An Ethnoarchaeological Case Study of Dung Fungal Spore and Faecal Spherulite Taphonomy in a Pastoral Cave Deposit

ABSTRACT

In alkaline cave sediments, the presence of faecal spherulites is regarded as a reliable indicator of animal dung. Spores of coprophilous fungi are nowadays frequently employed as grazing indicators in palaeoecological sequences, but their use in dryland pastoral deposits is not routine in geoarchaeological practice. The paper assesses the relationship between the occurrence of spherulites and dung fungal spores from an abandoned rock shelter used as a stable for several decades. A clear match between these proxies is shown, and their distribution across the sediments is discussed, highlighting the potential of coprophilous spore analysis from archaeological stabling deposits, alongside other established dung indicators. The abundance of other microfossils (parasite eggs, coccolith plates and freshwater indicators) is also quantified and discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Pastoral deposits
• dung
• non-pollen palynomorphs
• coprophilous fungi
• faecal spherulites
• parasite eggs

Acknowledgments

Dr Daniele Arobba and Dr Simone Porta are warmly thanked for help and assistance during sampling. The suggestion to use the Manie rock shelter for ethnoarchaeological purposes came from Dr Roberto Maggi. A special thanks is due to the owners of the site Mr Dino Mendaro and Ms Barbara Mendaro. Two journal reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for their constructive comments.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Lionello F. Morandi has earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Milan, a Master of Arts from the University of Turin, and a Master of Science and a Doctorate from the University of Reading. He currently holds a postdoctoral position at the University of Tübingen. His research interests are wide, and he is actively involved in a number of projects ranging from Etruscan archaeology to the archaeology of death, ethnoarchaeology, palaeodemography and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

ORCID

Lionello F. Morandi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8840-6096