Crabs as Disturbance Factors in Tropical Archaeological Sites

ABSTRACT

Bioturbation processes can have a major impact on the integrity of archaeological deposits. In coastal tropical Pacific situations, crab burrowing can assist the recognition of sub-surface archaeological deposits, but at the same time may cause very extensive damage to the deposits. Data from Watom Island, Papua New Guinea, allow some quantification of the potential extent of such damages, and draw attention to the problems of interpretation, especially in terms of chronology and association.