Phytolithic analysis as a method for studying archaeological sites: methodological issues

Authors

  • Valentina Alekseitseva Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS Author
  • Snezhana Zhilich Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS Author
  • Mikhail Utkin Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52967/3007-6528.2023.2.81.84

Keywords:

archaeology, paleoecology, phytolith analysis, methodic

Abstract

The paper is devoted to methodological issues of phytolithic analysis and its application to archaeological objects. Phytolithic analysis is of interest and has great prospects for archaeology, however, some aspects of its application remain debatable at the moment. In particular, there are different methods of sample preparation, which have different degrees of efficiency depending on the type of enclosing deposits. We have tested various methods of chemical preparation of samples taken at an archaeological site from loess deposits in order to find out which of them is the most effective. The method using a muffle furnace to rid the sample of organics showed the greatest efficiency, which made it possible to improve the process of sample preparation for phytolith analysis.

References

Speranskaya, N. Y., Solomonova, M. Y., Silantyeva, M. M., Galtsova, T. V. 2013. Osnovy fitolitnogo analiza: uchebnoe posobie (Basics of Phytolith Analysis: Textbook). Barnaul: Altai State University (in Russian).

Ball, T., Gardner, J. S., Brotherson, J. D. 1996. In: Journal of Archaeological Science, 23, 619–632 (in English).

Kumar, S., Milstein, Y., Brami, Y., Elbaum, M., Elbaum, R. 2017. In: New Phytologist, 213, 791–798 (in English).

Piperno, D. R. 2006. Phytoliths: A Comprehensive Guide for Archaeologists and Paleoecologists. New York, Toronto, Oxford: AltaMira Press (in English).

Strömberg, C. A. E., Dunn, R. E., Crifò, C., Harris, E. In: Croft, D., Su, D., Simpson, S. (eds.). 2018. Methods in Paleoecology. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Cham, 235-287 (in English).

Yost, C. L, Jackson, L. J., Stone, J. R., Cohen, A. S. 2018. In: Journal of Human Evolution, 116, 75–94 (in English).

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Published

2023-05-05

Issue

Section

Interdisciplinary research in archaeology

How to Cite

Phytolithic analysis as a method for studying archaeological sites: methodological issues. (2023). Margulan Readings, 2, 81-84. https://doi.org/10.52967/3007-6528.2023.2.81.84

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