Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology

Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology Edited by Dr. Cristiano Nicosia Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium and Em. Prof. Dr. Georges Stoops Vakgroep Geologie, Faculteit Wetenschappen, Universiteit Gent, Belgium This edition first published 2017 © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. The right of Cristiano Nicosia and Georges Stoops to be identified as the author(s) of the editorial material in this work has been asserted in accordance with law. Registered Offices John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK Editorial Office 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK For details of our global editorial offices, customer services, and more information about Wiley products visit us at www.wiley.com. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print‐on‐demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty The contents of this work are intended to further general scientific research, understanding, and discussion only and are not intended and should not be relied upon as recommending or promoting scientific method, diagnosis, or treatment by physicians for any particular patient. The publisher and the authors make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy and completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. In view of ongoing research, equipment modifications, changes in governmental regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to the use of medicines, equipment, and devices, the reader is urged to review and evaluate the information provided in the package insert or instructions for each medicine, equipment, or device for, among other things, any changes in the instructions or indication of usage and for added warnings and precautions. Readers should consult with a specialist where appropriate. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this works was written and when it is read. No warranty may be created or extended by any promotional statements for this work. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any damages arising herefrom. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Nicosia, Cristiano, 1978– editor. | Stoops, Georges, editor. Title: Archaeological soil and sediment micromorphology / edited by Dr. Cristiano Nicosia, Centre de Recherches en Archaologie et Patrimoine, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, and Dr. Georges R. Stoops, Vakgroep Geologie, Faculteit Wetenschappen, Universiteit Gent, Belgium. Description: Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2017012528 (print) | LCCN 2017013126 (ebook) | ISBN 9781118941072 (pdf ) | ISBN 9781118941089 (epub) | ISBN 9781118941058 (cloth) Subjects: LCSH: Soil micromorphology. | Soils–Analysis. | Archaeology. | Sediments (Geology)–Analysis. Classification: LCC S593.2 (ebook) | LCC S593.2 .A725 2017 (print) | DDC 631.4–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017012528 Cover Design: Wiley Cover Image: Original image by M.G. Canti Set in 10/12pt Warnock by SPi Global, Pondicherry, India 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 v Contents Contributors xiii Referees xvii Abbreviations xix Introduction 1 Georges Stoops and Cristiano Nicosia I.1 I.2 I.3 I.4 I.5 I.6 Aims and Structure of the Book 1 Definition and History of Soil Micromorphology 1 Micromorphology and Archaeology 2 Use of Micromorphology in Geoarchaeology 2 Techniques 4 Concluding Remarks 5 References 5 Part I Inclusions in Archaeological Soils and Sediments 9 1 Bone and Other Skeletal Tissues 11 Ximena S. Villagran, Dirk J. Huisman, Susan M. Mentzer, Christopher E. Miller and Miranda M. Jans 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Introduction 11 Micromorphology 11 Taphonomy of Bone 20 Guidelines for Micromorphological Analysis References 33 2 Avian Eggshell 39 Matthew G. Canti 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Introduction 39 Biological Characteristics 39 Optical and Morphological Properties Examples 39 Conclusions 39 References 41 3 Mollusc Shell 43 Matthew G. Canti 