Title: Aboriginal Subsistence and Site Ecology as Interpreted from Microfloral and Faunal Remains
Abstract: Many archeologists blame the acidic soil of the eastern woodlands of North America for mitigating against the preservation of archeologically related plant and animal remains. Hence, archeologists have given up the search for such remains. For want of efficient methodologies capable of recovering these data, archeologists resort to theorizing on prehistoric plant and animal utilization. Without floral and faunal remains, subsistence strategies would remain unknown and important ecological information will be lost. Excavations at the Shawnee Minisink site were undertaken with the overall goal of recovering all possible ecological and cultural data. These samples were taken to a bathtub that was set up near the site for initial processing. Employing a modified water-separation procedure, the soil matrix was poured into a standard galvanized bucket, the bottom of which had been replaced by 16-mesh screen. This bucket, half-immersed in the bathtub of water, was rotated in alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, allowing the soil matrix to escape. On lifting the bucket out of the water and then replacing it, the various materials caught in the screen would become free and proceed to settle at different rates.
Publication Year: 1985
Publication Date: 1985-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 12
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