Taphonomic Perspective Research Articles

Ancient Maya sylviculture of breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum Sw.) and sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen) at Naachtun (Guatemala): A reconstruction based on charcoal analysis

Researchers have long argued that the ancient Maya actively exploited forest resources, but the nature of these forest economies and their long-term impact on the landscape are still vigorously debated. We address this issue through charcoal analysis at the Classic site of Naachtun (Northern Guatemala), systematically analyzing the use of the breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum) and sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) trees for domestic firewood over eight centuries. These two species are among the most economically and ecologically valuable for modern Maya people, and have been at the core of the debate concerning ancient Maya subsistence economy. We carry out an experimental anthracological study and discuss the implications of its results from a diachronic and taphonomic perspective for the ancient Maya site of Naachtun. We assume that sapodilla wood was intensively exploited as a primary source of fuel throughout the site's occupation history, and that its importance in the fuel economy until the city's abandonment was the product of careful management practices. Our results also indicate that breadnut wood use may have been much more significant than generally perceived in the charcoal records of Maya Lowland sites. An increase in breadnut wood use during the Late Classic, which corresponds to the demographic apogee of Naachtun, is evidence that this tree was of sufficient economic and/or ecological importance to be maintained despite the growing population pressure on the local forest.

The ‘Tully Monster’ is not a vertebrate: characters, convergence and taphonomy in Palaeozoic problematic animals

AbstractThe affinity of Tullimonstrum gregarium, a pincer‐mouthed, soft bodied bilaterian, has been subject to debate since its recovery from Carboniferous coal deposits at Mazon Creek, Illinois. After decades of impasse focused on mollusc, arthropod and annelid attributes, two recent, yet conflicting, high‐profile studies concluded that the ‘Tully Monster’ is a vertebrate, a relative of lampreys or jawed fishes. Here, we find that structures described as supporting vertebrate, and particularly crown vertebrate, affinity face significant challenges from biological, functional and taphonomic perspectives. Problems with comparator choice, interpretation of taphonomic processes at Mazon Creek and estimation of convergence within the bilaterian tree may have misled these recent studies, leading to conclusions which do not accommodate current understanding of the vertebrate record. For example, the absence of taphonomically‐expected synapomorphies in Tullimonstrum (e.g. otic capsules, body pigment) calls into question vertebrate identity and implies that convergence or deeper origins are responsible for vertebrate‐like traits. Further, phylogenetic placement within vertebrates is only made possible by the constraints of a chordate‐only dataset with limited outgroups and use of selective characters. Long‐discussed alternative placements among molluscs (e.g. heteropod gastropods), arthropods (e.g. anomalocarids) or elsewhere within non‐vertebrate deuterostomes are more congruent. Indeed, many of these lineages independently evolved vertebrate‐like traits, including complex eyes and ‘teeth’. Thus, given the totality of evidence, Tullimonstrum should be excluded from the vertebrate crown. Potential assignments for aberrant bilaterians, common throughout the Palaeozoic fossil record, need to be considered in light of the number and likelihood of required exceptions to established schemes.

Taphonomic analysis of the hominin remains from Swabian Jura and their implications for the mortuary practices during the Upper Paleolithic

Abstract The symbolic behavior of human beings usually is manifested in different ways such as figurative art, musical traditions, spoken language or complex funerary behavior. The Paleolithic sites of the Swabian Jura contain a rich archaeological record including the oldest evidence of musical instruments and figurative art which indicates complex cognitive abilities of the Paleolithic Homo sapiens that colonized Europe. Nevertheless, there is no evidence for burials in the Swabian caves during the Paleolithic. This raises questions regarding the kind of mortuary practices that existed in this region during the Paleolithic. In this paper, we address these questions from a taphonomic perspective by analyzing the hominin remains recovered in caves of the Swabian Jura. Whatever the funerary behavior was during the Early and Middle Upper Paleolithic, we have no evidence to document these practices. The Magdalenian hominin remains from Brillenhohle, however, display anthropic modifications that have been hotly debated in the past. Our taphonomic analysis indicates that the assemblage displays traces of butchery similar to those recorded in the faunal remains. In addition to the cut marks, we have documented intentional breakage and human tooth marks, suggesting that the consumption of human corpses took place during the Magdalenian at Brillenhohle. Similar anthropic modifications have also been documented in Magdalenian horizon at Hohle Fels. This suggests that the cannibalism practices during the Magdalenian were more common than previously expected during the Magdalenian in the Swabian Jura.

