Table 1.
Table summarizing the micromorphological interpretations. Raw materials of the type of deposit are available on I-GEOARCHive.
Fig 1.
Profile 62 of the archaeological site of DIVA (Antwerp).
The studied thin sections are shown on the left, and their provenience in the profile is marked in orange.
Table 2.
Absolute values of the number of distribution patterns and of the total amount of phytoliths identified in the patterns, described in each of the stratigraphic units.
Fig 2.
Plots showing the percentage of distribution patterns per sample and the percentage of phytoliths present in each pattern.
Fig 3.
Plots showing the percentages of each of the categories of the VPC index for each of the stratigraphic units analyzed in this work.
Table 3.
List of phytoliths identified in STS and the percentage of weathered morphotypes, fragments and melted phytoliths. Other silica microremains as the percentage of diatoms and sponge spicules are also listed.
Table 4.
List of the stratigraphic units analyzed alongside with the number of fields observed, the maxim and minimum number of phytoliths observed in one field, the mean and the standard deviation.
Fig 4.
Microphotographs taken at 500x under PPL (a) and blue light (b) of an articulated system formed by Elongate dentate from FL.
Note that organic matter is partially masking the articulated system, making the observations difficult. Under blue light, organic matter is auto-fluorescent.
Fig 5.
Microphotograph taken at 500 magnifications of an isolated melted phytolith (AEB) under PPL.
Table 5.
Percentage of phytolith morphotypes identified in the STS of the three stratigraphic units, along with their botanical attribution.
Fig 6.
Microphotographs taken at different magnifications under PPL: (a) Isolated GSSCP Rondel (AAA) taken at 80x from STS 196.5; (b) Isolated Acute bulbosus (ACA) at 80x from STS 196.5, note that the phytolith is fragmented into three pieces and slightly moved as there is space between the pieces; (c) Isolated Elongate dentate (ACA) taken at 80x from STS 196.4; d) Isolated spicule (BCA) taken at 50x from STS 196.5.
Table 6.
List of results of phytoliths extractions from BS, including the estimation of phytoliths per gram of sediment, the amount of phytolith morphologically identified, and the percentage of fragments, weathered morphotypes, melted phytoliths, vitrified silica, diatoms, and spicules documented in the three samples.
Table 7.
Percentage of phytolith morphotypes identified in the BS of the three stratigraphic units, along with their botanical attribution.
Fig 7.
Microphotograph from phytolith extractions of FL sample taken at 500 magnifications.
The arrows point to the Elongate dendritic/dentate while the circle shows a Papillate base.
Fig 8.
Plots showing the principal morphotypes identified in the STS and the BS.
Fig 9.
Microphotograph taken at 200 magnifications of an articulated system from sample 196.1.
Arrows indicates the location of the articulated system. Note that there is a continuation of the plant tissue on the left side of the picture, revealing this was broken by trampling.