Leiden University Student Repository

Jong, Barteld de (2017)

Quest for fire: An experimental approach to thermal alterations on limestone rocks

Bachelor thesis | Archeologie (BA)

Nowadays, a variety of methods and techniques are applied to study the use of fire by hominins during the course of prehistory. Recent studies, such as isotopic research on heated bone, thermoluminescence studies on heated flint, analysis of micro-charcoal preserved in deep-sea cores, anthropological comparisons and theoretical debates provide new insights into this topic. However, the effects of fire on archaeological substrates are still poorly understood. Hence, the aim of this thesis is to shine light on the changes that occur on limestone as a result of intense heat. In order to analyse the thermal alterations on limestone, an experiment was conducted, which consisted of heating 30 limestone rocks at various temperatures and for different amounts of time.

Palaeolithic

Experimental Archaeology

Limestone

Thermal alterations

Les Cottes

Author

Jong, Barteld de

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Specialisation

Palaeolithic Archaeology

Supervisors

Soressi, Marie

ECTS Credits

9

Language

en