Invertebrate faunalturbation of archaeological sites : assessing the impact on archaeological stratigraphy
The stratigraphy of an archaeological site is fundamental to the understanding of that site's history of occupation, use and abandonment. Archaeological stratigraphy is subject to a variety of post-depositional processes that may damage or destroy this stratigraphy. This work focuses on one such process, faunalturbation, i.e. the process of mixing by animals. The effects of the invertebrate soil mesofauna, in particular earthworms, were studied in this work. Three archaeological sites were investigated using faunal surveys, thin section micromorphology, 137CS profiling, field recording and determinations of pH, loss on ignition, bulk density and particle size distribution. This study views faunalturbation as a system and attempts to delineate and confirm the relationships within that study. The results demonstrate that soil properties such as loss on ignition and pH have some effect on the populations of soil invertebrates and on the intensity and distribution of faunalturbation, but that there are likely to be other factors which also have a significant influence. Two models of the possible impact that invertebrate faunalturbation has on archaeological stratigraphy are advanced and tested, with one being
Lancaster, Stephen
Excavations (Archaeology) ; Archaeological geology ; Stratigraphic correlation ; Zoological surveys
Invertebrate faunalturbation of archaeological sites : assessing the impact on archaeological stratigraphy. The stratigraphy of an archaeological site is fundamental to the understanding of that site's history of occupation, use and abandonment. Archaeological stratigraphy is subject to a variety of post-depositional processes that may damage or destroy this stratigraphy. This work focuses on one such process, faunalturbation, i.e. the process of mixing by animals. The effects of the invertebrate soil mesofauna, in particular earthworms, were studied in this work. Three archaeological sites were investigated using faunal surveys, thin section micromorphology, 137CS profiling, field recording and determinations of pH, loss on ignition, bulk density and particle size distribution. This study views faunalturbation as a system and attempts to delineate and confirm the relationships within that study. The results demonstrate that soil properties such as loss on ignition and pH have some effect on the populations of soil invertebrates and on the intensity and distribution of faunalturbation, but that there are likely to be other factors which also have a significant influence. Two models of the possible impact that invertebrate faunalturbation has on archaeological stratigraphy are advanced and tested, with one being
archaeological_site assess_impact archaeological stratigraphy stratigraphy archaeological_site fundamental site history occupation use abandonment archaeological stratigraphy subject variety post_depositional process may damage destroy stratigraphy work focus_one process process mixing animal effect soil particular study work archaeological_site investigate use faunal survey thin_section micromorphology profiling field record determination loss ignition bulk density particle size distribution study view system attempt delineate confirm relationship within study soil property loss ignition effect population soil intensity distribution likely factor also significant_influence model possible impact archaeological stratigraphy advance test