TETRAPOD TRACKS TAPHONOMY IN EOLIAN FACIES FROM THE PERMIAN OF ARGENTINA

Ancient desert deposits preserve a copious ichnofossil record, particularly Permian-age deposits where the record of tetrapod footprints is present and abundant in almost all desert settings. We propose to analyze, from a taphonomic perspective, Permian footprints preserved in eolian deposits from Argentina with a detailed sedimentological study of the trackway-bearing levels, in order to find evidence of processes that may have enhanced their preservation. We defined four taphonomic modes based on preservation quality, and the morphological and extra-morphological features of the footprints. Mode 1 includes footprints with detailed impressions of the palm, digits and claws. Mode 2 includes tracks with palm and digit impressions associated with small bulbous-shape marginal rims. Mode 3 includes tracks characterized by large, bulbous, marginal rims and randomly preserved palm impressions. Mode 4 includes footprints with shallow digit and palm impressions associated with sand-crescent marginal rims. The Los Reyunos footprints suggest preservation in: (1) dry sand, evidenced by sediment slipping down-slope structures and (2) subsurface damp sand, evidenced by digit impressions and claw drag traces. Also, we found vertical water content variations along the dune foresets, evidenced by a varying amount of sediment slipping down-slope in the same trackway. Moreover, differences in the time of entombment are suggested by the morphology of rims (bulbous-shape or sand-crescent). The stratigraphic genetic framework resulting from the Los Reyunos taphonomic analysis supports changes in the interstitial subsurface water and rapid entombment of the tracking surface due to a high rate of sediment supply as the main factor for footprint preservation.

The need for a taphonomic perspective in spatial analysis: Formation processes at the Early Pleistocene site of Pirro Nord (P13), Apricena, Italy

Ever since their percolation from neighbour disciplines, archaeology has employed spatial statistics to unravel, at different scales, past human behaviors from scatters of material culture. However, in the interpretation of the archaeological record, particular attention must be given to disturbance factors that operate in post-depositional processes. In this paper, we answer the need for a specific taphonomic perspective in spatial analysis by applying point pattern analysis of taphonomic alterations on the faunal and lithic assemblages from the Early Pleistocene site of Pirro Nord 13, Italy. The site, biochronologically dated between 1.3 and 1.6MaBP, provides evidence for an early hominin presence in Europe. The archaeological and paleontological deposits occur as filling of a karst structure that is currently exposed. We investigated the distribution of the archaeological and paleontological assemblages, as well as the distribution of identified taphonomic features, in order to evaluate the degree and reliability of the spatial association of the lithic artifacts with the faunal remains. Our results contribute to the interpretation of the diagenetic history of Pirro Nord 13 and support the stratigraphic integrity of the site.

Compendium of data, source code and text associated with the publication "The need for a taphonomic perspective in spatial analysis: Formation processes at the Early Pleistocene site of Pirro Nord (P13), Apricena, Italy"

Compendium of data, source code and text associated with the publication "The need for a taphonomic perspective in spatial analysis: Formation processes at the Early Pleistocene site of Pirro Nord (P13), Apricena, Italy"

