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This report aims to show the results of the second excavation campaign at Dvin/Dabīl (Armenia), conducted by the Italian-Armenian research group in Autumn 2022. The excavations involved three areas in distinct sectors of the city: the southern portion of the Lower Fortress, where the 2021 square was deepened and enlarged; the so-called ‘Market’ area, where the 2021 excavations were expanded and a micro-stratigraphic trench was opened; the area southeast of the central district, where an exploratory trench was dug to investigate the archaeological evidence at the site of the future building of the Dvin Museum. Additionally, the last paragraph shows the chemical analysis of pottery samples carried out between 2021 and 2022.

Geoarchaeological prospection techniques were applied to identify activity zones and the inner structure of a homestead at the Early Mediaeval site Pohansko near Břeclav (Czechia). By a combination of geophysical methods, the spatial distribution of microartefacts, geochemical analysis and multivariate statistical analysis, we outlined various manifestations of anthropogenic activity. We examined obtained data by Spearman's correlation coefficient, spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran's I) and robust Principal component analysis to identify the spatial pattern of the area. Recognized joint presence of heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cu) and elements related mostly to organic matter, waste and ashes (S, P and Ca) as well as a small number of slag fragments probably indicate presence of metalworking zones or mixed zones with domestic and industrial debris at the homestead. Further anthropogenic activities could be connected to manuring, animal management or some kind of production activities based on the presence of Mn, P and Cu. Bone and charcoal concentrations supplement the information of geochemical analysis and may indicate the manner of waste management in the peripheral parts of the homestead. In the middle of the homestead, the location of archaeological features indicates an open space in which no specific activity was detected. By means of magnetic susceptibility and judging from the presence of daub, we defined the potential presence of non‐sunken features, which were not recognized by magnetometry. The outcome of the study is yet to be verified by excavation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bell Beaker site near Brodek u Prostějova (Czechia) has yielded remains of a large timber construction accompanied by four symmetrical ritual deposits with numerous artefacts, including more than fifty ceramic vessels. Their decoration consists of incised patterns, in nineteen cases with preserved white inlaid incrustations. To investigate the social relations at this extraordinary site, a multi-analytical and micro-destructive approach was employed to determine the provenance and technology of the pottery and the composition of the white incrustations. The results indicate various origins for the pottery within the region and the presence of extra-regional fabrics and graphitic temper. The main raw materials for the white inlays were calcium carbonate (calcite), hydroxyapatite (bone), and bright clay. The mixing of decorative motifs and the variation in the shape and size of the beakers suggest unique manufacturing processes. These results lend support to the monumental site of Brodek serving as a ritual place for several communities from both local and wider areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of wood, bone, and other organics, one possible candidate for determining the age of a site is the radiocarbon (14C) dating of pottery. In central Europe during the Early Neolithic, pottery was ubiquitous and contained substantial quantities of organic temper. However, attempts at the direct dating of organic inclusions raises a lot of methodological issues, especially when several sources of carbon contribute to the resulting radiocarbon age. Hence an alternative approach to dating of the early pottery is necessary. Here, we present a novel method of bulk separation of organic content from the grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia). The procedure is based on the consecutive application of three inorganic acids, dissolving clay, silica content, and low molecular or mobile fractions to separate organic inclusions added to the pottery matrix during the formation of vessels. Radiocarbon dates obtained with this method are coherent and produce the shortest time span compared to other pretreatment methods presented in this study. The paired dates of grass-tempered pots with the 14C age of lipids extracted from the same pots point to a difference of 400–600 14C yr, however they are in line with the site's chronostratigraphic Bayesian model. Grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia) is dated to the first half of the 6th millennium cal BC, making it the earliest pottery north of the Danube. It seems feasible that ceramic containers from Santovka were produced by hunter-gatherers, and pottery predated the arrival of farming in the Carpathian region by a couple of centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of freshwater carbonates, such as travertines and speleothems, provides valuable insights into the regional biases of mid-Holocene climate development in Central-Eastern (CE) and South-Eastern (SE) Europe. The formation of a lake in the travertine deposition system of the Santovka site, located at the transition of the Western Carpathians and the Pannonian Basin, has led to the preservation of a valuable record. We analyzed the litho- and microstratigraphy, chemical composition, including δ18O and δ13C stable isotopes, and geochronology of the Santovka-village section. We then compared these palaeoclimatic records with reference records from Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in terms of significant climate shifts. The prevalent part of the section studied, which spans between 8200 and 6400 cal BP, is represented by fluvial/fluvio-lacustrine sediments and lake marl. The 8.2 ka BP event was only detected in the δ13C record from the nearby Santovka-PB section. However, we found an abrupt change in both isotopic records around 7400–7200 cal BP, which is likely connected to increased detrital input and some minor palaeoecological changes in the Santovka-village section. These changes are most likely associated with the drying of the lake. The 8.2 event in Central-Eastern (CE) and South-Eastern (SE) Europe is well reflected in the δ13C records, while the change in δ18O was insignificant. In contrast, the newly suggested climate shift around 7400–7000 ka BP was