Social geoarchaeology: A case study of structural organization at Peyre Blanque, Ariège

Summary

Recent studies of structural remains at Magdalenian open-air sites have provided valuable insights into patterns of occupation and intra-site spatial organization. However, interpretations of activities that may have occurred within the structures have primarily been limited to understandings of the repetition and duration of such activities. Determining more detailed use-of-space within the structures has been challenging at many sites due to site disturbance, not only from natural and anthropogenic post-depositional processes, but also from difficulties in amalgamating structural data from recent studies with those of previous excavations (e.g., at Oelknitz, Andernach-Martinsberg, and Gönnersdorf). Current excavations at the site of Peyre Blanque, Fabas, Ariège, have revealed a possible Magdalenian stone structure, and spatial analyses of the archaeological finds and structural remains have been implemented. For the first time at a Magdalenian open-air site, a systematic geoarchaeological analysis of the potential structure has been conducted to better understand the use-of-space within the structure, and the post-depositional and soil formation processes that have affected the structure and overall site. This study demonstrates how soil micromorphological and geochemical analyses provide a high-resolution record of human activities and environmental processes that can enhance our understanding of Magdalenian site occupation and social organization.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Magdalenian social geographies in Western Europe   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage