Duinefontein 2 Horizon 2
Basic information
Sample name: Duinefontein 2 Horizon 2
Reference: S. Stanc, A.-D. Stanica, L. Bejenaru, and M. Danu. 2021. Archaeological animal remains from Noviodunum fortress. International Journal of Conservation Science 12(1):195-204 [ER 3952]
Geography
Country: South Africa
State: Western Cape
Coordinate: 34° 39' 50" S, 18° 26' 43" E
Latlng basis: based on nearby landmark
Time interval: Middle Pleistocene
Unit number: 2
Unit order: above to below
Ma: 0.27
Age basis: OSL
Geography comments: "on the property of the Koeberg Nature Reserve, adjacent to the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, about 35 km north of Cape Town" (coordinate based on Koeberg Nature Reserve)
dating was buy a "tedious sub-technique" of OSL "known informally as the 'subtraction method'"
a date of "about 270 ky" is for "the sands surrounding Horizon 2", so it is direct
dating was buy a "tedious sub-technique" of OSL "known informally as the 'subtraction method'"
a date of "about 270 ky" is for "the sands surrounding Horizon 2", so it is direct
Environment
Lithology: sandstone
Taphonomic context: aeolian deposit, bird accumulation, carnivore accumulation
Archaeology: hearths, stone tools
Habitat comments: "stratified within a 10-m thick dune plume" and specifically from a "10-15 cm band of artifacts and bones sealed within the sand body about 60 cm below the present surface" that represents the margin of "a large interdunal marsh or pond"
the lithology is "fine white drift sands"
there are "small clusters" of microvertebrates in Horizon 2 that "may represent carnivore scats or owl pellets" and "many of the bird bones" were probably "introduced in scats"
the "randomly distributed" artefacts in Horizon 2 include "a classic Acheulean handaxe, two broken handaxes, cores, retouched and unretouched flakes, chunks and chips (debris), and hammerstones" and one spot includes an apparent "campfire or some other focus of human activity", but there are "very few" cut marks and "Carnivore tooth marks are far more numerous"
the lithology is "fine white drift sands"
there are "small clusters" of microvertebrates in Horizon 2 that "may represent carnivore scats or owl pellets" and "many of the bird bones" were probably "introduced in scats"
the "randomly distributed" artefacts in Horizon 2 include "a classic Acheulean handaxe, two broken handaxes, cores, retouched and unretouched flakes, chunks and chips (debris), and hammerstones" and one spot includes an apparent "campfire or some other focus of human activity", but there are "very few" cut marks and "Carnivore tooth marks are far more numerous"
Methods
Life forms: carnivores, rodents, ungulates, other small mammals, birds
Excluded forms: turtles, frogs
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 1156 specimens
Years: 1973, 1975, 1997 - 2001
Net or trap nights: 0
Basal area status: not applicable
Sampling comments: the initial excavations of Horizon 2 were in 1973 and 1975 were resumed between 1997 and 2001
"At least eight amphibian taxa" (almost certainly meaning frogs) and the tortoise Chersina angulata are also present, but counts are not given
"At least eight amphibian taxa" (almost certainly meaning frogs) and the tortoise Chersina angulata are also present, but counts are not given
Metadata
Sample no: 4362
Contributor no: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Created: 2023-08-30 20:01:37
Modified: 2023-08-30 10:01:37
Abundance distribution
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts. Values are logged.
Statistics
56 species
18 singletons
total count 1156
geometric series index: 105.4
Fisher's α: 12.297
geometric series k: 0.9063
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.8903
Shannon's H: 2.6718
Good's u: 0.9844
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