Cueva del Milodón. The hunting grounds of the Patagonian panther

This paper presents information derived from the taphonomic reevaluation of the Hauthal collection from Cueva del Milodón, Última Esperanza, Chile. This is a bone assemblage recovered in 1899 and 1900 at that cave and stored at the Museo de La Plata, Argentina. Mylodon darwini, Hippidion saldiasi, Panthera onca mesembrina and Camelidae are among the most important extinct animals represented at the site. These materials were studied and analyzed several times between the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th Centuries. However, a detailed study with a taphonomic perspective such as the one presented here was lacking. Contrary to most previous evaluations, this analysis shows that an archaeological component can be defended at the end of the Pleistocene on the basis of the presence of cut marks on Hippidion bones. However, Lehmann-Nitsche excellent description of damages recorded on the ground sloth bones, that he attributed to humans, could not be confirmed. Instead, those damages are here interpreted as large carnivore tooth marks. They are concentrated on ground sloth remains and are attributed to Panthera onca mesembrina. It is here suggested that panthers used the cave and surroundings to prey on ground sloths. The study of the marks and their distribution, especially on ground sloth skulls, indicates the use of a hunting strategy which was similar to that used by jaguars (Panthera onca) when hunting large prey.

The "χ" of the Matter: Testing the Relationship between Paleoenvironments and Three Theropod Clades.

The view of spinosaurs as dinosaurs of semi-aquatic habits and strongly associated with marginal and coastal habitats are deeply rooted in both scientific and popular knowledge, but it was never statistically tested. Inspired by a previous analysis of other dinosaur clades and major paleoenvironmental categories, here we present our own statistical evaluation of the association between coastal and terrestrial paleoenvironments and spinosaurids, along with other two theropod taxa: abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids. We also included a taphonomic perspective and classified the occurrences in categories related to potential biases in order to better address our interpretations. Our main results can be summarized as follows: 1) the taxon with the largest amount of statistical evidence showing it positively associated to coastal paleoenvironments is Spinosauridae; 2) abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids had more statistical evidence showing them positively associated with terrestrial paleoenvironments; 3) it is likely that spinosaurids also occupied spatially inland areas in a way somehow comparable at least to carcharodontosaurids; 4) abelisaurids may have been more common than the other two taxa in inland habitats.

Who eats whom? Taphonomic analysis of the avian record from the Middle Paleolithic site of Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain)

Small animal bones, such as those of birds, are commonly found at many archaeological sites framed in the early Late Pleistocene. Teixoneres Cave, on the Iberian Peninsula, is one of these, and includes evidence of Neanderthal activities involving large game and, sporadically, smaller prey such as rabbits. Here, we present data from the avian assemblage recovered from this site, which is mainly comprised of specimens from the Corvidae and Phasianidae families. In order to determine which predators (hominins, mammalian carnivores and/or raptors) contributed to this avian accumulation, the general occupational dynamics within the site must first be understood. To this end, the bird remains obtained from the four main subunits excavated to date (IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb) have been analyzed from a taphonomic perspective. Our results show that the birds at the site mainly originated from non-hominin input episodes. While the activity of nocturnal raptors was found throughout the sequence, the activity of mammalian carnivores seems to be more intense in specific archaeological units. We compared the data yielded by our study with other data from the site, reinforcing the general position that hominins made use of the cave during short-term occupations, which alternated with predator use.

Taphonomic and archaeological perspectives from northern Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

This paper focuses on Late Holocene coastal occupations of hunter–gatherers that inhabited the northern steppes of Grande Island of Tierra del Fuego. Available archaeological data produced by our previous research in the Argentine portion of the island located north of San Sebastian Cape is discussed from a regional taphonomy perspective. Our approach is based on the characterization of the main taphonomic modes recognized in the region. Preservational and other patterns for bones and lithics are presented and discussed. Based on the comparative study of isotaphonomic assemblages, general trends in human coastal occupations are discussed.

Explotación de especies vegetales en la Patagonia septentrional: el registro arqueobotánico de Cueva Huenul 1 (Provincia de Neuquén, Argentina)

We present the analysis of plant remains recovered from the archaeological site Cueva Huenul 1, Neuquén Province, Argentina, which provides new insights on the timing of peopling, environment exploitation and use of plant resources. The chronological sequence of the site extends from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition to recent times. The archaeological remains might have been deposited by societies with a hunter-gatherer subsistence. The recovered taxa correspond to native wildlife, which are consistent with the landscape of northern Patagonia, as well as to one domesticated taxon (Lagenaria sp.). The assemblage is studied from a taphonomic perspective to assess the influence of anthropic and natural processes of formation. Finally, these results were integrated with other archaeological and palaeoecological data, allowing a first assessment of human subsistence at the scale of the site. The spatial expansion of this study will provide the basis to study the variation in human subsistence across different environmental settings in northwestern Patagonia.

