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In 1899, the Italian Archaeological Mission was established in Crete, and soon became an important player in the rediscovery of Minoan and post-Minoan civilization. The paper analyses the relationships between the archaeologists of the Mission, directed by Federico Halbherr, and the local workforce through the key of imperial hierarchies. Thanks to diaries, excavation notebooks, private correspondence and images, the analysis sheds light on the perceptions archaeologists had of locally recruited workers. At the same time, it brings out the agency of the workers, trying to enlighten their relationships with the antiquities and their way of interacting with the archaeologists. By comparing Italian sources with those produced by other foreign archaeologists, the paper shows how this agency was silenced in the official discourse of archaeology, which incorporated the authority/subalternity and superiority/inferiority dichotomies elaborated on the excavation. After analysing the role of some local actors – such as Halbherr’s collaborator, Manoli Iliakis – the paper explores the popular narrative of Cretan archaeology, showing how the themes and images elaborated in Crete were proposed to the Italian public. Here again, the inferiorizing view of local actors, who were condemned to remain as ghosts between the lines of an archaeological discourse based on modernity and the hierarchies of imperialism, emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid acquisition of millimeter‐resolution subterranean images can significantly improve the efficiency of archaeological excavation and facilitate the preservation of artifacts. For excavation sites with limited space, small and portable imaging equipment is necessary. Compton backscatter imaging (CBI) is a single‐sided non‐destructive testing technique, which typically requires a short scan time to obtain high‐resolution images. It has great potential in archaeological excavation, supporting archaeologists to make quick judgments. This research utilized a compact, easy‐to‐carry handheld backscatter system, making it particularly suitable and beneficial for on‐site archaeological excavation. Tests were performed in the framework of the excavation of a chariot pit at Dajuan Han Tomb in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, China) to validate the applicability of this technique in imaging soil structure changes and detecting cultural artifacts. The experimental results show that CBI can clearly image bronze artifacts buried underground, which means practical value in archaeological excavation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although archaeologists are learning more about the lives of Upper Paleolithic children, the significant contributions they made to the welfare of their communities, including their role in craft production, remain understudied. In the present study, we use high resolution photographs of 489 ceramic artifacts from Dolní Věstonice I and II, Pavlov I and VI, and Předmostí, five archaeological sites in Czechia (ca. 30,000 BP) to address two questions: 1. Can the ceramic products of novices be distinguished from those made by experts? 2. If so, can we tell if these novices were children? To address these questions, we documented variables known ethnographically and archaeologically to be associated with learners in a sample from these five sites. The sample is composed of fired ("ceramic") and unfired ("sedimentary") anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, non-diagnostic figurine fragments and a sample of the so-called "pellets" from one site, Pavlov I. Our results support the hypothesis that ceramic objects are the products of novices, and in many cases, these novices are children. Our findings have implications for inter-generational knowledge transmission, the role of children in craft production and the importance of learning through play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Excavating the Land of Jesus: How Archaeologists Study the People of the Gospels" by James R. Strange is a comprehensive and accessible book that explores the field of archaeology in relation to first-century CE Galilee. The book provides valuable insights for both gospel specialists and laypersons, offering new perspectives on the data used in their research. It covers various topics such as understanding first-century Roman Galilee, the process of excavation, the relationship between texts and archaeology, ancient technologies, and ancient values. With its rich illustrations and maps, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding Jesus in his historical context. [Extracted from the article]

