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Investigating Depositional Environments through Particle Morphologies: The Role of Grain Shape Analysis in Sedimentology and Archaeology

Oikonomou I. (1), Malinsky-Buller A. (1), Karampaglidis T. (2), Jacobi Glass Y. (3), Crouvi O. (3), Ben Dor Y. (3)

(1) Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel

(2) Department of Geological and Mining Engineering, University of Castilla – La Mancha, Toledo 45004, Spain

(3) Geological Survey of Israel, 32 Yesha'ayahu Leibowitz, Jerusalem 9692100, Israel

Particle shape properties, such as aspect ratio, circularity, and convexity, can serve as indicators of textural maturity, offering a means to assess the similarities and differences between sediments from diverse depositional settings. The characterization of sediment particle morphologies provides valuable insights into the transportation mechanisms and depositional environments of sedimentary sequences, including anthropo-sedimentary layers found at archaeological sites. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to quantifying grain shape from sediment samples, utilizing dynamic image analysis with the Analysette 28 ImageSizer (Fritsch). The grain shape analysis is complemented by micromorphological characterization of particle surface topography (SEM), along with granulometric (PSD) and mineralogical (XRD) analyses. A standard operating procedure (SOP) is proposed, elaborating chemical treatments and mechanical sieving as part of sample preparation. Preliminary results from samples collected across various geomorphological settings, including sandy soils, coastal deposits, and dune sediments from Israel’s coastal plain, lay the foundation for the proposed approach. Further integration of this methodology at Palaeolithic archaeological site studies will offer new analytical avenues for understanding complex archaeological site formation processes.

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