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Occupation History (occupation + history)
Selected AbstractsAdvances in optically stimulated luminescence dating of individual grains of quartz from archeological depositsEVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Zenobia Jacobs Abstract Paleoanthropologists and archeologists interested in occupation histories, faunal remains, and objects of material culture have become increasingly reliant on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating to construct Quaternary chronologies. In part, the increased use of OSL dating reflects its capacity to date events beyond the range of radiocarbon dating and in contexts where suitable organic materials are absent. An earlier review in Evolutionary Anthropology by Feathers1 provides a general account of the principles of luminescence dating. Since then, however, important advances have been made in OSL dating of quartz, so that it is now possible to date individual sand-sized grains and thereby resolve issues of postdepositional mixing of archeological sediments. In this review, we discuss the most important of these advances and their implications with regard to improved age control of archeological sites. We cover aspects of instrumental and methodological development that have facilitated the widespread measurement of single grains related to archeological questions and illustrate our review with some examples of where archeological problems have been resolved using single-grain OSL dating. We do not propose single-grain dating as a panacea, because there are instances where it is not straightforward to use or the results may be difficult to interpret; dating in such contexts remains the subject of continuing research. [source] Comparison of sedimentation and occupation histories inside and outside rock shelters, Keep-River region, northwestern AustraliaGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2006I.A.K. Ward This paper compares archaeological evidence of Aboriginal occupation inside rock shelters and outside in adjacent sand sheets, focusing on two locations in the Keep-River region, northwestern Australia. Luminescence and radiocarbon dating reveal that occupation sequences inside rock shelters are generally younger ( < 10,000 yr B.P.) than outside ( < 18,000 yr B.P.). Differences in occupation chronology and artifact assemblages inside and outside rock shelters result from depositional and postdepositional processes and shifts in site function. An increase in regional sedimentation rate from 10 cm/ka , 1 in the Pleistocene to 20 cm/ka , 1 in the Holocene may account for late buildup of sediments within rock shelters, increased artifact accumulation, and reduced postdepositional disturbance in some settings. More intense use of rock shelters in the Late Holocene is indicated from a change in hunting technology and greater production of rock art. The results indicate that some cultural interpretations might be flawed unless archaeological evidence from rock-shelter and open-site excavations is integrated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Preliminary soil micromorphology studies of landscape and occupation history at Tabon Cave, Palawan, PhilippinesGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 7 2007Helen Lewis Preliminary soil micromorphology study of cultural sediments at Tabon Cave, Philippines, supports interpretations of sporadic occupation in the Paleolithic. The presence in some deposits of authigenic minerals potentially related to altered cultural materials, such as ash, needs further investigation. Later in the sequence there is a marked change in local depositional processes, with the onset of significant quartz sand deposition in layers dating from the Middle to Late Holocene. This could relate to beach development in the area. Future sedimentological study and dating would confirm this interpretation, which suggests that in appropriate settings, stratified cave sediments could be useful for the study of regional sea level rise. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Times of sand: Sedimentary history and archaeology at the Sigatoka Dunes, FijiGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2006Atholl Anderson The orthodox archaeological sequence at the Sigatoka Dunes site (VL 16/1) in Fiji proposes three phases of occupation spanning Fijian prehistory, each associated with a period of dune stability. It has been taken as the standard model of Fijian prehistory for more than 30 years. Recently, however, it has been argued that there is no stratigraphic support for three discrete levels and that the occupation history was fragmented, complex, and continuous within a volatile dune system. We present new data, from optical and radiocarbon dating, to argue that a three-phase model, although somewhat more complex in detail, remains the most robust interpretation of site history. The longest stable phase (Level 2) began 2500,2300 cal yr B.P. and is possibly associated with relatively low ENSO frequency. Substantial sand dune accumulation began after ,1300 cal yr B.P. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Historiography and forensic analysis of the Fort King George "skull": Craniometric assessment using the specific population approachAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Christopher M. Stojanowski Abstract In this article, we evaluate the association between the Fort King George "skull" and two Franciscans who were killed during a Guale revolt in 1597 and whose remains were never recovered (Pedro de Corpa and Francisco de Veráscola). The history and historiography of the revolt is summarized to generate a forensic profile for the individuals. The calvaria is described in terms of preservation, taphonomy, possible trauma, age, and sex. Because these factors are consistent with the individuals in question, population affinity is assessed using comparative craniometric analysis. In response to recent criticism of the typological nature of forensic population affinity assessment, we use a population specific approach, as advocated by Alice Brues (1992). Archaeological and historical data inform the occupation history of the site, and data from those specific populations are used in the comparative analysis. Results of linear discriminant function analysis indicate a low probability that the calvaria is a Guale (the precontact inhabitants of southeastern Georgia) or an individual of African descent. Comparison among European and Euro-American populations indicated poor discriminatory resolution; however, the closest match suggests a New World affinity rather than an Old World English, Scottish, or Iberian affinity for the specimen. Future analyses that will provide greater resolution about the identity of the calvaria are outlined. The case highlights the unique challenges of historical forensics cases relative to those of traditional jurisprudence, as well as the potential for using historiography to overcome those challenges in future analyses. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||