Testing phytolith analysis approaches to estimate the prehistoric anthropogenic burning regime on the central California coast

Evett, Rand R.; Cuthrell, Rob Q.

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.10.070

Cited by 15 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Observation of the interembedding structures of phytoliths suggests that precipitated silica can consolidate organic phases and sequester K. Micropores within silica phases (Mohamad Remli et al ., ) could contain some occluded organic compounds and K. Under heat treatment, organic phases can be removed, exposing phytolith silica. Morphology of the phytoliths might also be affected (Wu et al ., ; Evett & Cuthrell, ), with melting at high temperatures resulting in a re‐arrangement and crystallization of silica, as deduced from XRD. Upon heating, losses of OC occurred, while K was enriched.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Tran

Mai

Nguyen

et al. 2018

Soil Use and Management

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In recent time, phytoliths (silicon deposition between plant cells) have been recognized as an important nutrient source for crops. The work presented here aims at highlighting the potential of phytolith‐occluded K pool in ferns. Dicranopteris linearis (D. linearis) is a common fern in the humid subtropical and tropical regions. Burning of the fern D. linearis is, in slash‐and‐burn regions, a common practice to prepare the soil before planting. We characterised the phytolith‐rich ash derived from the fern D. linearis and phytolith‐associated potassium (K) (phytK), using X‐ray tomographic microscopy in combination with kinetic batch experiments. D. linearis contains up to 3.9 g K/kg d.wt, including K subcompartmented in phytoliths. X‐ray tomographic microscopy visualized an interembedding structure between organic matter and silica, particularly in leaves. Corelease of K and Si observed in the batch experiments confirmed that the dissolution of ash phytoliths is one of major factors controlling K release. Under heat treatment, a part of the K is made available, while the remainder entrapped into phytoliths (ca. 2.0–3.3%) is unavailable until the phytoliths are dissolved. By enhanced removal of organic phases, or forming more stable silica phases, heat treatment changes dissolution properties of the phytoliths, affecting K release for crops and soils. The maximum releases of soluble K and Si were observed for the phytoliths treated at 500–800 °C. For quantitative approaches for the K provision of plants from the soil phytK pool in soils, factors regulating phytolith dissolution rate have to be considered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Tran

Mai

Nguyen

et al. 2018

Soil Use and Management

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“…The absence of a heat signature indicated by the RI can be explained in terms of fire duration and temperature: Heating to 200°C does not affect the RI, while heating for short periods at higher temperatures produces only a weak reaction (Elbaum et al, 2003). Indeed, Evett and Cuthrell (2017) found that heating at temperatures of up to 300°C did not affect the RI of phytoliths, while the threshold of 50% affected phytoliths, used as an indicator of burning in this method, was only reached after heating at temperatures of >480°C. Moreover, experimentally rehydrated phytoliths reached this threshold only after burning at c. 600°C (a temperature not reached in the pit studied at Rapa Nui).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Prehistoric pigment production on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), c. AD 1200–1650: New insights from Vaipú and Poike based on phytoliths, diatoms and ¹⁴C dating

et al. 2020

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Although Rapa Nui has been proposed as a classic example of cultural collapse, this hypothesis has been repeatedly questioned. This paper investigates cultural continuity on Rapa Nui following the onset of deforestation through a study of red ochre pits. Red ochre pigments are well-known from various contexts on Rapa Nui, but until recently its origin and the extraction process involved in their production were not precisely understood. New excavations have revealed the presence of multiple pits used for pigment production and storage by the island’s prehistoric culture. Previous geoarchaeological studies, including geomorphological, pedological, geochemical and micromorphological analyses, have shown that the pits contain fine layers of reddish iron oxides (ochre), which result from repeated intentional burning. The oxide layers alternate with thin layers of phytoliths, interpreted as the remains of plant material used as fuel, and diatoms. This paper presents new phytolith and diatom data from the previously described site of Vaipú East, complemented with data from similar pits at the new sites of Vaipú West and Poike. New 14C dates are also presented from these sites. The phytolith and diatom data provide crucial information about the chaîne opératoire of the ochre production and the formation processes associated with the pits. The evidence of pigment production and storage at Vaipú East shows that labour-intensive ochre production took place on Rapa Nui during at least two separate phases after deforestation, while the pits discovered at other sites indicate that Vaipú East did not stand alone. This provides a further line of evidence in favour of cultural continuity rather than collapse following deforestation in the island’s late prehistory.

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“…It must be noted that the combustion process leaves no easily visible and unequivocal tracks on phytoliths (Parr 2006;Evett and Cuthrell 2017), despite some changes in their refractive index whose observation remains technically difficult (Elbaum et al 2003). According to Cabanes and Shahack-Gross (2015), pitting and melting become common after the combustion.…”

Section: Phytolith Ratiosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could the grasses have played a role in the earliest salt exploitation? Phytoliths analysis of prehistoric salt spring from Hălăbutoaia - Ţolici (Romania)

Danu

Delhon

Weller

2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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The salt spring exploitation from Hălăbutoaia - Ţolici (Neamț County, Romania) dates back to the Early Neolithic and lasted throughout Chalcolithic. The deposit stratigraphy is estimated at 8 m and covers 2500 years of history (c. 6000–3500 BCE). In order to document the possible use of plants, particularly of the grasses, in the salt production process, we realized a detailed study of phytoliths preserved in several archaeological levels of Hălăbutoaia site. The most identified morphotypes come from grass family. Analysis revealed an important representation of inflorescence bracts phytoliths (especially Elongate dendritic) showing the anthropogenic origin of the assemblages. Bilobate are also well represented. These forms attest the presence of wild panicoid grasses (e.g. wild millet) and/or cultivated millets in the area. In some very punctual assemblages, forms produced by dicots are well represented. Considering the low phytoliths production by dicots plants, it involves a special accumulation of these types of plants that could be related to woody plants used as fuel for salt production. It is very possible that grasses had a very important role in pyrotechnology used to produce salt, either as the main fuel or as a mean for controlling the temperature or even as a firelighter.

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Testing phytolith analysis approaches to estimate the prehistoric anthropogenic burning regime on the central California coast

Cited by 15 publications

References 34 publications

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Prehistoric pigment production on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), c. AD 1200–1650: New insights from Vaipú and Poike based on phytoliths, diatoms and ¹⁴C dating

Could the grasses have played a role in the earliest salt exploitation? Phytoliths analysis of prehistoric salt spring from Hălăbutoaia - Ţolici (Romania)

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Testing phytolith analysis approaches to estimate the prehistoric anthropogenic burning regime on the central California coast

Cited by 15 publications

References 34 publications

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Phytolith‐associated potassium in fern: characterization, dissolution properties and implications for slash‐and‐burn agriculture

Prehistoric pigment production on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), c. AD 1200–1650: New insights from Vaipú and Poike based on phytoliths, diatoms and 14C dating

Could the grasses have played a role in the earliest salt exploitation? Phytoliths analysis of prehistoric salt spring from Hălăbutoaia - Ţolici (Romania)

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Prehistoric pigment production on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), c. AD 1200–1650: New insights from Vaipú and Poike based on phytoliths, diatoms and ¹⁴C dating