Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Investigating fuel and fireplaces with a combination of phytoliths and multi-element analysis; an ethnographic experiment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The identification of fuel-related practices in archaeological contexts is almost always associated with the identification of fire-related structures. Charcoal analysis is the standard method of identifying wood use in the past; however, in many circumstances wood was not the primary source of fuel. In arid and semi-arid environments alternative fuels such as dung, chaff and straw and, in general, plant processing by-products were predominant. The study of these types of fuel often necessitates the application of multi-proxy analyses, involving botanical micro-remains and geochemistry. This paper presents the results of an integrated analysis of phytoliths and chemical elements of samples collected in a modern ethnographic context, a domestic compound, in North Gujarat, India. Alternative fuels have been and are still very important in this area due to the scarcity of wood and the recent ban on cutting trees imposed by the government. Within the house studied, three fireplaces were present where different types of activities were performed selectively. The differential use of fuels in the three fireplaces is highlighted by the results of descriptive and multivariate statistics. However, the opposite geochemical signals that the fireplaces produced, when they should have been similar, would be difficult to interpret in an archaeological context where the practices that had produced such signals are unknown. The combination of phytoliths and geochemistry, coupled with the ethnographic information on the activity, can help us to construct better models to help interpret the archaeological record.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albert RM, Weiner S (2001) Study of phytoliths in prehistoric ash layers from Kebara and Tabun caves using a quantitative approach. In: Meunier D, Colin F (eds) Phytoliths: applications in earth sciences and human history. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 251–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Asouti E (2003) Woodland vegetation and fuel exploitation at the prehistoric campsite of Pınarbası, south-central Anatolia, Turkey: the evidence from the wood charcoal macro-remains. J Archaeol Sci 30:1,185–1,201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barba L (1986) La química en el estudio de áreas de actividad. In: Manzanilla L (ed) Unidades habitacionales mesoamericanas y sus áreas de actividad. UNAM, Mexico City, pp 21–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Beresford-Jones DG, Johnson K, Pullen AG, Pryor AJ, Svoboda J, Jones MK (2010) Burning wood or burning bone? A reconsideration of flotation evidence from upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) sites in the Moravian corridor. J Archaeol Sci 37:2,799–2,811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chabal L (1997) Forets et sociétés en Languedoc (Néolithique Final Antiquité Tardive). L’Anthracologie, méthode et paléoécologie. (Documents d’Archéologie Française 63) Maison de Sciences de l’homme, Paris

  • Friesem DE, Karkanas P, Tsartsidou G, Shahack-Gross R (2014) Sedimentary processes involved in mud brick degradation in temperate environments: a micromorphological approach in an ethnoarchaeological context in northern Greece. J Archaeol Sci 41:556–567

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García-Granero JJ, Lancelotti C, Madella M (2015) A tale of multi-proxies: integrating macro- and microbotanical remains to understand subsistence strategies. Veget Hist Archaeobot 24:121–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gur-Arieh S, Mintz E, Boaretto E, Shahack-Gross R (2013) An ethnoarchaeological study of cooking installations in rural Uzbekistan: development of a new method for identification of fuel sources. J Archaeol Sci 40:4,331–4,347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris M (2001) India’s sacred cow. In: Goodman A, Dufur D, Pelto G (eds) Nutritional anthropology. Biocultural perspectives on food and nutrition. Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View, pp 113–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancelotti C (2010) Fuelling Harappan hearths: human–environment interactions as revealed by fuel exploitation and use. Dissertation, University of Cambridge

  • Lancelotti C, Madella M (2012) The ‘invisible’ product: developing markers for identifying dung in archaeological contexts. J Archaeol Sci 39:953–963

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lê S, Josse J, Husson F (2008) FactoMiner: an R package for multivariate analysis. J Stat Softw 25:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linseele V, Riemer H, Baeten J, Vos DD, Marinova E, Ottoni C (2013) Species identification of archaeological dung remains: a critical review of potential methods. Environ Archaeol 18:5–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madella M, Powers-Jones AH, Jones MK (1998) A simple method of extraction of opal phytoliths from sediments using a non-toxic heavy liquid. J Archaeol Sci 25:801–803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madella M, Ajithprasad P, Lancelotti C et al (2010) Social and environmental transitions in arid zones: the North Gujarat Archaeological Project—NoGAP. Antiquity Publications, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer J (2003) Understanding hearth function: an approach from Harappa. Asian Perspect 42:287–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Middleton W, Barba L, Pecci A, Burton JH, Ortiz A, Salvini L, Suarez RR (2010) The study of archaeological floors: methodological proposal for the analysis of anthropogenic residues by spot tests, ICP-AES, and GC–MS. J Archaeol Method Theory 17:183–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearsall DM, Piperno DR, Dinan EH, Umlauf M, Zhao Z, Benfer RA (2008) Distinguishing rice (Oryza sativa, Poaceae) from wild Oryza species through phytolith analysis: results of preliminary research. Econ Bot 49:183–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piperno DR (2006) Phytoliths. A comprehensive guide for archaeologists and paleoecologists. Altamira Press, Lanham

    Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2014) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Rondelli B, Lancelotti C, Madella M et al (2014) Anthropic activity markers and spatial variability: an ethnoarchaeological experiment in a domestic unit of northern Gujarat (India). J Archaeol Sci 41:482–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahack-Gross R (2011) Herbivorous livestock dung: formation, taphonomy, methods for identification, and archaeological significance. J Archaeol Sci 38:205–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahack-Gross R, Marshall F, Ryan K, Weiner S (2004) Reconstruction of spatial organization in abandoned Maasai settlements: implications for site structure in the pastoral Neolithic of East Africa. J Archaeol Sci 31:1,395–1,411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Théry-Parisot I (2002) Fuel management (bone and wood) during the lower Aurignacian in the Pataud rock shelter (lower Palaeolithic, Les Eyzies de Tayac, Dordogne, France)—contribution of experimentation. J Archaeol Sci 29:1,415–1,421

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viswanathan B, Kumar KK (2005) Cooking fuel use patterns in India: 1983–2000. Energy Policy 33:1,021–1,036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yannitto V (2011) Micromorfología en contexto etnoarqueologico. Técnicas constructivas entre los agricultores de Jandhala (Gujarat, India). Dissertation, Autonomous University of Barcelona

  • Zapata Peña L, Peña Chocarro L, Ibañez Estévez JJ, González Urquijo EJ (2003) Ethnoarchaeology in the Moroccan Jebala (Western Rif): wood and dung as fuel. In: Neumann K (ed) Food, fuels and fields: progress in African archaeobotany (Africa Praehistorica 15). Heinrich Barth Institut, Köln, pp 163–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Zurro D (2011) Ni carne ni pescado (consumo de recursos vegetales en la Prehistoria): Análisis de la variabilidad de los conjuntos fitolitologicos en contextos cazadores-recolectores. Dissertation, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

Download references

Acknowledgments

All authors belong to the Complexity and Socio-Ecological Dynamics (CaSEs) Research Group, a Grup de Recerca Emergent (SGRe-1417) of the Generalitat de Catalunya, coordinated by Marco Madella. This research was carried out within the framework of the projects MoMArq (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, HAR2014-55518-P) and NoGAP (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness HAR2010-16052 and CONSOLIDER INGENIO CSD2010-00034; the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport through the Program Ayudas para Proyectos Arqueologicos en el Exterior 2009–2010; and the EXCAVA 2009 program of the Generalitat de Catalunya). JJGG was supported by a JAE PreDOC Doctoral Scholarship (Spanish National Research Council and European Fund). The authors are extremely grateful to all their Indian colleagues, especially Ajithprasad P. and Charusmita Gadekar for their invaluable help in the field. We also want to thank warmly Sakti-ji, Nema-ji, Puri Sonal and Nita for welcoming us in their home, letting us make holes in their floor and being very patient with all our questions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Complexity and Socio-Ecological Dynamics Research Group (CaSEs), Pompeu Fabra University, Mercé Rodoreda Building (Ciutadella Campus), Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain

    Carla Lancelotti, Javier Ruiz-Pérez & Juan José García-Granero

  2. Department of Humanities, Pompeu Fabra University, Jaume 1 Building (Ciutadella Campus), Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain

    Carla Lancelotti

  3. Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, C1-339, Campus Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain

    Javier Ruiz-Pérez

  4. Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Institución Milá y Fontanals, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), c/Egipcíaques 15, 08001, Barcelona, Spain

    Juan José García-Granero

Authors
  1. Carla Lancelotti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javier Ruiz-Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Juan José García-Granero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carla Lancelotti.

Additional information

Communicated by L. Vrydaghs.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (XLSX 21 kb)

Supplementary material 2 (XLSX 19 kb)

Supplementary material 3 (XLSX 14 kb)

ESM 1 Results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)

ESM 2 PCA results: eigenvalues, contribution of the variables (groups) and coordinates of individuals in each component for all samples (including dung reference collection)

ESM 3 PCA results: eigenvalues, contribution of the variables (groups) and coordinates of individuals in each component (excluding dung reference collection)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lancelotti, C., Ruiz-Pérez, J. & García-Granero, J.J. Investigating fuel and fireplaces with a combination of phytoliths and multi-element analysis; an ethnographic experiment. Veget Hist Archaeobot 26, 75–83 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-016-0574-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-016-0574-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation