干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

In order to evaluate variability in land-use histories we discuss the usefulness of the concept of palimpsest as a theoretical-methodological tool that can be used to analyze and break up archaeological landscape structures into suitable analytical units. Through a case study we assess indicators of stability at both the landscape and artifact levels. At the landscape level, we discussed geomorphological processes operating at the site, focusing particularly at desert pavement. At the artifact level we apply typological analysis and looked into the effects of post-depositional alterations in rocks and artifacts. Research results suggest both conditions of greater and lesser stability associated to desert pavement that shows differential degrees of maturity shaping discovery conditions. At one end, stability is associated to places where pavement shows a certain degree of preservation, with a correlate at scale of the artifact where rock varnish and the possibility of artifact refitting supports stability. At the other end, we identified conditions of instability, marked by erosion processes operating in areas where pavement is partially to completely deteriorate. In between these ends, a variety of hues in pavement preservation speaks to de differential conditions to which artifacts were exposed.