Search

As arid lands expand across the globe, scholars increasingly turn to the archaeological record for examples of sustainable farming in extreme environments. The arid north coast of Peru was the setting of early and intensive irrigation-based farming; it is also periodically impacted by sudden, heavy rainfall related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. While the sociopolitical effects, technologies, and engineering expertise of these irrigation systems have been thoroughly examined and theorized, little is known about how farmers managed periods of water stress. The aim of this study is to test whether arid zone farming was supported by hybrid, intermittent flood and perennial water source systems in the prehispanic past. An arroyo in the Chicama Valley was selected for preliminary data collection, and these data are presented here: (1) drone photography of the arroyo capturing the aftermath of a recent (2023) rain event; and (2) potassium (K) soil test kit results from samples collected near suspected prehispanic check dam features in the same area. The paper combines these data with comparative examples from the literature to suggest that the prehispanic features functioned as water-harvesting infrastructure. The paper concludes that sustainable, arid zone farming can be supported by hybrid, intermittent flood and perennial water source systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extractivist archaeological practices have been carried out in the Atacama Lickanantay territory, Antofagasta region, northern Chile, ever since the 19th century, excluding or denying the voice and/or participation of members of the local indigenous community. However, the beginning of the 21st century saw a change in this sense bringing new experiences of collaboration between Atacameños and archaeologists. Our goal is to reflect on the definitions and applications of collaborative methodologies in archaeological projects, through discussion focusing on the global, through the national and finally the local, from where we approach a particular collaborative project. The research, conducted between early 2021 and mid 2024, studies the history of the collection and patrimonialization of indigenous bodies in the Atacameño Lickanantay territory, and socializes this information among the local communities. Based on this work, we conclude that all research in the territory must involve and be authorized by the Atacameño communities. Also, we consider that the Atacameños should stop being the object of research and instead become researchers who lead or collaborate in the studies within their communities and in their territory. The originality of this paper lies precisely in the fact that it brings a global discussion of contemporary archaeology to a concrete case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: The history of women archaeologists in Portugal and their contribution to the development of the discipline is yet to be studied. However, in recent years, some articles published in Portugal have contributed to the construction of this history. Some of these are from the year 2020, and although the coronavirus pandemic has affected the progress of these investigations, especially regarding fieldwork. Generally, these are quantitative studies based on the number of publications by women archaeologists and their references and interviews in newspapers. These articles, which require significant time for database analysis, have not yet explained the existing gaps. It is not the scope of this paper to pursue this quantitative scope; instead, it intends to conduct a qualitative analysis of the contribution of women archaeologists to the development of prehistoric studies in Northern Portugal. To achieve this goal, we are focusing on analysing the doctoral theses developed by women concerning pre- and proto-historic archaeology in Northern Portugal. With this evaluation, we intend to contribute to the history of Portuguese women's archaeology and, at the same time, highlight their methodological and conceptual achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of artificial intelligence and machine learning applications for use in heritage research is increasingly appreciated. In specific areas, notably remote sensing, datasets have increased in extent and resolution to the point that manual interpretation is problematic and the availability of skilled interpreters to undertake such work is limited. Interpretation of the geophysical datasets associated with prehistoric submerged landscapes is particularly challenging. Following the Last Glacial Maximum, sea levels rose by 120 m globally, and vast, habitable landscapes were lost to the sea. These landscapes were inaccessible until extensive remote sensing datasets were provided by the offshore energy sector. In this paper, we provide the results of a research programme centred on AI applications using data from the southern North Sea. Here, an area of c. 188,000 km2 of habitable terrestrial land was inundated between c. 20,000 BP and 7000 BP, along with the cultural heritage it contained. As part of this project, machine learning tools were applied to detect and interpret features with potential archaeological significance from shallow seismic data. The output provides a proof-of-concept model demonstrating verifiable results and the potential for a further, more complex, leveraging of AI interpretation for the study of submarine palaeolandscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I claim that the distinction between "philosophy" and "spirituality" can be a key for understanding Foucault's work, assuming that his philosophy and historical thought do possess a "spiritual dimension." For this purpose, I analyze the figures of transgression and pensée du dehors of the archaeological period, the figures of resistance and criticism as reflexive indocility of the genealogical period, and the fold of the ethical period. I determine whether they can be considered a spiritual dimension that promotes être autrement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is structured into two main sections. Part one argues that bioethics originally emerged due to contributions of A. Stöhr between 1910 and 1917. It presents a framework and outlines the main lines of though for this origin. According to Stöhr, bioethics involves a twofold approach: avoiding or diminishing pain and suffering, while increasing pleasure and joy. It is sense, bioethics is linked to the arts, letters, and culture. This paper outlines an archeology of bioethics, which differs significantly from a history of bioethics, drawing on M. Foucault as a reference. Part two is assesses Stöhr’s contributions within the broader landscape of current bioethics studies. The paper concludes with some final observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a bibliometric analysis undertaken on Joseon gogo yeongu (Joseon Archaeological Research), North Korea's preeminent archaeology journal, providing information on the researchers, institutions, and research topics that have come to form the field of archaeological research in North Korea since the mid-1980s. Deviating from previous analyses of Joseon gogo yeongu, this paper focuses on the authors that contributed to Joseon gogo yeongu, identifying the archaeologists that have been most active in publishing articles. This particular method of establishing the key figures of North Korean archaeology reveals the presence of certain archaeologists whose importance has been overlooked within the South Korean discourse on North Korean archaeology. In addition, by tracing the research topics of these key figures over time, a broad understanding of the field of archaeological