Exploring Depositional Environments through Particle Morphologies: Grain Shape Analysis and its Application in Sedimentology and Archaeology

Particle shape properties, such as aspect ratio, circularity and convexity, can be utilised as indicators for textural maturity, encapsulating the means to assess similarities and differences among sediment populations from variable depositional settings. The characterisation of sediment particle morphologies can provide insights into the transportation mechanisms and depositional environments of sedimentary sequences, including anthropo-sedimentary strata from archaeological sites. Here we present a new approach on the quantification shape from sediment samples, implementing dynamic image analysis through the of the Analysette 28 ImageSizer (Fritsch). The grain shape study is conducted in conjunction to micromorphological characterisation of particle surface topographies (SEM), granulometric and mineralogical (XRD) analyses. Chemical treatment and mechanical sieving are incorporated in the sample preparation process, while a standard operational procedure is suggested. Preliminary results from samples originating from differential geomorphological settings, including sandy soils, coastal and dune deposits from the coastal plain of Israel, provide the basis for the establishment of the proposed approach. Further integration of this methodological framework to Palaeolithic archaeological sites will provide additional analytical pathways in deciphering complex archaeological site formation processes.