Yuku Rockshelter (Levels 6-7)
Basic information
Sample name: Yuku Rockshelter (Levels 6-7)
Reference: D. Gaffney, G. R. Summerhayes, S. Luu, J. Menzies, K. Douglass, M. Spitzer, and S. Bulmer. 2021. Small game hunting in montane rainforests: Specialised capture and broad spectrum foraging in the Late Pleistocene to Holocene New Guinea Highlands. Quaternary Science Reviews 253:106742 [ER 3701]
Geography
Country: Papua New Guinea
State: Western Highlands
Coordinate: 5° 51' 36" S, 144° 14' 24" E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark
Time interval: Late Pleistocene
Max Ma: 0.01433
Min Ma: 0.01394
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: "Yuku (1280 m asl) is a limestone rockshelter that lies in the Lanim gorge near the junction of the Yuem and Lanim Rivers on the northwestern slopes of Mt Hagen" (basis of coordinate).
Radiocarbon dates for the undisturbed levels 6-7 (Analytical Unit 3) range from 14,330 ± 100 BP to 13,940 ± 90 BP (16-17,000 cal. BP).
Radiocarbon dates for the undisturbed levels 6-7 (Analytical Unit 3) range from 14,330 ± 100 BP to 13,940 ± 90 BP (16-17,000 cal. BP).
Environment
Lithology: limestone
Taphonomic context: human accumulation,rock shelter
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: The Yuku sequence is a heavily disturbed deposit. Highly mismatched dates from the upper Holocene levels (1-5) suggests that "there has been substantial mixing of archaeological material".
"Levels 1–3 represent Mid-Late Holocene deposits heavily disturbed by burial and cooking activities, with Early Holocene material from below having been redeposited in secondary context".
"Levels 4–5 represent Early Holocene and terminal Pleistocene deposits with potential contamination of small Late Holocene objects down the deposit".
Levels 6–7 meanwhile are the exception, representing post-LGM deposits with no evidence of any disturbance". Lithics are present in these bottom layers, but not in great quantity.
"Levels 1–3 represent Mid-Late Holocene deposits heavily disturbed by burial and cooking activities, with Early Holocene material from below having been redeposited in secondary context".
"Levels 4–5 represent Early Holocene and terminal Pleistocene deposits with potential contamination of small Late Holocene objects down the deposit".
Levels 6–7 meanwhile are the exception, representing post-LGM deposits with no evidence of any disturbance". Lithics are present in these bottom layers, but not in great quantity.
Methods
Life forms: rodents,other large mammals,other small mammals
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 54 specimens
Years: 1959
Sampling comments: "Two excavation squares (Sq. 1 and Sq. 2) were initially laid out at right angles to the rock face to avoid disturbance from cooking pits visible on the surface".
"The baulks between these squares (Baulk 1–2) and between Sq. 1 and the shelter wall (South Baulk) were later excavated, completing a 14 ft (4.3 m) long trench".
"Finally, an adjacent unit to the east (Sq. 1A) was excavated, removing the last of the undisturbed deposit at the site".
As at Kiowa, "sieves were not used during the 1959 excavations and material was collected by hand, but all excavated bone was retained for further analysis".
"The baulks between these squares (Baulk 1–2) and between Sq. 1 and the shelter wall (South Baulk) were later excavated, completing a 14 ft (4.3 m) long trench".
"Finally, an adjacent unit to the east (Sq. 1A) was excavated, removing the last of the undisturbed deposit at the site".
As at Kiowa, "sieves were not used during the 1959 excavations and material was collected by hand, but all excavated bone was retained for further analysis".
Metadata
Sample number: 3906
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-02-28 13:01:08
Modified: 2022-02-28 02:05:44
Abundance distribution
12 species
0 singletons
total count 54
geometric series index: 18.0
Fisher's α: 4.783
geometric series k: 0.8379
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.8602
Shannon's H: 2.2272
Good's u: 1.0000
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Dorcopsulus sp. | 5 | |
| Phalanger carmelitae/vestitus | 10 | |
| Phalanger orientalis | 2 | |
| Phalanger gymnotis | 2 | |
| Phalanger sp. | 14 | |
| "Phalanger A" - extinct species; also 15 Phalanger sp. indet. | ||
| Pseudochirulus forbesi | 3 | |
| Pseudochirops corinnae | 4 | |
| Pseudochirops cupreus | 2 | |
| Echymipera sp. | 3 | |
| Peroryctes sp. | 2 | |
| Dasyuridae indet. | 2 | |
| Mallomys rothschildi | 5 | |
| also 10 Muridae indet. "Rat sp." | ||