Usenge 3 (Kansyore)
Basic information
Sample name: Usenge 3 (Kansyore)
Reference: P. Lane, C. Ashley, O. Seitsonen, P. Harvey, S. Mire, and F. Odede. 2007. The transition to farming in eastern Africa: New faunal and dating evidence from Wadh Lang'o and Usenge, Kenya. Antiquity 81:62-81 [ER 3703]
Geography
Country: Kenya
State: Nyanza
Coordinate: 2° 15' S, 34° 2' E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark
Time interval: Holocene
Section: 3703.2
Unit number: 1
Unit order: below to above
Max Ma: 0.00331
Min Ma: 0.00324
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: The Usenge 3 (GqJa 3) site is located in northern Nyanza Province below a low bluff on the north-western side of Lake Saru, Kenya.
Radiocarbon dates for the "Kansyore" deposits range from 3310 ± 40 BP to 3240 ± 70 BP.
Radiocarbon dates for the "Kansyore" deposits range from 3310 ± 40 BP to 3240 ± 70 BP.
Environment
Lithology: not described
Taphonomic context: midden,settlement,human accumulation
Archaeology: ceramics,stone tools
Habitat comments: "Usenge 3 is one of eight shell-midden sites with Kansyore and later deposits located along the bluff, which probably represents a former shoreline".
"Usenge 3 showed an early use of Kansyore ceramics in association with a dense build up of shellfish debris".
In addition to ceramics, various stone tools including cores, microliths, and scrapers were also present.
"Usenge 3 showed an early use of Kansyore ceramics in association with a dense build up of shellfish debris".
In addition to ceramics, various stone tools including cores, microliths, and scrapers were also present.
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,primates,rodents,ungulates,other small mammals,birds,lizards,snakes,turtles
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 72 specimens
Years: 2000
Sampling comments: "Usenge 3 was subject to hoe cultivation at the time of excavation, with two of the test-pits showing signs of modern disturbance (including a child burial). Nevertheless, a third 5 × 3m unit (Trench A) revealed intact deposits, apparently protected from modern interference by a nearby hedge".
No further excavation details are provided.
No further excavation details are provided.
Metadata
Sample number: 3911
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Modifier no: John Alroy
Created: 2022-03-03 16:26:14
Modified: 2024-11-03 02:03:20
Abundance distribution
24 species
11 singletons
total count 72
geometric series index: 64.7
Fisher's α: 12.606
geometric series k: 0.8945
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.9139
Shannon's H: 2.7819
Good's u: 0.8492
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Canis sp. | 2 | |
| Tragelaphus scriptus | 1 | 31 kg browser-grazer |
| Cephalophinae indet. | 1 | |
| Gazella sp. | 5 | |
| also 14 Bovidae indet. | ||
| Giraffa camelopardalis | 1 | 942 kg browser |
| Hippopotamus amphibius | 1 | 1107 kg grazer |
| Herpestidae indet. | 1 | |
| Sus scrofa | 1 | 54 kg herbivore |
| Tragelaphus spekii | 13 | 54 kg browser-grazer |
| Eudorcas thomsonii | 2 | 20 kg |
| "Gazella thomsoni" | ||
| Phacochoerus africanus | 1 | 82 kg grazer-browser |
| Caprinae indet. | 2 | |
| "Ovicaprines" | ||
| Papio sp. | 3 | |
| Colobus sp. | 8 | |
| Chlorocebus pygerythrus | 9 | 3.5 kg |
| Homo sapiens | 1 | 64 kg |
| also 3 Primates indet. | ||
| Anhinga rufa | 1 | |
| also 5 Aves indet. | ||
| Ardeotis kori | 6 | 104 g insectivore |
| Spilopelia senegalensis | 1 | 8.2 g frugivore-granivore |
| "Streptopelia senegalensis" | ||
| Rodentia indet. | 3 | |
| Rhynchocyon chrysopygus | 1 | |
| Dendroaspis sp. | 2 | |
| Varanus niloticus | 2 | |
| Pelomedusa subrufa | 4 | |