Gombore II (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): A new approach to formation processes and spatial patterns of an Early Pleistocene Acheulean site
Gombore II (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): A new approach to formation processes and spatial patterns of an Early Pleistocene Acheulean site
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Gombore II（梅尔卡昆图尔，埃塞俄比亚）：研究早更新世阿舍利遗址形成过程和空间格局的新方法
DOI：
10.1016/j.jas.2019.104975
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发表时间：
2019
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
M. Mussi
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
E. Méndez;J. Panera;F. Altamura;Luca Di Bianco;R. Melis;Flavia Piarulli;Giancarlo Ruta;M. Mussi
评估更新世考古遗址的完整性是分析人类行为的关键。大多数早期旧石器时代遗址都处于活跃的河流环境中，因此有必要了解沉积扰动的程度。通过地质考古和地质统计技术对地层形成过程进行分析，为评价考古组合是在原生位置还是异地位置提供了新的工具。Gombore II，约850 Ka Ka，位于Melka Kunture（埃塞俄比亚）的考古和古生物复合体内，面积超过1000平方米，并产生了大量的阿舍利人工制品，哺乳动物化石骨骼和两个古人类化石遗骸。河流河道化环境中高能沉积的地貌背景和沉积模式与许多其他早旧石器时代非洲遗址相似。传统上，这被描述为产生一个受干扰的记录，与动物遗骸和由河流过程驱动的石器工业的偶然联系。为了评估这一假设，我们在这里分析了遗骸的形成过程和空间格局。我们将地质考古（方向和结构）和空间测试（密度，分组，k-means）应用于绘制的考古表面和当今的河流表面。我们观察到考古记录（石器材料和动物遗骸）与考古沉积物和当今河流河床的自然碎屑之间的地质特征和空间格局存在实质性差异。这表明不同的沉积过程或时间事件。我们的结论是，古人类产生的遗存不是经过广泛的侵蚀和再沉积而随意堆积的。它们保留了一定程度的语音学和空间完整性，可能代表了不同的活动。
To assess the integrity of Pleistocene archaeological sites is crucial in the analysis of human behaviour. Most of the Early Palaeolithic sites are in active fluvial environments where it is necessary to understand the degree of sedimentary disturbance. The analysis of the formation processes through geoarchaeological and geostatistical techniques offers new tools to evaluate if the archaeological assemblage is in autochthonous or allochthonous position. Gombore II, ≈850 Ka, within the archaeological and paleontological complex of Melka Kunture (Ethiopia), extends over estimated 1000 m2and yielded a large number of Acheulean artefacts, fossil mammal bones and two fossil hominin remains. The geomorphological setting and deposition patterns of high-energy sedimentation in a fluvial channelized environment are similar to those of many other Early Palaeolithic African sites. This is traditionally described as producing a disturbed record, with the fortuitous association of faunal remains and lithic industry driven by fluvial processes. To assess this hypothesis, we analyse here the formation processes and the spatial patterning of the remains. We apply geoarchaeological (orientation and fabric) and spatial tests (density, grouping, k-means) to the mapped archaeological surfaces and to a present-day fluvial surface. We observe substantial differences in geoarchaeological features and spatial patterning between the archaeological record (lithic materials and faunal remains) and the natural clasts of both the archaeological deposit and the bed of the present-day river. This suggests different depositional processes or temporal events. We conclude that the remains produced by the hominins did not haphazardly accumulate after extensive erosion and re-sedimentation. They rather preserve a reasonable degree of taphonomic and spatial integrity and are possibly representative of different activities.