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Biological Characteristics 43 Optical and Morphological Properties Examples 43 Conclusions 46 References 46 39 43 32 vi Contents 4 Biospheroids Produced by Earthworms 47 Matthew G. Canti 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Introduction 47 Morphological and Optical Characteristics Preservation Potential 47 Archaeological Examples 47 Arion Granules 49 References 49 5 Faecal Spherulites 51 Matthew G. Canti and Jacques Élie Brochier 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Introduction 51 Biological Characteristics 51 Optical Characteristics 51 Preservation Potential 53 Archaeological Examples 53 References 54 6 Excrements of Herbivores 55 David Brönnimann, Kristin Ismail‐Meyer, Philippe Rentzel, Christine Pümpin and Lenka Lisá 6.1 6.2 6.3 Introduction 55 Micromorphology Taphonomy 60 References 63 7 Excrements of Omnivores and Carnivores 67 David Brönnimann, Christine Pümpin, Kristin Ismail‐Meyer, Philippe Rentzel and Natàlia Égüez 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Introduction 67 Excrements of Omnivores 67 Excrements of Carnivores 69 Human Excrements 75 Future Research 77 References 78 8 Guano 83 Panagiotis Karkanas 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Introduction 83 Micromorphology 83 Archaeological Implications Future Prospects 87 References 87 9 Ova of Intestinal Parasites 91 Christine Pümpin, Matthieu Le Bailly and Sandra Pichler 9.1 9.2 9.3 Introduction 91 Characteristics of Specific Parasite Eggs 91 Limitations of the Study of Helminth Eggs in Micromorphological Thin Sections 94 Conclusion 96 References 96 9.4 10 47 55 86 Earth Construction Materials 99 David E. Friesem, Julia Wattez and Marylise Onfray 10.1 Introduction 99 10.2 Mud Bricks 99 Contents 10.3 Cob 102 10.4 Wattle and Daub 104 10.5 Conclusion 106 References 107 11 Laterite as Construction Material 111 Georges Stoops References 12 112 Turf as Construction Material 113 Dirk J. Huisman and Karen B. Milek 12.1 Introduction 113 12.2 Micromorphology 114 References 118 13 Plant Remains 121 Kristin Ismail‐Meyer 13.1 Introduction 121 13.2 Micromorphology 122 13.3 Future Prospects 130 References 133 14 Chaff 137 Cristiano Nicosia and Matthew G. Canti 14.1 Introduction 137 14.2 Micromorphology 137 14.3 Conclusion 139 References 139 15 Charred Plant Remains 141 Matthew G. Canti References 142 16 Coal 143 Matthew G. Canti 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Introduction 143 Types of Coal (after Read 1971) 143 Optical and Morphological Properties Alteration of Coal by Burning 144 Archaeological Examples 144 Conclusions 145 References 145 17 Plant Ash 147 Matthew G. Canti and Jacques Élie Brochier 143 17.1 Introduction 147 17.2 Micromorphology 147 17.3 Ash Taphonomy 152 References 153 18 Opal Phytoliths 155 Luc Vrydaghs, Yannick Devos and Ákos Pető 18.1 Introduction 155 18.2 Micromorphology 155 18.3 Brief Review of Previous Micromorphological Studies Reporting Phytoliths 157 vii viii Contents 18.4 Deposition and Accumulation in Archaeological Units 157 References 160 19 Siliceous Microfossils from Single‐Celled Organisms: Diatoms and Chrysophycean Stomatocysts 165 Elie Verleyen, Koen Sabbe, Wim Vyverman and Cristiano Nicosia 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Introduction 165 Habitat Preferences of Diatoms and Chrysophycean Cysts 165 Identification of Siliceous Microfossils produced by Single‐Celled Organisms 165 Siliceous Microfossils from Single‐Celled Organisms in Archaeological Soil Micromorphology 168 References 168 20 Opal Sponge Spicules 171 Luc Vrydaghs 20.1 Introduction 171 20.2 Micromorphology 171 References 172 21 Burnt Soils and Sediments 173 Astrid Röpke and Carlo Dietl 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Introduction 173 Physical, Chemical, Mineralogical and Micromorphological Changes 173 Experiments at Different Temperature Regimes 175 Conclusion 177 References 178 22 Burnt Carbonates Matthew G. Canti 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 Introduction 181 Thermal Diagenesis of Carbonate Materials 181 Carbonate Materials from Different Temperature Regimes Archaeological Examples 183 Conclusions 183 References 188 23 Calcareous Mortars, Plasters and Floors 189 Georges Stoops, Matthew G. Canti and Selim Kapur 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Introduction 189 Micromorphology 189 Alteration of Mortars and Plasters Conclusion 197 References 197 24 Gypsic Mortars and Plasters 201 Georges Stoops, Alexander Tsatskin and Matthew G. Canti 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Introduction 201 Micromorphology 201 Alteration 203 Conclusion 203 References 204 25 Ceramic Materials Lara Maritan 181 205 25.1 Introduction 205 25.2 Micromorphology 205 25.3 Conclusion 210 References 210 196 181 Contents 26 Metals and Metalworking Residues 213 Ivana Angelini, Gilberto Artioli and Cristiano Nicosia 26.1 Introduction 213 26.2 Micromorphology 214 26.3 Conclusions 220 References 221 27 Lithic Artefacts 223 Diego E. Angelucci 27.1 Introduction 223 27.2 Micromorphology 224 27.3 Discussion 226 References 229 Part II Current Topics in Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology 231 28 Soils Disturbed by Vegetation Clearance and Tillage 233 Judit Deák, Anne Gebhardt, Helen Lewis, Maria Raimonda Usai, and Heejin Lee 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 Introduction 233 Micromorphological Features related to Vegetation Clearance by Fire 235 Micromorphological Features Indicative of Bare Surfaces 238 Micromorphology of Structural and Textural Features Revealing the use of Implements 247 Final Remarks 259 References 259 29 Animal Gathering Enclosures 265 Ruth Shahack‐Gross 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 Introduction 265 Organic‐Rich Dung Deposits 267 Organic‐Poor Dung Deposits 270 Conclusion 275 References 279 30 Trampling, Poaching and the Effect of Traffic 281 Philippe Rentzel, Cristiano Nicosia, Anne Gebhardt, David Brönnimann, Christine Pümpin and Kristin Ismail‐Meyer 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 30.6 Introduction 281 Trampling 281 Poaching 286 Traffic 287 Experimentally Trampled Sediments and Surfaces Conclusion 293 References 295 31 Combustion Features 299 Carolina Mallol, Susan M. Mentzer and Christopher E. Miller 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 31.6 31.7 31.8 31.9 Introduction 299 Classification of Combustion Features 300 Analytical Strategy 300 Common Microscopic Products of Combustion 300 Stratigraphy, Fabric and Classification of Intact Combustion Structures 301 Stratigraphy and Fabric of Physically Reworked Combustion Structures 315 Microscopic Evidence for Chemical Diagenesis of Intact and Reworked Combustion Structures 320 Synthesis 322 Conclusion 324 References 326 287 ix x Contents 32 European Dark Earth 331 Cristiano Nicosia, Yannick Devos, and Richard I. Macphail 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 Introduction 331 Sampling and Analytical Procedures 331 Features Associated with Natural Formation Processes 332 Features Associated with Human Activities 336 Concluding Remarks 339 References 340 33 Amazonian Dark Earths Manuel Arroyo‐Kalin 33.1 33.2 33.3 34.4 Introduction 345 Sampling Considerations 347 Soil Micromorphology of ADEs Conclusions 352 References 354 34 Cave and Rock Shelter Sediments Carolina Mallol and Paul Goldberg 345 348 359 34.1 Introduction 359 34.2 Common Microfabrics from Rock Shelter and Cave Sites 34.3 Conclusion 375 References 377 Part III Additional Techniques 383 35 Sampling for Soil Micromorphology 385 Georges Stoops and Cristiano Nicosia 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 Introduction 385 Sampling Strategy 385 Taking Samples in the Field 386 Labelling 389 Transport and Preservation 390 References 391 36 Fluorescence Microscopy 393 Georges Stoops 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 Principles of the Analytical Method 393 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 393 Applications in Archaeology 395 Concluding Remarks 396 References 396 37 Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) 399 Lisa‐Marie Shillito 37.1 Principles of the Analytical Method 399 37.2 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 399 37.3 Archaeological Applications 401 References 401 38 Isotope Mass Spectrometry (On Microdrilled Powders) 403 Susan M. Mentzer 38.1 Principles of the Analytical Method 403 38.2 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 404 360 Contents 38.3 Archaeological Applications 38.4 Concluding Remarks 408 References 408 39 405 FTIR Microscopy 411 Francesco Berna 39.1 Principles of the Analytical Method 411 39.2 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 411 39.3 Archaeological Applications 412 References 414 40 X‐ray Microdiffraction 417 Christoph Berthold and Susan M. Mentzer 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 Fundamentals of X‐ray Diffraction 417 XRD Instrumentation 417 Output and Analysis 421 Applications to Archaeological Micromorphology Samples 422 Concluding Remarks 427 References 427 41 Micro XRF 431 Susan M. Mentzer 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 Principles of the Analytical Method 431 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 432 Archaeological Applications 435 Concluding Remarks 438 References 438 42 Micro‐CT Scanning 441 Dominique J.M. Ngan‐Tillard and Dirk J. Huisman 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 Principles of the Analytical Method 441 Sampling and Analytical Procedures 442 Archaeological Applications 444 Concluding Remarks 446 References 447 43 Electron Probe X‐ray Microanalysis (SEM‐EPMA) Techniques 451 Clare A. Wilson 43.1 Principles of the Techniques 451 43.2 Sample Preparation and Analysis 451 43.3 Archaeological Applications 453 References 457 44 Reflected Light 461 Bertrand Ligouis 44.1 Principles of the Analytical Method 461 44.2 Sampling and Analytical Procedure 461 44.3 Archaeological Applications 465 References 469 Index 471 xi xiii Contributors Ivana Angelini Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali Università degli Studi di Padova Italy ivana.angelini@unipd.it Applied Mineralogy Department of Geosciences University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany christoph.berthold@uni‐tuebingen.de Diego E. Angelucci Dipartimento di Lettere e Filosofia Università degli Studi di Trento Italy diego.angelucci@unitn.it Manuel Arroyo‐Kalin Institute of Archaeology University College London London United Kingdom m.arroyo‐kalin@ucl.ac.uk Gilberto Artioli CIRCe Centre,Università di Padova, Italy Jacques Élie Brochier Aix‐Marseille Université (AMU) UMR 7269 LAMPEA Aix‐en‐Provence France jacques.brochier@univ‐amu.fr David Brönnimann IPAS – Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science University of Basel Switzerland david.broennimann@unibas.ch and Dipartimento di Geoscienze Università degli Studi di Padova Via G. Gradenigo 6 35131 Padova Italy gilberto.artioli@unipd.it Francesco Berna Department of Archaeology Simon Fraser University Burnaby Canada francesco_berna@sfu.ca Christoph Berthold Competence Center Archaeometry – Baden‐ Wuerttemberg (CCA‐BW) Matthew G. Canti Historic England Eastney United Kingdom Matthew.Canti@historicengland.org.uk Judit Deák Office du Patrimoine et de l’Archéologie Neuchâtel Section Archéologie Switzerland judit.deak@ne.ch Yannick Devos Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine Université Libre de Bruxelles Bruxelles, Belgium yadevos@ulb.ac.be xiv Contributors Carlo Dietl Selim Kapur Gesteinslabor Dr. Eberhard Jahns Heilbad Heiligenstadt Germany dietl@gesteinslabor.de Department of Archaeometry University of Çukurova Adana Turkey kapurs@cu.edu.tr Natàlia Égüez Institute for Pre‐and Protohistoric Archaeology Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität zu Kiel Germany neguez@gshdl.uni‐kiel.de David E. Friesem McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research University of Cambridge United Kingdom df360@cam.ac.uk Anne Gebhardt UMR 7362, LIVE, Équipe Dynamique des Paysages Université de Strasbourg, INRAP France anne.gebhardt‐even@inrap.fr Paul Goldberg Department of Archaeology Boston University Boston USA Institute for Archaeological Sciences University of Tübingen Germany School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Wollongong New South Wales Australia paulberg@bu.edu