Sediments in Archaeology: Methods and Implications for Palaeoenvironmental and Cultural Analysis

Sediments in and in the area of archaeological sites provide an invaluable source of information on palaeoenvironments and past human activities. Examination of the composition, texture, and structure of sediments has been used successfully in many sites of different kinds to reconstruct palaeoclimates. Sediment analysis has also been used in recognizing activity areas and in interpreting the processes involved in the formation and destruction of archaeological sites. In addition, sediment analysis can be applied to elucidate the relationship between changes in subsistence-settlement systems and environmental change. The methods of sediment analysis in archaeology includes, in addition to the standard sedimentological methods, special microarchaeological analyses.