The taphonomy of the Lancefield swamp megafaunal accumulation, Lancefield, Victoria

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 9 years ago

Abstract - The late Quaternary megafa unal assemblage at Lancefield, Victoria, was deposited by fluvial transportation processes. Evidence for predepositional weathering of the bones indicates a prolonged period of exposure prior to transportation and burial.

The sediments associated with the bone bed indicate a high energy flow regime, which would have contributed to the abrasion found on the majority of the bones, and to the destruction and / or removal of larger fragile elements and those from small animals; neither of which are found within the deposit. New dates on bones and teeth of about 40,000 BP differ significantly from the maximum date of 26,000 BP for the bone bed, and tend to confirm that the bones at Lancefield constitute a secondary or reworked deposit.