[en] Although a lot of attention has been devoted to the understanding of post-depositional processes,
the possible impact of excavation procedures has largely been ignored. The increased use of
mechanical recovering techniques, especially within the context of rescue archaeology, urges the
need for assessing whether the application of these techniques may hamper functional analysis.
Taphonomic analysis of lithic artefacts from four Flemish Final Palaeolithic/Mesolithic sites allowed
to observe that recently used excavation and sieving procedures may produce metal traces
on these artefacts but without hampering the observation of functional traces. A subsequent
experimentation further confirmed that lithic artefacts and excavation equipment is most likely the
main source for intense damage, rather than contact with sieving equipment.
Disciplines :
Archaeology
Author, co-author :
Cnuts, Dries ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences historiques > TraceoLab
Tomasso, Sonja ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences historiques > TraceoLab
Rots, Veerle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences historiques > TraceoLab
Language :
English
Title :
Time to shine The effect of metal traces on the functional analysis of lithic artefacts
Publication date :
2021
Journal title :
Notae Praehistoricae
ISSN :
0774-3327
Publisher :
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Bruxelles, Belgium