In recent years, ethnoarchaeological studies focusing on herbivore faecal remains within the soils, especially those from goat, sheep and cattle, have shown the importance of their study for identifying socio-economic activities. Thus, an accurate microstratigraphic examination of these deposits can provide us new insights into past land use, site formation processes, activity areas and intensity of use of space, mobility, domestic use of fuel, manuring, and foddering strategies. Mountain landscapes represent a relatively new terrain of investigation for geo-ethnoarchaeology. In this paper, we present a pilot project featuring an applied inter-disciplinary methodology that includes micromorphology, bulk stable isotope analysis (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), phytolith, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) analyses. These were carried out on samples from three high-mountain (up to 1400 m a.s.l.) pastoral sites located at Monti Sibillini, in the Italian central Apennines. Results show that the presence of anthropic organic-rich deposits, even when poorly preserved, (1) allows for an accurate description of herbivore dung internal characteristics, (2) establishes precise microstratigraphy of anthropogenic deposits and husbandry practices related to intensity of use of space, and (3) gives accurate information about former vegetation and landscape use in the local area. Based on this exploratory ethnoarchaeological approach, we discuss the potential of micro-analyses of archaeological decayed or burnt livestock dung in a small set of samples collected during a initial survey for obtaining insights into the environment and husbandry practices from dung and goat stabling floors in a high-mountain context.

中文翻译：

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Monti Sibillini（意大利中部）的田园岩石掩体粪便沉积物的地缘人类学考古学研究

近年来，针对草食动物粪便残留物的土壤考古研究，特别是山羊，绵羊和牛的粪便残留物，显示出他们的研究对于确定社会经济活动的重要性。因此，对这些矿床的精确地层学检查可以为我们提供对过去土地使用，场地形成过程，活动区域和空间使用强度，流动性，燃料的内部使用，肥料和饲料策略的新见解。山地景观是地理民族考古学研究的一个相对较新的领域。在本文中，我们提出了一个试验项目设有一个施加跨学科的方法，其包括微形态，散稳定同位素分析（δ ¹³ C和δ ¹⁵N），植硅石，花粉和非花粉质粉体（NPPs）分析。这些是从位于意大利亚平宁山脉中部蒙蒂·西比利尼的三个高山（最高海拔1400 m）牧区的样本上进行的。结果表明，即使保存不善，人为富含有机物的沉积物的存在（1）可以准确描述草食动物粪便的内部特征；（2）建立人为沉积物的精确显微地层学和与空间利用强度有关的饲养管理（3）提供有关该地区以前的植被和景观使用情况的准确信息。基于这种探索性的民族考古学方法，