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Papers by Kristin Ismail-Meyer
Ohnsorg, P.: Die hochmittelalterliche Bebauung am Limmatufer. Archäologische Befunde und Funde von Zürich - Limmatquai 82. Stadt Zürich, Archäologie und Denkmalpflege, Berichte 2008-2010, Internetpublikation., 2010
Gilbert, A.S. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London., 2017
Unpublished doctoral theses, University of Basel, Basel., 2015
Summary Lakeside settlements can be regarded as a special type of archaeological site, where, tha... more Summary Lakeside settlements can be regarded as a special type of archaeological site, where, thanks to their location near the shoreline or in the lake, various kinds of organic remains have been preserved under waterlogged conditions. In this work, site formation processes from six Neolithic pile dwelling sites shall be presented from a micromorphological point of view. A series of natural and anthropogenic site formation processes were identified and have been compared with natural processes in peatlands. The main processes can be summarized as follows: in the littoral zone a carbonate lake marl stratum accumulated prior to construction of the settlement. During lake regressions, the shore platform became dry and the settlements were established. Throughout the period of occupation, anthropogenic processes led to the accumulation of manly organic and loamy layers. House building activities, food processing and livestock husbandry led to the accumulation of a complex puzzle of dep...
Burri, T. und Stapfer, R. (ed.) Naturwissenschaftliche Methoden in der Archäologie. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern, Bd. 75, Bern, pp. 178-197., 2018
Mit mikromorphologischen Methoden bringen Geoarchäologen selbst aus einer unscheinbaren Schicht e... more Mit mikromorphologischen Methoden bringen Geoarchäologen selbst aus einer unscheinbaren Schicht eine unglaubliche Informationsfülle zu Tage. Die Methode verbindet dabei geologisches, bodenkundliches, biologisches und archäologisches Fachwissen und ist im engsten und besten Sinne interdisziplinär.
In: Nicosia, C. & Stoops, G. (Eds.) Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology. Chichester, Wiley, 2017
Uncarbonized organic remains are found in natural and anthropogenic sediments of waterlogged and ... more Uncarbonized organic remains are found in natural and anthropogenic sediments of waterlogged and dry environments. In well-preserved deposits, the anatomy of the plant remains can still be observed. Specific characteristicsof organic remains allow their identification, thus providing information on the nature of the analysed sediments and further augmenting the taphonomic information inherent in the organics themselves. In this chapter, morphological characteristics of wood, wood bark and twigs, tree and shrub leaves, conifer needles, grasses, seeds, roots and mosses are presented
Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology, 2017
Geoarchaeology, 2020
Micromorphological analysis is used to improve our understanding of wetland site taphonomy and st... more Micromorphological analysis is used to improve our understanding of wetland site taphonomy and stratigraphy. Twelve profile columns from the Neolithic lakeshore site of Zug‐Riedmatt are macroscopically described here, microscopic analyses are applied to sediment facies, defining 14 sedimentary units (U): The natural basal sediment (U1) is carbonate‐rich, U2 a transition phase to the anthropogenic units U3 to U12. Uppermost are the natural carbonate‐rich U13 and U14. The creation of a micromorphological database and the application of 27 defined indices allow a better understanding of the natural, anthropogenic and taphonomic processes taking place at the site. Natural sediment input originated from Lake Zug, the nearby river Lorze with its delta, and a local marshy waterbody. Organic rich accumulations and calcitic ash played a major role in pH changes, leading to carbonate and silica dissolution, alongside bone alteration. Signs of degradation processes under aerobic and anaerobic conditions within a single layer points to complex, multiphase processes under changing water levels, a milieu belonging to both land and water, an amphibious environment. Finally, good layer preservation seemingly correlates to low aquatic reworking in a stable depositional context linked to the marshy area.
In: Stoops, G., Marcelino, V., Mees, F. (eds.) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018
This chapter discusses soil organic matter. Organic matter is universal to all soils. The form an... more This chapter discusses soil organic matter. Organic matter is universal to all soils. The form and distribution of soil organic matter is dependent upon a number of processes that may act independently or in concert. Most of these processes are related to the initial decomposition of the plant residues by a suite of soil fauna, and to the continued decomposition, transport and accumulation of the by-products. Descriptions of the forms, distribution and genesis of organic components in soils can range from quite simple to extremely complex. Micromorphological approaches to such descriptions are comparably varied. The most important issues that are faced are related to the effects of land-use change, global warming, pollution and invasive species on the soil environment. Because soil organic matter is the most dynamic of the soil components, effects of changing soil environment are often recorded first in the quality and distribution of organic matter.