Archaeologists traditionally assess the archaeological record of the International Four Corners area through a perspective focused on external cultural traditions and processes. In particular, prior interpretations view the history of this portion of the American Southwest/Mexican Northwest as either the northern periphery of the Casas Grandes culture or the southern extent of the Salado culture. However, there are few systematic investigations of excavated sites and individual site excavation reports that offer competing views of a highly connected frontier or a weakly integrated, independent series of residential sites. To better understand the dynamics of the region, I analyzed ca. 80,000 ceramic artifacts from 11 sites and compared the assemblages. Results demonstrate that sites in the area have dynamic internal histories that do not readily fit within existing models for peripheral zones. I interpret the collective assemblages as indicative of a borderlands zone wherein mixed identities, exchange networks, and ethnicities abounded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovered in 1920, the princely grave of Hoby is a central feature of the EarlyRoman Iron Age archaeology. It is one of the richest graves of the so-called "Lübsow Group" and contained high-quality objects of Roman origin and no less high-quality artefacts of local production. At the beginning of the 21st century, amateur archaeologists discovered pottery from the Early Roman Iron Age and several metal finds at a distance of 250 metres from the burial, which came from a settlement site that was contemporaneous with the grave and has been excavated since 2005. Within the framework of a Danish-German cooperation project, these features are being examined. Simultaneously, the inventory of the princely grave is also being reviewed – the results of the antiquarian studies on the indigenous objects from the tomb carried out separately can be presented here. The examinations of the fibulae and the buckle as well as the comparative analysis of the composition of the imported vessels point entirely to a dating of the Hoby tomb to the Claudian period, i. e. to subphase B1b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the precision of spatial data required for archaeological sites in Finland from a forest management perspective, identifies archaeological sites at risk due to forestry activities, and investigates potential collaboration between archaeology and forestry to enhance the preservation and understanding of these sites. Due to outdated methods and the lack of systematic field surveys, challenges in achieving accurate spatial data for archaeological sites are highlighted through a literature review, case studies, and fieldwork. Our findings indicate that a significant portion of sites lack boundary delineation, exposing them to the risk of destruction. Moreover, the study reveals limited collaboration between the archaeology and forestry sectors, despite mutual interests in site preservation. We advocate for improved spatial data accuracy using modern technological methods like precision GPS and enhanced cooperation between archaeologists and forestry professionals. This approach aims to protect Finland's archaeological heritage while promoting responsible forestry practices. Notably, fieldwork enabled the precise determination of the location of Finland's first separate plague cemetery, underscoring the value of direct field verification in enriching historical and archaeological understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeologists frequently use written guidelines such as site manuals, recording forms, and digital prompts during excavations to create usable data within and across projects. Most written guidelines emphasize creating either standardized datasets or narrative summaries; however, previous research has demonstrated that the resulting datasets are often difficult to (re)use. Our study analyzed observations and interviews conducted with four archaeological excavation teams, as well as interviews with archaeological data reusers, to evaluate how archaeologists use and implement written guidelines. These excavation team and reuser experiences suggest that archaeologists need more specific best practices to create and implement written guidelines that improve the quality and usability of archaeological data. We present recommendations to improve written guidelines that focus on a project's methods, end-of-season documentation, and naming practices. We also present a Written Guidelines Checklist to help project directors improve their written guidelines before, during, and after fieldwork as part of a collaborative process. Ideally, these best practices for written guidelines will make it easier for team members and future reusers to incorporate their own and others' archaeological data into their research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The export of antiquities from Egypt to the United Kingdom during the mid nineteenth century required an extensive network of cultural, diplomatic and mercantile actors, including private shipowners. While much previous research has focused on the political stakeholders in the process, as well as the archaeologists conducting excavations in Egypt, the attempted export of Menkaure's sarcophagus from Giza to the British Museum in 1838 allows for a closer examination of one of the private shipowners who was involved in this process – namely, Captain Richard Mayle Whichelo of the merchant vessel Beatrice. This article investigates the diplomatic processes that were required for the export of the sarcophagus and provides an overview of the history of the Beatrice and of Captain Whichelo, placing this within the broader context of the transport of antiquities during the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fisher Mounds and Village site in northern Illinois was the location of numerous burial mounds and cemeteries, as well as dozens of earth-ringed structure depressions. In the late 1920s, avocational archaeologist George Langford investigated the site, briefly joined by University of Chicago student crews in 1927 and 1928. A Works Project Administration (WPA) crew later revisited the site in 1940–1941. The excavations revealed three distinct archaeological cultural groups representing the Late Woodland Des Plaines phase