Shishan Marsh 1 (Level 7b)
Basic information
Sample name: Shishan Marsh 1 (Level 7b)
Reference: J. T. Pokines, A. M. Lister, C. J. H. Ames, A. Nowell, and C. E. Cordova. 2019. Faunal remains from recent excavations at Shishan Marsh 1 (SM1), a Late Lower Paleolithic open-air site in the Azraq Basin, Jordan. Quaternary Research 91(2):768-791 [ER 3738]
Geography
Country: Jordan
Coordinate: 31° 50' N, 36° 49' E
Coordinate basis: stated in text
Time interval: Late Pleistocene
Ma: 0.125
Age basis: OSL
Geography comments: "The site of Shishan Marsh 1 (SM1) is located within the boundaries of the Azraq Wetland Reserve, in the Azraq Basin in Jordan’s Eastern Desert".
"Level 7b was OSL dated to 125 ± 12 ka".
"Level 7b was OSL dated to 125 ± 12 ka".
Environment
Lithology: siltstone
Taphonomic context: aeolian deposit,human accumulation
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: "Level 7b was formed through alluvial deposition, sheet erosion, and aeolian silt accretion, likely corresponding to marshes or pools receiving low-energy alluvial influx".
"Approximately 10,000 lithic artifacts have been excavated. The lithic assemblage is characterized by small to moderately sized ovate and discoid bifaces and a predominance of small flake tools".
"Fluvial transport was likely not a significant site formation process; the artifacts and faunal remains are in their primary contexts". "The stone tools provide direct evidence of butchery and exploitation" of the faunal remains by hominins, with "the animals likely having been killed and processed in this location". "While the accumulation of some of the fauna may also have been because of mortality from other sources, the artefactual evidence clearly demonstrates that carcass processing occurred in this area".
"Approximately 10,000 lithic artifacts have been excavated. The lithic assemblage is characterized by small to moderately sized ovate and discoid bifaces and a predominance of small flake tools".
"Fluvial transport was likely not a significant site formation process; the artifacts and faunal remains are in their primary contexts". "The stone tools provide direct evidence of butchery and exploitation" of the faunal remains by hominins, with "the animals likely having been killed and processed in this location". "While the accumulation of some of the fauna may also have been because of mortality from other sources, the artefactual evidence clearly demonstrates that carcass processing occurred in this area".
Methods
Life forms: ungulates
Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash
Sample size: 48 specimens
Years: 2013 - 2015
Sampling comments: "Test excavations of SM1 began in 2013, with subsequent excavation in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. More than 20 m2 of deposits have been excavated".
"Levels 7a–c were excavated in 1 m units divided into quadrants and following natural stratigraphic levels. For thicker levels, quadrants were divided into vertical spits of 5 cm within the natural levels, meaning the maximum excavated context volume is a 50 × 50 cm area with a depth of 5 cm. All individual sediment lots were dry-screened through a 2 mm mesh".
"Levels 7a–c were excavated in 1 m units divided into quadrants and following natural stratigraphic levels. For thicker levels, quadrants were divided into vertical spits of 5 cm within the natural levels, meaning the maximum excavated context volume is a 50 × 50 cm area with a depth of 5 cm. All individual sediment lots were dry-screened through a 2 mm mesh".
Metadata
Sample number: 3971
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-08-16 11:09:19
Modified: 2022-08-16 01:23:28
Abundance distribution
6 species
2 singletons
total count 48
geometric series index: 11.0
Fisher's α: 1.810
geometric series k: 0.5341
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.6649
Shannon's H: 1.3107
Good's u: 0.9592
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| †Bos primigenius | 2 | |
| also 61 Bovidae indet. | ||
| Camelus sp. | 10 | |
| †Palaeoloxodon cf. recki | 23 | |
| Equus ferus | 1 | 422 kg |
| "Equus caballus" | ||
| Equus hemionus hydruntinus | 1 | grazer |
| also 4 Equus sp. | ||
| †Stephanorhinus hemitoechus | 11 | |