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Osteoarchaeological studies provide valuable information concerning living conditions and life course changes in past societies. However, many skeletal markers, such as entheseal changes, are multifactorial in aetiology; thus, their interpretation is not straightforward. Generalised linear models (GLMs) are ideal for analysing such phenomena, i.e. those with multiple underlying causative factors, but, to date, their use has been limited. This paper focuses attention on using these models to test hypotheses regarding the aetiology of entheseal changes, widely regarded as indicative of activity patterns, but which are also affected by ageing and body size. To demonstrate the use and limitations of these models, this paper provides an independent test of a previously developed GLM on an identified skeletal sample comprised of skeletons from four British sites ( n = 58) which has a typical sample size for archaeological osteological analysis. In addition to this model, GLMs were developed to include the factor of body size and expand the models to test individual entheses, as well as joint complexes whereby multiple entheses for muscles which act synergistically have been pooled. The results indicate that the original model did not compare well with the frequencies of entheseal changes found in the British assemblage under study. The new models found no clear pattern of influence, although both ageing and body size were important for some entheses. GLMs are appropriate for testing the interaction of biological variables, but future studies need to take into account and test their applicability to archaeological sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an archaeometric contribution to the study of the Inca pottery style from the southeastern frontier of Tawantinsuyu, also known as the Inca Empire, located in Central Western Argentina (CWA). In complementing previous research, a geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of ceramics from various Inca and local sites is carried out by combining X-ray fluorescence analysis (WD-XRF), powder X-ray diffraction analysis (PXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX). The exhaustive statistical treatment and discussion of the chemical data, complemented by mineralogical and microstructural data gathered through PXRD and SEM-EDX techniques, provide significant insights into the provenance of raw materials, paste recipes, firing conditions, estimated firing temperature and post-depositional contaminations. A complex structure comprising six meaningful ceramic groups has been identified, with some of them attributed to hypothetical provenance areas defined by previous research. Additionally, many ceramics remained ungrouped. Despite the identified compositional variability, certain technological attributes exhibit a higher degree of homogeneity. The estimated firing temperature and microstructure of the pottery denote some control over firing conditions to produce vessels with high mechanical strength and toughness suitable for storage and short-distance distribution. The results of both compositional and technological analyses point to the existence of multiple production loci within a domestic or communitarian model of production sharing the same pottery tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological deposits are often complex and illustrative of an intricate interplay between geogenic and anthropogenic inputs and formation processes. Even for those archaeologists—particularly prehistorians—who consider the basic principles of natural stratigraphy to excavate their sites, they nonetheless typically underutilize the observations and data available at the microstratigraphic level. The technique of soil micromorphology—or archaeological micromorphology as referred to throughout this paper—has seen an astounding increase in its use to answer archaeological questions and archaeological sediments in the last decades. However, we consider that this tool is still quite underutilized and not as mainstream as other techniques. In this paper, we briefly reflect on what can be some of the causes underlying this situation and how we (that is, both producers and consumers of micromorphology data) can go about to change it. The main idea is that we need to establish a better and more approachable way to present micromorphological results and be better at integrating them with the macroscopic archaeological data and research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions on colonialism are pervasive in western scholarship but are hardly ever applied to the archeology of China. The present paper shows how concepts of colonialism and migration research can be successfully applied to understand Han imperial expansion into southwest China and how the Chinese material can in turn contribute to developing theories and methods of colonialism research further. Taking the Shamaoshan cemetery as a case study, the present paper combines archeological, textual, environmental, and isotope data to gain insights into strategies and processes of Han imperial expansion into southwest China. The insights gained here show that the long-accepted story-line of simple "Sinicization" and political control is far from accurate. Instead, it took over a century of cross-cultural exchange with immigrants and locals adopting each other's customs to varying degrees. While in the beginning the Han seem to have taken a top-down approach to "civilizing" the region through their elites, the present study suggests that in the end it was the lower levels of society that intermingled most intensively and helped integrate migrants and locals successfully. Moving away from the exclusive focus on exceptional graves and large sites, the present study thus shows the great value of approaching small, poorly equipped graves with new methods, combining isotope research with a nuanced analysis of burial remains. Evaluated together with the evidence from the well-known exceptional graves, lesser-known settlement material, and historical accounts, the Shamaoshan case study has made it clear that various types of contact, colonial and otherwise, play out quite differently within different social groups and historical situations. This study thus proposes a multisource, multimethod approach that moves away from a narrative dominated by the history-writing elite segments of the colonizing force to a multivoiced account integrating local and outside perceptions at various social levels, an approach that might successfully be applied in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are important gaps in the historical and archaeological evidence that have, so far, precluded us from reliably assessing the role of the goat in the English Middle Ages. This, in part, is the direct consequence of the absence of a methodology allowing the confident identification of sheep and goat bones. On the other hand, the fact that the goat has always been perceived as rare has led us to think that medieval goats did not deserve much attention. Thanks to a recently developed new morphometric approach, which allows taxonomic identifications to be based on more objective criteria and results to be scrutinised, we are provided with a new tool to re-assess the role that this species played in English medieval husbandry. This paper presents the results of the application of this new methodology on three archaeological medieval sheep/goat assemblages. Previous research suggested that the goat was not abundant in medieval England, but has also raised the possibility that this may be a consequence of an under-estimation by zooarchaeologists, due to identification difficulties. The basic outcome of our paper is to provide, for the first time, unambiguous evidence that the goat was genuinely uncommon. In the medieval archaeological record, sheep remains are overwhelmingly better represented than goat remains—all three case studies confirmed the pattern. Although these examples cannot be taken to represent the situation everywhere in the country, they provide clear-cut indication that the zoorchaeological interpretation of caprine remains from English medieval sites has so far been largely reliable. The three sites offer the opportunity to investigate different dimensions of the problem and to discuss the role of the goat in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest about the extent of the polychromy of ancient artefacts has increased in the last 10 years, increasing our knowledge on classical art, still often perceived as perfectly white. As a consequence, the development of methodologies allowing the detection and interpretation of the traces