High resolution archaeology at Verberie: Limits and interpretations

Verberie is a late Palaeolithic site with high resolution in the preservation of archaeological materials and their spatial configuration. While excellent preservation offers great promise for the interpretation of past human behavior, it cannot be assumed that this is a totally pristine site. Post-depositional pedogenetic processes have eradicated stratigraphic bedding of the sediments, leaving a methodological challenge for the archaeologists to separate materials from multiple occupation lenses, which have retained most of their spatial integrity. Impressionistic back-plotting, statistical analysis of artefact elevations, and refitting of flint, fire-cracked rock and reindeer bones have contributed to deciphering the depositional puzzle. These have revealed artefact associations and spatial configurations which can be given well-founded behavioral interpretations derived from experimental and ethnoarchaeological research.