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The spread of pottery-producing communities into the Congo rainforest is commonly linked to demic diffusion, driven by the so-called "Bantu Expansion." It is considered the primary linguistic, cultural, and demographic process in Holocene sub-Saharan Africa. A key region in the reconstruction of this process is the western Congo Basin. This paper presents, for the first time, a coherent picture of the archaeological settlement history in the western and northern Congo Basin, uncovered by fieldwork of the late 1980s along the rivers Ngoko, Sangha, Likwala-aux-Herbes, Ubangi, and Lua. Archaeological research of the River Reconnaissance Project, directed by Manfred K. H. Eggert from 1977 to 1987, produced a pottery sequence for the region. Archaeological features and findings uncovered during the project's field campaigns in the northern and western Congo Basin have only recently been studied in detail. The present analysis provides the only reliable source for a reconstruction of the cultural dynamics within the region due to the lack of subsequent archaeological fieldwork. Archaeological data and the sequence of pottery styles within the western Congo Basin, along the Sangha river, cannot support the claim that this region, due to a climate-induced extension of savannas, played a unique role as a "corridor" within the expansion of putatively "Bantu" speaking groups during the latter half of the 1st millennium BCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological site at Hare Street Road in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, reveals a farmstead that evolved from the middle Iron Age to the early Roman period. The pottery assemblage includes various vessel types, with a predominance of sandy fabrics in the middle Iron Age pottery. The site shows a transition from cattle-based farming to more intensive butchery practices and possible dairying activities, indicating a period of rapid growth in the late Iron Age. The site was likely abandoned by the early 2nd century AD, possibly due to the establishment of a nearby Roman villa, reflecting wider changes in the region during this time. [Extracted from the article]

The essay "Early agricultural settlement of the periphery of the loess uplands and its paleoecological context - a case study of the Iłża Piedmont (southern Poland)" examines the relationship between the settlement of prehistoric agricultural societies and the occurrence of local loess deposits in Central Europe. The results show that there was already a close connection between the settlement of these areas and the fertile soils, favorable geomorphological, and hydrological conditions in the early Neolithic period. The research findings indicate the flexibility and adaptability of early farmers, which allowed them to settle even less fertile areas outside the loess uplands. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society is the property of Cambridge University Press 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 document summarizes archaeological excavations conducted in various locations in the Midlands region of England. The findings include Iron Age and Roman enclosures and settlements in Bedfordshire, a Roman farmstead and field system in Buckinghamshire, late Iron Age and early Roman ditches and enclosures in Cambridgeshire, and the tracing of a Roman road in Hertfordshire using LiDAR imagery. In Leicestershire, late Roman activity and enclosure boundaries were discovered, as well as a Roman cellar beneath Leicester Cathedral. The document also highlights other archaeological evaluations and excavations in different locations in the UK, revealing a reception room in Northamptonshire, late Iron Age/Roman activity in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, a Roman villa complex in Rutland with a mosaic depicting scenes from the Trojan War, and evidence of prehistoric and Roman settlements in Warwickshire. These findings provide valuable insights into the history and cultural practices of these regions. [Extracted from the article]

The paper examines three sites of the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age Lausitz culture in northeastern Poland, as well as the interaction between humans and the environment. The circular structures of these sites have a uniform location and structure, consisting of a protective area with ditches and ramparts, as well as a central area with a flat space. It is believed that these structures were possibly used as enclosures for livestock grazing and indicate intensive agricultural use of the surrounding area. It is assumed that a stable socio-administrative-religious center for the population of the Lausitz culture developed here. The study was conducted in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The study examines the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age in the Podlasie region. Through the use of laser scanning, 27 settlement structures were discovered, mainly located in the valleys of the Biebrza and Narew rivers. These structures have similarities in terms of location, shape, and size. They consist of a protective and a central area and can be divided into three types with one, two, or three ditches. Archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations were carried out to analyze the environmental contexts, construction, and function of selected settlement