In: Cristiano Nicosia and Georges Stoops (Eds.), Archaeological soil and sediment micromorphology, 2017
The micromorphological analysis of faecal remains started with the investigation of hyena excreme... more The micromorphological analysis of faecal remains started with the investigation of hyena excrements in connection with cave‐sediment studies. Since then, micromorphology has become an important method for describing and distinguishing coprolites, and in combination with other methods (microprobe and bulk chemical analysis, palaeoparasitology and pollen analysis, biomolecular analysis, etc.) yielded comprehensive results. While carnivore coprolites typically contain bone fragments and an amorphous phosphatic, optically isotropic but highly autofluorescent matrix, omnivore coprolites are much more diverse, depending on specific diets and feeding habits. In fact, identification of human coprolites is difficult because of possible similarities to dog and pig excrements. Additionally, pigs and canids tend to coprophagia; this can lead to an enrichment of features of different producers, which can falsify the identification of their coprolites by means of micromorphology or intestinal parasite egg and pollen analysis. In summary, identification of the particular
producer is not always possible.
In: Cristiano Nicosia and Georges Stoops (Eds.), Archaeological soil and sediment micromorphology, 2017
Since the 1980s, coprolites in different stages of preservation have been identified by micromorp... more Since the 1980s, coprolites in different stages of preservation have been identified by micromorphological analysis. Today, the combination of micromorphology and other procedures (e.g., chemistry, palaeoparasitology, palynology and archaeobotanical analysis) leads to a better understanding and identification of faecal remains in archaeological soils and sediments. With the help of micromorphological analysis, coprolites and weathered coprogenic materials can not only be recognized, but can often also be associated with the former producers. Thus shape, preservation, embedded components (e.g., plant remains, bone fragments) and groundmass characteristics allow distinction between herbivore excrements and the coprolites of omnivores or carnivores. Herbivore dung remains may occur in a wide range of onsite archaeological features but are also known from offsite situations.
…, Jan 27, 2007
Abstract The El Kowm oasis in the desert steppe of Central Syria is one of the oldest settleme... more Abstract
The El Kowm oasis in the desert steppe of Central Syria is one of the oldest settlement centers in the Middle East and is significant worldwide for its great density of Paleolithic sites. About 180 open-air sites dating between about one million and 10,000 years ago testify that humans regularly resided at or near the springs. The region represents a unique archive where the long-term cultural history and the development of the landscape can be observed. The sites of Nadaouiyeh and Hummal are the main focus of our research. Geoarchaeological studies on both sites have defined the formation of different sediment types, such as limnic, littoral, and terrestrial deposits. Those sediments provide evidence of eolian processes, but also post-depositional transformations like the precipitation of silica or pedogenesis. Additional archaeological layers give answers concerning the depositional environment, anthropogenic influence, and post-sedimentary changes.
Journal of Environmental Archaeology 18
There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetla... more There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetland
archaeology in the 19th century. While evidence has been found for the easily discernible faecal pellets of
sheep and goats, recognition of cattle dung has proven to be considerably more difficult. In this study, we
give an overview of evidence for dung remains in prehistoric wetland settlements in Germany, Switzerland
and eastern France. Various methods for the analysis of uncharred dung remains are reviewed – analyses
of plant macro- and microremains, micromorphology and palaeoparasitology – and are applied to two late
Neolithic sites in Germany, Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen and Alleshausen-Grundwiesen. It will be shown
that at Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen small ruminants were penned during the whole winter and fed on leaf
hay unlike Alleshausen-Grundwiesen, where cattle browsed/grazed in the open during the day and were
herded into the settlement during the night – both in summer and in winter.
Jahrbuch Archäologie Schweiz
In: Th. Link/D. Schimmelpfennig (Hrsg.) Taphonomische Forschungen (nicht nur) zum Neolithikum. Vorträge der AG Neolithikum während der Jahrestagung 2010 in Nürnberg. Fokus Jungsteinzeit 3 (Kerpen-Loogh) 83-106.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2014
Lake Luokesa lies in the eastern part of Lithuania and is part of a region of lakes formed by the... more Lake Luokesa lies in the eastern part of Lithuania and is part of a region of lakes formed by the Scandinavian ice-sheet and its melt waters during the last glaciation. During the Late Bronze–Early Iron Age transition, between 625 and 535 cal BC, a lakeside settlement with an onshore palisade was built on the platform of a carbonate bank. A total of five profiles, each comprising an organic occupation layer and lake sediments at its bottom and top, were examined micromorphologically. In this paper, natural and anthropogenic processes that led to the formation of the individual layers are presented; their possible origins are reconstructed and then discussed and compared to lakeside settlements of the circum-alpine region. This includes the emergence of lake marl, accumulation of organic layers in the settlement area as well as their decomposition, erosion and trampling features and inwash of sand through runoff from the hinterland. Due to the accumulation of the up to 60 cm thick culture layers in waterlogged environments, indications of seasonal deposition cycles could be identified.
