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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The presented work has, as main objective, the characterisation of the formations processes
of the charcoal assemblage level Ra from Abric Romaní site. This well-known Middle
Paleolithic site is characterised by remarkable good preservation conditions. The assemblage
was studied using the anthracological methodology including taxonomic and taphonomical
observations. The data generated was compared with previous levels and studied using
statistical methods, mainly descriptive analysis, correlation and clustering. Afterwards, there
were applied spatial analysis to improve how assemblage formation processes interacted in
the space.
The results that we present are contextualised in the beginning of MIS 3, where there was an
immediate environment composed mainly by Pinus sylvestris type conifers. Temperate taxa
were in the nearby areas though, since we found more Prunus sp than in other levels, which
could be related to the expansion of arboreal taxa occurred around 58ky BP. Taphonomical
studies showed that the post-depositional processes were low or moderated, and affected
discrete areas in the surface. There are two main areas that could correspond to the in and out
of the dripping line areas (dripping line has not been established yet). The outer area could
have slightly heavier mineralization effects, although there were not detected movements. As
in other levels, the distribution of the materials seems to be mainly caused by human action.
We found clear differences in the charcoal distributions of the northern and southern section
of the excavation surface. In the first, the clusters of charcoal fragments were overlapped,
bigger in accumulations and directly associated with hearths while the southern section has
discrete clusters, with lower accumulation and not direct association to the hearths, excepting
few individuals. The interpretation is that in the northern section there is more palimpsest
effect with more intensive use of the area, such as in other levels. However, the southern
section could be representing waste-management events. These clusters can be interpreted in
different ways (primary or secondary refuse), more data from other materials is necessary.
considering the location of the southern cluster it seems that the actions were related to the
reuse of the hearth structures. We consider that spatial studies on charcoals can be a great
insight to complement the spatial studies of other materials and shed light on the hearthrelated assemblage formation and the evolution of domestic spaces
Description
Keywords
Anthracology Spatial analyses Taphonomy Domestic spaces Middle Paleolithic