sites. The results indicate a dating to the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. The article describes archaeological investigations at the sites of Jatwieź Duża, Kościuki, and Filipy in Podlasie, Poland. The sites show circular structures with diameters of up to 100 meters. The investigations revealed that the structures likely date from the 7th to late 5th century BC and belong to the local Lusatian culture. The sites are of great importance for the study of settlement patterns and interactions between humans and the environment in the region. Bronze Age settlements have also been discovered near the sites. The study examines the settlement patterns of the Lausitz culture in Podlasie and their interaction with the environment. Two zones with different characteristics are identified: the outer space, consisting of depressions and raised areas, and the flat center, where no settlement traces were found. The function of these sites is difficult to determine, but it is believed that they may have been used as grazing areas for livestock. Anthropogenic deforestation was limited, but locally it may have led to soil erosion and peat sedimentation. The study concludes that the Lausitz culture in Podlasie developed a stable settlement system and utilized the natural environment through the introduction of a production economy. The text contains a list of references to various scientific works and publications dealing with topics such as geomorphology, climate and environmental changes, and prehistoric settlement in Poland. The mentioned authors and works provide information on various aspects of geographical and geological development in the region. Archaeological excavations and geophysical investigations are also mentioned, contributing to the study of landscape history. [Extracted from the article]

Archaeological sites undoubtedly destroyed by a meteorite impact had not been identified so far. For such a proof, both a meteorite impact and its definite effects on an archaeological site would have to be evidenced. This review article reports on geoarchaeological investigations, involving mineralogy, petrography, and geophysics, which established evidence that two prehistoric human settlements have been affected by the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age (ca. 900-600 BC) Chiemgau meteorite impact in southeastern Germany. One site, the Mühlbach area, was affected by the ejecta from the 600 m Ø-Tüttensee crater, one of the largest craters in a crater strewn field measuring about 60 x 30 km. At the other site, Stöttham close to Lake Chiemsee, the catastrophic layer of the impact was found embedded in the archaeological stratigraphy of a settlement, which had been repeatedly occupated from the Neolithic to the Roman era. At both sites, artifacts have become components of impact rocks, establishing a hitherto unknown form of an impact rock, an artifact-in-impactite. The immediate coexistence of rocks, which exhibit impact-diagnostic shock metamorphism, with relicts of metallic artifacts, as encountered in finds from Stöttham, are unprecedented evidence of human experience of a meteorite impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses archaeological fieldwork conducted in the historical village of Kudruküla in Ida-Viru County, Estonia. The research shifted focus to the historical village in 2023, with small-scale fieldwork revealing significant findings. Discoveries include pottery sherds, clay pipe fragments, and flint chunks, shedding light on the settlement's history from the Iron Age to the Modern Period. The comparison of archaeological surveys with historical maps highlights the importance of preserving the cultural layer of the village as a national archaeological monument. [Extracted from the article]

This paper shows the results of the archaeological survey (incl. metal detector prospection) of newly discovered hillside settlements in Dlhá nad Oravou, site Banský (district of Dolný Kubín) and in Komjatná, site Hlavačka (district of Ružomberok). In both sites, we have documented a cultural layer with ceramic finds and we have discovered several metal objects. The Dlhá site was quite probably continuously used from the Late Bronze Age (or end of the Younger Bronze Age) up to the final stage of the Hallstatt period (or the beginning of the La Téne period). Consequently, we have unequivocally confirmed the settlement in the period of the Púchov culture in LTC2-LTD. The Hlavačka site in Komjatná was inhabited only in the period of the Púchov culture (in its La Téne phase). The description of both sites complements the knowledge about the Orava prehistoric and protohistoric settlement. The Dlhá nad Oravou site is the first archaeological location in the concerned cadastre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite publication in 2022 - three decades after the first emergence of Conflict Archaeology as a distinct branch of archaeology in the US and Europe - this book makes hardly any reference to the copious literature that has emerged in the archaeological study of conflict over the past decades. Shifting to central China, Williams uses GIS to examine the development of late prehistoric settlement patterns. Opening single chapters concern the prehistoric bounded settlements of, respectively, northern Siberia and the southwest of Russia. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, Çanakkale and its environs, known as Troad in ancient times, comprises a significant part of the Biga Peninsula in the North Aegean. The region is located on the transit routes connecting Asia and Europe, and at the same time is in a position that allows the passage of the Bosporus between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea, which increases its importance. Archaeological research in the region has for many years focused on the coastal region, where magnificent ancient cities are located. Unlike the ancient cities, which are known for their written sources and dense material cultural remains, the prehistoric periods have not been sufficiently researched. The Çanakkale Prehistoric Period Survey Project aims to determine the Prehistoric settlements of the region, document the connecting roads and cultural impacts. As part of this research, the findings of the groundstone tools and objects found during the survey will provide a better understanding of prehistoric societies and play a key role in illuminating the period from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. The preliminary evaluation of typology of the groundstone tools and objects obtained from CAPAS 2021 survey of Ezine and vicinities may be add new contributions to groundstone assemblage of the prehistoric Troad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Contexts producing unusual deposits have long been recognized on later prehistoric settlements. These can include complete or shattered pots; complete animal and/or human skeletons, skulls or articulating segments; or unusually large quantities of material culture. Interpretation has tended to follow theoretical fashions, but the intentions and meanings behind these strange deposits are still poorly understood. This paper approaches the subject through a macro‐scale analysis, looking at 230 sites in one region over c.1550 years, from the Middle Bronze to the Middle Iron Ages. This regional, diachronic study has found patterns in settlement deposition that are specific to certain periods. Sometimes, these recurring patterns appear to be immediately functional practices, although in most instances recurrent depositional themes have been argued to have specific ritual intent and to be relatable to wider aspects of social organization and the archaeological record. This study also suggests that hillforts witnessed increased levels of deposition of a range of different material. The analysis provides new perspectives on this important aspect of later prehistoric archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents materials associated with the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age settlement in the coastal zone of Central Pomerania. The discovery was made in 2018 during the field walking included in the project The Cultural Images of Life and Death – A Non-Invasive Research on the Prehistoric Settlement in Bagicz Forest [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arkeoloji Dergisi is the property of Ege University 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 Studia Archaeologica Brunensia is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts 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 proposes a multi-disciplinary approach which can be used to identify captives and the enslaved of Iron Age Britain (seventh century bc–ad first century). It uses a 'poetics of violence' perspective which recognizes that violence and warfare are created and enacted through social relations, and encompasses violence for which there is often no archaeological trace. Roman primary sources, bog-bodies and other archaeological evidence from Iron Age Britain and Europe suggest that people in these states of 'social death' were used to acquire material goods, employed in the agricultural economy, and their deaths played an important role in episodes of ritual violence. Drawing on research from North America, a series of funerary, isotope, archaeothantology and osteological variables have been identified for this period, and when integrated into an osteobiography, allows for the re-interpretation of many burials and structured deposits encountered in Iron Age settlements and hillforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CEDRUS is the property of Mediterranean Civilisations Research Institute 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.)

In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid – a 'persistent temporary place' located in the mobile dune fields of the north eastern edge of the Rub' al-Khali desert – as a lens to focus discussion on the variable nature of temporary sites and mobile adaptations within the archaeology of southeastern Arabia, the relationships between temporary sites and permanent settlements, and the evidence for collective events and gatherings from later prehistory into the Islamic period. They discuss evolving arguments regarding sedentary and mobile sites and groups in Arabia from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age, and summarize the material record of human activity at Saruq al-Hadid. This research emphasizes the site's changing significance as a temporary place and its emergence, in the early Iron Age, as a locus for periodic interaction between multiple community groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lietuvos Archeologija is the property of Lithuanian Institute of History 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.)