Journal of Environmental Archaeology, 2013
There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetla... more There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetland archaeology in the 19th century. While evidence has been found for the easily discernible faecal pellets of sheep and goats, recognition of cattle dung has proven to be considerably more difficult. In this study, we give an overview of evidence for dung remains in prehistoric wetland settlements in Germany, Switzerland and eastern France. Various methods for the analysis of uncharred dung remains are reviewed – analyses of plant macro- and microremains, micromorphology and palaeoparasitology – and are applied to two late Neolithic sites in Germany, Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen and Alleshausen-Grundwiesen. It will be shown that at Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen small ruminants were penned during the whole winter and fed on leaf hay unlike Alleshausen-Grundwiesen, where cattle browsed/grazed in the open during the day and were herded into the settlement during the night – both in summer and in winter.
Ohnsorg, P.: Die hochmittelalterliche Bebauung am Limmatufer. Archäologische Befunde und Funde von Zürich - Limmatquai 82. Stadt Zürich, Archäologie und Denkmalpflege, Berichte 2008-2010, Internetpublikation., 2010
Gilbert, A.S. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series. Springer Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London., 2017
Unpublished doctoral theses, University of Basel, Basel., 2015
Summary Lakeside settlements can be regarded as a special type of archaeological site, where, tha... more Summary Lakeside settlements can be regarded as a special type of archaeological site, where, thanks to their location near the shoreline or in the lake, various kinds of organic remains have been preserved under waterlogged conditions. In this work, site formation processes from six Neolithic pile dwelling sites shall be presented from a micromorphological point of view. A series of natural and anthropogenic site formation processes were identified and have been compared with natural processes in peatlands. The main processes can be summarized as follows: in the littoral zone a carbonate lake marl stratum accumulated prior to construction of the settlement. During lake regressions, the shore platform became dry and the settlements were established. Throughout the period of occupation, anthropogenic processes led to the accumulation of manly organic and loamy layers. House building activities, food processing and livestock husbandry led to the accumulation of a complex puzzle of dep...
Burri, T. und Stapfer, R. (ed.) Naturwissenschaftliche Methoden in der Archäologie. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern, Bd. 75, Bern, pp. 178-197., 2018
Mit mikromorphologischen Methoden bringen Geoarchäologen selbst aus einer unscheinbaren Schicht e... more Mit mikromorphologischen Methoden bringen Geoarchäologen selbst aus einer unscheinbaren Schicht eine unglaubliche Informationsfülle zu Tage. Die Methode verbindet dabei geologisches, bodenkundliches, biologisches und archäologisches Fachwissen und ist im engsten und besten Sinne interdisziplinär.
In: Nicosia, C. & Stoops, G. (Eds.) Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology. Chichester, Wiley, 2017
Uncarbonized organic remains are found in natural and anthropogenic sediments of waterlogged and ... more Uncarbonized organic remains are found in natural and anthropogenic sediments of waterlogged and dry environments. In well-preserved deposits, the anatomy of the plant remains can still be observed. Specific characteristicsof organic remains allow their identification, thus providing information on the nature of the analysed sediments and further augmenting the taphonomic information inherent in the organics themselves. In this chapter, morphological characteristics of wood, wood bark and twigs, tree and shrub leaves, conifer needles, grasses, seeds, roots and mosses are presented
Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology, 2017
Geoarchaeology, 2020
Micromorphological analysis is used to improve our understanding of wetland site taphonomy and st... more Micromorphological analysis is used to improve our understanding of wetland site taphonomy and stratigraphy. Twelve profile columns from the Neolithic lakeshore site of Zug‐Riedmatt are macroscopically described here, microscopic analyses are applied to sediment facies, defining 14 sedimentary units (U): The natural basal sediment (U1) is carbonate‐rich, U2 a transition phase to the anthropogenic units U3 to U12. Uppermost are the natural carbonate‐rich U13 and U14. The creation of a micromorphological database and the application of 27 defined indices allow a better understanding of the natural, anthropogenic and taphonomic processes taking place at the site. Natural sediment input originated from Lake Zug, the nearby river Lorze with its delta, and a local marshy waterbody. Organic rich accumulations and calcitic ash played a major role in pH changes, leading to carbonate and silica dissolution, alongside bone alteration. Signs of degradation processes under aerobic and anaerobic conditions within a single layer points to complex, multiphase processes under changing water levels, a milieu belonging to both land and water, an amphibious environment. Finally, good layer preservation seemingly correlates to low aquatic reworking in a stable depositional context linked to the marshy area.
