Impact of post-depositional processes on charcoal fragmentation and archaeobotanical implications: Experimental approach combining charcoal analysis and biomechanics

Julia Chrzazvez; Isabelle Théry-Parisot; Gilbert Fiorucci; Jean-Frédéric Terralc; Bernard Thibaut

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2014.01.006

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Impact of post-depositional processes on charcoal fragmentation and archaeobotanical implications: Experimental approach combining charcoal analysis and biomechanics

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Impact of post-depositional processes on charcoal fragmentation and archaeobotanical implications: Experimental approach combining charcoal analysis and biomechanics

Julia Chrzazvez, Isabelle Théry-Parisot, Gilbert Fiorucci, Jean-Frédéric Terralc and Bernard Thibaut

Journal of Archaeological Science, Vol.44, pp.30-42

04/2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2014.01.006

Abstract

Experimentation

Fragmentation

Charcoal analysis

Taphonomy

Mechanical properties

Generallyspeaking,charcoalanalysisisbasedonidentifyingandcountingcharcoalfragmentsinordertocalculatetherelativevariationsintaxafrequency.Allpost-depositionalprocessesarelikelytoinducefragmentationoftheanthracologicalmaterial,raisingthequestionoftherepresentativenessoftaxa.Basedonaninnovativeexperimentalapproachcombiningbothcharcoalanalysisandbiomechanics,thispaperexploreshowthemechanicalpropertiesofcharcoalcaninfluencethefragmentationandthequantificationofspeciesinanthracologicalassemblages.Wecarriedoutstandardizedlaboratorycompressiontestson302samplesissuedfrom10taxa,charredatthreedifferenttemperatures,inordertocharacterizethemechanicalpropertiesofcommonspeciesintemperateandMediterraneanEurope.Ourresultshighlightthedifferentialresponsesofthetestedspeciesintermsofresistancetocompressionandfragmentation,twoprocesseswhichdonotappeartobecorrelated.Charcoalisveryresistanttopressure(upto22.5MPa).Ourresultsshowthatsignificantfragmentationdifferencesexistbetweentaxa.Thetotalnumberoffragmentsaftercompressionislargelydependentonthespecies,regardlessofthecharringtemperature.However,thisinterspecificvariabilityismoresignificantforsmallfragments[1e2mm],thanforlargerfragments[2e4mm]and>4mm,withtheexceptionofQuercus,whichdisplaysdifferentialreactionstocompression.Finally,amultifactorialanalysisbringstolighttheimpactofthephysicalandanatomicalcharacteristicsofthedifferentspeciesoncharcoalfragmentation

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Title: Impact of post-depositional processes on charcoal fragmentation and archaeobotanical implications: Experimental approach combining charcoal analysis and biomechanics
Creators - without role: Julia Chrzazvez - Cultures et Environnements. Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen Âge
Isabelle Théry-Parisot - Cultures et Environnements. Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen Âge
Gilbert Fiorucci - Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux
Jean-Frédéric Terralc - Université de Montpellier, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution - Montpellier - ISEM
Bernard Thibaut - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil - LMGC
Publication Details: Journal of Archaeological Science, Vol.44, pp.30-42
Identifiers: 9944003109311
Academic Unit: Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil - LMGC; Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution - Montpellier - ISEM
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
Local Fields: hal-00951096