EXPLOTACIÓN DE ESPECIES VEGETALES EN LA PATAGONIA SEPTENTRIONAL: EL REGISTRO ARQUEOBOTÁNICO DE CUEVA HUENUL 1 (PROVINCIA DE NEUQUÉN, ARGENTINA)

We present the analysis of plant remains recovered from the archaeological site Cueva Huenul 1, Neuquen Province, Argentina, which provides new insights on the timing of peopling, environment exploitation and use of plant resources. The chronological sequence of the site extends from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition to recent times. The archaeological remains might have been deposited by societies with a hunter-gatherer subsistence. The recovered taxa correspond to native wildlife, which are consistent with the landscape of northern Patagonia, as well as to one domesticated taxon (Lagenaria sp.). The assemblage is studied from a taphonomic perspective to assess the influence of anthropic and natural processes of formation. Finally, these results were integrated with other archaeological and palaeoecological data, allowing a first assessment of human subsistence at the scale of the site. The spatial expansion of this study will provide the basis to study the variation in human subsistence across different environmental settings in northwestern Patagonia.

Micromammals from an early Holocene archaeological site in southwest China: Paleoenvironmental and taphonomic perspectives

Investigations of the well-known paleontological and archaeological site of Tangzigou in western Yunnan Province in 2003 and 2006 yielded plentiful mammalian remains and a large number of stone and bone artifacts. Among the mammalian remains were those of many micromammals representing modern taxa of Scandentia, Insectivora, and Rodentia. The micromammal assemblage is dominated by rodents, which constitute 92% of the total number of identifiable elements. Murids are the most common elements, followed by rhizomyids, sciurids, and hystricids. The Tangzigou deposits appear to have been created over a period of 200–300 years in the early to middle Holocene , judging from the tight cluster of AMS radiocarbon dates between 9000 and 8745 BP. Based on the known habitat preferences of the living species, most of the Tangzigou micromammals were arboreal or dwellers of the forest floor. The micromammal assemblage thus indicates that subtropical forest including bamboo dominated the environment around Tangzigou. The assemblage is remarkable for the near absence of very small micromammal species such as small mice. This bias appears to have been introduced by humans who collected the larger-bodied species of micromammals for food. This interpretation is supported by the presence of a large number of burned elements, especially dentaries. The analysis of the larger mammals also showed that Tangzigou was a place where prehistoric people gathered to butcher the hunted/scavenged animals.

Re-evaluating Moodie’s Opisthotonic-Posture Hypothesis in Fossil Vertebrates Part I: Reptiles—the taphonomy of the bipedal dinosaurs Compsognathus longipes and Juravenator starki from the Solnhofen Archipelago (Jurassic, Germany)

More or less complete and articulated skeletons of fossil air-breathing vertebrates with a long neck and tail often exhibit a body posture in which the head and neck are recurved over the back of the animal. Additionally, the tail is typically drawn over the body, while the limbs have a rigid appearance. In palaeontological literature, this “opisthotonic posture” of such fossils still requires a causal interpretation in an etiological context. According to this hypothesis, there is a presumption of a cerebral disorder generating perimortem muscle spasms that are preserved by rapid burial or other sequestration of a skeleton in the fossil record. We re-evaluate this “opisthotonic posture hypothesis” by analysing the non-avian theropods Compsognathus longipes and Juravenator starki from the famous South Franconian plattenkalks of the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Archipelago. Decay experiments with the extant domestic fowl Gallus gallus L. and analysis of the theropods’ constructional morphological constraints reveal that the opisthotonic posture is not a peri- but a postmortem phenomenon. By analysing the timeline of decomposition, it is possible to recognise different stages of decay, depending on the varying decay resistance of soft tissues. Adipocere formation must have blocked further decay until embedding was completed by minimal sedimentation. Analyses of the palaeoenvironment of the basins of the Solnhofen Archipelago show that the conditions of deposition of individual basins cannot be considered to be similar, even inside the same time frame. Therefore, a generalised approach of looking at the depositional setting must be excluded. Assumptions by Faux and Padian (2007) that the accepted palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Solnhofen Fossillagerstatte has to be questioned in the light of the opisthotonic posture hypothesis enforce the need for a review of palaeoecological factors of the Franconian Plattenkalks from a taphonomic perspective.

