Sample name: Fa-Hien Lena Cave (Phase C)

Reference: O. Wedage, N. Amano, M. C. Langley, K. Douka, J. Blinkhorn, A. Crowther, S. Deraniyagala, N. Kourampas, I. Simpson, N. Perera, A. Picin, N. Boivin, M. Petraglia, and P. Roberts. 2019. Specialized rainforest hunting by Homo sapiens 45, 000 years ago. Nature Communications 10(1):739- [ER 3769]

Lithology: siltstone

Taphonomic context: cave, human accumulation

Archaeology: bone tools, hearths, stone tools

Habitat comments: "The cave, on the slope of a gneiss cliff, has a c. 30 m by 20 m east-facing entrance, an interior that extends c. 10 m into the cliff, and two main chambers (termed shelters A and B). The site is divided into four distinct phases, corresponding to concentrations of charcoal, faunal remains, and artifacts, including osseous tools, shell beads, and quartz flakes; each represent the major periods of human occupation of the cave".
"Phase C sediments are a very heterogeneous mixture of dark coloured organics-rich sandy silty loams, sandy loams and matrix-supported breccia with abundant charcoal and ash. Ash and charcoal are mixed with detrital sediments and also present as distinct laminae or lenses. Despite its relatively narrow temporal range, Phase C contains the densest concentration of artifacts and human occupation debris in the entire Fa-Hien stratigraphy".

Life forms: bats, carnivores, primates, rodents, ungulates, other small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes, other reptiles, frogs, fishes

Sampling methods: quarry, screenwash

Sample size: 1035 specimens

Years: 2009 - 2012

Net or trap nights: 0

Basal area status: not applicable

Sampling comments: "Fa-Hien Lena was systematically excavated over several seasons from 1986 to 1988, and from 2009 to 2012. The paper presents the results of the analyses of materials from the 2009 to 2012 excavations. Shelter A, the larger of the cave’s chambers, was excavated to a depth of over 6 m". No further excavation details are provided, although "all bone fragments from sedimentary contexts with secure radiocarbon dates were included in the analysis".

Sample no: 4041

Contributor no: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-10-29 14:32:47

Modified: 2023-05-30 03:19:17