Site Formation Processes and Hunter-Gatherers Use of Space in a Tropical Environment: A Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Approach from South India.

David E Friesem,Charles French,Noa Lavi,P Ajithprasad,Marco Madella,Michael D Petraglia

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164185

Abstract

Hunter-gatherer societies have distinct social perceptions and practices which are expressed in unique use of space and material deposition patterns. However, the identification of archaeological evidence associated with hunter-gatherer activity is often challenging, especially in tropical environments such as rainforests. We present an integrated study combining ethnoarchaeology and geoarchaeology in order to study archaeological site formation processes related to hunter-gatherers’ ways of living in tropical forests. Ethnographic data was collected from an habitation site of contemporary hunter-gatherers in the forests of South India, aimed at studying how everyday activities and way of living dictate patterns of material deposition. Ethnoarchaeological excavations of abandoned open-air sites and a rock-shelter of the same group located deep in the forests, involved field observations and sampling of sediments from the abandoned sites and the contemporary site. Laboratory analyses included geochemical analysis (i.e., FTIR, ICP-AES), phytolith concentration analysis and soil micromorphology. The results present a dynamic spatial deposition pattern of macroscopic, microscopic and chemical materials, which stem from the distinctive ways of living and use of space by hunter-gatherers. This study shows that post-depositional processes in tropical forests result in poor preservation of archaeological materials due to acidic conditions and intensive biological activity within the sediments. Yet, the multiple laboratory-based analyses were able to trace evidence for activity surfaces and their maintenance practices as well as localized concentrations of activity remains such as the use of plants, metals, hearths and construction materials.

Highlights

Compared to agriculturalists, hunter-gatherer societies have more ephemeral site structures due to the use of less durable materials in their activities (e.g., [1,2,3,4])
Hunter-gatherer use of space has previously been studied through ethnoarchaeology at the macro-level (e.g., [1, 2, 4, 13, 14], see [15] for more examples), we suggest an approach with a micro- and sub-microscopic perspective, adding an investigation of the archaeological formation processes evident in a tropical setting
The overall aim of this paper is to study the anthropogenic and natural site formation processes associated with hunter-gatherers sites in tropical forests

Summary

Introduction

Hunter-gatherer societies have more ephemeral site structures due to the use of less durable materials in their activities (e.g., [1,2,3,4]). From an archaeological perspective (and taphonomical), the identification of settlement and materials related to hunter-gatherers is challenging This difficulty is amplified when addressing open and semi-open-air sites located in tropical forests. Semi-arid and temperate environments, site formation processes in tropical forests ( open-air-sites) have been studied in less detail. Few geoarchaeological studies in Southeast Asia tropical forests focused on identification of anthropogenic remains in caves and rock shelters (e.g., [7,8,9]) and open-air sites (e.g., [10]), using micromorphology. In this study we examine the archaeological site formation processes and use of space of hunter-gatherers in tropical forests in various settlements (open-air sites and a rock-shelter) by the combined use of different proxies. To do so we embraced an integrated approach to investigate the formation of the archaeological record at microscopic and submicroscopic level using elemental and mineralogical analysis, phytolith quantification and micromorphology

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion