Use of Minerals Rocks and Clay as Geoarchaeological Materials an Overview

Abstract

Attached

Geoarchaeology is a multi-disciplinary approach, which uses the techniques and subject matter to examine topics which share the archaeological knowledge and thought. During the archaeological excavation, the geoarcheologists engage with soil strata and sediment or deposits. For this purpose, different macroscopic and microscopic techniques are used to obtain good results. Accordingly, using such techniques, a geoarchaeologist or a group tries to analyze minerals, rocks and clay from excavations to reveal the old humans and their civilizations, artifacts and fossil remains. Thus, based on physical, chemical and biological approaches, the geoarchaeologist/archaeologist tries to realize the palaeoclimatic changes, which incorporated with human and cultural evolutions from glacial and interglacial periods to date. In Sri Lankan submerged planated surface (present continental shelf), salient features are submerged forest, rock and shelter caves and old river courses. Also, along the coastline and coastal zone, beachrock shoals, corals, shell beds, submerged lagoons and river mouths, emerged coastal sand ridges, sand dunes, wind blown sand ridges have formed due to the palaeo sea level fluctuations during the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. Besides, from 2nd planated surface (coastal plain) to 4th planated surface (hilly and mountainous terrain), it is possible to identify wetlands, mounds, rock and shelter caves as palaeo settlement sites. However, a proper investigation using geoarchaeological methods and techniques were not conducted yet by archaeologists. So then, archaeologists should pay attention to conduct research emphasizing genealogical techniques and methodologies using radiometric datings, on minerals, rocks and clay objects found through archaeological methods to obtain scientific results from Sri Lanka.