New Common Practices for Tephrochronological Studies Applied to Archaeology

Tephrochronology is a powerful method through which sedimentary successions can be dated and synchronized via geochemical and geochronological fingerprinting of volcanic ash layers. Over the last decades this method has affirmed as an outstanding chronological tool for addressing a large number of topics in the Quaternary Sciences such as paleoclimatology, archaeology, paleogeography, and past sea level change. In recent years, great efforts have been dedicated to the study of cryptotephra, fine-grained (< 125 μm) volcanic glass shards preserved in sedimentary archives hundreds to thousands of km away from their source, expanding the potential of this approach. In archaeological sites, the occurrence of tephra and cryptotephra layers can provide further fundamental temporal constraints for sequences for which the use of classical precise absolute dating methods can be limited by the presence and preservation of datable material, especially in open-air sites older than the limit of application of the radiocarbon method (~40 ka).The application of the tephrochronological approach in archaeological sites is currently potentially hampered by: i) lack of information on how to properly identify tephra and/or cryptotephra layers in archaeological sequences; ii) lack of information on regional volcanic activity in terms of dating and geochemical characterisation; iii) preservation of primary tephra layers, especially in cave or fluvial sediments; iv) a common sampling strategy in accordance with archaeological excavation criteria. To overcome these issues, an updated state of the art of on-going studies combining traditional archaeological investigations with tephra analysis is required to survey and review different approaches as well as define common sampling and analytical strategies. In particular, the large variety and typology of archaeological sites, i.e., rock shelters, caves, and open-air contexts, require proper evaluation to elaborate ad hoc approaches to be applied to each situation.This Research Topic aims at gathering studies integrating geochemical and geochronological characterization of tephra and cryptotephra layers with traditional archaeological investigations, including micromorphology, sedimentology, palaeoanthropology, zooarchaeology, lithic studies, biomolecular and palaeoecological analyses. The aim of this Research Topic is to provide a collection of original manuscripts addressing the complex relationships between human activities, landscapes evolution, and volcanic events across space and time. Specifically, we welcome contributions in which tephrochronology has been employed to: i) refine the chronology of archaeological successions; ii) synchronise cultural and environmental sequences; iii) strengthen the chronological control of multiproxy datasets; iv) document tephra and cryptotephra from regions traditionally considered “tephra-poor”; v) studysedimentary sequences (lacustrine, palustrine) that record evidence of human activity or impact. The ultimate goal of this Research Topic is to provide an updated state of the art of current practices and applications of tephrochronology in archaeological studies. Topic editors: Lorenzo Monaco, Alison Pereira, Federico Polisca Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78603/new-common-practices-for-tephrochronological-studies-applied-to-archaeology