In: Stoops, G., Marcelino, V., Mees, F. (eds.) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018
This chapter discusses soil organic matter. Organic matter is universal to all soils. The form an... more This chapter discusses soil organic matter. Organic matter is universal to all soils. The form and distribution of soil organic matter is dependent upon a number of processes that may act independently or in concert. Most of these processes are related to the initial decomposition of the plant residues by a suite of soil fauna, and to the continued decomposition, transport and accumulation of the by-products. Descriptions of the forms, distribution and genesis of organic components in soils can range from quite simple to extremely complex. Micromorphological approaches to such descriptions are comparably varied. The most important issues that are faced are related to the effects of land-use change, global warming, pollution and invasive species on the soil environment. Because soil organic matter is the most dynamic of the soil components, effects of changing soil environment are often recorded first in the quality and distribution of organic matter.
In: Cristiano Nicosia and Georges Stoops (Eds.), Archaeological soil and sediment micromorphology, 2017
The micromorphological analysis of faecal remains started with the investigation of hyena excreme... more The micromorphological analysis of faecal remains started with the investigation of hyena excrements in connection with cave‐sediment studies. Since then, micromorphology has become an important method for describing and distinguishing coprolites, and in combination with other methods (microprobe and bulk chemical analysis, palaeoparasitology and pollen analysis, biomolecular analysis, etc.) yielded comprehensive results. While carnivore coprolites typically contain bone fragments and an amorphous phosphatic, optically isotropic but highly autofluorescent matrix, omnivore coprolites are much more diverse, depending on specific diets and feeding habits. In fact, identification of human coprolites is difficult because of possible similarities to dog and pig excrements. Additionally, pigs and canids tend to coprophagia; this can lead to an enrichment of features of different producers, which can falsify the identification of their coprolites by means of micromorphology or intestinal parasite egg and pollen analysis. In summary, identification of the particular
producer is not always possible.
In: Cristiano Nicosia and Georges Stoops (Eds.), Archaeological soil and sediment micromorphology, 2017
Since the 1980s, coprolites in different stages of preservation have been identified by micromorp... more Since the 1980s, coprolites in different stages of preservation have been identified by micromorphological analysis. Today, the combination of micromorphology and other procedures (e.g., chemistry, palaeoparasitology, palynology and archaeobotanical analysis) leads to a better understanding and identification of faecal remains in archaeological soils and sediments. With the help of micromorphological analysis, coprolites and weathered coprogenic materials can not only be recognized, but can often also be associated with the former producers. Thus shape, preservation, embedded components (e.g., plant remains, bone fragments) and groundmass characteristics allow distinction between herbivore excrements and the coprolites of omnivores or carnivores. Herbivore dung remains may occur in a wide range of onsite archaeological features but are also known from offsite situations.
…, Jan 27, 2007
Abstract The El Kowm oasis in the desert steppe of Central Syria is one of the oldest settleme... more Abstract
The El Kowm oasis in the desert steppe of Central Syria is one of the oldest settlement centers in the Middle East and is significant worldwide for its great density of Paleolithic sites. About 180 open-air sites dating between about one million and 10,000 years ago testify that humans regularly resided at or near the springs. The region represents a unique archive where the long-term cultural history and the development of the landscape can be observed. The sites of Nadaouiyeh and Hummal are the main focus of our research. Geoarchaeological studies on both sites have defined the formation of different sediment types, such as limnic, littoral, and terrestrial deposits. Those sediments provide evidence of eolian processes, but also post-depositional transformations like the precipitation of silica or pedogenesis. Additional archaeological layers give answers concerning the depositional environment, anthropogenic influence, and post-sedimentary changes.