of colour remaining on the surfaces of archaeological artefacts has gained momentum. This paper presents the results of a multi-disciplinary research carried out about the painting materials used in producing selected marble statues excavated from the archaeological site of Hierapolis of Phrygia (Turkey), integrating the art-historical approach and the archaeometric data. The artefacts discussed in this paper were excavated in the archaeological site of Hierapolis in the course of several years by the Italian archaeological mission (MAIER). The objects include the reliefs and decorative statuary of the Severan Theatre and the statues excavated from the North Agora of the archaeological site, which are currently preserved in the museum of Hierapolis-Pamukkale. The analytical protocol, based on non-invasive imaging techniques (ultraviolet fluorescence images—UVf and visible induced luminescence—VIL), was performed directly outdoor, in the archaeological site. Few microsamples were selected, collected and subjected to laboratory analyses (XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDS and HPLC-DAD). The integrated protocol allowed for the identification of the colouring materials used in producing the polychromies under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yanghai cemetery (~ 1260–48 BC) belongs to the Subeixi culture (1200 BC–100 AD), which is one of the most important prehistorical archeological cultures in Xinjiang, China. Plant macroremains like seeds/fruits, wood, and stems were discovered in the Yanghai cemetery. Altogether 25 species of plant were found, including three cereals, one type of fruit tree, two medicinal plants, one plant for decoration, and five types of wood for fire drilling, as well as some other plants. The date range of the samples discussed in this paper is around 900–200 BC. It is suggested that the Yanghai people once lived in a relatively humid area like an oasis with local water resources. They lived mainly pastorally and cultivated common millet, naked barley, and wheat as a supplement. However, the evidence of viticulture indicates that they led a sedentary life rather than being mobile pastoralists. It is notable that Cannabis was used not only for medicine but also for shamanistic use. Since there is still a lack of a systemic summary of these archaeobotanical studies at the Yanghai cemetery, an overview is given in the present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, fishing economies of prehistoric populations of coastal South China have been inadequately studied. This paper presents the results from the first systematic study that documents a subsistence economy from the Neolithic settlement site of Guye (5900–5400 cal BP) in the Pearl River Delta region of Southern China using an ichthyoarchaeological analysis. The analysis yielded a large number of fish remains, including at least 18 kinds of freshwater- and brackish water/inshore–associated fish taxa. They were likely caught by nets, traps, spears, and angling. The characteristics of this long-term fishing-reliant subsistence pattern help to elucidate the mechanisms of the sustainability and complexity of fishing-hunting-gathering communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contact goniometer is a commonly used tool in archaeological analysis, despite suffering from a number of shortcomings due to the physical interaction between the measuring implement, the object being measured, and the individual taking the measurements. However, lacking a simple and efficient alternative, researchers in a variety of fields continue to use the contact goniometer to this day. In this paper, we present a new goniometric method that we call the virtual goniometer, which takes angle measurements on a 3D model of an object. The virtual goniometer allows for rapid data collection, and for the measurement of many angles that cannot be physically accessed by a manual goniometer. Using fracture angle measurements on bone fragments, we compare the intra-observer variability of the manual and virtual goniometers, and find that the virtual goniometer is far more consistent and reliable. Furthermore, the virtual goniometer allows for precise replication of angle measurements, even among multiple users, which is important for reproducibility of goniometric-based research. The virtual goniometer is available as a plug-in in the open source mesh processing packages Meshlab and Blender, making it easily accessible to researchers exploring the potential for goniometry to improve archaeological methods and address anthropological questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magdalenian communities exploited mostly local and regional good-quality lithic raw materials. In south-eastern Poland, being the easternmost fringe of the Magdalenian range, Turonian grey flint had a particular importance. Outcrops of this raw material occur both at the west and at the east sides the Vistula River Gorge. The varieties from the eastern area (called here “eastern Turonian flint” or ETF) are common among inventories of the Magdalenian sites situated to west of the Vistula river. This fact points toward the frequent penetration of the ETF outcrop area by those societies. However, no Magdalenian sites were known directly from the ETF deposit area, and this gap in knowledge restricted further understanding of the character and diversity of Magdalenian activity there. Therefore, in this paper, we present the results of searching for Magdalenian sites within the ETF outcrop zone. Applied methodology included study of the archive archaeological materials, followed by detail survey and excavation of the selected site—Stare Baraki 1. This site documents a short stay or multiple stays of Magdalenian people, who were focused on Turonian flint knapping. Lithic inventory records collecting of several local flint varieties at the distance up to around 20 km from the site, followed by almost all stages of flint working. The material from Stare Baraki is the first known and currently the only trace of the Magdalenian people inside the zone of Turonian flint deposits on the right bank of the Vistula river. The study in Stare Baraki delivered new data for the reconstruction of territory exploitation strategies used in the easternmost Magdalenian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents new research on an assemblage of metallurgical crucibles used in the assay of minerals at colonial Jamestown. The aim of the study is to explore the range of chemical operations carried out at the site of the first permanent British settlement in America, for which little is known in the documents. The results show that the colonists used high-quality Hessian crucibles to perform tests on different types of complex polymetallic sulphides. This was done to (1) prospect for potential silver and copper ores and (2) to find suitable sources of zinc and tin to be alloyed into brass and bronze through cementation with imported copper offcuts. This study makes a relevant contribution to the growing field of the archaeology of early chemistry and mineral prospection as well as the archaeology of early European colonies in the New World. In particular, material culture can shed fresh light on how European settlers reacted to the many challenges of a new and unfamiliar natural environment and how they tried to make sense and exploit it for financial profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most charring experiments are carried out in the muffle furnace in highly controlled conditions and tackle the taphonomic issues of seed shrinkage and distortion caused by carbonisation. This paper presents the results from charring experiments conducted using real fire conditions. The objective of this study is to reproduce the charring processes that occur naturally and so address the issue of preservation biases which occurred in prehistoric contexts of carbonisation. This is particularly important in addressing the possible overrepresentation of rice over other taxa in the archaeological record. Prior charring experiments focus on Old World crops, but in this study the taxa used are East, South and Southeast Asian cereals and pulses. An ethnographic study conducted in Thailand examining the rice processing stages of dehusking and winnowing is also included since differential preservation may also result from crop processing. Archaeological results from sites in Mainland Southeast Asia are then interpreted using the results of the charring experiments and the ethnographic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-air archaeology plays a limited role in southern African Late Pleistocene research, with most studies focused on rock