Dirk J. Huisman Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Amersfoort The Netherlands H.Huisman@cultureelerfgoed.nl Kristin Ismail‐Meyer IPAS – Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science University of Basel Switzerland kristin.meyer@unibas.ch Miranda M. Jans JOINT POW/MIA Accounting Command Central Identification Laboratory JBPHH, HI USA Miranda.m.jans.civ@mail.mil Panagiotis Karkanas The Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science American School of Classical Studies Athens Greece tkarkanas@ascsa.edu.gr Matthieu Le Bailly University of Bourgogne Franche‐Comte CNRS UMR Chrono‐environment Besançon cedex France matthieu.lebailly@univ‐fcomte.fr Heejin Lee Department of Archaeology and Art History Korea Institute for Archaeology and Environment Korea University South Korea ddangpa@korea.ac.kr Helen Lewis School of Archaeology University College Dublin Republic of Ireland helen.lewis@ucd.ie Bertrand Ligouis Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie Abt. Organische Petrologie Eberhard‐Karls‐Universität Tübingen Tübingen, Germany and Labor für Angewandte Organische Petrologie – LAOP Eberhard‐Karls‐Universiät Tüingen Tübingen Germany bertrand.ligouis@uni‐tuebingen.de Lenka Lisá Institute of Geology Czech Academy of Science Czech Republic lisa@gli.cas.cz Contributors Richard I. Macphail Christopher E. Miller Institute of Archaeology University College London London United Kingdom r.macphail@ucl.ac.uk Institute for Archaeological Sciences University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany Carolina Mallol Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany christopher.miller@uni‐tuebingen.de Departamento de Geograf ía e Historia Universidad de La Laguna Campus de Guajara Tenerife Spain Instituto Universitario de Bio‐Orgánica Antonio González La Laguna Campus de Guajara Tenerife Spain cmallol@ull.es Lara Maritan Dipartimento di Geoscienze Università di Padova Italy lara.maritan@unipd.it Susan M. Mentzer Institute for Archaeological Sciences University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany and Dominique J. M. Ngan‐Tillard Section Geo Engineering Department of Geoscience and Engineering Delft University of Technology The Netherlands d.j.m.ngan‐tillard@tudelft.nl Cristiano Nicosia Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine Université Libre de Bruxelles Belgium cristianonicosia@gmail.com Marylise Onfray Département DMOS Agro‐Paris‐Tech Thiverval‐Grignon France onfray.marylise@live.fr School of Anthropology University of Arizona Tucson USA susan.mentzer@ifu.uni‐tuebingen.de Université Paris 1‐ Panthéon‐Sorbonne UMR 8215 - Trajectoires France and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany Institute of Nature Conservation and Landscape Management Department of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology Gödöllő Hungary peto.akos@mkk.szie.hu Karen B. Milek Sandra Pichler Department of Archaeology School of Geosciences University of Aberdeen United Kingdom k.milek@abdn.ac.uk IPAS – Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science University of Basel Switzerland sandra.pichler@unibas.ch Ákos Pető xv xvi Contributors Christine Pümpin Maria Raimonda Usai IPAS – Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science University of Basel Switzerland christine.puempin@unibas.ch Department of Architecture and Design University of Sassari Alghero Italy Mariaraimonda.usai@gmail.com Philippe Rentzel Elie Verleyen IPAS – Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science University of Basel Switzerland philippe.rentzel@unibas.ch Protistology and Aquatic Ecology Universiteit Gent Belgium elie.verleyen@ugent.be Astrid Röpke Labor für Archäobotanik Ur‐ und Frühgeschichte Universität zu Köln Germany astrid.roepke@uni‐koeln.de Koen Sabbe Protistology and Aquatic Ecology Universiteit Gent Belgium Koen.sabbe@ugent.be Ruth Shahack‐Gross Laboratory for Sedimentary Archaeology Department of Maritime Civilizations University of Haifa Israel rgross@univ.haifa.ac.il Lisa‐Marie Shillito School of History, Classics and Archaeology Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Newcastle