Trampled under foot: A quartz and chert human trampling experiment at the Cova del Parco rock shelter, Spain

Driscoll, Killian; Alcaina, Jonas; Égüez, Natàlia; Mangado, Xavier; Fullola, Josep María; Tejero, José-Miguel

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.04.054

Cited by 33 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Our artefacts ranged in maximum unoriented length from 8 mm to 108 mm, a much greater 389 range than reported by Gifford-Gonzalez et al (1985) and Driscoll et al (2015). While Driscoll 390 et al noted a strong effect of larger artefacts in horizontal movement, we did not find a similar 391 effect.…”

Section: Orientation and Plunge 308contrasting

confidence: 49%

Movement of lithics by trampling: An experiment in the Madjedbebe sediments

Marwick¹

2016

Preprint

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Understanding post-depositional movement of artefacts is vital to making reliable claims about the formation of archaeological deposits. Human trampling has long been recognised as a contributor to post-depositional artefact displacement. We investigate the degree to which artefact form (shape-and-size) attributes can predict how an artefact is moved by trampling. We use the Zingg classification system to describe artefact form. Our trampling substrate is the recently excavated archaeological deposits from Madjedbebe, northern Australia. Madjedbebe is an important site because it contains early evidence of human activity in Australia. The age of artefacts at Madjedbebe is contentious because of the possibility of artefacts moving due to trampling. We trampled artefacts in Madjedbebe sediments and measured their displacement, as well as modelling the movement of artefacts by computer simulation. Artefact elongation is a significant predictor of horizontal distance moved by trampling, and length, width, thickness and volume are significant predictors of the vertical distance. The explanatory power of these artefact variables is small, indicating that many other factors are also important in determining how an artefact moves during trampling. Our experiment indicates that trampling has not contributed to extensive downward displacement of artefacts at Madjedbebe.

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Section: Orientation and Plunge 308contrasting

confidence: 49%

Movement of lithics by trampling: An experiment in the Madjedbebe sediments

Marwick¹

2016

Preprint

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“…In sandy substrates, Marwick et al (2017) found that tool elongation was significantly correlated with horizontal displacement distance after 15 min of human trampling. After a 2-week trampling study, Driscoll et al (2016) found that the heaviest size experimental lithic tools (> 7 g) were moved significantly further, almost five times further than the lightest tools (< 0.4 g).…”

Section: Human Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There have been numerous studies directed at understanding the effects of trampling on stone tools, including raw material differences (Pryor 1988;Driscoll et al 2016), the duration of trampling (Pryor 1988;Shea and Klenck 1993), the density of artifacts, and sediment compaction (Pryor 1988;Eren et al 2010). These factors also influence the spatial displacement of artifacts (Villa and Courtin 1983;GiffordGonzalez et al 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental lithic tool displacement due to long-term animal disturbance

Schoville

2018

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Controlled experiments in lithic technology tend to focus on controlling the human component of lithic tool manufacturing and use; however, animal disturbance can move and alter artifacts in non-random ways, thus altering the behavioral meaning assigned to artifacts and their contexts. The patterning visible in archeological debris on a horizontal plane can provide evidence for activity zones, pathways, and site formation processes. While the effects of trampling actors on the vertical displacement of artifacts have shown that artifacts can be dramatically displaced, the horizontal movement due to trampling is relatively less studied, particularly the effect over extended time periods. Here, an experimental investigation of experimentally produced lithic tools in three contexts with varying degrees of animal trampling intensity is described, and the resulting patterns of artifact displacement are presented. Animal trampling can produce directed, non-random patterning in how artifacts are moved from their original location. The role that bedding slope plays in transport direction given different degrees of activity is also explored. These results show that trampling can produce patterned artifact scatters similar to activity centers and should be taken into consideration for spatial analyses of archeological formation processes.

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“…The investigation of natural versus functional lithic fracture patterns, taphonomy, and use-wear studies has traditionally made use of "crash dummies"-replicates that are subjected to various processes such as butchering, projectile-shooting, and trampling and then compared to archaeological specimens (Andrefsky 2013;Bello, Parfitt, and Stringer 2009;Claud et al 2015;Driscoll et al 2015;Eren et al 2010aEren et al , 2011aIovita et al 2014;Jennings 2011;de Juana, Galán, and Domínguez-Rodrigo 2010;Key 2013;Lemorini et al 2014;Lombard and Pargeter 2008;MacDonald 2014;Miller 2015;Pargeter and Bradfield 2012;Pevny 2012;Price 2012;Smallwood 2013;Tallavaara et al 2010;Temple and Lee Sappington 2013;Weitzel et al 2014aWeitzel et al , 2014b. Heat treatment or damage has also been examined through stone-tool replication as model (Brown et al 2009;Schmidt et al 2013), although there are also examples of heat-treatment studies conducted through replication as test, in which researchers were more concerned with understanding the general process and parameters of the effect of heat on stone (Mercieca and Hiscock 2008;Schmidt et al 2012Schmidt et al , 2013.…”

Section: (Emphasis In Original)mentioning

confidence: 99%