Identifying activity areas in Neolithic sites through ethnographic analysis of phytoliths and geochemical residues

通过植硅体和地球化学残留物的人种学分析来识别新石器时代遗址的活动区域

• 批准号: AH/K002902/1
• 负责人: Emma Louise Jenkins
• 金额: $ 19.88万
• 依托单位: Bournemouth University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2014 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FK002902%2F1
• 关键词: Identifying; activity; areas; Neolithic; sites

The Neolithic in southwest Asia (c 11,700-7800 cal BP) is a critical period in human history; it was during this time, that people made the transition from living in small hunter-gatherer groups, occupying temporary camps, to fully fledged agriculturalists living in large sedentary communities. The reason why people made this transition is one of the great unanswered questions of our time. What is apparent, however, is that this development not only altered the way people interacted with their environment, but also the social structure within communities, ultimately leading to the development of complex societies. Despite the importance of the Neolithic in southwest Asia, archaeological sites, particularly those from the earlier Pre-Pottery Periods (c 11,700-8250 cal BP), often prove difficult to interpret due to their ephemeral nature and the scarcity of biological remains. In order to gain a greater understanding of such sites, we will develop and validate a method based on more durable forms of evidence that are often the result of human activities, i.e. phytoliths (bodies of silica that form in and around plant cells) and geochemical elements (traces of chemicals in soils, e.g. phosphorous, calcium and manganese). The aim is to determine if different areas have specific phytolith and geochemical signatures which can be used to recognise these same areas archaeologically.This will be achieved through ethnographic research using two settlement types: Bedouin tent sites and abandoned mud and stone constructed villages. These have been chosen because they provide the best available analogies for the Neolithic sites which will be analysed as part of this project. The Bedouin tent sites will be the ethnographic analogy for the small scale, ephemeral, pastoralist, and seasonally occupied sites of Wadi el-Jilat and Azraq, while the abandoned villages near Shawbak on the Jordanian plateau and the village of Shammakh, north of Wadi Mousa will be the comparison for the more substantial, stone and mud brick constructed sites of Ain Ghazal, Beidha, and WF16. Limited existing ethnographic research (conducted in other geographical regions) has focused either on phytoliths or geochemical elements but not both. They demonstrated that these methods are informative about the use of space within settlements. This project will be the first large scale ethnographic study to integrate these two types of analysis. It will also be the first to explore how much taphonomy (i.e. the processes assemblages go through from creation to analysis) affects the composition of phytolith and geochemical assemblages.As Principal investigator, Jenkins will be supported in this research by a number of eminent and experienced researchers, namely: Dr Carol Palmer (Director of the British Institute in Amman, Council for British Research in the Levant-CBRL), who will be a Project Partner. Palmer originally took the majority of the Bedouin camp samples, will assist with the ethnographic work and archaeological sampling and, as Amman Director of the CBRL, is in a unique position to arrange the fieldwork from within Jordan Prof John Grattan (Pro Vice Chancellor, Aberystwyth University) who will conduct the geochemical analysis and subsequently act as an advisorDr Helen Smith, (Visiting Research Fellow, Bournemouth University) who carried out the Bedouin camp sampling with Palmer and will also advise on the ethnographic aspects of the project. This represents a strong and experienced multi-disciplinary team with an established history of conducting research in Jordan (although not previously together). This project is a natural culmination of the participants' interests and expertise. Furthermore, as much costly fieldwork has already been undertaken, and, as Palmer and Grattan are giving their time on a non-stipendiary basis, this research offers the AHRC excellent value for money.