and the Upper Mississippian Langford and Fisher phases—all of which were first observed and described at this site. Archaeologists at the time had difficulty distinguishing the discrete occupations at the site given the complex stratigraphy, unrefined excavation techniques, and mixing of deposits. The available collection and records had never been completely evaluated until 2005 when the authors began collating and analyzing the documents and materials which, through time, had become dispersed across various institutions. This new analysis defines the occurrence of late precontact contemporaneous ethnic differentiation marked by variation in ceramic and domestic structural evidence, documents violent confrontation, and illustrates the fluid nature of population movements in this period. Furthermore, this research has demonstrated the irreplaceable value of these legacy collections in understanding American Indian history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the social, religious, and political context of present-day Jerusalem, soil is meaningful and marketable. This is evident in the Temple Mount Sifting Project, an archaeological tourist venture in occupied East Jerusalem. There, for almost two decades, archaeologists and many thousands of visitors have sieved through tons of earth—construction debris from building works on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif that were undertaken without archaeological supervision. The Sifting Project has recovered thousands of finds and, yet, come under scrutiny from an archaeological practice point of view, particularly, because the material is out of context. Even though the debris itself is treated and presented as archaeological soil, "backdirt," it does not actually derive from a controlled excavation. How, then, is the material different from construction debris from other building sites where it would be treated as modern waste, rather than a gateway to the past? Within the soil the Sifting Project is concerned with, the worlds of archaeology, religion, and politics collide. This contribution examines the concept of backdirt within the contexts of archaeological practice, politics, and the heritage industry in occupied East Jerusalem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backdirts, as the byproducts of excavation, are necessary but often overlooked parts of archaeological practice. However, current definitions of backdirt essentialize dynamic matter into a static byproduct. Drawing from Alfred North Whitehead's process metaphysic, we contend that no two backdirts are the same, as backdirts are engaged in active placemaking, bundling of temporalities, and always in process. In theorizing backdirt, we argue that backdirts have agency, are inherently archaeologically produced, and can only be instantiated by archaeologists. As excavating emphasizes what is removed during archaeological work, we introduce backdirting, which elicits the value of what remains. In two case studies from the Peruvian Central Andes, we follow backdirts from previously excavated archaeological sites and others instantiated from modern and historical changes to sites. We contend a more thoughtful and robust archaeological practice exists through tracing the histories of various backdirts in action and in process—following various instantiations of backdirtings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article intends to explore the theoretical dimensions of backdirt in archaeology. Often ignored and viewed as mere refuse material of archaeological practices, these by-products of excavation lie in the shadow of literature and reports, always present and yet invisible. The goal of the following text is to establish a distinct perspective on backdirt, on its relation with data, and on its capacity to offer renewability of interpretations in epistemic terms. By exploring its theoretical implications and situating it as a historically everchanging concept, backdirt can both shed light on how the materialities of the past have been intervened in before archaeology as well as to become the driving force for a meta-critique in archaeology, a way for archaeologists to study themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent excavations in Spain and Portugal have recovered abundant fineware ceramics imported from the eastern Mediterranean and dating to the period after the fall of the western Roman Empire. The date of the latest sherds has been interpreted as showing the survival of trans-Mediterranean trade into the seventh century. However, archaeologists have tended to minimize a collapse in the volume of these imports around 550 ce. This article seeks to adjudicate between a survivalist interpretation (based on the continuity of some trade) and a catastrophist interpretation (based on decreased volume of trade). It analyzes the import volume and geographic distribution of ceramics at over 4,000 Iberian sites, 202 of which contain late Roman fineware imported from the eastern Mediterranean. The data suggest a steady increase in imports beginning by 450 ce , followed by a rapid drop in both import volume and network participation around 550 ce , with no observed recovery. This drop's magnitude has not yet been fully analyzed, and recent excavations in the eastern Mediterranean have allowed it to be fixed with greater chronological precision. Four causes are considered, three (warfare, shifting fiscal obligations, and changing tastes) that have been already proposed, and a fourth (pandemic disease) that