research in North Korea can be obtained. Information on institutional affiliations and co-authorships present within Joseon gogo yeongu also provide valuable insights into the workings of North Korean academia. Finally, by visualizing the results of the bibliometric analysis using word clouds and networks, the efficacy of Digital Humanities approaches to large data sets is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a useful geochemical technique employed to explore toolstone procurement strategies in the lithic record, commonly utilized in sourcing obsidians. Non-obsidian volcanic toolstones (e.g., dacites, rhyolites, basalts, and andesites) are abundant in interior Alaskan assemblages yet understudied compared to obsidian. Geochemical analyses of these non-obsidian materials offer the potential to gain new insights into ancient toolstone provisioning behaviors. This paper presents a synthesis of geochemical (pXRF) analyses of rhyolite artifacts, systematic regional raw material surveys, and lithic technological analyses collected from nineteen late Pleistocene and Holocene assemblages from the Nenana valley, interior Alaska. Previous research studies on archaeological rhyolites from the region are replicated, new rhyolite artifact groups are identified, and one new rhyolite source is reported and described here. Ultimately, this paper contributes to a growing body of geochemical research seeking to provide a more nuanced look at the complex late Pleistocene and Holocene record of eastern Beringia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern Baltic region represents the world's most northerly limit of successful broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) (hereafter, millet) cultivation in the past, yet this crop has been almost forgotten today. The earliest millet in the eastern Baltic region has been identified from macrobotanical remains which were directly dated to ca 1000 BCE. Between 800 and 500 BCE, millet was one of the major staple foods in the territory of modern-day Lithuania. Millet continued to play an important role in past agriculture up until the 15th century, with its use significantly declining during the following centuries. This paper analyses both the archaeobotanical records and written sources on broomcorn millet cultivation in Lithuania from its first arrival all the way through to the 19th century. The manuscript reviews the evidence of millet cultivation in the past as documented by archaeobotanical remains and historical accounts. In light of fluctuating records of millet cultivation through time, we present the hypothetical reasons for the decline in millet use as human food. The paper hypothesizes that the significant decrease in broomcorn millet cultivation in Lithuania from the 15th century onwards was likely influenced by several factors, which include climate change (the Little Ice Age) and the agricultural reforms of the 16th century. However, more detailed research is required to link past fluctuations in millet cultivation with climatic and historical sources, thus better understanding the roots of collapsing crop biodiversity in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Khirbat Iskandar is an Early Bronze Age (ca. 3800-1950 BCE) mound in the Madaba Governorate of Jordan. Until a decade ago, it was better known as a key site for the non-urban Early Bronze IV period (ca. 2500-1950 BCE), but is increasingly emerging as a signature site for the urban Early Bronze II-III period (ca. 3050-2500 BCE). The contour of the tall site is shaped by the presence of buried fortifications that were investigated in the north-western sector of the mound, where a long sequence of rebuilds was recognized, but were exposed to and impacted by modern construction activities along the southern and south-eastern areas prior to being recorded. There, due to erosion and weathering, the stone fortifications dating to the first half of the Early Bronze III (ca. 2850-2650 BCE) fell down. In this paper, we report on our strategies to assess threats, document damages, sustainably stabilize, and consolidate the collapsed ancient fortifications in the 2023 field season at Khirbat Iskandar. At the same time, we discuss the conceptual/methodological and practical challenges of identifying best practices in the conservation and preservation of antiquities that collapsed prior to being excavated. We conclude with some thoughts on how to build on these actions to efficiently present the archaeology and cultural heritage at protohistoric sites, like Khirbat Iskandar, and to make it accessible for the local and the international communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we seek to integrate theories of music origins and dance with hominin fossil anatomy and the paleoecological contexts of hominin evolution. Based on the association between rhythm in music, dance and locomotion, we propose that early bipedal hominins may have evolved neurobiological substrates different from other great apes due to the rhythmic aspects of bipedal walking and running. Combined with the emancipation of the hands resulting from erect posture, we propose that the neurobiological changes necessary for technological innovation, cultural practices and human musical abilities may have evolved, at least in incipient form, much earlier than previously thought. The consequent ability to synchronize movement and sound production may have also proved beneficial as early bipedal hominins ventured out of late Miocene and early Pliocene woodland and forested habitats and into more open habitats with increased predation risk. We also postulate that, along with bipedalism, paedomorphic morphogenesis of the skull at the base of the hominin clade was a necessary prerequisite for the evolution of vocal modulation and singing in later varieties of hominin. To date research into the evolution of music and dance has yet to be integrated with the fossil and paleoecological evidence of early hominin evolution. This paper seeks to fill this lacuna in the extant literature on human evolution. We also suggest that autocatalytic feedback loops evolving synergistically with hominin erect posture, skull and hand morphology, neurochemical processes and the self-domestication syndrome, have been operative from early hominins some 6 Ma to the present. We document this process by reference to primatological, ethnographic, neurochemical and archaeological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper looks at past relationships between humans and certain wild animal species, that is, raptors, bears, beavers, and elks. As we have observed, it was the behaviour of animals that caught the attention of humans, such as spectacular flights and hunting by raptors, the similarities in bear and human behaviour, the fascinating impressiveness and charisma of elks, and the landscape-shaping by enigmatic beavers. All these animals have special meanings to humans far beyond their economic significance. Wild goshawks, falcons, and other raptor species have acted as trained hunting companions, but they were never domesticated and had to be treated with care. As for bear, beaver, and elk, there were often complex rituals before, during, and after the killing, because there was no clear separation between humans and animals. The animals were not just prey but equal beings and other-than-human persons. However, there were also changes over time in the human–animal relationship, such as the advent of the farming way of life with a preference for domesticated animals, as well as the arrival of Christianity, by which animals became second to human. Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between 'animal' and 'human' is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous 'bear ceremonies' attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost 'disguised humans' due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the historical development of the Library of the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade through the work of its librarians. The Library is a specialized research library designed for researchers at the Institute. It is one of the largest special libraries in the region, with literature in the fields of archaeology, history, art history, architecture, anthropology, and other related sciences. From its foundation to the present day, Library's work and development have been marked by its employees. The paper describes the formation and work tasks of the Library in the first part and the transition from a card catalogue to a local electronic catalogue in the second part. A new development in the Library's work is establishing the RAI repository and the ongoing transition from WINISIS to the COBISS catalogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of data acquisition in archaeological practice has consistently held great importance. Over the past few decades, the growing prevalence of digitization in acquiring data has significantly transformed the landscape of archaeological fieldwork, influencing both methodology and interpretation. The integration of digital photogrammetry and laser scanning technologies in archaeology has transformed data acquisition, enabling efficient and precise documentation. However, this digital shift raises concerns about information overload, the potential loss of on-site insights, and the need for suitable data management methods. Over the past 15 years, digital tools like photogrammetry, laser scanning, and unmanned aerial vehicles have advanced cultural heritage documentation. These methods offer detailed 3D models of archaeological sites, artifacts, and monuments, with evolving accessibility and user friendliness. This paper delves into methods for documenting cultural heritage, examining the implications of various approaches on the archaeologist's workflow and on the field as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undoubtedly, Chinese sources are one of the most important sources about early Turkic history. Early Chinese sources were first written on turtle shells, animal bones, and bronze materials. Later, historical records were written on bamboo and paper. These records are, evidently, important reference sources for illuminating Turkic history and culture. In addition, when the material culture remains are evaluated together along with the historical sources, many issues that remain in the dark are elucidate. In the second millennium BC, an equestrian, nomadic, warrior community dominated nearly all of Southern Siberia for approximately 1,000 years. The remains of the material culture left behind by the society of this era, which is referred to in the literature as the Andronovo Culture, began to develop, and change since the first millennium BC. Specifically, the human typology in the graves begins to differ. Scholars observe that an Evropoid community began to mix with mongoloids. The material remains of this cultural period were found within the territory of Khakassia. However, scholars find that the traditions of this society continue to live on in the material remains of the cultural periods, which archaeologists call by different names today. In this respect, this study intends to reveal the cultural transition periods through which the people of the Andronovo Culture in the lands of Baikal and Mongolia beyond Khakassia passed to Mongolia and their kinship with the ancestors of the Turks. Moreover, the study emphasizes the connections of the tribes mentioned in Chinese sources by the ancestors of the Turks from the first millennium BC onward with the abovementioned nomadic warrior tribes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along the coast of northwestern Alaska, architectural wood remains are well preserved in the Birnirk and Thule coastal sites of the early 2nd millennium CE. These structural wood elements are unique archives for documenting climatic variations and cultural transformations during this key development period of Inuit culture. Along this treeless Arctic coast, driftwood accumulates from the subarctic forests of interior Alaska. Except for northwestern Alaska, regional tree-ring chronologies are too short (at best 350–400 years) to successfully date archaeological wood remains from Birnirk and Thule coastal sites using conventional dendrochronology. This paper examines the potential of tree-ring derived δ 18O signal to annually date eight architectural wood samples from the Rising Whale (KTZ-304) site at Cape Espenberg, northwestern Alaska. We developed a δ 18O master chronology, covering the period 935–1157 CE, using five wood samples from the KTZ-304 site. Blind isotope cross-dating of individual series belonging to this δ 18O master chronology (one against the other four) showed conclusive dating and a very strong coherence of the isotopic signal. We, then, used the δ 18O master chronology to cross-date three other wood samples for which we knew, from previous 14C wiggle-matching procedure, the first measured ring to be in this time interval, within a ± 18 to 30-year precision. Oxygen isotope dendrochronology provided a plausible date for one of the samples (the first measured ring at 1073 CE). This preliminary study encourages us to acquire additional data to extend in time and strengthen the δ 18O master chronology of northwestern Alaska (NWAK18O) and help refine our understanding of climate and culture change during the 2nd millennium CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article presents a discursive analysis of the statements in the essay section of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina entrance exam (1978-2024), which we denominate as archaeology, in light of Foucault (2022 [1969]). Thus, in the section The metaphor of the metaphor, we seek to establish an understanding of the theoretical foundation coined by Michel Foucault in The Archaeology of Knowledge, through which we aim to present the methodological aspect of archaeological practice. In the second part, in the section The archive of the exam papers, we emphasize the work with the archive, demonstrating the inquiries that were necessary for the comprehension of our object. In the final section, Delimitation of enunciative series in the UFSC entrance exam essay, we present some of the results of the excavations conducted in our enunciative field. We believe that the identification of the systems that govern and impact our object allows for the establishment of necessary and important reflections on the effects of the essay exam in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gout has been part of human history for thousands of years. Skeletal evidence of the disease among past people in Europe is often associated with high-status individuals whose lifestyles comprised risk factors for gout, including increased sedentism and greater access to rich, high-caloric, food. A growing body of evidence, however, has shown that multiple factors other than lifestyle also contribute to gout development. In 2011, Buckley presented a review of modern and pre-modern gout cases in which she proposed that selective pressures may partly underlie the high prevalence of gout in the population history of the Pacific region. In this paper, we provide an update on Buckley's 2011 review of gout in human history. We also review early life stress as a potential underlying factor to consider for gout development, particularly among small prehistoric communities where opulent lifestyles traditionally associated with gout were unlikely to have occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce applications of Artificial Intelligence techniques, such as Decision Trees and Semantic Reasoning, for semi-automatic and semantic-model-based decision-making for archaeological feature comparisons. This paper uses the example of Roman African Red Slip Ware (ARS) and the collection of ARS at the LEIZA archaeological research institute. The main challenge is to create a Digital Twin of the ARS objects and artefacts using geometric capturing and semantic modelling of archaeological information. Moreover, the individualisation and comparison of features (appliqués), along with their visualisation, extraction, and rectification, results in a strategy and application for comparison of these features using both geometrical and archaeological aspects with a comprehensible rule set. This method of a semi-automatic semantic model-based comparison workflow for archaeological features on Roman ceramics is showcased, discussed, and concluded in three use cases: woman and boy, human–horse hybrid, and bears with local twists and shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, comprehensive reviews and discussions of the strengths and limitations of Remote Sensing (RS) standalone and combination approaches, and Deep Learning (DL)-based RS datasets in archaeology have been limited. The objective of this paper is, therefore, to review and critically discuss existing studies that have applied these advanced approaches in archaeology, with a specific focus on digital preservation and object detection. RS standalone approaches including range-based and image-based modelling (e.g., laser scanning and SfM photogrammetry) have several disadvantages in terms of spatial resolution, penetrations, textures, colours, and accuracy. These limitations have led some archaeological studies to fuse/integrate multiple RS datasets to overcome limitations and produce comparatively detailed outcomes. However, there are still knowledge gaps in examining the effectiveness of these RS approaches in enhancing the detection of archaeological remains/areas. Thus, this review paper is likely to deliver valuable comprehension for archaeological studies to fill knowledge gaps and further advance exploration of archaeological areas/features using RS along with DL approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the different perspectives on important issues discussed in archaeological inquiry. Distinction between core beliefs and models; Assumption of the application of model from classical economics to an archaeological problems; Requirement of a recursive relationship between ideas and observations in learning the process of doing archaeology.

This paper discusses the importance of adopting and applying new technologies in scientific fields to increase the rate of progress. It emphasises the need for networking and multidisciplinary collaboration to apply technologies developed for other purposes to solve scientific or professional issues. The paper reviews modern technologies used in archaeology and bioarchaeology, including ground penetrating radar, LiDAR, drones, 3D printing, remote sensing, GIS, and portable X-ray fluorescence. It also presents modern technologies in bioarchaeology such as DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating, microscopic analysis, CT and MRI, and proteomics. The paper introduces palaeoradiology, a branch of radiology that uses imaging technologies to examine bioarchaeological or even archaeological material, and discusses its importance in gaining knowledge about the health, lifestyle, and causes of death of past populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The particular macroscopic growth features of the timbers of Bremen-Cog , a late 14th-century cargo vessel, were the subject of a detailed analysis during the European Research Council (ERC) research project TIMBER at the University of Copenhagen. The unexpected depth of the results of this examination led to the feasibility study presented in this paper, which evaluates the meaning of macroscopic growth features in ship archaeological analyses. In the past, the perception of wood in ship-archaeological analyses often seems to be either ignored or strongly idealised causing macroscopic growth features to be missing in many cases as decisive analytical features. The idea of a shipwright, who personally chooses only the best material, was likely born out of an idealised image of the past and influenced by recent shipbuilding practices. Detailed advice on the choice of high-quality timber for shipbuilding only appeared during the 20th century, long after wood was superseded by steel for most vessels, and the competition for shipbuilding timber on the market had ceased. In some cases, this has produced a somewhat distorted interpretation of ships and shipbuilding. As a holistic approach to features of growth can provide information beyond timber quality, such as environmental influences and human impacts on this resource. In certain cases, such an approach can draw conclusions on economic and social circumstances. The information gathered from building timber can alter the interpretation of boats and ships. This paper discusses the demand for shipbuilding timber and its quality in northwest Europe, and aims to reflect on possible social, economic, or environmental reasons for the shipwright's choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss a new approach to the analysis of multi/hyper-spectral data sets, based on the Interesting Features Finder (IFF) method. The IFF is a simple algorithm recently proposed in the framework of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) spectral analysis for detecting 'interesting' spectral features independently of the variance they represent in a set of spectra. To test the usefulness of this method to multispectral analysis, we show in this paper the results of its application on the recovery of a 'lost' painting from the Etruscan hypogeal tomb of the Volumni (3rd century BCE—1st century CE) in Perugia, Italy. The results obtained applying the IFF algorithm are compared with the results obtained by applying Blind Source Separation (BSS) techniques and Self-Organized Maps (SOM) to a multispectral set of 17 fluorescence and reflection images. From this comparison emerges the possibility of using the IFF algorithm to obtain rapidly and simultaneously, by varying a single parameter in a range from 0 to 1, several sets of elaborated images all containing the 'interesting' features and carrying information comparable to what could have been obtained by BSS and SOM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to highlight the Public Archaeology endeavors that were conducted in Romania. Although, at the first glance we cannot identify many papers or platforms that promote Public Archaeology, we will focus our attention towards the archaeological research that was conducted by the public or by the specialists, but with the help of the community. The typology elaborated by Moshenska & Bonacchi in 2015 represents the backbone on which our study will be built upon, as it provides a clear distinction between all the categories that the vast domain of Public Archaeology reaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geospatial technologies have become an essential component of archaeological research, aiding in the identification, mapping, and analysis of archaeological sites. Several journals have published existing narratives on the development and impact of geospatial technologies in the study of archaeology and cultural heritage. However, this has not been supported by a systematic review of articles and