Geo- and ethnoarchaeological investigations of a cave in the Northern Zagros Mountains (Ashkawta Rash, Iraqi Kurdistan)

IF 1.9 3区地球科学 Q3 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Quaternary International Pub Date : 2024-08-10 DOI:10.1016/j.quaint.2023.04.012

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Abstract

Ashkawta Rash Cave was investigated in two short excavation campaigns in 2018 and 2021. Hundreds of anthropogenic layers testify to the use of the cave over the last three millennia. In this article, we combine ethnoarchaeological and measurement technology related issues with the excavation results. After reviewing the archaeological and ethnographical literature we describe various economic practices, such as the stockpiling of dairy products, which can be demonstrated or at least made probable in the cave and its immediate surroundings. We catalogue different uses of the cave and date them wherever possible. Furthermore we describe general modes of cave use within the pastoral economy of northern Zagros, namely the phases of site formation with deposition and accumulation, followed by systematical removal of cave sediments and cultural layers. Grazing initially brings considerable amounts of material into the cave, then these layers, several metres thick, are removed again and again. As a result, future investigations can identify from remote wheter caves in the area yield potential undisturbed strata sequences or not. At the same time, this recognises an important process in the formation of the specific cultural landscape.

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扎格罗斯山脉北部洞穴的地质和民族考古调查（伊拉克库尔德斯坦Ashkawta Rash）

在 2018 年和 2021 年的两次短期发掘活动中，对阿什卡瓦塔拉什洞穴进行了调查。数以百计的人为地层证明了洞穴在过去三千年中的使用情况。在本文中，我们将民族考古学和测量技术相关问题与发掘结果相结合。在回顾考古学和人种学文献后，我们描述了洞穴及其周边地区可以证明或至少可能证明的各种经济活动，如乳制品的囤积。我们对洞穴的不同用途进行了编目，并尽可能确定了它们的年代。此外，我们还描述了扎格罗斯北部牧业经济中洞穴使用的一般模式，即遗址形成阶段的沉积和积累，以及随后洞穴沉积物和文化层的系统清除。放牧最初会将大量物质带入洞穴，然后这些厚达数米的岩层会被一次又一次地清除。因此，未来的调查可以从遥远的地方确定该地区的洞穴是否有可能产生未受扰动的地层序列。同时，这也确认了特定文化景观形成的一个重要过程。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Quaternary International 地学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

5.60

自引率

4.50%

发文量

336

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Quaternary International is the official journal of the International Union for Quaternary Research. The objectives are to publish a high quality scientific journal under the auspices of the premier Quaternary association that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of INQUA and records recent advances in Quaternary science that appeal to a wide audience. This series will encompass all the full spectrum of the physical and natural sciences that are commonly employed in solving Quaternary problems. The policy is to publish peer refereed collected research papers from symposia, workshops and meetings sponsored by INQUA. In addition, other organizations may request publication of their collected works pertaining to the Quaternary.