University United Kingdom lisa‐marie.shillito@ncl.ac.uk Georges Stoops Ximena S. Villagran Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology University of Sao Paulo Brazil villagran@usp.br Luc Vrydaghs Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine Université Libre de Bruxelles Bruxelles, Belgium and Research Team in Archaeo‐ and Palaeosciences Brussels, Belgium luc_vrydaghs@yahoo.co.uk Wim Vyverman Protistology and Aquatic Ecology Universiteit Gent Belgium wim.vyverman@ugent.be Julia Wattez UMR 5140 Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes, CNRS, Université Paul Valéry Ministère de la Culture, INRAP, France and Vakgroep Geologie Faculteit Wetenschappen Universiteit Gent Belgium georges.stoops@UGent.be Département DMOS Agro‐Paris‐Tech Thiverval‐Grignon France Julia.wattez@inrap.fr Alexander Tsatskin Clare A. Wilson Zinman Institute of Archaeology University of Haifa Haifa Israel tsatskin@research.haifa.ac.il Biological and Environmental Sciences School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling United Kingdom c.a.wilson@stir.ac.uk xvii Referees Rowena Y. Banerjea (Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, UK) Marco Benvenuti (Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy) Jacques Élie Brochier (Aix‐Marseille Université, France) Dan Cabanes (Department of Anthropology and Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA) Matthew G. Canti (Historic England, UK) Paul Clauws (Vakgroep Vastestofwetenschappen, Universiteit Gent, Belgium) Veerle Cnudde (Vakgroep Geologie, Universiteit Gent, Belgium) Donald Davidson (School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, UK) Judit Deák (Office du Patrimoine et de l’Archéologie, Section Archéologie, Neuchâtel, Switzerland) Yannick Devos (Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) Jan Elsen (Afdeling Geologie, KULeuven, Belgium) Charles French (Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, UK) Dagmar Fritzsch (Institute of Physical Geography, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany) Shira Gur‐Arieh (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany) Danuta Kaczorek (Department of Soil Environment Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland) Maja Kooistra (ISRIC and Kooistra Micromorphological Services, The Netherlands) Roger Langohr (Geology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium) David Lindbo (Soil Science Department, North Carolina State University, USA) Richard I. Macphail (Institute of Archaeology, University College London, UK) Carolina Mallol (Departamento de Geograf ía e Historia, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain) Florias Mees (Department of Geology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium) Susan M. Mentzer (Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie, Eberhard‐Karls‐Universität, Tübingen, Germany; School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, USA) Rosa M. Poch (Departament de Medi Ambient i Ciències del Sòl, Universitat de Lleida, Spain) Ana Polo Dìaz (IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Spain) Patrick Quinn (Institute of Archaeology, University College London, UK) Ina Reiche (Rathgen‐Forschungslabor, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin‐Preußischer Kulturbesitz and associated to Sorbonne Universités, Univ. Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8220, Laboratoire d’Archéologie Moléculaire et Structurale, Paris, France) Vincent Robin (Institut für Ökosystemforschung, Christian Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Germany) Carlos Schaefer (Soil Science Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil) Ruth Shahack Gross (Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, Israel) Ainara Sistiaga (Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, MIT, USA) Dimitri Vandenberghe (Vakgroep Geologie, Universiteit Gent, Belgium) Eric Verrecchia (Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland) Julia Wattez (CNRS, Université Paul Valéry‐Montpellier 3, Ministère de la Culture, INRAP and Département DMOS Agro‐Paris‐Tech, France)