papers, where meticulously collected evidence is methodically analysed. This article systematically reviews the trends in the use of geospatial technologies in archaeology and cultural heritage through the search for keywords or terms associated with geospatial technologies used in the two fields on the Scopus database from 1990 to 2022. Bibliometric analysis using the Scopus Analyze tool and analysis of bibliometric networks using VOSviewer visualisations reveals how modern archaeological studies are now a significant discipline of spatial sciences and how the discipline enjoys the tools of geomatic engineering for establishing temporal and spatial controls on the material being studied and observing patterns in the archaeological records. The key concepts or themes or distinct knowledge domains that shape research in the use of geospatial technologies in archaeology and cultural heritage, according to the Scopus database (1990–2022), are cultural heritage, archaeology, geographic information systems, remote sensing, virtual reality, and spatial analysis. Augmented reality, 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D reconstruction, lidar, digital elevation modelling, artificial intelligence, spatiotemporal analysis, ground penetrating radar, optical radar, aerial photography, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are some of the geospatial technology tools and research themes that are less explored or less interconnected concepts that have potential gaps in research or underexplored topics that might be worth investigating in archaeology and cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a metrological and qualitative evaluation of the Artec 3D structured-light scanners: Micro and Space Spider. As part of a larger European project called ITSERR, these scanners are tested to reconstruct small archaeological artefacts, in particular cuneiform tablets with different dimensions. For this reason, Micro and Space Spider are compared in terms of the entire workflow, from preparatory work to post-processing. In this context, three cuneiform replica tablets will serve as examples on which the Artec scanners will have to prove their worth. Metric analyses based on distance maps, RMSe calculations and density analyses will be carried out to understand metrological differences between these tools. The creation of 3D models of cuneiform tablets is the first step in developing a virtual environment suitable for sharing the archaeological collection with collaborators and other users. The inclusion of semantic information through specific ontologies will be the next step in this important project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, archaeological and written records have been used in combination to improve our understanding of Late Antique and Early Medieval Hispanic architectural culture (5th–10th c.). Within this renewed research context, the rebuilding of Late Antique churches and the reuse of earlier materials in both Early Medieval Christian and Islamic religious buildings; the transformation of Late Antique churches into early Islamic mosques in al-Andalus; and the rebuilding of other churches by the Christians themselves, both in al-Andalus and in the northern Iberian plateau, from the late 8th century onwards, have often been used to thread narratives concerning tradition, continuity, and re-sacralisation of earlier religious architectural spaces and, through this, religious change in the middle ages. However, the application of modern archaeological methodology reveals that these processes need to be qualified, for the stratigraphic gaps between building phases make them sometimes hard to interpret. By analysing some examples of Hispanic religious sites, this paper reflects on the many concepts related to sacralisation, explains the way archaeology is able to trace the sacralisation processes, and intends thus to highlight the complexity of these phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent differences in wealth and power among prehispanic Pueblo societies are visible from the late AD 800s through the late 1200s, after which large portions of the northern US Southwest were depopulated. In this paper we measure these differences in wealth using Gini coefficients based on house size, and show that high Ginis (large wealth differences) are positively related to persistence in settlements and inversely related to an annual measure of the size of the unoccupied dry-farming niche. We argue that wealth inequality in this record is due first to processes inherent in village life which have internally different distributions of the most productive maize fields, exacerbated by the dynamics of systems of balanced reciprocity; and second to decreasing ability to escape village life owing to shrinking availability of unoccupied places within the maize dry-farming niche as villages get enmeshed in regional systems of tribute or taxation. We embed this analytical reconstruction in the model of an 'Abrupt imposition of Malthusian equilibrium in a natural-fertility, agrarian society' proposed by Puleston et al. (Puleston C, Tuljapurkar S, Winterhalder B. 2014 PLoS ONE9, e87541 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0087541)), but show that the transition to Malthusian dynamics in this area is not abrupt but extends over centuries This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investments in data management infrastructure often seek to catalyze new research outcomes based on the reuse of research data. To achieve the goals of these investments, we need to better understand how data creation and data quality concerns shape the potential reuse of data. The primary audience for this paper centers on scientific domain specialists that create and (re)use datasets documenting archaeological materials. This paper discusses practices that promote data quality in support of more open-ended reuse of data beyond the immediate needs of the creators. We argue that identifier practices play a key, but poorly recognized, role in promoting data quality and reusability. We use specific archaeological examples to demonstrate how the use of globally unique and persistent identifiers can communicate aspects of context, avoid errors and misinterpretations, and facilitate integration and reuse. We then discuss the responsibility of data creators and data reusers to employ identifiers to better maintain the contextual integrity of data, including professional, social, and ethical dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of micro-objects, both inorganic and organic, which can be found associated to parchment or cellulose fibres of books and documents, or in the inks and the dirt, accumulated over the centuries between the pages, can unravel important information on the manufacture of the ancient documents, on their past vicissitudes or on the causes of aging and deterioration of the materials they contain. The results of a critical observation of micrometric objects and structures with a diagnostic or archaeological significance have in some cases been surprising. Apart from the curiosity that certain findings may or may not raise, what needs to be discussed is the fact that some chemical components, usually attributed to the manufacture of materials or the inks may instead have a particular origin and nature, and therefore lead, if not properly highlighted, to some erroneous diagnostics. Examples are given where the information obtained by means of scanning electron microscope imaging and Raman microscopy were coupled with dispersive X-ray microanalysis and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on anthropology topics including the prehistoric soapstone vessel quarry in Northern Tallapoosa County, Alabama, the archaeology of the French bakery and Palisade at 18th century Fort Tombecbe and the early iron industry in Alabama.