西南亚的新石器时代（距今 11,700-7800 年）是人类历史上的一个关键时期；正是在这段时间，人们从居住在临时营地的小型狩猎采集群体转变为生活在大型定居社区中的成熟农业家。人们做出这种转变的原因是我们这个时代尚未解答的重大问题之一。然而，显而易见的是，这种发展不仅改变了人们与环境互动的方式，而且改变了社区内的社会结构，最终导致复杂社会的发展。尽管新石器时代在西南亚很重要，但考古遗址，特别是那些早期的前陶器时期（距今 11,700-8250 年）的考古遗址，由于其短暂性和生物遗骸的稀缺性，往往难以解释。为了更好地了解这些地点，我们将开发和验证一种基于更持久形式的证据的方法，这些证据通常是人类活动的结果，即植硅体（在植物细胞内部和周围形成的二氧化硅体）和地球化学元素（土壤中的痕量化学物质，例如磷、钙和锰）。目的是确定不同地区是否具有特定的植硅体和地球化学特征，可用于在考古学上识别这些相同地区。这将通过使用两种定居点类型进行人种学研究来实现：贝都因人的帐篷遗址和废弃的泥石建造的村庄。选择这些是因为它们为新石器时代遗址提供了最佳的类比，这些遗址将作为该项目的一部分进行分析。贝都因帐篷遗址将是小规模、短暂、牧民和季节性居住的瓦迪吉拉特和阿兹拉克遗址的人种学类比，而约旦高原上肖巴克附近的废弃村庄和穆萨干河以北的沙马赫村将是艾因加扎勒地区规模更大、石头和泥砖建造的遗址的比较， 贝达和WF16。现有的有限的人种学研究（在其他地理区域进行）要么集中在植硅体上，要么集中在地球化学元素上，但没有同时集中在两者上。他们证明这些方法可以提供有关定居点内空间使用的信息。该项目将是第一个整合这两种类型分析的大规模人种学研究。这也将是第一个探索埋藏学（即组合物从创造到分析所经历的过程）对植硅体和地球化学组合物的组成有多大影响的研究。作为首席研究员，詹金斯将在这项研究中得到许多杰出且经验丰富的研究人员的支持，即：卡罗尔·帕尔默博士（安曼英国研究所所长，黎凡特英国研究理事会 - CBRL），他将在 项目合作伙伴。帕尔默最初采集了贝都因营地的大部分样本，将协助人种学工作和考古采样，并且作为 CBRL 安曼主任，他处于一个独特的位置，可以安排约旦内部的实地考察约翰·格拉坦教授（阿伯里斯特威斯大学副校长）将进行地球化学分析，随后担任顾问海伦·史密斯博士（伯恩茅斯大学客座研究员） 与帕尔默一起对贝都因人营地进行了采样，并将就该项目的人种学方面提供建议。这代表了一支强大且经验丰富的多学科团队，拥有在约旦进行研究的悠久历史（尽管之前没有一起）。该项目是参与者兴趣和专业知识的自然结晶。此外，由于已经开展了大量成本高昂的实地工作，而且帕尔默和格拉坦以非津贴形式投入时间，因此这项研究为 AHRC 提供了极高的性价比。

项目成果

Out of sight, but not out of mind : exploring how phytolith and geochemical analysis can contribute to understanding social use of space during the Neolithic in the Levant through ethnographic comparison

眼不见心不烦：通过人种学比较探索植硅体和地球化学分析如何有助于理解黎凡特新石器时代的空间社会利用

• 发表时间: 2017
• 作者: Vos Daniella

Examining Neolithic Building and Activity Areas through Historic Cultural Heritage in Jordan: A Combined Ethnographic, Phytolith and Geochemical Investigation

通过约旦历史文化遗产考察新石器时代建筑和活动区：民族志、植硅体和地球化学综合调查

• DOI: 10.1080/17527260.2017.1556908
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Bulletin for the Council for British Research in the Levant
• 作者: Elliott S

Ethno-geochemical and Phytolith Studies of Activity Related Patterns: A Case Study from Al Ma'tan, Jordan

• DOI: 10.1080/14614103.2017.1362787
• 发表时间: 2017-01-01
• 期刊: ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
• 影响因子: 1.5
• 作者: Jenkins, Emma Louise;Allcock, Samantha Lee;Grattan, John
• 通讯作者: Grattan, John

A model based on Bayesian confirmation and machine learning algorithms to aid archaeological interpretation by integrating incompatible data.

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248261
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: PloS one
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Vos D;Stafford R;Jenkins EL;Garrard A
• 通讯作者: Garrard A

LANDSCAPES OF SURVIVAL: THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND EPIGRAPHY OF JORDAN'S NORTH-EASTERN DESERT AND BEYOND

生存景观：约旦东北部沙漠及周边地区的考古学和地理学

• 发表时间: 2020
• 作者: Vos, D.