Journal of Environmental Archaeology 18
There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetla... more There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetland
archaeology in the 19th century. While evidence has been found for the easily discernible faecal pellets of
sheep and goats, recognition of cattle dung has proven to be considerably more difficult. In this study, we
give an overview of evidence for dung remains in prehistoric wetland settlements in Germany, Switzerland
and eastern France. Various methods for the analysis of uncharred dung remains are reviewed – analyses
of plant macro- and microremains, micromorphology and palaeoparasitology – and are applied to two late
Neolithic sites in Germany, Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen and Alleshausen-Grundwiesen. It will be shown
that at Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen small ruminants were penned during the whole winter and fed on leaf
hay unlike Alleshausen-Grundwiesen, where cattle browsed/grazed in the open during the day and were
herded into the settlement during the night – both in summer and in winter.
Jahrbuch Archäologie Schweiz
In: Th. Link/D. Schimmelpfennig (Hrsg.) Taphonomische Forschungen (nicht nur) zum Neolithikum. Vorträge der AG Neolithikum während der Jahrestagung 2010 in Nürnberg. Fokus Jungsteinzeit 3 (Kerpen-Loogh) 83-106.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2014
Lake Luokesa lies in the eastern part of Lithuania and is part of a region of lakes formed by the... more Lake Luokesa lies in the eastern part of Lithuania and is part of a region of lakes formed by the Scandinavian ice-sheet and its melt waters during the last glaciation. During the Late Bronze–Early Iron Age transition, between 625 and 535 cal BC, a lakeside settlement with an onshore palisade was built on the platform of a carbonate bank. A total of five profiles, each comprising an organic occupation layer and lake sediments at its bottom and top, were examined micromorphologically. In this paper, natural and anthropogenic processes that led to the formation of the individual layers are presented; their possible origins are reconstructed and then discussed and compared to lakeside settlements of the circum-alpine region. This includes the emergence of lake marl, accumulation of organic layers in the settlement area as well as their decomposition, erosion and trampling features and inwash of sand through runoff from the hinterland. Due to the accumulation of the up to 60 cm thick culture layers in waterlogged environments, indications of seasonal deposition cycles could be identified.
Journal of Environmental Archaeology, 2013
There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetla... more There has been evidence of dung in lakeside and moorland settlements since the beginning of wetland archaeology in the 19th century. While evidence has been found for the easily discernible faecal pellets of sheep and goats, recognition of cattle dung has proven to be considerably more difficult. In this study, we give an overview of evidence for dung remains in prehistoric wetland settlements in Germany, Switzerland and eastern France. Various methods for the analysis of uncharred dung remains are reviewed – analyses of plant macro- and microremains, micromorphology and palaeoparasitology – and are applied to two late Neolithic sites in Germany, Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen and Alleshausen-Grundwiesen. It will be shown that at Alleshausen-Täschenwiesen small ruminants were penned during the whole winter and fed on leaf hay unlike Alleshausen-Grundwiesen, where cattle browsed/grazed in the open during the day and were herded into the settlement during the night – both in summer and in winter.
Coprolites are a common feature in archaeological sediments and represent an important source of ... more Coprolites are a common feature in archaeological sediments and represent an important source of phosphate and organic matter. Normally they are not preserved as a whole, but are fragmented, burned or partly dissolved. Since the 1980s, coprolites in different stages of preservation have been identified by micromorphological analysis (e.g. Courty et al. 1989). The IPAS (University of Basel, Switzerland) holds a substantial comparative collection of thin sections from recent and archaeological coprolites. With thehelp of micromorphological analysis, coprolites and weathered coprogenic materials can not only be recognized, but can often also be associated with the former producers. Thus shape, preservation, embedded components like plant remains, bone fragments, mineral grains or intestinal parasite eggs (Pichler et al. 2014) and groundmass characteristics permit to distinguish between herbivore excrements and such of omnivores or carnivores. Herbivore excrements are usually porous and consist mainly of poorly digested plant fragments, which are sometimes cemented by a brown to dark brown amorphous organic groundmass (especially in the fringe area). On the basis of plant fragment size, mineral components and texture, it is possible to distinguish between cattle, goat/sheep and herbivorous pigs in some cases. Carnivore coprolites on the other hand are characterized by a highly phosphatic, cemented and strongly autofluorescent groundmass. They can contain digested bone fragments, plant tissues, pseudomorphs of decomposed hair and fur as well as mineral grains. The state of preservation and the optical properties of coprolites mostly depend on the environment (dry or waterlogged conditions) and on taphonomic processes like weathering, firing etc.
