Spatial patterning and site formation at Dmanisi, Georgia

Summary

The early Homo site of Dmanisi, Georgia, offers some of the clearest insights into the first dispersals from Africa by early members of our genus. On a more local level, the site contains very well preserved bones with excellent provenience data, which allows for an in depth look at spatial associations of archaeological material. In this paper, we look specifically at one excavation area at Dmanisi, Block 2, where majority of the hominin fossils have been uncovered. Using spatial analyses methods, we test different distributions of faunal sub-assemblages in order to assess the degree of behavior-related formation processes involved in the accumulation of archaeological material, with a primary focus on the most prolific layer, B1, and its pipe/gully fill facies, B1x, y, and z. With little evidence of post-depositional movement, bone transport, or density mediated attrition, much of the material accumulation resulted from carnivore and hominin activity, though the latter contributed much less, and some analytical units of the faunal assemblage are spatially clustered and segregated. Lithic distributions are more random, but are implicit in addressing hominin agency at Dmanisi.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage