TERNARY TAPHOGRAMS - TRIANGULAR DIAGRAMS APPLIED TO TAPHONOMIC ANALYSIS

Ternary diagrams can be useful in taphonomic analysis. When the qualit y of preservation of a hard part can be expressed in a three-fold sche me, a single point on a triangular diagram characterizes the frequency distribution of taphonomic alteration within a sample. Comparison of samples with such a ''ternary taphogram'' is an efficient way to explo re variation in the preservation of hard parts. To illustrate the meth od, we compare samples from the northern Gulf of California and the No rth Sea. Taphonomic variation in the samples reflects variation in. th e extent of subaerial exposure, wave and current regime, and shelf arc hitecture.