Overview

Human footprints provide some of the most emotive and tangible evidence of our ancestors. They provide evidence of stature, presence, behaviour and in the case of early hominin footprints, evidence with respect to the evolution of human gait and foot anatomy. While human footprint sites are rare in the geological record the number of sites around the World has increased in recent years, along with the analytical tools available for their study. The aim of this book is to provide a definitive review of these recent developments with specific reference to the increased availability of three-dimensional digital elevation models of human tracks at many key sites. The book is divided into eight chapters. Following an introduction the second chapter reviews modern field methods in human ichnology focusing on the development of new analytical tools.  The third chapter then reviews the major footprint sites around the World including details on several unpublished examples. Chapters then follow on the role of geology in the formation and preservation of tracks, on the inferences that can be made from human tracks and the final chapter explores the application of this work to forensic science. Audience: This volume will be of interest to researchers and students across a wide range of disciplines – sedimentology, archaeology, forensics and palaeoanthropology.

Full Product Details

Author:   Matthew R. Bennett ,  Sarita A. Morse
Publisher:   Springer International Publishing AG
Imprint:   Springer International Publishing AG
Edition:   Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2014
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.20cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   3.518kg
ISBN:  

9783319342757

ISBN 10:   3319342754
Pages:   216
Publication Date:   17 September 2016
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

1.    Fossilised locomotion 1.1 Human tracks 1.2 Key concepts and definitions 1.3 Models of footprint formation 1.4 Footprint resources 1.5 Summary 2.    Modern methods of data capture 2.1    Geo-prospection and excavation 2.2    Recognising human tracks 2.3    Dating human tracks 2.4    Methods of digital data capture 2.5    Data manipulation 2.6    Basic measurements: tracks and trackways 2.7    Advanced measurements: tracks and trackways 2.8    Summary 3.    World review of human track sites 3.1    Pliocene to Early/Middle Pleistocene tracksites 3.2    Late Pleistocene to Holocene tracksites 3.3    Summary 4.    Geoconservation of human tracks 4.1    Geoconservation 4.2    Placing value on human tracksites 4.3    Conservation risks: threats and challenges 4.4    Conservation options 4.5    Summary 5.    The role of substrate in track formation and topology 5.1    Substrate controls: introduction 5.2    Models of human track formation 5.3    Substrate controls 5.4    Track taphonomy 5.5    Summary 6.    Inferences from human tracks 6.1    The limits of inference 6.2    Inferring body dimensions 6.3    Inferring age 6.4    Fossilised locomotion?  Inferences on speed and gait 6.5    Evolution and foot function 6.6    Summary 7.    Forensic applications 7.1    Crime scenes 7.2    Methods for collecting footwear evidence 7.3    How unique is a footprint? 7.4    Profiling a suspect 7.5    Summary 8.    Conclusions 8.1    Future research perspectives Glossary Appendix Geographical Index

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