shelter assemblages. Recently, archaeologists have noted discrepancies in the composition of Late Pleistocene lithic assemblages between some of the region's open-air and rock shelter sites. For example, although relatively abundant in rock shelters, Late Pleistocene Later Stone Age (LSA, c. 44–12 kcal. BP) bipolar cores are rare in open-air contexts. In this paper, we assess this discrepancy by testing for differential preservation of specific artefact classes and sizes in semi-arid open-air conditions. We placed a replicated assemblage of miniaturised cores and flakes on an archaeologically sterile sediment surface in the Doring River Valley (South Africa) and recorded their movements over 22 months. Our results indicate that bipolar and freehand cores moved comparable distances within the study interval and that surface slope is the strongest predictor of miniaturised tool movement. We also show that (1) relatively flat lithics move disproportionately more and (2) random artefact orientations do not preclude local (i.e. metre) scale artefact transport. In terms of the archaeology of our study area, the observed clustering of surface artefacts on sediment bodies likely results from their recent exposure. Our data suggest that the paucity of open-air bipolar artefacts in Late Pleistocene LSA assemblages may have more to do with human behavioural variability at landscape scales than differential preservation. Southern Africa's rich rock shelter record is, therefore, unlikely to represent the full suite of prehistoric hunter-gatherer behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galliforms, or game birds, are commonly found in zooarchaeological assemblages but several taxa within the order (e.g. chicken, pheasant and grouse) are difficult to distinguish from one another morphologically. Osteometrics is a tool for understanding skeletal variation in animal populations that has been shown to be useful in distinguishing between closely related genera in galliform post-cranial elements. In this paper, we test whether metrics are also effective in identifying galliform skulls (crania and mandibles) to the genus level. Using osteometric data collected from nine North American gallinaceous genera, we found that size was the greatest source of variation within the order. Several dimensions (greatest height, smallest breadth between orbits and length of incisivum) on the cranium were successful in distinguishing Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), while measurements on the mandible were not very effective in separating closely related taxa. The application of osteometrics to fragmentary bird skulls from an historic era site assemblage in New York was not effective in identifying birds beyond general size-classes even with the aid of morphology and comparative collections. This suggests that previous work identifying fragmentary skull remains to the species level is not accurate, and that more advanced methods need to be developed to identify morphological and metric variation between taxa in these fragmentary elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backing techniques represent one of the most relevant technical aspects involved in the manufacturing processes of backed tools. In this paper, we present results of an experimental programme focused on the manufacture of backed points, a kind of tool that has played a key role in Upper Palaeolithic technical systems. In order to identify which retouch techniques are effective to produce backed points, different combinations of retouchers (lithic vs. organic) and force application modes (percussion vs. pressure vs. abrasion) were tested. Through a morphoscopic analysis, it was possible to identify and describe numerous mesoscopic and macroscopic criteria useful for the identification of retouch techniques. The results of this experimental activity were then validated through a series of blind tests. Furthermore, these criteria were applied to an archaeological assemblage of backed points from the Late Epigravettian series of Riparo Tagliente (Verona, North-Eastern Italy). It was thus possible to determine the use of two retouch techniques: soft stone percussion on anvil and pressure by a soft stone retoucher. If percussion on anvil had already been attested in several Late Glacial sites, pressure by soft stone is here identified for the first time in an archaeological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400–1100) was studied, gave more than 70 plant taxa in the extraordinarily well-preserved charred assemblage. In the paper, a detailed description of selected plants is presented followed by environmental interpretation. Acorns (Quercus) dominated in volume and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) in the number of specimens. The first large find of that late incomer north of the Carpathian Mountains is presented here. The pit users also used hulled wheat (einkorn, emmer, and spelt); barley; and probably peas. In the pit, a large number of grassland plants were noted accompanied by a very few remains of aquatic (Elatine) and forest herbaceous plants (Astrantia major). Weeds and ruderal plants were also present. The composition of plant remains is very unusual for this type of archeological feature, suggesting a mixed type of food strategy for its users, dominated by plant gathering and animal husbandry. The site is located in a newly settled ecotone zone, on the margin of fertile loess areas and mountain foothills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In archaeology, heat treatment of stone is the process of "making" a new material for tool production. Its invention in the African Middle Stone Age was an important step in the evolution of transformative technologies and the cultural evolution of early humans in general. Although the chemical and crystallographic transformations in silica rocks, the only material class heat-treated in the Stone Age, begin to be well known, many of the mechanical transformations and their chemical origins remain a subject of controversy. The difference between different silica rock categories is also only poorly understood. In this paper, we investigate the thermally induced changes of three mechanical properties in the two silica rock types chert and silcrete: fracture strength, indentation fracture resistance (approximating fracture toughness) and elastic modulus. These tests are complemented by statistical analyses (Weibull modulus) and a quantitative fracture surface analysis. The results show that heat treatment transforms these silica rocks in terms of their fracture toughness and the uniformity of fracture. A comparison with published data on the structural transformations in the same samples identified the loss of chemically bound water and subsequent defect healing to be the chemical mechanism behind these mechanical transformations. These findings have important implications for the study of the interactions between chemical and structural processes and the mechanics of natural rocks or ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to an understanding of the distances and choices involved in raw material procurement strategies by Upper Palaeolithic communities through a Pyrenean geo-archaeological case study. Methodologically, it involved using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) with a focused proton beam to determine the concentration and distribution of elements in geological samples from three natural primary outcrops belonging to two geological formations outcropping in the French side of the Pyrenees. While it was not possible to distinguish the formation through reference to major and minor elements, some variations were revealed at the trace elemental level. With the aim to determine if these elements were associated with the Si matrix or to a specific inclusion, elemental maps were acquired, and the elemental composition of the identified inclusions were also determined. These chemical signatures were then compared to those generated from archaeological artefacts from sites in northern Spain as a means of reconstructing the catchment areas used by prehistoric groups for their chert procurement. The results indicate the existence of trans-Pyrenean long distance procurement strategies during the Magdalenian (13,700 to the 18,800 cal BP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dali hominid site is well known as it contains a human cranium associated with stone artefacts and animal bones. Dating efforts have provided an age range of ~ 300–247 ka for these remains. Renewed study of the cranium in recent years has revealed a mix of archaic traits in the neurocranium and derived features in the face, and thus, this specimen