Detecting cultural formation processes through arthropod assemblages
Sander E . I . Aerts MSc student at the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Leiden , Intern archaeoentomology at Naturalis Biodiversity Center , Leiden
| “ Linguistic Landscape Studies ” and Archaeology |
Detecting cultural formation processes through arthropod assemblages
a conceptual model for urban archaeological waste- / cesspits
Sander E . I . Aerts MSc student at the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Leiden , Intern archaeoentomology at Naturalis Biodiversity Center , Leiden
Abstract Archaeologists encounter cultural deposits on a daily basis . One possible method for demonstrating formation processes , and potential contextual re-positioning of particular deposits is by looking at arthropod remains . Many members of this phylum are likely to be preserved in the archaeological record due to their sturdy chitinous exoskeletons . They are highly abundant in practically any habitat , which makes them very suitable for formational reconstructions . This article proposes a conceptual model to link arthropod assemblages to cultural formation processes . By defining the systemic contexts as domestic , peridomestic and natural , and the archaeological context as an urban archaeological pit containing waste , the movement of deposits can be traced through the ecological implications of the present arthropod remains . The distance between the original systemic context and the archaeological context defines four different subassemblages . These are then further divided into groups that show the relationship with human activities to separate the natural from the cultural formation process and indicate the type of deposit based on synanthropicity . Furthermore , a number of niche groups are distinguished to indicate the material contents and characteristics of a deposit . Reconstructing the origins and characteristics of these deposits allow for a better understanding of site formations and the functions of pits . Especially when there is no visible stratigraphic succession at the time of excavation , high resolution ecological information can shed light on the stratigraphy of a pit .
Keywords archaeoentomology , insects , synanthropic species , cultural formation processes , systemic contexts
E-mail address : sander . e . i . aerts @ gmail . com Academia : https :// leidenuniv . academia . edu / SanderAerts LinkedIn : https :// www . linkedin . com / in / sander-aerts-64148b91
Introduction At the base of the interpretation of archaeological features lies the understanding of their formation and taphonomy . These processes are either of cultural or natural cause , and can be referred to as C-Transforms and N-Transforms ( Schiffer 1987 ), which can be very difficult to pinpoint . In many features there is an accumulation of deposits from different origins , which may result in a stratigraphy that is not clearly visible . This makes an interpretation of these features in the field difficult , if not impossible at times . The less ‘ attractive ’ a feature is , the less attention it would get due to limitations in budget and time . Especially pits that contain rubbish or sewage are likely to be overlooked ( Smith 2013 , 526 ). This is unfortunate , as the identification of these cultural deposits can provide many insights into activities such as waste-management , consumption patterns , house maintenance , ( personal ) hygiene , but furthermore on the successive uses of a feature . p . 22 | VOL II | INTER-SECTION | 2016