detected at most sites in both δ18O and δ13C records. This development could be connected to a change in air mass circulation, synchronous with declining solar irradiance and increased evidence of drift ice in the North Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the Slovak side of the Carpathian mountains, the archaeology of the World War I had long been completely outside the scope of research interest. At the same time, conflicts in this region had played a very important role in the initial phase of the war. Here, the Austro-Hungarian army blocked the invasion of the Russian army into Hungary with all its might. This lack of attention changed in the last decade with surveys conducted by our team from Masaryk University. In this short overview we describe and evaluate our main research conclusions so far based on surveys conducted at sites bearing the names of the hills of Staviská, Kobyla, Cingov and Wertyszów. Each of the sites is a place where various military events took place, so we have applied different, mostly non-destructive, methods to their study. Our results are mostly an introduction to the state of research and a review of a decade of expeditions to this unique field of conflict, where the armies learned how to fight in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Ubaid cultural phenomena (6500–4200 BC) of southern Mesopotamia has been used to characterise other archaeological sites in the Arabian Gulf region. The aim of this inquiry is to explore the nature of the interaction between the homeland of the Ubaid and the wider Gulf region. Through the use of a non‐destructive portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer, this study seeks to characterise and identify the chemical and mineralogical compositions of the ceramic assemblage from the Bahra 1 site of the As‐Sabbiya region, Kuwait. The chemical results demonstrated that a combination of six trace elements [rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb) and barium (Ba)] occur significantly enough to delineate clay‐based artifact groups—local red coarse from Ubaid, while the mineralogical analysis confirms the pXRF result and identifies the source of the raw materials and temper as well. Also, the comparison between the Ubaid and Bronze Age assemblage results suggests that potters used different clay resources within their own regions and/or production techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Památky Archeologické is the property of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pálava is a complex of prominent limestone hills in South Moravia, with extensive traces of prehistoric activities. This study presents the results of a long-term metal-detecting survey of the Pálava Hills and their surroundings. It focuses on findings dated to the Bronze Age and especially to the Urnfield period with 673 from the topsoil recovered artefacts. The study monitors the functional composition of the items within the dataset, as well as the spatial distribution of individual artefacts. The data from the surveys allow comparisons between the enclosed sites at the Stolová hora, Kotel, and Děvín hills, and the open satellite settlements in the hinterland. The results are also used for a comparison with other Moravian Bronze Age sites that have been surveyed with the same method. The study also includes a metallographic analysis of 177 objects. The results create a picture of an intensively used hillfort at Stolová hora, which in the Urnfield period represented a centrepiece of a broader agglomeration, and at some point, also probably of the whole region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing comfort of car seats is currently of great importance. Trend in the development and construction of seats shows that not only the safety of passengers, but also mainly on the comfortable cushion layer strong emphasis. Thus recent developments seats is based on systems and optimizing comfort. Mechanical properties of materials, from which car seat is made, therefore, play a major role in the overall assessment of comfort. Comfort layer of rules includes PU materials, fabric and wire. Mechanical properties of PU material, fabric shall be measured experimentally on test equipment. Obtained experimental data are the basis for virtual simulation in FEM. To optimize comfort is important to examine the contact pressure, which can be used to find comfort criteria for comparing the seats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travertine deposits are unique archives for multidisciplinary studies of past climate changes, associated vegetation development and the evolution of human societies. Despite their high potential in palaeoecological and palaeoclimate reconstructions, investigations of travertines are rather scarce in central Europe and particularly in Slovakia. Therefore, this study focused on a travertine deposit situated on the border between the Pannonian Basin and the Western Carpathians in a small valley in Santovka village (SW Slovakia), which is unique due to the presence of archaeological artefacts with known radiocarbon ages in the palaeoecological profile. Using a multidisciplinary approach combining macrofossil, pollen, mollusc, lithological and geochemical analyses, this study investigated climate–human–vegetation interactions. The Holocene onset was marked by the early arrival of oak trees; however, forest‐steppe with a high representation of pine predominated until 9880 cal. a BP, followed by an expansion of temperate trees. The local ecosystem changed around 8600 cal. a BP when the valley was probably dammed by a travertine accumulation, probably resulting in the existence of a small travertine lake. This was associated with wetter climatic conditions, which were also documented in other sites in the Western Carpathians at that time. Surrounding temperate forest possibly retained a certain degree of openness, or local steppe habitat may have persisted on adjacent loess terraces until the neolithization of the area. Archaeological evidence represented by a ceramic shard dated to 7339 cal. a BP suggests the first appearance of humans at the site, yet pollen analysis records a significant change in vegetation first at 6650 cal. a BP. The local ecosystem records an abrupt change linked with human settlement earlier, at c. 7000 cal. a BP. Deforestation activities of the Neolithics resulted in the formation of an open calcareous fen occupied by numerous light‐demanding mollusc species. The present study provides new important data about the spread of temperate trees at the onset of the Holocene, about further vegetation changes caused by activities of the first Neolithic farmers and about climate changes in the region of