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Life-histories of buildings and site-formation processes: experimental approaches

Rowena Banerjea (Dept of Archaeology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading)
Alexander Brown (Department of Archaeology, University of Reading)
Wendy Matthews (Department of Archaeology, University of Reading)
Stephen Nortcliff (Department of Soil Science, University of Reading)

Abstract

Recent geoarchaeological research has highlighted a series of major problems in interpreting site-formation processes and settlement spaces in archaeological contexts. Experimental archaeology has an important role to play in understanding the taphonomy of microfossils, microstratigraphic signatures and chemical residues in modern occupation deposits to investigate activity-traces in a range of archaeological settlement contexts. This paper will address these issues through analysis of experimental activity and occupation deposits at Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire (UK) and Lejre Forsøgscenter (Denmark). Soil micromorphology, phytolith, pollen, XRF, 13C NMR and BPCA Black Carbon analysis are used to analyse key occupation and deposit types and the effects of key depositional processes. A significant outcome of the project is a methodology encompassing both sampling strategies and recording of activities on experimental archaeological sites. Understanding life-histories of experimental buildings is key to interpreting the occupation deposits within, in order to apply these modern examples to the geoarchaeological record.