Lithic Taphonomy and Digital Hydrogeologic Models: A GIS Based Approach to Understanding the Formational History of Surface Assemblages

Summary

Surface assemblages play an important role in understanding human behavior. However, modern erosional processes—specifically flowing water—can limit the behavioral inferences that can be gained from surface assemblages by transporting materials from their original discard sites. The influence of these processes can be observed in the size distribution and condition of surface lithic assemblages. The topography and geomorphology of the landscape heavily dictates the degree to which fluvial processes erode and redistribute artifacts. Thus, considering formation processes alongside aspects of topography and geomorphology provides a means to investigate the extent to which modern geomorphological processes have altered surface assemblages. Here, we use digital terrain analysis to explore this relationship between the surface assemblages and modern erosional processes. We characterize the location of surface artifacts from the Koobi Fora Formation, Kenya, by stream power (erosive potential) and topographic wetness (the potential for water to pool). We then pair these data with attributes of stone tools that reflect post-depositional damage. We assess the overall influence of hydrological processes on the spatial arrangement of surface assemblages. A discussion of the applied methods and preliminary results is presented. This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, OISE awards 1358178 and 1358200.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21810