Gebel Silsila 2B (Survey)
Basic information
Sample name: Gebel Silsila 2B (Survey)
Reference: R. Yeshurun. 2018. Taphonomy of old archaeofaunal collections: New site-formation and subsistence data for the Late Paleolithic Nile Valley. Quaternary International 471:35-54 [ER 3709]
Geography
Country: Egypt
State: Aswan
Coordinate: 24° 38' N, 32° 56' E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark
Time interval: Late Pleistocene
Max Ma: 0.0225
Min Ma: 0.014
Age basis: radiocarbon (calibrated)
Geography comments: The Gebel Silsila (GS) 2B site is located on the Kom Ombo Plain, a widening of the Nile Valley in Upper Egypt, east of the river, located c. 40 km north of Aswan. It lies atop a hill in the northern part of the basin.
"Based on refined radiocarbon chronology and calibration techniques and the correlation with other sites in the Nile Valley, the dating of the Late Paleolithic stage in the upper Egyptian Nile Valley is now estimated as 22.5–14 ka cal. BP".
"Based on refined radiocarbon chronology and calibration techniques and the correlation with other sites in the Nile Valley, the dating of the Late Paleolithic stage in the upper Egyptian Nile Valley is now estimated as 22.5–14 ka cal. BP".
Environment
Lithology: not described
Taphonomic context: human accumulation,settlement
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: "The Kom Ombo Plain is a triangular-shaped sedimentary basin extending c. 30 × 15 km that is filled with Late Pleistocene sediments, both Nilotic sediments resulting from river aggradations and alluvium from the wadis draining into the basin from the east. Compared to the narrower parts of most of the Nile Valley, the area is characterized by a significantly broader floodplain, high groundwater table and more riverine settings, which likely provided good pasture attracting many herbivores. A clear association of lithics and bones was noted throughout the surveyed area".
"Taphonomic analysis indicates that the fauna are anthropogenic and attest to the consumption of predominantly medium and large ungulates, although evidence does suggest there were low levels of animal exploitation and site-occupation intensity".
"Taphonomic analysis indicates that the fauna are anthropogenic and attest to the consumption of predominantly medium and large ungulates, although evidence does suggest there were low levels of animal exploitation and site-occupation intensity".
Methods
Life forms: ungulates,other small mammals,birds
Sampling methods: surface
Sample size: 80 specimens
Years: 1962 - 1965
Sampling comments: "From 1962 to 1965 two prehistoric expeditions initiated salvage investigations of GS sites, one a University of Toronto expedition, the other being the Yale University Prehistoric Expedition to Nubia (YUPEN)".
"The Gebel Silsila area was divided into two adjacent concessions. The Canadian expedition worked at GS-I and GS-III, while the YUPEN investigation took place in the GS-2 portion of the site. The latter (YUPEN) included a survey of a large area in the western part of their concession, named GS-2A, and the collection and excavations in the eastern portion, designated as GS-2B".
"In GS-2B a “complete collection” was made of an area of 10,000 m2 (in 10 × 10 m grid squares) and two soundings were excavated (GS-2B Area I and GS-2B Area II), each having several layers and one archaeological assemblage in situ. The register below corresponds to the remains uncovered from the 10,000 m2 survey, which focused on the collection of surface specimens.
"The Gebel Silsila area was divided into two adjacent concessions. The Canadian expedition worked at GS-I and GS-III, while the YUPEN investigation took place in the GS-2 portion of the site. The latter (YUPEN) included a survey of a large area in the western part of their concession, named GS-2A, and the collection and excavations in the eastern portion, designated as GS-2B".
"In GS-2B a “complete collection” was made of an area of 10,000 m2 (in 10 × 10 m grid squares) and two soundings were excavated (GS-2B Area I and GS-2B Area II), each having several layers and one archaeological assemblage in situ. The register below corresponds to the remains uncovered from the 10,000 m2 survey, which focused on the collection of surface specimens.
Metadata
Sample number: 3926
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-03-24 15:41:23
Modified: 2022-03-24 04:49:24
Abundance distribution
7 species
1 singleton
total count 80
geometric series index: 9.6
Fisher's α: 1.846
geometric series k: 0.5385
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.6744
Shannon's H: 1.4449
Good's u: 0.9875
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Gazella dorcas | 3 | 12 kg |
| Alcelaphus buselaphus | 14 | 143 kg grazer-browser |
| Equus africanus | 11 | 287 kg |
| †Bos primigenius | 41 | |
| Hippopotamus amphibius | 5 | 1107 kg grazer |
| also 66 Ungulata indet. | ||
| Lepus sp. | 5 | |
| Struthio sp. | 1 | |
| also 3 Aves indet. | ||