The Fumier Sequences of El Mirador: An Approach to Fire as a Sociocultural Practice and Taphonomic Agent
Fumier sequences play a primary role in the study of livestock management and the use of space in prehistoric pastoralist societies. These sequences are formed when dung accumulated in sheepfold caves and rock shelters is burnt, resulting in an overlapping of burnt and unburnt sedimentary layers. Th...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | capítulo de libro |
| Estado: | Versión aceptada para publicación |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2022 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad de Burgos (UBU) |
| Repositorio: | Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos (RIUBU) |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/10325 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10259/10325 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Arqueología-Burgos Paleontología Arqueología Archaeology-Burgos Paleontology Archaeology |
| Sumario: | Fumier sequences play a primary role in the study of livestock management and the use of space in prehistoric pastoralist societies. These sequences are formed when dung accumulated in sheepfold caves and rock shelters is burnt, resulting in an overlapping of burnt and unburnt sedimentary layers. Thus, fire is a key taphonomic agent in the formation and alteration of fumier sequences. The characteristics, functions, and management of burning events influence the preservation of the macro- and micro-remains potentially biasing the interpretation of the archeological record. Therefore, it is important to understand the taphonomic effects of fire in fumier sequences. In this chapter, we use a multi-scalar and interdisciplinary approach to the study of burning events at El Mirador cave. We analyzed the phytolith, fecal spherulites, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP), and parasite remains in the fumier sequence, together with the mineral (FTIR) and magnetic properties of the sediments. In addition, we studied the effects of fire on the macrofaunal assemblages. The results obtained here provide the basis for a tapho-diagenetic framework that illustrates robustly the formation dynamics of the El Mirador fumier sequences. |
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