The early Acheulean site of Gombore I level B (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): Archaeological assemblage integrity and spatial distribution patterns

Abstract

The Gombore I, Level B (Gombore IB) site at Melka Kunture, Ethiopia, is a significant Early Acheulean site that provides valuable insights into hominin behaviour. This study examines the integrity and spatial patterns of the Gombore IB archaeological record to differentiate between anthropogenic activities and natural sedimentary processes. Taphonomic analyses of the stone tools reveal extensive surface disturbance, but no evidence of significant sedimentary size sorting. Orientation analyses of artefacts, bones, and unmodified clasts indicate anisotropic distributions consistent with fluvial reorganisation. However, the spatial arrangement of tools and bones, combined with the lack of size correlations with natural clasts, suggests the partial preservation of original spatial relationships. The findings propose that Gombore IB represents a palimpsest of early Homo erectus activity interspersed with natural processes. While the tools are primarily attributed to hominin activities, the bone accumulations appear to have mixed origins, both anthropogenic and natural, complicating interpretations of the site's function. This study highlights the importance of multidisciplinary analytical methods in reconstructing behavioural and taphonomic dynamics at open-air Early Stone Age sites in East Africa.