Site formation processes of the middle Palaeolithic cave site of Ararat-1, Armenian highlands: a geoarchaeological approach
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31 août 2022
- handle: 10670/1.tjznz2
- hal: hal-03942871
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Jenni Sherriff et al., « Site formation processes of the middle Palaeolithic cave site of Ararat-1, Armenian highlands: a geoarchaeological approach », HAL-SHS : archéologie, ID : 10670/1.tjznz2
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The Middle Palaeolithic (MP) archaeological assemblage recently recovered from Ararat-1 cave, north-eastern Armenian Highlands is central to improving our understanding of Middle to Upper Palaeolithic cultural shifts and environmental change in SW Asia during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3. This is due to the fact an occupation horizon containing a rich stone tool assemblage was found in close association with a diverse faunal assemblage and excellent preservation of palaeobotanical remains. However, as with many cave sequences, Ararat-1 has been subject to syn- and post-depositional modification by both chemical and physical agents. Here, we present the first results of combined sedimentological, micromorphological and chronological (IRSL and 14C) study of the Ararat-1 sequence. Through this work, we have identified the cave deposits to be principally clastic in origin, derived from both exogenic (aeolian) and endogenic (entrance talus and cave wall/roof collapse) sources. We demonstrate that the primary phase of sedimentation in the cave took place between 52–32 ka with the main MP occupation horizon currently constrained to 42–35 ka. During, and following, this interval were several phases of syn- and post-depositional modification of the strata through physical (resuspension of aeolian material and bioturbation), chemical (carbonate precipitation and phosphate mineralisation) and anthropogenic processes. Through discussion of the micromorphological and sedimentological evidence for post-depositional modification of the Ararat-1 strata, we highlight what these processes can tell us about environmental conditions at the Ararat-1 locale during and after primary sedimentation, and evaluate the impacts of these processes on the stratigraphic integrity of the MP occupation horizon. Our work at Ararat-1 demonstrates some of the challenges and opportunities in the reconstruction of Palaeolithic occupation surfaces and site formation processes in cave environments.