may provide insight into our understanding of modern human evolution in China. However, the technological behaviour possessed by these people has remained unclear due to a lack of new and detailed research. In this paper, we re-examine the lithic assemblages from Dali, originally excavated in 1978 and 1980, and for the first time, we now provide a sound assemblage by removing those geofacts that have been used in past archaeological reports. Although the total number of artefacts is now smaller, our results show that core reduction strategies at Dali are primarily expedient, dominated by simple unifacial unidirectional flaking. In contrast, the formal tools exhibit relatively advanced technology, with artefacts that are diverse in type and characterized by a relatively standardized production strategy. In contrast to the widely accepted model for slow and conservative technological development in Chinese Palaeolithic technology, pre 40 ka, here, we suggest that there is evidence for gradual technological changes from the Early to Middle and early Late Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with landscape and settlement development between ca. 300 BC and AD 600 in a defined area of the northern Czech Republic. Despite favourable natural conditions, human occupation of the area did not begin until the end of the first millennium BC. Natural soil and vegetation development therefore lasted longer than in the traditionally settled lowland areas. Initial settlement activity from the La Tène period caused substantial erosion of deforested luvisols and retisols, well-documented by an accumulation of eroded soil horizons in a local wetland. The erosion process continued for more than 500 years following the end of the La Tène settlement, despite the fact that archaeological research revealed no reliable evidence of occupation prior to the twelfth century AD. Pollen and sedimentary records from the wetland, however, clearly indicate the existence of settlement activity during the "archaeologically invisible" Roman and Migration periods. This case is not unique and underlines the importance of environmental analysis for the detection of settlement history, particularly during periods of poor archaeological visibility or in places that are difficult to research using standard archaeological methods. The change in conditions after the first deforestation and subsequent late prehistoric settlement triggered the degradation of the deforested luvisols and retisols and led to the diversification of the soil cover, which now also includes regosols, gleysols, and truncated luvisols and retisols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a first attempt to assess the mechanisms and potential controls behind past residential mobility through the integration of isotopic data from human inhumations and spatial infrastructural information pertaining to the settlement containing these inhumations. Strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and oxygen (δ18OPDB) isotope data are derived from 200 (post)medieval individuals from the town of Oldenzaal in the present-day Netherlands. Reconstructions of historical route networks show that Oldenzaal was well-connected interregionally throughout the Middle Ages and early-modern times (ca. AD 800-1600). Although the working hypothesis was that in the past a high degree of spatial connectivity of settlements must have been positively related to a highly variable geographical origin of its inhabitants, the isotopic data from Oldenzaal indicate a population characterized by a low variability in terms of their origin. This unexpected result may be caused by (a combination of) various factors, related to (1) biases in the isotopic dataset, (2) interpretative limitations regarding the results of isotopic analyses and (3) the impact of broader socio-cultural factors that cannot be traced through isotopic analyses, such as infrastructural connectivity, socio-economics and political factors. The human oxygen isotope dataset presented here provides a first step towards a δ18OPDB reference dataset, against which future samples can be compared without the need to convert the data. This paper establishes that although in archaeology a biomolecular approach potentially provides a detailed reconstruction of the development of past populations in terms of palaeodemography and geographical/cultural origin, such studies should be performed in a transdisciplinary context in order to increase the understanding of the wider controlling factors of past population change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat treatment of silcrete was a major innovation in the southern African Middle Stone Age (MSA). It allowed for the first time to improve materials for tool knapping, and it may have represented an important step in the perception of natural resources as modifiable objects. Recognising heat treatment in silcrete assemblages is therefore a crucial step for archaeologists working on the MSA. Two different methods, gloss analysis and visual estimation of surface roughness, have so far been used to identify heat treatment. Although both methods have advantages in specific situations, only visual heating proxy classifications allow to count heated vs. not-heated artefacts in assemblages. However, no objective independent data on the reliability and reproducibility of visual classifications are available today. This paper presents a new and promising non-destructive way to measure surface roughness and to verify the reliability of visual classifications: the replica tape method. The results show a rather good reliability of visual classifications: only few pieces are misclassified (n = 3), and the results of both replica tape measurements and visual classification agree within a 3% error range. These results also lay out the foundations for future developments of replica tape measurements to make it a stand-alone method for identifying heat treatment within silcrete assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a significant growth in the agricultural technology industry, a vast amount of agricultural data is now being collected on farms throughout the world. Farmers aim to utilise these technologies to regularly record and manage the variation of crops and soils within their fields, to reduce inputs, increase yields and enhance environmental sustainability. In this paper, we aim to highlight the variety of different data types and methodological processes involved in modern precision farming systems and explore how potentially interconnected these systems are with the archaeological community. At present, no research has studied the effects of archaeological sites on soils in the context of precision farming practices. Yet from modern geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing techniques, a much greater volume of soil- and crop-related mapping is being undertaken, with huge potential for all kinds of archaeological study. From heritage management to archaeological prospection, how will the future of archaeological studies fit into this changing agricultural landscape? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of bronze alloy to produce artistic and religious artefacts was commonplace during the Iron Age in western Iran (1500-550 BC). These bronze artefacts are the so-called Luristan bronzes and have been found often from excavated graves and sanctuaries. The aim of this paper is to study on alloy composition and manufacturing process in some recently excavated objects from the Iron Age cemetery of Baba Jilan, northern Luristan. For this purpose, some objects were analysed by quantitative ICP-MS as well as microscopic studies by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and metallography methods. Also, some comparisons were carried out between Baba Jilan and other analysed bronze objects from Luristan in order to identify the metalworking process in bronze objects from the Iron Age of western Iran. The results showed that all Baba Jilan samples are made of binary copper-tin alloy. Tin content was variable in the composition of the samples. The variety of tin constituents proved that alloying has been performed by an uncontrolled process to produce bronze. The microscopic studies also showed that the manufacturing operations are similar in the Luristan bronzes. It was carried out to identify probable similarities in the bronze alloy production in the Iron Age of the Luristan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to describe the creation of a method to apply digital image treatment, consisting of a combination of filters and algorhythms, to prehistoric rock carvings, to enhance the information obtained from them. In the