southwestern Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss factor identification is the effective way to get the proper acoustic analysis in the virtual environment. Using the predictive model is a necessary part of the virtual development. The detection of the inappropriate materials or malfunction designs in the early phase of product development and can dramatically save the cost and development time. The loss factor is the nonlinear parameter for the material modeling of the noise suppression during acoustic analysis. The identification of the loss factor is necessary to perform on the real specimen. The Decay Rate Method is the effective methodology to get accurate results by using standard measuring equipment and is ideal to use in-situ environment. The article describes loss factor identification for plywood material and applications for the automotive industry for glass materials. The complete results analysis is confidential, but the overall procedure of the method is described in specimen analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pottery samples from the site of Cinobaňa were chosen for a pilot study of the Kyjatice and Piliny cultures in Slovakia. They come from the cemetery of Jarčanisko I, the settlement of Jarčanisko II, and the hillfort of Strieborná. For comparison, the material from the hillfort of Málinec-Zámok was used. The samples were divided into six micro-petrographical fabric groups which were tested on the basis of the chemical composition using the XRF method. The fabric groups from the cemetery and the settlement are mutually exclusive, except for one group. For the majority of the fabric groups, the use of older crushed pottery as temper was detected. The presence of grog in the pottery may reflect specific technological or symbolical practices by the Late and Final Bronze Age populations. The diversity in the pottery from the cemetery shows the heterogeneity of the production traditions of local communities. The similarities in the micro-petrography and chemical composition of the samples from the settlement point to the economic or social connectivity of the sites studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archeologické Rozhledy is the property of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper summarizes current knowledge of the distribution of obsidian in prehistoric Bohemia (Czech Republic). In terms of this raw material's distribution, Bohemia is a peripheral area, and it is also the westernmost part of its regular archaeological occurrence. Because of its rarity within the specified area, it is possible to identify this material quite easily even in earlier archaeological literature, and together with new discoveries, to create a coherent picture of its distribution. So far, only two locations in Bohemia have been described where the processing of raw obsidian material is documented. Both these sites are located in the eastern part of the study area; in terms of location these are the closest sites to the anticipated sources. The sites are dated to a later stage of the Stroked Pottery culture. Because no such processing sites are known from other periods, we believe it was mainly the distribution of entire blanks and pre-prepared cores that took place at that time. Furthermore, our study discusses the original sources of obsidian in terms of the region that is being monitored. In accordance with the aims of our investigation, the selected obsidian artefacts were subjected to geochemical analysis to identify their origins. The peak of the distribution is the period of the Stroked Pottery culture (4900-4500/4400 cal BC). The basic outcome of the geochemical analysis is the identification of at least two sources of raw material in the Carpathian source area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acoustic analysis in virtual environment enables the design optimization in the earlier phase of the new product development in term of the noise suppression of the structure. The structural material damping behavior is the most important parameter for the predictive acoustic simulations. The method for the damping loss factor identification involves the measurement of the real specimen and post-processing analysis. The result of the estimation is the structural damping behavior of plywood materials needed for the virtual acoustic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A unique complex of MIS 5 palaeosols is revised by taking a multiproxy approach. • Relations of local conditions and climatic trends to soil development are examined. • The pedosedimentary record is correlated with Greenland Stadials/Interstadials. • The palaeoecological record of the Eemian and Early Weischelian is considered. Only a few loess–palaeosol sequences from the last climatic cycle (Eemian-Weichselian) in East-Central Europe have been studied and correlated with up-to-date stratigraphic frameworks such as marine isotope stages (MIS) and Greenland Stadials/Interstadials (GS/GI). This paper examines the relations of local conditions and climatic trends to soil development, and the character of vegetation during MIS 5 period at the Palaeolithic site Moravský Krumlov IV. To revise the chronostratigraphy and interpretation of palaeosols, we applied a multi-proxy approach based on soil micromorphology, physical and geochemical analyses together with palaeobotanical evidence and results of optically stimulated luminescence dating. The part of the loess–palaeosol sequence under study was correlated with the Dolní Věstonice sequence and represents a time span from MIS 5e to MIS 5b. It comprises an Eemian luvisol (MIS 5e, Interglacial), an Early Weichselian chernozem (MIS 5e, GI 25) and a colluvium with a pedogenic imprint (MIS 5d, GI 24), loess (MIS 5d, GS 24), regosol (MIS 5c/5d, GI 23), and loess deposits (MIS 5c, GS 23). Unlike for the Dolní Věstonice, the record of MIS 5a has not been proved and there are no markers dividing individual palaeosols. The intensity of weathering is similar to comparable records from the Czech Republic and is elevated compared to Hungarian loess–palaeosol sequences. Evidence of forest vegetation with both deciduous and coniferous trees (MIS 5e, Interglacial) is followed by that of a steppe environment with a mosaic of trees (MIS 5e, GI 25) and, finally, a tundra or forest-tundra vegetation (MIS 5d, GI 24). Eemian luvisol is rarely preserved but recorded in contemporary sequences from the Czech Republic. The Early Weichselian part is rather similar to the record documented across sites in Lower Austria, in contrast to sites from the Czech Republic, and does not fit into the earlier established system of pedocomplexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]