continental‐scale demographic change. We review Australian studies, focussing on sampling bias and taphonomic bias, finding that (i) time‐averaged radiometric data cannot simply be correlated across regions, and (ii) sedimentology imposes genuine constraints upon what can be known. Internationally, flaws in SPD use occur in all main research phases, and most importantly, at the initial phase of defining research questions, logic and general approach. Major problems stem from not planning to obtain a sound understanding of the variability of past sedimentary environments, potential occupation sites and site formation processes. Thus, cultural inferences are too often made from archaeological data without due consideration of the natural processes that may explain the data. Highlighting exemplar studies, we present practical approaches to improve SPD use for exploring changes in demography, aimed at reducing uncertainties and reconnecting archaeological, chronological, geological and sedimentary data. Most important is to increase understanding of physical processes and their control on the archaeological record.

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