Quantifying Basalt Artifact Weathering and Depositional Context: Insights from the Koobi Fora Formation, Kenya

Summary

Stone artifact weathering is important for understanding the formational history of surface and in situ assemblages. While much of this work has focused on chert and other crypto-crystalline sillicas, the weathering of basalt is under-studied. As a large proportion of the Early Stone Age record consists of basalt, it is necessary to explore the weathering process of this material. Characterizing basalt weathering currently relies on the subjective characterization of both mechanical and chemical weathering properties. This is problematic as the rate at which these processes accrue depends on the depositional context. Thus, it is necessary to systematically understand how various weathering attributes accrue in different contexts. Here, we present a systematic analysis of basalt weathering in a variety of different sedimentary contexts. Taphonomic attribute data was collected from lithic assemblages from the Koobi Fora Formation in different depositional and temporal contexts. Multi-variate analysis was used to determine whether quantitative color estimations, the presence of crystals, and degree of edge and ridge rounding could be used to discriminate basalts from different depositional contexts. A discussion of the preliminary results is presented.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21910