experimental phase a study was made of a laboratory piece and two highly valuable pieces of cave art from the Tamanart Valley in Morocco and the Casares Cave in Guadalajara, Spain. The results clearly demonstrate the potential of the proposed digital methodas information was obtained that could not have been achieved by the traditional techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to focus on the technology of archeological plasters at Teotihuacan (Central Mexico), from the Classic Period (200–650 A.D.), focusing in the study of Teopancazco, a neighborhood center in the city. Petrographic and chemical analyses by OM, SEM-EDS, and LA-ICP-MS were conducted to characterize samples from different constructive phases and sectors of the neighborhood center, to determine the provenance of the raw materials employed in the manufacturing (e.g., volcanic glass shards) and to assess whether a shift occurred in the manufacturing of plasters and in the procurement strategies of raw materials during the different phases. The results of the analyses show that almost no changes occurred in the making of the plaster during more than four centuries and allow us to consider the presence of a technological style in their manufacture, which is characterized by the making of plaster by mixing lime with volcanic glass shards, which in the case of Teopancazco were derived from the Altotonga (Veracruz) magmatic system. The data at our disposal suggest that this style was developed in Teopancazco and later introduced throughout the city of Teotihuacan in the Early Xolalpan phase (A.D. 350), although we still do not know whether the provenance of the raw materials is the same. The wide distribution of this technological tradition could be due to the technological properties of the materials and/or the influence of the intermediate elite who ruled over Teopancazco. The paper confirms that the study of material culture and technology sheds light on broader cultural aspects of ancient societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose the application—for the first time in the Mediterranean area—of the combination of the study of chemical residues in floors and ceramics, with the aim of providing information about the activities carried out in archeological buildings. We chose the Garum Shop at Pompeii to test the method. In fact, due to the peculiarity of this archeological context, it provided an ideal case in which the activities performed are in part known, and the ceramic vessels recovered are still in situ. Floor samples were studied by means of spot tests developed in Mexico aimed at identifying the presence of phosphates, fatty acids, and protein residues, while the organic residues preserved in the ceramic matrix of amphorae, dolia, and other ceramic vessels were studied by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Moreover, we integrated the data obtained with specific studies directed at better identifying the solid residues found inside two of the amphorae studied: botanical studies of fruit stones recovered in a Dressel 20 amphora and the characterization of the lime preserved in an African amphora. The research allowed for the identification of the traces of some of the activities performed, such as cooking and producing garum in the floors of the building, and the use and re-use of amphorae and dolia before the Vesuvian eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While geoarchaeology as a practice within archaeology grew out of many historical roots, a major role has been the explication of site formation processes and site-level contextual analysis. In recent years, geoarchaeological research has branched out to encompass larger geographic scales, and to play a greater role in environmental archaeological investigations. This paper argues that geoarchaeology has a great deal to contribute to the understanding of human history and to archaeological theory through the application of multiscalar approaches that place human behavior in a physical, environmental and ecological context and by creating linkages between physical processes and human responses. We use geoarchaeological data from the Yellow River valley to show that drainage/irrigation canal and bank/levee building had commenced in the lower reaches by ca. 2900-2700 cal B.P. The emphasis on flood plain flood control infrastructure was a result of long-term increases in sedimentation caused by large populations farming with increasingly efficient technologies in the fragile environments of the Loess Plateau. Ever increasing sedimentation set in motion a cycle of further investment in flood control works eventually leading to a massive flood catastrophe in the first 20 years of the first millennium A.D. as the Yellow River exceeded natural and human geomorphic thresholds that constrained it in its previous course. These floods arguably triggered the social and political events that brought down the Western Han Dynasty but the root causes are clearly more complex. Geoarchaeology thus contributes to an understanding of the multiple causes and consequences of large-scale social and political collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2009, part of a 'slave shackle' was recovered from archaeological investigations at Trianon, an indentured labourer site on Mauritius dated from the beginning of the nineteenth century. This paper presents the results of a metallurgical assessment of the artefact, thought to represent colonial ironwork, a category that has hitherto remained understudied. The results are incorporated into the wider archaeological and historical evidence from Trianon, highlighting the value of studying colonial ironwork in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper questions our understanding of the movement of bones by animal scavengers in the archaeological record. Since assumptions regarding the effects of animal scavenging shape final interpretations of skeletal element frequencies in archaeological faunal assemblages, they are important for our understanding and reconstruction of ancient human behaviour. The results of a 4-year actualistic kangaroo scavenging study from Australia are used to question our understanding of the movement of the bone by contrasting visual data captured by motion-activated digital game cameras with traditional taphonomic studies using skeletal element frequencies. Game cameras are commonly used by ecologists to capture the behaviour of living species but have not yet been used in experimental archaeology where visually documenting animal scavenging behaviour can be used to understand the movement of carcasses and individual bones. Results suggest that traditional zooarchaeological analyses may not be accurate indicators of hunted versus scavenged prey in archaeological faunal assemblages. Moreover, they most certainly fail to document the entire suite of animals scavenging a carcass. These implications are discussed with particular reference to the ability to definitively ascertain the role of humans in the megafaunal extinction debate in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some archaeological sites with hard accessibility which remain unexplored and barely documented. The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) alleviates this challenge with aerial observations monitored with distant remote control. In addition to acquiring images in the visible wavelengths, other devices can be coupled on aerial platforms to inspect beyond the remaining structure of an archaeological site. For instance, thermography has proven to be of great help in the detection of buried remains due to observed temperature anomalies. This work explores the Castle of Puerta Arenas fortress to build the first aerial 3D reconstruction of this site by using RGB and thermographic images collected from a UAS. Orthomosaics have been applied to hypothesize about the original shape of the fortress, whereas 3D reconstructions have been rather applied to visualization and analysis. In this regard, the explored remains have been processed as dense point clouds in the visible and long-wave infrared spectrum, with the latter leading to the detection of hypothetical and still unknown towers. The detection of anomalies has been automatized by performing statistical analyses, globally and limited to smaller 3D voxel neighbourhoods. As a result, the studied remains have been documented and observed from an unexplored perspective, helping their conservation and dissemination, as well as suggesting future excavations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palimpsests are ubiquitous in the open-air archaeological record. Yet, integrated intra-site research strategies of palimpsest