Soil phytoliths from miombo woodlands in Mozambique

This paper describes topsoil phytolith assemblages from 25 loci underneath miombo woodlands on an eco-transect intersecting the Mozambican Rift along a geographical, altitudinal, climatic and botanical gradient. We provide the first comprehensive overview of the phytolith spectrum that defines northern Mozambique's Zambezian floristic zone. Our classifying criteria derive from comparison with previously described and quantified reference collections of trees and grasses growing in the study area. We characterize the sedimentological and soil features of the matrices where phytoliths are found, establishing correlation among geo-edaphic variables and phytoliths. Descriptive statistics along with nonparametric and parametric statistical analyses evaluate phytolith grouping criteria, variation, robustness, and membership. From a taphonomic perspective, we attest that topsoil phytolith assemblages are polygenic and do not represent an episodic snapshot of extant vegetation, but a palimpsest from plants representing various disturbance episodes, succession stages, and ecological trends. Phytoliths retrieved from Mozambican miombo soils do not seem to trace altitudinal, temperature, or precipitation gradients, and no significant differences exist between highland and lowland phytolith assemblages. This article provides a phytolith analog for woodland environments that can guide future paleoenvironmental research. It also confirms that phytolith analysis is able to detect shifts in the woodland/grassland interface.

TAPHONOMIC CONTROLS ON EDIACARAN DIVERSITY: UNCOVERING THE HOLDFAST ORIGIN OF MORPHOLOGICALLY VARIABLE ENIGMATIC STRUCTURES

Abstract Earth's earliest known metazoan ecosystems are represented by a handful of globally distributed fossil assemblages, collectively referred to as the Ediacara Biota. Although a number of these deposits have been extensively studied, a large proportion of Ediacaran diversity remains uncharacterized. As a result, our understanding of community structure during this important stage of early metazoan evolution is largely incomplete. Moreover, it is only by examining these deposits from a taphonomic perspective that we can hope to decipher these enigmatic forms and fully reconstruct the Ediacaran community. Using this approach, we describe the anomalous preservation of a distinct, prolific, and previously undescribed Ediacaran biogenic sedimentary structure, informally known as “mop,” from the Ediacara Member of the Rawnsley Quartzite in South Australia. Morphological resemblance, spatial association, size distribution, and examination of intermediary forms indicate a shared origin with the holdfast for...

Taphonomic perspectives on hominid site use and foraging strategies during Bed II times at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

The faunal assemblages excavated by Mary Leakey in Bed II of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, have, like the more well-known Bed I assemblages, traditionally been interpreted as the result of hominid butchering activities in the lake margin and riverine settings of the paleo-Olduvai Basin. A reexamination of all of Leakey's Bed I sites has shown that hominids played little or no role in the formation of all but one of those faunal assemblages, a finding that prompted the reanalysis of the Bed II sites presented here. We expand upon a previous taphonomic study that provided systematic data for HWK East Levels 1–2, MNK Main, and BK. In addition to these assemblages, we provide data on HWK East Levels 3–5, FC West, TK, and SHK. Our data contradict previous interpretations of MNK Main as a hominid accumulation but uphold the contention that BK represents a primarily hominid accumulation reflecting early access to carcasses. The small and poorly preserved assemblages from FC West and TK are difficult to link unambiguously to either hominids or carnivores. Site MNK Main and HWK East Levels 3–5 appear to be death arenas where carcasses accumulated via natural deaths and/or serial predation. Site SHK is severely biased by selective retention and therefore little can be said of its formational history. Nevertheless, no hominid modifications were documented in this assemblage. Comparisons with other Olduvai sites indicate a more conspicuous hyena taphonomic signal during Bed II times than Bed I times, which appears to mirror the changing configuration of the large carnivore guild. These findings also beg the question of what activities were being carried out by hominids with the stone tools discarded at these sites. Although it seems clear that hominids were utilizing stone tools to carry out subsistence activities unrelated to carcass butchery, more excavation and techniques such as phytolith analysis should be employed to explore alternative explanations.

