In situ or reworked? micromorphological evidence for mixing processes in shelter secuences of the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Morocco.

Abstract

The formation of palimpsests involves phases of strongly reduced sediment accumulation, partial sediment erosion or sediment mixing by bioturbation, cryoturbation, peloturbation or processes of mass movement along a slope. Humans may also cause mixing by differential trampling, raking out of fire residues or dung and levelling of dwelling floors. Generally, mixing processes cause problems in age determination of archaeological sequences resulting in age inversion or unexpectedly young ages. Micromorphology provides an important tool to identify mixing processes and clarify site formation in order to set up more reliable (chrono-) stratigraphic frameworks of shelter deposits. In addition, the first step to identify and disentangle Palimpsests is to evaluate mixing processes.