dissection to infer occupational histories, spatial behavioural patterns and site formation processes remain scarce in the postglacial archaeology. In this work, we apply an integrated protocol of palimpsest analysis to the Mesolithic Unit IV of El Arenal de la Virgen site, radiocarbon dated in two different occupation phases (9.3–9.1 k and 8.6–8.3 k cal BP). While the archaeostratigraphic analysis identified the absence of sterile layers between both phases, the lithic refits confirmed the good preservation of the spatial properties of the assemblage. Using different point pattern analysis and geostatistical techniques, we further investigate the overall distribution pattern, the spatial correlation between lithic remains and occupation features according to different artefact categories, and the variability of spatial autocorrelation in the frequency of burnt microdebris. Our results suggest a behavioural pattern of different, and spatially recurrent, short-term camp occupation episodes. Built on explicit quantitative and reproducible standards, our research approach can be applied to other open-air sites to conduct comparative studies on open-air occupation patterns. This study underscores the importance of considering the palimpsest as an analytical unit and the need for assessing assemblage integrity and site formation processes through multidisciplinary approaches, to better characterise site occupation dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable isotope-based dietary information on the tenth century CE Hungarian population serves as a valuable comparative tool to other dietary stable isotope studies in the region. This study presents a multiproxy approach involving skeletal samples with the least diagenetic alteration and the best-preserved primary signals. Dental and bone samples collected from three cemeteries in northeastern Hungary were investigated using a combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), stable isotope geochemistry, and strontium isotope analysis. FTIR measurements were used to detect the addition of secondary carbonate to the skeletal apatite carbonate component and to differentiate diagenetically altered samples. Our results suggest that all but the bone apatite carbonate stable isotope values and 87Sr/86Sr ratios are trustworthy and may be used to interpret the diet and migration of the researched individuals. We also determined that the inhabitants of the three tenth century CE Hungarian settlements relied primarily on C3 plants, but that C4 plants, most likely broomcorn millet (P. miliaceum), comprised a moderate portion of their plant-based diet and that animal products were generally consumed in moderate-high amounts. Coupled analyses of carbonate oxygen and strontium isotope compositions revealed that most of the bone apatite carbonate was heavily altered, whereas enamel apatite carbonate samples largely preserved their primary compositions. The bones showing the least amount of diagenetic alteration may partially preserve their primary apatite carbonate compositions, as well as show a combination of primary and secondary signals, which should be taken into consideration when bone apatite carbonate data are interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the steep hilly terrain of the Upper Galilee, the Iron Age I mountain fort of Mt. Adir dominates its surroundings. The region's topography has limited population growth throughout history, which in turn has limited archaeological research. This situation is improving however, with renewed surveys, excavations and re-examination of unpublished finds. Concordantly, this study is part of a renewed publication of the finds from the excavation of Mt. Adir. A time of geopolitical shift, the Levantine Iron Age I saw the appearance of new local polities. While some vanished as soon as they appeared, others became regional powers. Sitting in the border area between such groups, the cultural and political affinity of Mt. Adir, and in accordance its environs, has been an ongoing source of debate. For these reasons, a petrographic study of the pottery assemblage was initiated, examining a range of ceramic types. By reconstructing the movement of goods, we aim to help shed light on the geopolitical status of the region. Four of the petrographic groups were made locally or at a nearby region, the other two reflect geological environments of the Mediterranean coast, areas which at the period were part of Phoenicia. In addition, we discuss new and legacy data concerning the production local of the wavy-band pithoi, suggested in the past to have been produced in Tyre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shell disc beads are important archeological indicators of social communication and exchange networks. There has been substantial research on ostrich eggshell (OES) beads, but little is known about the manufacture or chronology of similar beads from land snail shells (LSS). LSS beads are associated with Holocene hunter-gatherers in Africa, though direct dates are limited to the Iron Age, and there are no images or descriptions of the manufacturing sequence. Here, we combine experimental and archeological data to resolve the chronology, operational chains, and material properties of LSS bead manufacture. We then recommend and apply a modified OES production sequence to three Later Stone Age assemblages from the Kasitu Valley of northern Malawi (Hora 1, Mazinga 1, and Kadawonda 1). At these sites, LSS shows an unexpectedly high proportion of Pathway 2 manufacture (disc shaping prior to perforation), in direct contrast with known OES bead manufacture. Application of red color occurred at all stages of manufacture, albeit inconsistently. Production of finished beads involved substantial removal of material from preforms to create the final product. Finally, we report the earliest evidence for LSS bead manufacture with two directly dated preforms (~ 9500 cal BP), showing that the origins of LSS beadmaking do precede the Iron Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of thalassaemia syndromes in archeological human remains is of growing interest in the field of paleopathology. However, a definitive diagnosis of the disease in skeletonized individuals remains difficult. Several non-specific bone lesions have been suggested as the most likely evidence of β-thalassaemia syndrome. In particular, skull lesions have been considered by several scholars as the most indicative of this hematopoietic disorder, while other authors have identified postcranial lesions as the best evidence of β-thalassemia. In this study, we reviewed the main features that have been identified in β-thalassaemia patients thanks to an extensive bibliographic research of clinical cases, radiological and microscopic analyses. Our aim was to discern between those skeletal lesions that can be considered "indicative/diagnostic" and those that are "indicative/non-diagnostic" of β-thalassaemia syndrome. With this knowledge, we developed a new evaluation form (Eva-BeTa) and tested it on previously published archeological cases. Based on our results, we believe that Eva-BeTa can be a valid diagnostic tool for the identification of ancient individuals potentially affected by β-thalassemia for further genetic confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burned or charred organic matter in anthropogenic combustion features may provide important clues about past human activities related to fire. To interpret archaeological hearths, a correct identification of the organic source material is key. In the present work, Raman spectroscopy is applied to characterise the structural properties of char produced in laboratory heating- and open-fire experiments. This reference data set is compared to analyses of three different archaeological sites with Middle Palaeolithic combustion contexts. The results show that it is possible to determine whether a charred fragment is the product of burning animal-derived matter (e.g. meat) or plant-derived matter (e.g. wood) by plotting a few Raman spectral parameters (i.e. position of G and D bands, and intensity ratios HD/HG and HV/HG) against one another. The most effective parameters for discriminating animal- from plant-derived matter are the position of the G band and the HV/HG intensity ratio. This method can be applied on raw sample material and on uncovered micromorphological thin sections. The latter greatly compliments micromorphology by providing information about char fragments without any clear morphological characteristics. This study is the first of its kind and may provide archaeologists with a robust new method to distinguish animal- from plant-derived char in thin sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strontium isotope composition of human tissues is widely used in archaeological mobility studies. However, little attention is paid to the relative contributions of terrestrial versus marine sources of strontium in these studies. There is some debate over the role of a solid diet versus drinking water as the most important source of strontium for the human body, with related possibilities of misinterpretation of the archaeological record if only strontium isotope compositions of the biosphere are studied. However, there is a third component, marine strontium, which is commonly not assumed to contribute towards the strontium isotope composition of archaeological skeletal remains, especially in locations that are not directly coastal. To illustrate the potentially obfuscating effects of mixed Sr sources in a human population, we present a case study of twelve individuals from the medieval Finnish site Iin Hamina with a known dietary history. Our study shows that marine consumption is a significant factor explaining the strontium isotope composition of the Iin Hamina human remains, with implication of erroneous conclusions about immigration without prior knowledge of diet composition. Thus, future studies should always incorporate a rigorous analysis of dietary history, with special regard to potential consumption of aquatic resources, when strontium isotope analysis is used as a method in the study of palaeomobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 74 small silver Celtic coins discovered on the territory of the present Slovenia and classified in 7 different types were analyzed using the methods of proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) to determine the silver and copper concentrations on the surface and in the bulk, respectively. The aim of the research was to determine the purity of the metal and the trace element content in relation with the coin type. Though no classification could be performed according to the concentrations of trace elements in the surface layer as determined by PIXE, the bulk analysis showed a two-tailed distribution of low- and higher-grade silver. This means that the base metal was supplied through two different distribution centers or that the basic alloy suffered a gradual decrease of fineness as a consequence of inflationary movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is an integral part of almost all ecosystems on Earth and an important factor in shaping our surroundings. Based on pedoanthracological research, we have reconstructed part of the past landscape and the paleoenvironmental context in an area that was populated by the Aguada Culture around 1000 CE. Pedoanthracology gives us the opportunity to recreate past fire events, including both natural fires such as wildland fires and fire produced by human activity. To understand past fire regimes and to be able to analyze the past archaeological landscape and the paleoenvironmental scenario, we focused our study on the past fire events in the Balcosna Valley, Catamarca Province, North-western Argentina, using microcharcoals extracted from sediments sampled from eight different locations in the area with a sediment corer. In total, 91 samples from the eight stations were analyzed, indicating that the Balcosna Valley was frequently affected by regular fire events in the past. These events, in turn, must have affected the people living in the area in various ways, thus creating a particular interaction between humans and fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary study aims to document general trends in the representation of bird remains in anthropogenic contexts from Belgian archaeological sites. A large dataset is analysed, consisting of 186 faunal assemblages from 79 different sites. The contexts included vary in terms of their taphonomic nature (refuse layers, latrines, pits, etc.) and date, ranging from the Iron Age to the modern period. The characteristics of the study area and the dataset as a whole are described, with a focus on identification rates, past and present avian taxonomic diversity, and relative abundance of bird remains compared with domestic mammal remains. The impact of recovery methods (sieving or hand collecting) on these various aspects is also evaluated. A taxonomic analysis describes the diversity and abundance of the different groups of species that are encountered and shows which habitats were preferentially exploited for the hunting of wild birds. The study shows that there is significant taxonomic diversity across the dataset. However, this diversity is not necessarily present in each separate archaeological context, as the number of remains identified by taxon is generally low. Some species or groups of species are ubiquitous and dominant, in particular domestic fowl. Although this analysis is broad and exploratory, it is believed that it will serve as a sound methodological basis for future, more detailed studies focusing on the role that birds played in past human societies during specific chronological periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study resumes our research into variations in settlement patterns from the Neolithic to the Migration Period (5600 BC–570 AD). After using a large dataset of less precisely localized finds from the Czech Republic, we now examine data from large-scale surface surveys. The higher spatial precision allows us to analyse settlement activities in terms of quantity, size, duration, continuity, stability and degree of complexity. First, we analysed the data using descriptive methods regarding its spatial structure, dating and environmental setting. We assessed the possibility of integrating data from surface and subsurface research. In the second stage, we reconstructed possible configurations of habitation areas and their adjacent primary production areas (settlement cores) and chronologically ordered the finds using algorithmic modelling. A more detailed phasing transcending the chronological resolution of the data was achieved by using mutual spatial exclusion of settlement cores as a chronological marker. The resulting ordering was then analysed using probabilistic methods. The results portray the intensity of settlement activities during various periods as well as changes in their structural organization. The observed patterns suggest higher-order social organization starting in the Early Bronze Age, culminating in the Final Bronze Age followed by a gradual decline. In later periods, we observe hot spots in the landscape with stable habitation over hundreds of years. The method used is widely applicable for all periods of agricultural prehistory regardless of region. Original data and an example implementation of the method are available as supplementary material and online at https://github.com/demjanp/chrono_spatial_modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative analysis is used to classify pottery ware. This type of analysis is auxiliary and supplementary with respect to traditional archaeology, in which the data used in quantitative analysis are manually measured. The manual approach is slow and inaccurate, and the data extracted for each analysed item do not meet unity standards. Adopting pottery unearthed at the Tianma-Qucun burial site as an example, this article introduces a method for obtaining data using three-dimensional scanning technology and computer programming. The method is fast and accurate, and the analysed data can be loaded in batches. This method overcomes the deficiencies of traditional manual measurement and significantly improves data extraction speed and accuracy. The extracted data are subjected to cluster analysis using multivariate statistical methods to classify the pottery ware. The results are compared with those of traditional typology classification, confirming the feasibility of the method. Thus, the described method represents a research approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 6098 published prehistoric skeletons consisting of long bone lengths, stature estimated from them using three different methods, as well as recalculated stature data created with other methods, was used to model tempo-spatial variance of stature in the Holocene prehistory of the Near East and Europe. Bayesian additive mixed modeling with errors-in-variables was applied, fitting a global spatiotemporal trend using a tensor product spline approach, a local random effect for the archaeological sites and corrections for mismeasurement and misclassification of covariates to obtain stature isoline maps for various time slices and diachronic stature trend curves for various regions. Models calculated for maximum long bone lengths