RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Magnetic fabric and archaeomagnetic analyses of anthropogenic ash horizons in a cave sediment succession (Crvena Stijena site, Montenegro)
A1 Bradák, Balázs
A1 Carrancho Alonso, Ángel
A1 Herrejón Lagunilla, Ángela
A1 Villalaín Santamaria, Juan José
A1 Monnier, Gilliane F.
A1 Tostevin, Gilbert
A1 Mallol, Carolina
A1 Pajović, Goran
A1 Baković, Mile
A1 Borovinić, Nikola
K1 Europe
K1 Magnetic fabrics and anisotropy
K1 Rock and mineral magnetism
K1 Magnetismo
K1 Magnetism
K1 Arqueología
K1 Archaeology
AB An archaeomagnetic, rock magnetic and magnetic fabric study has been carried out on sevenanthropogenic ash horizons in theMiddle Palaeolithic sedimentary level XXIV at the rock shelterof Crvena Stijena (‘Red Rock’), Montenegro. The study has multiple goals, including theidentification of iron bearingminerals formed during combustion, assessment of the suitabilityof these combustion features for recording the Earth´s magnetic field direction, revelation ofthe magnetic fabric and its significance in the characterization of cave (rock shelter) burntfacies, and identification of post-burning alteration processes. Magnetite has been identifiedas themain ferromagnetic component of the ash. The ash layers exhibit a high thermomagneticreversibility in contrast to the irreversible behaviour of their subjacent burnt black layers whichis related to the different temperatures attained. Seven mean archaeomagnetic directions wereobtained with acceptable statistical values indicating that these features recorded the field directionat the time of burning. However, some of them are out of the expected range of secularvariation for mid-latitude regions suggesting post-burning alterations. The magnetic fabric ofthe ash was characterized by anisotropy of low field magnetic susceptibility measurements.Statistical analysis (box and whisker plot) of the basic anisotropy parameters, such as foliation,lineation, degree of anisotropy and the shape parameter, along with the alignment of the principalsusceptibilities on stereoplots, revealed variation among the ash units. The diverse, oblateto prolate, lineated or strongly foliated, quasi-horizontally and vertically oriented fabrics of theunits may indicate different slope processes, such as orientation by gravity, solifluction, run-offwater, quasi-vertical migration of groundwater and post-burning/post-depositional alterationof the fabric by rockfall impact. In sum, the magnetic characterization of the ash layers hasshown the occurrence of different post-burning alteration processes previously not identifiedat the site. Alteration processes in prehistoric combustion features are often identified frommacroscopic observations but our study demonstrates that multiple processes can affect themand are usually unnoted because they take place on a microscopic scale. Their identificationis critical for a correct chronological and cultural interpretation of a site (e.g. collection ofsamples for dating, stratigraphic displacement of remains), especially if significant alterationsare involved. Magnetic methods are therefore a powerful but underutilized tool in palaeolithicresearch for the identification and evaluation of taphonomic processes affecting prehistoricfires.
PB Oxford University Press
SN 1365-246X
YR 2021
FD 2021-02
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10259/6107
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10259/6107
LA eng
NO BU235P18 (Junta de Castilla y León, Spain) and the EuropeanRegional Development Fund(ERDF) and the CGL2016-77560-C2, PID2019-108753GB-C21 and PID2019-105796GB-I00 of theAgencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI/10.13039/501100011033).AHL gives thanks to Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) andEuropean Social Fund for the financial support during her predoctoralperiod. Micromorphological investigations by CM arefunded by ERC Consolidator Grant project ERC-2014-CoG-648871-PALEOCHAR.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 25-abr-2024