has not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the winter of 2020, a rescue archaeological excavation took place at the construction site of the Cyril and Methodius Centre of the Slovak Museum in the southern part of the well-known Middle Hillfort period burial ground ‘Na Valách’ in Staré Město. The site had been already excavated in the 1940s and 1950s. Nevertheless, several new graves were found. The purpose of this article is to present these new findings to the scientific community. Graves H 1/2020 to H 4/2020 were discovered in relatively close proximity to each other, while four other graves (H 5/2020 - H 8/2020) were located separately. These graves were all situated on the periphery of the late 1940s and 1950s research areas, where they escaped the attention of archaeologists. Unfortunately, most of the graves were damaged during the machine excavation, which was subsequently reflected in the degree of preservation of the skeletons. In total, nine human skeletons were discovered in seven grave pits. The anthropological analysis identified three adults (one male and two females aged 40-60, 20-30, and 45-55 years) and six non-adults. Three of the immature individuals died between the ages of 15 and 17, one child was about 3 years old, and the two other children were 8-9 years old. Despite the young age (and presumably higher social status) of most of the individuals, many pathologies were found in their skeletons. The graves are dated from the second half of the 9th century to the beginning of the 10th century. Except for grave H 5/2020, all the other graves yielded rich finds (earrings, a ring, spherical buttons, knives, and ceramic fragments). The nature of the finds indicates that the graves belonged to representatives of the upper social class of early medieval Moravia in the second half of the 9th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Athar alrafedain is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Copyright of Complutum is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid 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 report focuses on the contributions of three Palestinian archaeologists: Yusra Al-Ḥaifaweyeh, Naṣr Dwekat, and Ibrahim Al-Fanni. Despite limited information available, these individuals played significant roles in the development of Palestinian archaeology and sought scientific accuracy in their work. They faced challenges under British and Israeli control, which imposed Western concepts on indigenous material. The article emphasizes their efforts to preserve Palestinian cultural identity and their involvement in negotiations over disputed archaeological sites. The author plans to publish a comprehensive record of Palestinian archaeologists to further document their contributions. [Extracted from the article]

This article is a tribute to the life of Professor Lawrence E. Stager, prominent biblical scholar and archaeologist from Harvard University who conducted important excavations and research at the tophet of Carthage. Following this tribute is an unpublished article by the late Professor Stager with a preface to the article by the author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Claudius’ plea to admit the Gallic nobility to the Roman senate is known not only from the Annals of Tacitus, but also from the Tabula Claudiana, a monumental bronze inscription found in Lyon in the 16th century at a site where archaeologists situate the most important sanctuary of Roman Gaul. This paper focuses on the physical form and spatial context in which it was displayed. It tries to demonstrate that the inscription should not be viewed as a simple copy of an original text kept in the archives of the senate in Rome and sent from the centre of the empire to be slavishly published in Gaul, but rather as an initiative by the Gallic provincial elites. It will be argued that the extensive quotation of the emperor’s words, the use of costly material and the publication at a highly politically symbolic place all served the interests of the Gallic nobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the ways in which the project is addressing the colonial legacy of Henry Wellcome as well as presenting the data from the first three field seasons at Jebel Moya, south-central Sudan. These data have substantially revised our chronological and socio-economic understanding of the site. Our excavations, initiated in 2017 and continued in 2019 and 2022, show a longer, more continuous occupation of the site than has been previously recognised. The faunal and botanical remains have implications for the spread of early domesticates in the eastern Sahel and for climate changes, and raise issues of resilience. There is confirmed human burial activity from at least the third millennium BC onwards, while the pottery continues to yield information about the variety of decoration and, for the final Assemblage 3, data on its usage. Overall, the continued importance of the site for the eastern Sahel is re-emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roman remains were discovered by chance at Saf-Saf Lakhdara in the Chott Chergui (Algeria). This article attempts to demonstrate that these ruins are part of a Roman fortification in the south of Caesarian Mauretania, far from the Severan limes , the course of which has been confirmed by numerous archaeologists. A historical-comparative study has been carried out to confirm that the ruins of Saf-Saf Lakhdar are those of a castellum. The corpus of graphic and photographic