Archaeologists are getting better and better at reading soil. Over time, they learned to extract more and more data from smaller and smaller samples on Earth.
A technique called microstratigraphy pushes that concept to its limits. This allows archaeologists to detect minute traces of human or animal presence that would otherwise be missed by traditional excavation techniques.
Although not considered a new methodology, the researchers applied it to archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, reconstructing ground conditions at the Thamparin Cave site in northeastern Laos from 52,000 to 10,000 years ago. in published articles in Review of Quaternary Science.
“Our paper puts microstratigraphy center stage.” Vito HernandezGraduate students from Flinders University in Australia participated in the study.
What soil can tell us about ancient life
So what does this particular soil tell us about the cave and the ancient people who lived there or near it?
“How the soil is deposited, or its structure, says a lot,” Hernandez says. “The laterally compacted earth masses suggest that they have been trampled, perhaps by humans or even animals. Very reddened sediments were piled from bottom to top, containing charcoal, burnt bones and ash. This suggests that a hearth was probably built and used for cooking.
Examining the sediments surrounding hominin fossils sheds more light on how they arrived at their final resting place. Archaeologists’ soil analysis revealed that conditions in the cave ranged from wet to dry depending on the season.
Professor Mike Morley from Flinders University, who participated in the study, said in a press release: “This environmental change will affect the internal topography of the cave and influence how sediments containing hominin fossils are deposited within the cave. It would have had an impact.”
“How fast! homo sapiens The theory that they were buried deep inside the cave has long been debated, but our analysis of the deposits suggests that the fossils were washed into the cave as loose sediment and debris that accumulated over time and were washed away during heavy rains. “This indicates that it was likely carried by water from the surrounding hillsides.” Said.
read more: How do archaeologists know where to dig?
Arrival of early humans in Southeast Asia
The group previously layer with date It was pushed back in turn from different depths of the cave. arrival of early humans In Southeast Asia.
This technique allows archaeologists to recreate photos from the past using just a few fragments, but it also has limitations. For example, it is not possible to definitively determine whether some of the ash found comes from cooking or forest fires.
“There is still much work to be done on site and in the region, as the environmental circumstances of the ashes need to be studied in more detail,” Hernandez said.
read more: The story of Southeast Asia told through ancient DNA
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Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent more than 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life sciences policy and global scientist career issues. He started his career in newspapers but switched to scientific magazines. His research has appeared in publications such as Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
