Arid
DOI10.1016/j.jas.2017.06.011
Investigation of organic matter and biomarkers from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa: Insights into Middle Stone Age site usage and palaeoclimate
Collins, James A.1; Carr, Andrew S.2; Schefuss, Enno3; Boom, Arnoud2; Sealy, Judith4
通讯作者Collins, James A.
来源期刊JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
ISSN0305-4403
EISSN1095-9238
出版年2017
卷号85页码:51-65
英文摘要

Diepkloof Rock Shelter (DRS) represents a site of major interest for reconstructing early human behaviours during the Middle Stone Age (MSA). Rock shelters such as DRS also potentially preserve information concerning the environmental context for such behaviours. In this respect the organic matter composition of rock shelter sediments has rarely been investigated in detail, particularly at the molecular level. Here, we used pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) to systematically assess the organic matter composition of bulk sediments within the MSA and Later Stone Age (LSA) sequence at DRS. From this we sought to gain insights into site usage, taphonomy and burning practices. Additionally, we analysed the chain length distribution of leaf-wax n-alkanes as well as their hydrogen and carbon isotopic compositions (delta D-wax and delta C-13(wax)) to investigate their potential as hydroclimate and vegetation indicators. This constitutes the first leaf-wax isotopic data in a terrestrial context of this antiquity in South Africa.


Py-GC/MS shows a dichotomy between stratigraphic units (SUs) of high organic matter content, producing a range of pyrolysis products, including homologous series of long chain n-alkene/n-alkane doublets and alkyl-nitriles, and SUs of low organic matter content, dominated by aromatic, heterocyclic N and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pyrolysis products; typical molecular burning products. Several SUs of the Intermediate Howiesons Poort interval exhibit the latter composition, consistent with micromorphological evidence.


delta C-13(wax) remains stable throughout the MSA, but leaf-wax n-alkane chain length and delta D-wax increase during the Late Howiesons Poort interval. Comparison with such patterns in modern plants in the region suggests this represents a shift towards the input of more arid-adapted vegetation into the shelter, driven either by aridification at the site locale or a change in selection practices. Our results suggest that these techniques have further potential in southern Africa and globally at sites where organic matter preservation is high. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


英文关键词Organic matter composition py-GC/MS delta C-13(wax) delta D-wax PAHs n-alkane chain length distribution Burning
类型Article
语种英语
国家Germany ; England ; South Africa
收录类别SCI-E ; SSCI ; AHCI
WOS记录号WOS:000411421200005
WOS关键词CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS-SPECTROMETRY ; WESTERN CAPE ; PYROLYSIS-GC/MS ; STABLE CARBON ; ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION ; HOWIESONS POORT ; N-ALKANES ; HUMAN-BEHAVIOR ; URIC-ACID ; SOIL
WOS类目Anthropology ; Archaeology ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
WOS研究方向Anthropology ; Archaeology ; Geology
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/200069
作者单位1.Alfred Wegener Inst Polar & Marine Res, Alten Hafen 26, D-27568 Bremerhaven, Germany;
2.Univ Leicester, Dept Geog, Univ Rd, Leicester LE1 7RH, Leics, England;
3.Univ Bremen, Ctr Marine Environm Sci, MARUM, Leobener Str 8, D-28359 Bremen, Germany;
4.Univ Cape Town, Dept Archaeol, Private Bag X3, ZA-7701 Rondebosch, South Africa
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GB/T 7714
Collins, James A.,Carr, Andrew S.,Schefuss, Enno,et al. Investigation of organic matter and biomarkers from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa: Insights into Middle Stone Age site usage and palaeoclimate[J],2017,85:51-65.
APA Collins, James A.,Carr, Andrew S.,Schefuss, Enno,Boom, Arnoud,&Sealy, Judith.(2017).Investigation of organic matter and biomarkers from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa: Insights into Middle Stone Age site usage and palaeoclimate.JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE,85,51-65.
MLA Collins, James A.,et al."Investigation of organic matter and biomarkers from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa: Insights into Middle Stone Age site usage and palaeoclimate".JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE 85(2017):51-65.
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