records and the 'Khnag 'Azzir' inscription, combined with theoretical sources on Roman defensive architecture, confirmed that the fortifications at Saf-Saf Lakhdar were part of a castellum. The 'Khnag 'Azzir' inscription revealed three main facts: it is dedicated to deities to commemorate the victory over the Berber tribes of the Saharan Atlas; it mentions Caius Octavius Pudens, who was procurator during the reign of the emperor Septimius Severus; and it mentions the conflicts between Rome and the Bavarians, a tribe from the ancient Maghreb. We urgently need to protect the site and carry out excavations in the hope of finding pottery or other objects that could shed light on and support this discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our knowledge about Cyrenaican horses during the Greek and Roman periods is mainly derived from ancient literary sources. They tell us that horses were bred with distinctive skills in this region and report interesting stories highlighting the participation of Cyrenaican horses in athletic games. The literary data suggests Cyrene is a horse-breeding centre and this paper examines whether these assertions represent a reality, or simply a convention. This study investigates and analyses other locally related archaeological data, including epigraphy documents published by the digital corpora of IGCyr and IRCyr. Although most of the inscriptions in these corpora are published, little attention has been given to horses. The adapted approach here aims to build up a picture about horses using local evidence, with a focus on the linguistic indications of equestrian practice at Cyrenaica and the use of horse-related terms in nomenclature. Interestingly, the regional textual and archaeological data provide us with a similar picture to that presented by the literary references regarding horse breeding in Cyrenaica, charioteer training and their contribution to overseas Greek and Roman sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"No Place for a Lady: The Life Story of Archaeologist Marjorie F. Lambert" by Shelby Tisdale is a biography of Marjorie Lambert, an archaeologist, and provides a brief history of U.S. Southwest archaeology from the 1930s to the 1960s. The book explores Lambert's career in the context of women's struggles in the male-dominated field of anthropology and archaeology, and also mentions other notable women archaeologists. Divided into three parts, the biography covers Lambert's family background, education, and her experiences in the field, as well as her work as a curator and her retirement years. The book includes footnotes, appendices listing awards and excavations, and a bibliography of Lambert's publications. Overall, it offers a comprehensive history of Lambert's life and the development of Southwestern archaeology from the perspective of a pioneering female archaeologist. [Extracted from the article]

German research in arctic archaeology started with artefact collection in the 19th century, the excavation of an ex-pat in the 1930s and ended with fieldwork in the Russian Far East in the 1990s. The main contribution of German research to arctic archaeology in the 20th century resulted out of fieldwork done on Banks Island in the early 1970s. The results of this research are reviewed in more detail in the context of recent knowledge. The article ends with a discussion of results which may be of interest to Palaeolithic archaeologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Francisco Plancarte y Navarrete, a priest born in Zamora, Michoacán, México, was both a prominent clergyman and a dedicated archaeologist. His studies on the ancient cultures of México were highlighted by his gathering of two archaeological collections, the first of which included some 3000 archaeological pieces, many from excavations he conducted himself and many more that he obtained as gifts from family, friends, and parishioners. This paper focuses on his donors in order to reveal the diverse interests that antiquities aroused at the end of the 19th century and how private collections contributed to increasing the National Museum of Mexico's archaeological collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a recent find of a potsherd, bearing an ancient Greek graffito, reported from the area of the Bilsk Hillfort. The area of discovery, considered by some archaeologists to be the city of Gelonos (Hdt. 4.108), makes this otherwise ordinary graffito potentially significant. The authors discuss the historical, archaeological, and epigraphic contexts of the find and possible scenarios of how it may have ended up at the site. To provide an epigraphic background for the find, the study is accompanied by a catalogue of Greek graffiti and dipinti from Scythian burials and settlements of the Northern Black Sea area and steppe and forest-steppe zones of Eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ancient city of Jericho, located at the archaeological site of Tell es-Sultan west of the Jordan River and adjacent to the Ein es-Sultan spring on the edge of modern Jericho, has often been associated with the biblical city of Jericho and the story found in the book of Joshua. The identification of Jericho with Tell es-Sultan is not disputed, and numerous excavation teams have affirmed Tell es-Sultan as Jericho. While excavations have also uncovered the fiery destruction of a walled city at Jericho, the date of the fall of Bronze Age Jericho and the association of this destruction with the narrative in the book of Joshua have been