Breathing life into fossils: taphonomic studies in honor of C.K. (Bob) Brain

Taphonomy, the study of the processes leading to the fossilization of organic remains, is one of the most important avenues of inquiry in human origins research. Breathing Life into Fossils is a major contribution to taphonomic studies in paleoanthropology and natural history. This book emanates from a Stone Age Institute conference celebrating the life and career of naturalist Bob Brain, a pioneer in bringing taphonomic perspectives to human evolutionary studies. Contributions by leading researchers provide a state-of-the art look at the maturing field of taphonomy and the unique perspectives it provides to research into human origins. This important volume reveals approaches taken to the study of bone accumulations at prehistoric sites in Africa, Eurasia, and America, and provides fascinating insights into patterns produced by carnivores, by hunter-gatherers, and by our human ancestors.

Hominin–carnivore interactions during the Chinese Early Paleolithic: Taphonomic perspectives from Xujiayao

The ability of archaic Homo sapiens to survive in more northerly latitudes was contingent on securing a regular source of animal fat and protein. We present a taphonomic study that examines how successful these hominins were at acquiring these food sources during the latter part of the Early Paleolithic in Northeast Asia. This study focuses on the long bone midshaft surface modifications observed on the faunal remains from Xujiayao, a middle-late Pleistocene open-air site located at 40° latitude in the western Nihewan Basin, northern China. The faunal assemblage is dominated by equid remains. Analysis of the percussion, tooth, and cut mark frequencies on the long bone midshafts demonstrates that the Xujiayao hominins had primary access to high utility (meat-bearing and marrow-rich) long bones. Investigation of the dual-patterned (tooth-marked and butchery-marked) bone fragments suggests that hominins were under little pressure from competing carnivores to abandon their kills. The lack of significant differences between the size of fragments with only percussion-marks and those with only tooth-marks supports these findings. Fragmentation ratios indicate that forelimbs were more intensively processed than hind limbs. Based on the water rounding and abrasion data, the Xujiayao assemblage is likely of autochthonous origin. Since the age of Xujiayao is still in question, we can only conclude that archaic Homo sapiens were successful predators of large game in Northeast Asia some time during the latter part of the Early Paleolithic.

Distinguishing archeological and paleontological faunal collections from Pleistocene Japan: taphonomic perspectives from Hanaizumi

The application of modern methodological taphonomic approaches to Pleistocene faunal assemblages that were excavated and interpreted before taphonomic analyses became common are crit- ical to verifying whether the original interpretations are valid. Even though taphonomic research is common in North America, Africa, and Europe, few such studies of faunal collections have been car- ried out in East Asia. In this regard, taphonomic analysis of the faunal assemblage from Hanaizumi, Japan serves as an excellent case study because few taphonomic re-analyses of previously excavated Pleistocene assemblages have been performed in Japan. Hanaizumi was excavated in the 1950s and the original behavioral interpretation was that hunter-gatherers were responsible for the accumulation of the faunal assemblage, which is dominated by bison (Bison priscus). The taphonomic analysis pre- sented here indicates that evidence of human modification is present on the bones. However, results suggest that even though hunter-gatherers may have had primary access to many of the bison in the assemblage, Hanaizumi was probably not a kill site or a hunter-gatherer home base as was originally proposed. Rather, the acquisition of bison may have taken place further up river and Hanaizumi is the locality to which the already processed carcasses were transported via fluvial movement. Accordingly, it is difficult to use the Hanaizumi faunal dataset to address current paleoanthropological debates. Future fieldwork at the site may indicate that hunter-gatherers played a more significant role in the for- mation of the bison bone assemblage. For now, Hanaizumi is best considered an allochthonous pale- ontological collection that has assisted in paleoenvironmental reconstructions of Late Pleistocene Japan.