Phytolyth Analysis (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Phytolith Analysis: An Archaeological and Geological Perspective 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 6
Preface 10
Acknowledgments 12
Chapter 1. 
16 
Introduction 16
The Discovery and Exploratory Period 18
The Botanical Period of Research 19
The Period of Ecological Phytolith Research 20
The Modern Period of Archaeological Phytolith Research 24
Chapter 2. The Production, Deposition, and Dissolution of Phytoliths 26
Introduction 26
The Development of Phytoliths in Higher Plants 27
The Occurrence of Phytoliths in the Plant Kingdom 34
Patterns of Silica Deposition and Distribution in Different Plant Structures 55
Localization of Silicon Deposition in Plant Structures 58
Mechanisms of Phytolith Deposition in Soils 59
Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Phytoliths 59
The Functional Significance of Phytoliths 62
Chapter 3. Phytolith Morphology 65
Introduction 65
How Phytolith Shapes Are Formed 67
Phytolith Description and Classification 67
The Major Classes of Phytoliths 68
Phytolith Surface Ornamentation 73
Phytolith Variation in a Single Species 75
Phytoliths in Old and New World Domesticates 76
Special Topic 1: Some Special Attributes of Maize Phytoliths: A Basis for Their Identification in Archaeological Soils 83
Some Factors Governing Size and Morphological Variation in Grass Silica Bodies 102
Phytoliths in Wild Monocotyledons 103
Nongrass Monocotyledon Morphology 107
Phytoliths in Wild Dicotyledons 112
Phytoliths in Gymnosperms 121
Phytoliths in Lower Vascular Plants 122
Summary: Dicotyledon, Gymnosperm, and Pteridophyte Phytolith Morphology 122
Chapter 4. Field Techniques and Research Design 124
Introduction 124
The Basic Phytolith Sampling Procedures 125
Other Considerations of Soil Sampling 128
Geological Coring 129
Modern Controls on Sampling 130
Modern Vegetation and Soil Studies 131
Chapter 5. Laboratory Techniques 134
Introduction 134
The Phytolith Laboratory 134
The Preparation of Soils for Analysis 135
Possible Permutations of the Soil Extraction Technique and Some Special Problems Encountered with Different Soil Types 139
Extraction of Phytoliths from Modern Plants 140
Preparation of Archaeological Ash Samples (Spodograms) 142
Quantitative Analysis of Silica in Modern Plants 142
Quantitative Analysis of Silica in Soils 143
Preparation of Modern Samples for Scanning Electron Microscopy 143
Phytolith Staining 143
Other Procedures of Phytolith Analysis 144
Chapter 6. The Interpretation of Phytolith Assemblages: Method and Theory 146
Introduction 146
The Phytolith Assemblage 147
Problems in the Interpretation of Phytolith Assemblages: Some Considerations of the Factors Affecting Phytolith Representation in Soils 156
Other Factors Affecting Phytolith Representation in Depositional Environments 162
Modern Phytolith Assemblages 164
Special Topic 2: Phytolith Representation in Tropical Forests: Comparison of Modern Phytolith Spectra with Mapped Vegetation 166
Chapter 7. The Role of Phytoliths in Archaeological Reconstruction 183
Introduction 183
Prehistoric Agriculture and Agricultural Technology 184
Phytoliths and the Paleoecology of Sites 199
Phytoliths and Wild Plant Usage 210
Phytoliths, Dental Microwear, and Diet 212
Phytoliths and Stone Tool Function 213
Other Roles of Phytoliths in Prehistoric Plant Use Reconstructions 213
Chapter 8. The Role of Phytoliths in Regional Paleoecology 215
Introduction 215
Geological Phytolith Analysis: Some Consideration of Basic Questions 216
Special Topic 3: Phytolith Spectra from 11,000–Year–Old Geological Records from the Tropics 217
The Recovery of Phytoliths from Various Depositional Environments 226
Other Potential Uses of Phytoliths 232
Plates 234
Appendix: Phytolith Keys 262
General Phytolith Key for Plants of the New World Tropics 263
Phytolith Key for Plants of the New World Tropics Encompassing Redundant Phytolith Shapes 268
Special Keys for the Gramineae 270
Bibliography 275
Index 292