a point of disagreement among archaeologists for more than a century. The first excavations at Jericho (Tell es-Sultan) occurred in 1868 under the direction of Charles Warren, followed by soundings conducted by FJ Bliss in 1894, the expeditions of the years 1907–1909 and 1911 by Ernst Sellin and Carl Watzinger, the excavations of 1930–1936 directed by John Garstang, the 1952–1958 project of Kathleen Kenyon, brief excavations by Shimon Riklin in 1992, and the most recent excavations and restorations by the joint Italian–Palestinian team from 1997 to 2000 under Nicolo Marchetti and Lorenzo Nigro, followed by the 2009–2017 seasons directed by Jehad Yasin, Hamdan Taha, and Lorenzo Nigro. Although there is a significant deviation in views over the exact date of the destruction and abandonment, archaeological analyses of Jericho generally agree on the manner in which the city met its end, including a widespread fire, collapsed mudbrick walls, burning of the stored grain, and abandonment. However, assessing all of the archaeological data from Jericho IVc, both new and old, including pottery wares, Egyptian scarabs, a cuneiform tablet, stratigraphic analysis, and radiocarbon samples, allows a more definitive historical reconstruction concerning the chronology of the destruction of Jericho and its connections to the biblical narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electronic Turkish Studies is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies 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.)

Believed to be an eye-witnessed report by Xuanzang 玄奘 (c.602–664 CE), the Datang Xiyu ji has long been held up in the western scholarship as a handy guide for the historical geography of South Asia and a standard source for identifying archaeological sites since the pioneer archaeologist Alexander Cunningham (1814–1893). Strangely, over a century of using the Xiyu ji has generated little critical awareness among archaeologists who have too often taken the text for face values. Indeed, an examination of the text will demonstrate that not all the description from the text is firsthand, at least so for around one-fifth of the countries not visited by Xuanzang. Yet it does not mean that Xuanzang is to be blamed. The production of the Xiyu ji was more complex than that of a general travelling record, which associates the text to the genre of official geographical writing. It was brought into being in response to an expanding empire. The edited 'itinerary' and the incorporation of secondary sources thus pose outstanding questions for researchers who might assume that they were following the steps of the pilgrim and urge us to reconsider the current conception of and approach to this document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to local historiography, the development of archaeological research and archaeology in Bosnia and Herzegovina began with considerable political changes, marked by the Berlin Congress in 1878 and the establishment of Austro-Hungarian governance. Among numerous political and social transfor mations, one of the priorities was founding the provincial institution of the National Museum, which has predominantly highlighted the country's archaeology. From its foundation in 1888 until the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the end of the First World War, the National Museum in Sarajevo conducted extensive field research, resulting in many significant discoveries. However, a number of concerns indicate a distinct loss and a neglect of context for these archaeological finds. By analysing the various correspondence of archaeologists of the period, it can be noted that for many known sites and archaeological finds referenced in numerous later interpretations of the past, it is almost impossible to determine even the approximate locations of the discovery. For this reason, we must consider most of the archaeological finds from this era in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a group of artefacts that have only collectable, nonscientific value for modern archaeological understandings of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological site activities are extremely destructive. To understand how civilizations have developed, archaeologists have to remove layers and layers of land to find evidences of their theories. An important task for researchers is to accurately document every single detail of the site before the definitive removal of precious information. Position, orientation and the context where findings are located could represent important data to be stored and compared many months after excavation process. Survey operations during site activities has to be considered extremely important, since they have to immortalize a particular moment of past human activities before its destruction. Despite this, most of the time archaeological records consist of two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional subjects. In recent years, the spreading of techniques to digitally document heritage assets have allowed to tested new approaches also in archaeological fields. Using digital cameras, drones and laser scanners it is possible to collect a multitude of details, such as textures, materials, decay phenomena, and to collect all these data inside 3D models. Digital techniques for documenting archaeological site has been tested during excavation campaigns in Sant'Andrea in Mombasiglio church, in the northern of Italy. The site has been documented along many years and in different excavation progresses, to be able to digitally recreate multiple stages of site evolution. 