The complementary use of various archaeological prospection data sets offers a series of new possibilities for the investigation of prehistoric settlements. In addition to the separate interpretations of the single methods, the implementation of image fusion provides an additional tool to obtain an even higher degree of data integration during the interpretation process. To investigate some possibilities and risks of image fusion, a procedure frequently used in the medical field but rarely applied in archaeology, various algorithms inside a dedicated MATLAB toolbox TAIFU (Toolbox for Archaeological Image FUsion) were tested on the geophysical prospection data from an Iron Age settlement near Vesterager in West Jutland, Denmark. The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology had conducted large-scale, high-resolution ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetometry surveys at the site in 2014, based on its discovery by the Ringkøbing Museum through aerial photos and the results of a follow-up excavation in 2009. The aim was to determine if, and to what extent, geophysical prospection together with a novel integrative interpretational approach was able to add more detailed information to an already known prehistoric settlement. Results yielded a variety of deeper insights into the separate farms (dated to around AD 400), including the discovery of several new structures and more information about the construction of the longhouses, as well as a first suggestion on how to implement image fusion into the process of analysis and archaeological interpretation of geophysical data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diachronic survey in the Marmara Lake basin of western Turkey confirms long-term settlement activity from the 5th millennium b.c. to the present. Here we present the results from a study of ceramics and settlement distribution pertaining to the Chalcolithic through the Iron Age periods (ca. 5th/4th-1st millennium b.c.). Our dataset confirms the value of a multi-pronged approach when establishing ceramic typologies from survey datasets, incorporating distribution in the landscape with macroscopic, microscopic (petrographic), and chemical (Instrumental Neutron Activation) analyses. Our results offer valuable insights into continuity as well as change of ceramic recipes in western Anatolia during the rise of urbanism in the Middle to Late Bronze Age followed by the establishment of an imperial realm in the Iron Age. From a methodological perspective, our results illustrate the value of macroscopic and chemical approaches, including principal component, distribution, density, and discriminant analyses that can be refined further by petrography, for the interpretation of surface survey ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the multi-period sites in the core southern Neolithic region of south India to highlight their potential archaeological features and resources to assess land use and settlement patterns adopted by the mid-Holocene societies. Systematic archaeological reworks at the multi-period sites require particular attention to identify the resource locations and non-occupation sites for developing a comprehensive picture of the demographic and social models for explaining how people managed and shared resources within the site environs that continued to exist and operated for more than three thousand years spanning from Neolithic (3000-1200 BCE), Iron Age (1200-300 BCE) and Early History (300 BCE- 500 CE). Published archaeological data on major multi-period sites of south India is reviewed, compiled and attested with exploration findings from the Brahmagiri Hill. Here a fresh approach is made to assess the impact of Ashokan rock edicts on the social fabric and any landscape changes it brought to Isila (Isila is believed to be an early historic townsite at Brahmagiri). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We propose an approach for identifying archaeologically interesting depths in soils. • We evaluate soil phosphorus data, soil stratigraphy, and spatial soil distribution. • Our approach enables to identify several depths (i.e., land use phases) per soil. • The approach worked even in areas without intensive phosphorus inputs in the past. • Knowledge of anthropogenically altered soil depths enables more targeted research. In geoarchaeological soil phosphorus (P) prospection, the soil P content is determined to infer the (pre)historic anthropogenic land use of an area. In the past, most soil P prospections were applied to one soil depth. However, if the archaeologically relevant depth (i.e., past land surface) is not known, the prospection needs to take several depths into account. No satisfactory methodology exists for deducing archaeologically interesting depths (AID) from such vertical soil P data, even though this information could facilitate more targeted planning of archaeological excavations (i.e., which areas/depths to prioritize). In this paper, we develop a four-stage process to identify AID from vertical soil P data using as an example data from a case study on the Iron Age hillfort on the Altenburg/Niedenstein (Hesse, Germany). Our approach involves quantitative data evaluation of vertical soil P graphs, a pedological validation based on soil stratigraphy, and a regional validation based on the spatial distribution of identified AID. We found several AID on the Altenburg/Niedenstein hillfort, which largely align with the findings from archaeological research. The comparative evaluation of identified AID with an excavation report and soil stratigraphy suggests that (1) the size of the Iron Age hillfort largely corresponds with the outer rampart of the prehistoric settlement, but was exceeded in some places; (2) that a significantly larger area than formerly assumed might already have been used during the Neolithic. However, the results of the AID method remain tentative until tested in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zephyrus is the property of Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca 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.)

