O'leary, Michael, Cuttler, Michael, Benjamin, Jonathan, Bailey, Geoff, Ulm, Sean, McCarthy, John, Wiseman, Chelsea, Stevens, Amy, and McDonald, Jo (2023) New approaches for assessing site formation of submerged lithic scatters. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 49. 104046.

PDF (Author Accepted Version) - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 2 June 2025.

Abstract

This study investigates the hydrodynamic processes that affect site formation of a submerged lithic scatter located at Cape Bruguieres Channel (CBC) in the NW of Western Australia through a combination of in situ, experimental and modelling approaches. A pressure sensor and current meter were deployed on the site and recorded hydrodynamic data over a three month period with maximum current speeds of 0.55 m/s recorded during spring tides. To test the potential for artefacts to be transported away from their original depositional context, a representative selection of submerged archaeological artefacts collected from the site and natural stone were subjected to a range of current speeds within a controlled flume environment. This demonstrated that all artefacts and natural stone remained stable within the flume even when experiencing current speeds approaching the maximum current velocities recorded at the site, regardless of lithic orientation relative to the current direction. In addition it was seen that mass alone did not control the hydrodynamic stability of the lithics tested, rather the hydrodynamic properties of a lithic are highly dependent on both its shape and orientation relative to current flow direction. This is a significant finding and suggests that the smaller the mass of a lithic does not necessarily correspond with preferential transport by currents caused by tides or waves. To test the potential for lithics to be transported during extreme cyclone events, a fine 30 m resolution bathymetric grid was constructed for CBC and current speeds modelled for Tropical Cyclone (TC) Damien which crossed the archipelago as a Category 3 (severe tropical cyclone) in February 2020. Modelled currents during this event reached a maximum velocity of 0.8 m/s and would be capable of transporting the smallest mass lithic but only if it was orientated in its most hydrodynamically unstable position relative to the current direction. These results suggest the Cape Bruguieres lithic scatter site has effectively remained in situ following sea level inundation at approximately 7,000 years BP.

Item ID:	79140
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2352-4103
Keywords:	site formation; underwater archaeology; Australian archaeology; lithics; hydrodynamics
Copyright Information:	Published Version: © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. AAM may be made open access in an Institutional Repository under a CC BY-NC-ND license after a 24 month embargo.
Funders:	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants:	ARC DP170100812
Date Deposited:	26 Jun 2023 05:06
FoR Codes:	43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4301 Archaeology > 430101 Archaeological science @ 25% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4501 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, language and history > 450101 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander archaeology @ 50% 43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4301 Archaeology > 430108 Maritime archaeology @ 25%
SEO Codes:	13 CULTURE AND SOCIETY > 1307 Understanding past societies > 130703 Understanding Australia’s past @ 100%
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