In the field of digital humanities, it is increasingly necessary to develop and validate virtual reality tools that are capable of combining various scientific data in a virtualized context providing also access and user friendly consultation of online repositories. This paper reports the main aspects of the implementation of a virtual reality tool integrated with an online repository for storing 3D models, metadata and chemical analyses related to different sectors of digital humanities. The virtual reality software, developed for the Oculus Quest 2 hardware, is called PROTEUS and allows for seamless transition from the macroscopic world of digital humanities to the microscopic world of molecular sciences. The paper illustrates, by means of some case studies, the performances of this innovative tool that permits the researcher to understand and manipulate objects, to test hypotheses and to seek meaningful results, visualising the metadata while changing the parameters of the simulation in a dynamic and interactive way. This represents also a significant step forward in the democratisation of science, thanks to an user-friendly and immersive access to advanced scientific algorithms, which allow the natural perception of structural and topological features of the underlying molecular and supra-molecular systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to create an algorithm able to creating a porous structure with variable properties, print and analyze them. The basic concepts related to it were introduced and the process of creating an algorithm in Rhinoceros software was described. Having a suitable test group of porous structures, it was shown that it is possible to modify their porosity. In the next step, the structures were presented for printing and its effect. The obtained physical models were examined by microtomography. The resulting cross-sections were processed in ImageJ software. Having cross-sections of the original bone and printed structures, it was possible to compare their porosity and the average diameter of the trabeculae in the structure. With this procedure, it is possible to deduce whether it is possible to print accurate structures that will serve as porous bone implants. The resulting differential porosity comparison was 2.0-7.5%, while the thickness was about 18-35%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an analysis is carried out of the way in which the discourses and counter-discourses around madness are presented in the novel Nadie me verá llorar by Cristina Rivera Garza, based on the elements of analysis referred to the order of the discourse, the subject, the device, the archaeologies of knowledge, literature and the technologies of the self, mainly from the perspective of Michel Foucault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to dig deeper into the philosophical value of music in "Bamboo Slips from the Tomb of Chu", analyze "existence" and "Tao".Epistemological content, this paper takes the bamboo slips in the No. 1 tomb of Guojiadian in Jingmen City, Hubei Province during the Warring States Period as the research object, measures and excavates them with the help of modern tools, summarizes the philosophical ideas in the bamboo slips, and verifies them with representative songs of contemporary writers such as Xian Xinghai, Tan Dun, and Zhang Chao. Firstly, four sets of bamboo slips were selected from the 804 pieces unearthed for analysis, and the contents of "existence" and "dao" in the bamboo slips were studied, and the characteristics of philosophical content, font lines, and modeling were excavated. Then, the loudness and frequency of the song were tested with the help of software such as the MINI DPS UMil-1 sound field test microphone, the 4K microscope (0.7x) REW2.0, and Microsoft Viso 2.0. The results show that with the help of Viso 2.0 and microscope, the length of the font in the Chu tomb bamboo simplification is 1.23±0.15cm, the width is 1.18±0.01cm, the aspect ratio is 1, and the line curvature is 30°. REW software, mini DPS UMil-1 sound field test microphone test, found that the decibel of Xian Xinghai, Tan Dun, and Zhang Chao's songs was 100~125dBFS, and the song frequency was 300~1000Hz, 20~100Hz; The music frequency is controlled in the range of 0~2000Hz, the music loudness concentration is 400~7000Hz, the concentration time is 35~75 seconds, and the songs are short and concentrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has highlighted the educational potential of archaeology and archaeological heritage to develop multiple competences in students and overcome some of the difficulties that have traditionally been associated with the learning of history. However, the educational use of heritage faces a significant challenge: the lack of teacher training. The aim of this paper is to explore this issue in-depth and, in particular, to examine the conception and interest of trainee teachers in relation to archaeological heritage and its educational uses. The research uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative method for the analysis and interpretation of the collected data. The results have allowed us to identify specific aspects that should be integrated into the training of future teachers in order to deepen the educational potential of archaeological heritage and the implementation of teaching strategies that allow them to work with it from the early childhood stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, archaeological heritage management has become one of the most demanding tasks in heritage protection. It aims to integrate heritage sites into the contemporary life of local communities. Therefore, we need to increase public participation. The case study presented in the paper analyses the content of a set of journalistic reports published in Slovenian news media from 2005-2021. Content analysis was chosen as the most appropriate method for extracting data covering archaeological topics. According to this method, we defined a basic concept, i.e., the "archaeological paradigm", and supplementary concepts, further refined by categories and codes. The research aimed to detect changes in public attitudes towards the democratisation of archaeological discourse and towards public participation in archaeological activities. The active public participation in heritage management (and heritage is intrinsically embedded in a particular place and present time) can be seen as evidence of greater social integration. The main conclusion is that the content of journalistic coverage in the selected period reveals only a gradual tendency towards democratising Slovenian archaeology rather than a decisive breakthrough in this direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The castle on Kozlov Rob above Tolmin is one of the most important historical sites in western Slovenia. Over the years, large quantities of finds dating from the late medieval and early modern periods have been recovered from the castle ruins in the process of archaeological investigations and construction works. Many of the recovered iron artefacts are extremely difficult to identify due to their fragmentary state. This paper presents the study of four relatively recently discovered artefacts. The available evidence suggests that at least one of them belongs to a helmet, while another has been identified as the remains of a lock. The artefacts were analysed with X-ray radiography and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, samples were taken for microhardness Vickers measurements and metallographic analysis with a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Additional microchemical and structural phase analysis were done with the electron microscope. The aim of archaeometallurgical analyses is to contribute to a more precise interpretation and add a new dimension to our knowledge of the castle site at Kozlov Rob. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Reformation, many monasteries in Scandinavia were provided new purposes or maintained parts of their former functions, serving as everything from hospitals to city halls. In Iceland, however, this did not happen; the monasteries were abandoned, and their functions in society, both ecclesiastical and secular, were, in time, forgotten. This was despite attempts to open schools in some of the former monasteries. While the reasons for the failure of these institutions to transition from being run by ecclesiastical to secular authorities in Iceland remain unknown, the common perception is that these sites remained centers of some influence, power and wealth. This paper will use the monastery site of Þingeyrar, Northern Iceland, as a case study, discussing ceramic data from ongoing excavations there as well as historical data on landholdings to examine the continuity of influence and wealth at monastery sites in Iceland following their dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catastrophic floods that hit Pakistan in summer 2022 represent the latest example of climate change-induced extreme events occurring in South Asia. In addition to the dramatic impact on population and infrastructures, this event threatened UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) and properties of national interest. However, while a wealth of national and international mapping initiatives were conducted based on satellite imagery to assess damage to people, buildings and economic goods, the impact caused to archaeological sites and monuments has not been fully unveiled yet. To bridge this gap and provide an integrated approach that can be used by local end-users to assess damage and, in turn, collect evidence to inform and improve risk management plans, the present paper integrates Sentinel-1 and 2 imagery and mapping products derived from them (e.g., Copernicus Emergency Management Service Global Flood Mapping) with ground-truthing and geospatial datasets. Through a multidisciplinary collaboration between geologists, archaeologists, remote sensing and satellite image analysts, the integration methodology was tested on UNESCO and other heritage sites of national relevance located in the two mostly affected regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh that were intentionally selected to represent different typologies of cultural heritage and governance in Pakistan. Finally, the information extracted from the present analysis was assessed in relation to the current national and international legislations, the official state of conservation reports and the activities conducted at each site to protect them against flood events. Given the accessibility to ready-to-use Copernicus products and that the present analysis can be replicated over time and other sites, the proposed methodology provides a feasible means to exploit satellite data in post-disaster mapping situations and contribute to the decision-making process for risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to aerial photography and remote sensing have become increasingly complex, can rely on opaque workflows, and have the potential to be published with inaccessible language. Conversely, aerial capture has become increasingly accessible with affordable, user-friendly unmanned aerial systems (UAS) now being commonplace in the field-archaeology toolkit. This means that considerable amounts of data are being produced by diverse projects, yet only a limited quantity are subject to advanced processing techniques. This paper aims to address this imbalance through a low-cost, accessible workflow that pairs frequent (multi-temporal) surveys with straightforward, out of the box processing. The results are comparable to more complex methodologies without the need to invest in expensive hardware (although a fast computer will make processing quicker) or abstract workflows. The detail and depth are still available if needed, but the aim is to make the interpretation of a wide range of imagery easier, rather than focus on the mechanics of the phenomena. The results demonstrate an effective, inexpensive and user-friendly workflow that requires only limited computational skills, but which offers robust, highly interpretable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of computers and other digital technologies have had a long history in classical archaeology, but in the last decade, advances in software and especially hardware have begun to transform the way that archaeologists work in the field. This paper explores three examples of this phenomenon from my perspective as co-director, director, or assistant director of three different research projects between 2010 and 2019. These are the Pompeii Quadriporticus Project (2010–2013), the Pompeii Artistic Landscape Project (PALP, 2018–present), and the Tharros Archaeological Research Project (TARP, 2019–present). As a whole, these projects trace one history of digital technology's impact on the organization of archaeological labor, from intensifying work due to increased efficiency, to increasing the pressure due to newly available data sources, and to reorganizing the in-field procedures that at once takes advantage of efficiencies and frees up labor at the trench edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is part of a broader research in which, based on the drawing of an archaeologist, we intend to identify what students know about archaeology and, thereby, detect those stereotypes or misconceptions about this science and the people who practice it. More specifically, this article presents a categorization system designed for the interpretation of these drawings. First, a bibliographical emptying of the research done on erroneous ideas of archaeology has been carried out, and, on this basis, a series of hypotheses have been raised as starting point to define the proposed categories. The result provides an up-to-date tool that facilitates the interpretation of the data in relation to the profiles and actions with which archaeology is associated, as well as its object of study. Its greatest contribution, however, is the incorporation of a series of categories, which have hitherto not been considered, in order to categorize knowledge of the archaeological method through a series of formulation levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa, the cradle of human evolution, has one of the largest and most diverse rainforests in the world. The African rainforests contain evidence of human occupation as well as fluctuating climate during the Pleistocene; such evidence offers archaeologists and palaeoecologists the opportunity to understand how climatic fluctuations have influenced human behaviour. However, compared to the rainforests environments in Asia and South America, the human ecological history of those in West-Central Africa is poorly understood. This is because of comparatively fewer scientific programmes which synergize palaeoecological and archaeological data and thus could enhance the knowledge and allow for an evaluation of the impact of climatic fluctuations on human behaviour in the rainforests of West-Central Africa during the Pleistocene and Holocene periods. The goals of this paper are twofold, namely: (i) to provide a synthesis of the past climatic variability in the rainforests of West-Central Africa, and (ii) to demonstrate the influence of such variability on human behaviour during the Pleistocene to Holocene periods. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate Africanists to adopt an inclusive scientific anthropological and palaeoecological approach in understanding human–climate interactions in the West-Central African rainforests. This article is part of the theme issue 'Tropical forests in the deep human past'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and application of a deep learning-based approach for semi-automated detection of tar production kilns using new Finnish high-density Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data in the boreal taiga forest zone. The historical significance of tar production, an important livelihood for centuries, has had extensive environmental and ecological impacts, particularly in the thinly inhabited northern and eastern parts of Finland. Despite being one of the most widespread archaeological features in the country, tar kilns have received relatively little attention until recently. The authors employed a Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) U-Net-based algorithm to detect these features from the ALS data, which proved to be more accurate, faster, and capable of covering systematically larger spatial areas than human actors. It also produces more consistent, replicable, and ethically sustainable results. This semi-automated approach enabled the efficient location of a vast number of previously unknown archaeological features, significantly increasing the number of tar kilns in each study area compared to the previous situation. This has implications also for the cultural resource management in Finland. The authors' findings have influenced the preparation of the renewal of the Finnish Antiquities Act, raising concerns about the perceived impacts on cultural heritage management and land use sectors due to the projected tenfold increase in archaeological site detection using deep learning algorithms. The use of environmental remote sensing data may provide a means of examining the long-term cultural and ecological impacts of tar production in greater detail. Our pilot studies suggest that artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques have the potential to revolutionize archaeological research and cultural resource management in Finland, offering promising avenues for future exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the methodology of history of philosophy. There are considered two approaches: the Hegelian and Schellingian ones. It is shown that the Hegelian approach has many weak points. Both approaches are demonstrated on the material of Indian philosophy. The Schellingian approach was hammered out then by Foucault as archeology of philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a unique pyramidal object uncovered during a recent archaeological site survey conducted in the Elmalı Basin (Antalya, Turkey) at the site of Kocapınar Höyük. The execution of its technical features is apparent in its precise construction in truncated pyramidal form, indicating a conscious effort to ensure its functional efficacy. The decorative elements, on the other hand, consist of twenty-four motifs carved on four facets and base that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also symbolically meaningful. Allthough the definitive identification of its function and purpose poses a challenge, the comparative analyses establish a potential association between the Kocapınar pyramidoid and the decorated multifaceted pyramidal seals/seal-amulets, which had their heyday during the Late Bronze Age. In this regard, the present paper makes a critical contribution to the archaeology of pre-classical Lycia in several ways. Firstly, it introduces a previously unknown mound-type settlement, providing new insights into the archaeological landscape of second-millennium Lycia. Moreover, the discovery of a multifaceted pyramidoid adds to the growing corpus of Late Bronze Age material evidence, emphasising the importance of the Elmalı Basin and raising the possibility of interactions between coastal and highland sites during the period in question for future research. Additionally, this unusual find offers valuable supplementary support to existing explanations, highlighting that the main challenge in understanding pre-classical habitations in this region is not the scarcity of archaeological materials, but rather the absence of rigorous systematic investigations. Consequently, the Kocapınar pyramidoid casts doubt on the prevailing assumptions that the Lukka Land(s) was desolate or inhabited by primitive nomadic tribes before the Lycians of the 1st millennium BC. and offers complementary material evidence that provides broader perspectives on the long-term history of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the wealth of Late Pleistocene archaeology that exists across southern Africa's open landscape, it is routinely neglected in favour of rock shelter (re)excavation, biasing interpretation of human–environment interaction. This is compounded by the scarcity of open-air studies that use geoarchaeological methods to investigate the history and processes involved in their formation. The open-air archaeology of the Doring River Valley is an example of this, despite nearly a decade of dedicated study and publication. Consequently, there remains a limited and untested understanding of the valley's formation history. This paper rectifies this by providing a sedimentary context for the surface archaeology exposed across one of the Doring River Valley's artefact-baring localities, Uitspankraal 7 (UPK7). Characterisation, particle size, mineralogical, morphometric, and geophysical analysis of UPK7′s sand mantle resulted in the identification of four artefact-bearing sedimentary units, the aeolian and pedogenic processes involved in their formation, and their proposed order of deposition. This provides a stratigraphic, taphonomic, and environmental context against which chronometric dating and an analysis of the taphonomic, spatio-temporal, and technological composition of UPK7′s surface archaeology can be compared. This work is the first vital step towards understanding the depositional and behavioural history of a landscape, irrespective of context type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological advancement of software and hardware and the lowering of the prices of instrumentation has made photogrammetry the preferred instrument for surveying activities in archaeological projects. Consequently, archaeological datasets have been enriched with 3D models of archaeological finds and structures. Each project has developed its work pipeline for raw data acquisition and the elaboration of models and their archiving and dissemination. In most cases, the pipeline is the result of empirical experimentation and is designed to act within the specific context of the project. To date, we still lack a shared method for a photogrammetric survey that derives from the specific design and techniques/contexts. This paper aims at proposing an approach for a shared 3D survey workflow for photogrammetry in archaeology. The general approach relies on the digital data curation framework for cultural heritage and encompasses several specialized tasks. We describe the general functions and processes and how they can be implemented in a practical workflow. As a proof of concept, we show how a preliminary release of the workflow has been applied in the context of the BeArchaeo project, for the acquisition, processing, export, modeling, archiving, and indexing of 3D models, resulting from photogrammetric surveys. A long-term aim is a methodological approach for different endeavors of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]