4D stored information can be used by archaeologist for scientific purpose, as in the museums through VR and AR applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological area of Amrit (350 ha) is located on the Syrian coastal region of Tartus and is known since the 18th century CE, due to its imposing archaeological remains dated to the first millennium BCE and to the Roman period. It was listed in the UNESCO tentative list in 2005.Since 2022, the University of Firenze (SAGAS) in collaboration with the CNR-ISPC and the DGAM-Syria, conducts a project that aims towards the documentation, restoration, public display, and community involvement of the archaeological site of Amrit, after more than 10 years of conflict and a still ongoing economic and social instability.Aim of this paper is to present the first results of the 3D survey at the site carried out in September 2022. This survey, conducted by archaeologists, aimed at obtaining a detailed documentation of the monumental structures on the site, to assess their state of preservation as of 2022, and to record the decay process of previous restorations and facilitate the planning for the archaeological park. The rapidity of acquiring data and the precision of this technique is obviously of great advantage in difficult contexts such as is Syria, where power cuts are systematic and there is a need of acquiring as much as data as possible in a limited time. This specific activity aims also at showing that archaeologists can acquire technological skills and gather specific knowledge to obtain the best possible results when dealing with damage assessment of heritage during and after a conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ethnographic importance of the Southeast Asian house and household, an explicitly Southeast Asian "household archaeology" is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, archaeologists in Southeast Asia have undertaken excavations within habitation areas and residential spaces, identifying domestic debris, the partial remains of house structures, and activity areas. As a result, archaeologists of Southeast Asia have addressed many topics of relevance to those who use a household archaeology approach, including the identification and description of houses and household activities; the domestic economy; domestic ritual; diversity and variability both within houses as related to questions of identity, specifically gender and age, and between houses, especially as related to status; and identification of supra-household communities. In this review, I consider how archaeologists have addressed these themes using examples from a diverse set of geographic locations and time periods in mainland and island Southeast Asia. I conclude with suggestions for future research directions to continue building an archaeology of residential spaces and communities in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an introductory study on the Mexican archaeologist Enrique Juan Palacios and his contributions to archaeology in Mexico. Palacios was recognized for his research and discoveries at archaeological sites such as Ameca, Tajín, and Yohualinchan. Although his main work, "En los confines de la Selva Lacandona," is not widely known, he also contributed to the monograph of Tenayuca in 1935. The article highlights the collaboration of eight scholars in a work on the archaeological site of Santa Elena Poco Uinick, encouraged by Enrique. It also mentions the importance of preserving the site in Zapatista territory and praises the contribution of Haydee López Hernández in reviving Enrique's memory. [Extracted from the article]

In recent years, the transdisciplinarity of archaeological studies has greatly increased because of the mature interactions between archaeologists and scientists from different disciplines (called "archaeometers"). A number of diverse scientific disciplines collaborate to get an objective account of the archaeological records. A large amount of digital data support the whole process, and there is a great value in keeping the coherence of information and knowledge, as contributed by each intervening discipline. During the years, a number of representation models have been developed to account for the recording of the archaeological process in data bases. Lately, some semantic models, compliant with the CRMarchaeo reference model, have been developed to account for linking the institutional forms with the formal knowledge concerning the archaeological excavations and the related findings. On the contrary, the archaeometric processes have not been addressed yet in the Semantic Web community and only an upper reference model, called CRMsci, accounts for the representation of the scientific investigations in general. This paper presents a modular computational ontology for the interlinked representation of all the facts related to the archaeological and archaeometric analyses and interpretations, also connected to the recording catalogues. The computational ontology is compliant with CIDOC-CRM reference models CRMarchaeo and CRMsci and introduces a number of novel classes and properties to merge the two worlds in a joint representation. The ontology is in use in "Beyond Archaeology", a methodological project for the establishing of a transdisciplinary approach to archaeology and archaeometry, interlinked through a semantic model of processes and objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]