and for stature are all largely consistent with each other, so Bayesian errors-in-variables models can be regarded as a viable means of smoothing regional and temporal variance in skeletal data as well as in estimation methods so that only robust trends become manifest. In addition to a general northwest-southeast gradient in stature, tallest stature in Eurasia and declining stature in Iberia confirms archaeogenetic insights. Transition to farming shows stable, decreasing, or even increasing stature depending on the region and the mode of Neolithization, putting into question the common assumption of a general negative effect of Neolithic lifeways on physical health. Particularly, Northern Europe experienced a rise in stature after the 4th millennium BC. Likely caused by both genetics as well as generally improving living conditions, our findings date the origin of the modern NW-SE gradient in stature to around 3000 BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution seeks to demonstrate how recently developed 3D GIS platforms can help archeologists in relating to the original context legacy data that can be employed to digitally reconstruct the sequence of arbitrary layers as it was observed and then excavated in the end of the nineteenth century. This research has been conducted on the prehistoric cave of Stora Förvar, located on the small island of Stora Karlsö, in South-Eastern Sweden. As a part of a research project titled "The pioneer settlements of Gotland," this line of enquiry has sought to combine 3D-based digital acquisition techniques, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and old archival material (hand-made drawings, artifacts lists, historical pictures) in order to virtually reconstruct the original sequence as it was excavated through the method of arbitrary layers. At a later stage, the reconstructed sequence has been employed to re-contextualize and analyze the distribution of artifacts so as to detect any possible pattern that could have been useful for defining the chronological boundaries of the Mesolithic phase of habitation of the cave. In brief, three main objectives can be defined: (a) to re-create a spatial connection between the artifacts retrieved at the time of the excavation and the sequence of layers, (b) to define density maps showing the relationship between volumes of layers and categories of artifacts belonging to the sequence, and (c) to further our knowledge about the Mesolithic habitation of the cave, not only vertically (chronologically) but also horizontally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most fundamental questions archeologists face is whether some form or expression of material culture appears at a specific geo-temporal position in the archeological record as a result of invention or diffusion. As one of the most common archeological phenomena, ceramic technology at different times and places was either invented by, or diffused across, prehistoric populations. Here, we investigate whether the use of limestone temper—an additive added to clay before firing—could have been indigenously invented by prehistoric people in southern Ohio, USA. Since current evidence suggests that limestone temper was used on a limited basis during the Middle Woodland period in southern Ohio, it follows that if it were invented there indigenously, then evidence for its invention should be present in that period or the period prior, that is, during later portions of southern Ohio's Early Woodland period. We tested this hypothesis via an assessment of 32 Early and Middle Woodland pottery sherds from southern Ohio using the HCL method. Our results unequivocally show that small amounts of limestone were indeed present in these early periods, consistent with possibility that the independent invention of limestone temper in southern Ohio could have occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable oxygen isotopes of bone structural carbonate (δ18Ocarbonate) and phosphate (δ18Ophosphate) are frequently used for paleoclimatological and paleoenvironmental studies. In several studies, the more conveniently measureable δ18Ocarbonate values are measured, and δ18Ophosphate values are approximated according to published regressions. We studied a variety of individuals (n = 101) of different wild and domesticated mammal species (n = 19) from the Viking Haithabu and medieval Schleswig sites in Northern Germany and demonstrated that a generalized relationship between δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ophosphate with a fixed value for oxygen isotope spacing (Δδ18O) is potentially error-prone. The Δδ18O values of our data set differ considerably from the commonly applied, fixed value of about 9 ‰ with values ranging from 3.8 to 8.1 ‰ (μ = 6.1 ‰ ± 0.9 ‰). Statistically significant differences in the Δδ18O values and marked differences in linear models established for the relationship between δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ophosphate are related to species-specific diet and physiology. Therefore, such species-specific particularities must not be neglected. We conclude that this variability does no longer permit an approximation of oxygen isotope values of bone phosphate from carbonate, because δ18Ophosphate values approximated in such a way are highly error-prone. Parallel analyses of both δ18Ocarbonate and δ18Ophosphate values are therefore indispensable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 99 tanged points have been unearthed from the Jingeuneul site in Jinan-gun, Korea. The exceptionally large number of tanged points suggests a specific site function at this location. Even though the tanged point is one of the representative tool types for Korean Upper Paleolithic assemblages, the function of this tool is not well known because no systematic use-wear analyses have yet been undertaken. Here, we conduct a use-wear analysis of 95 tanged points from the Jingeuneul site. The use-wear analysis reveals that a considerable number of the tanged points show diagnostic impact fractures (DIFs). Because a large number of the tanged points appear to have been used as hunting weapons, a morphometric analysis is also undertaken to examine the potential projectile capability of the tanged points with DIFs. The large dimension of the DIFs and the complex fracture pattern of the tanged points, as well as the small morphometric values of the tip cross-sectional area, tip cross-sectional perimeter, and neck width of the tanged points, all suggest that the tanged points from the Jingeuneul site were mechanically propelled using a spear-thrower or a bow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen glass window, vessel and glass chunk samples collected from the western part and substructure of Zeyrek Camii (the Pantokrator Church) in Istanbul were analysed using an electron microprobe (EPMA). The results show that these samples are all soda-lime-silica glass. Based on the major and minor elements, two different compositional groups were identified and evidence of recycling/mixing was also revealed. Group 1 is plant ash-based glass, while group 2 is the result of mixing natron and plant ash glasses. Comparison with contemporary glass objects from the eastern Mediterranean shows that these glasses probably derived from at least two different production zones in the Syro-Palestinian region: (1) possibly Damascus or Banias and (2) possibly Tyre. The authors suggest that the trading of plant ash glasses between the Byzantine Empire and the Middle East in the 11th–12th centuries AD was well established based on the archaeological and scientific evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MC-ICP-MS analysis was conducted on fourteen bronze artifacts of the early Warring States Period (475–376 B.C.), excavated from Guozhuang Chu graveyard in Shangcai County, Henan Province, central China. The lead isotope ratios conform to the characteristics of common lead. Complex lead ore sources suggest Northeastern Jiangxi Province as the main sourcing area, while Southwestern Henan Province may also provide a small amount of lead ore. Some lead ore may also be derived from other countries, such as Ba, Qi, or Yan States. A further study shows that during the Warring States Period, the bronze cultural spheres around Jin, Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, and Ba kingdoms share a distinctive feature based on lead isotope ratios. In the case of Chu, there were differences between border areas and king city regions, but on the whole, the difference was small. In addition, some raw material exchange may exist between the bronze cultural spheres of Chu, Jin, Qi, and Ba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]