In the late sixteenth century, Portuguese missionaries encountered a vast city at Angkor. Abandoned for 150 years, it had been partially restored as a Buddhist piligrimage centre but many of the monuments had been given over to the forest. They wondered about its origins. Some suggested that it was the work of Trajan, others of Alexander the Great. Following the establishment of the French colonial empire in Southeast Asia three centuries later, and in the absence of any information on prehistoric societies, the civilization of Angkor was seen as the result of Indianization, whereby Indian religions, architecture, writing and language were adopted by the indigenous inhabitants. This article presents the results of twenty years of research in the upper Mun Valley of northeast Thailand, an area that was part of the Kingdom of Angkor and seat of the dynasty of two of its greatest kings, Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII. For the first time, the entire prehistoric cultural sequence from late hunter-gatherers to the end of the Iron Age has been documented and dated. We find that after the ingress of rice farmers from southern China in the mid second millennium BC, there were two surges in social complexity. Both were coincidental with the availability of new exotic goods through exchange. The first took place in the initial Bronze Age, in the eleventh century BC, and was followed by several centuries of relative poverty in mortuary practices. The second took place in the late Iron Age and led directly to the foundation of powerful chiefdoms from which can be traced the genesis of early civilizations in Southeast Asia, including that of Angkor. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Archaeological rescue excavations of the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok (the Odescalchi Palace) conducted in 2007 by the Institute of Archaeology under the guidance of Professor &#017D;eljko Tomi&#010D;ik, Ph.D. focused on the area between the Castle of the Dukes of Ilok and the north-western defensive compound consisting of the western and northern bastion and the north-western bastion/tower. The excavations commenced in Autumn 2006 with the unearthing of more recent layers. This area was divided by a wall which separated the northern bastion from the western courtyard. The goal was definition of western tower and part of the bulwark above the Odescalchi wine cellars at the outer side of the western bulwark. The southern half of the entryway was also examined. The examined area connects to the previously examined areas and covers a total of 892 m2. The depth of the excavations depended on recorded structures and layers - in the areas of the western courtyard of the Castle, its northern bastion and entryway, the excavations went all the way to the loess. Traces of habitation during Antiquity were documented, when the Roman settlement of Cuccium (Jelin&#010D;ik 2003) was situated at the location of the modern town of Ilok. From the mid-third century forward, this settlement spread eastward along the periphery of the loess plateau, with the most intense traces of habitation dating to fourth century. Research also confirmed continuous traces of prehistoric settlements, from the Early and Late Iron Age (Lo&#017E;njak 2002), through all the phases of the Bronze Age and the Late Copper Age all the way to the Star&#010D;evo culture. In the area of the western courtyard no remains of prehistoric layers were found, while large number of pits was damaged by subsequent structures and burials. A significant portion of the pottery finds, mostly in secondary context, belongs to the Earley Iron Age and the Bosut III a-c phases. Pottery fragments decorated in Basarabi style can be singled out. Most intensive habitation, according to pottery finds, is documented in the early phase of the Earley Iron Age, a period in which the Kalaka&#010D;a phase settlement belonging to the Bosut group could be found on Ilok's Upper Town Plateau. For the first time closed context Copper Age finds were excavated. The excavations of the western courtyard yielded the find of a Kostolac-type incineration grave with a pot serving as cover and a bowl decorated by richly incrusted ornaments.… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Species-rich semi-natural grasslands in Europe developed during prehistoric times and have endured due to human activity. At the same time, intensive grassland management or changes in land use may result in species extinction. As a consequence, plant diversity in semi-natural calcareous grasslands may be related to both historical and current human population density. 2 We hypothesize that current vascular plant diversity in semi-natural calcareous grasslands is positively correlated with the Late Iron Age ( c. 800–1000 years ago) density of human settlements (indicated by Late Iron Age fortresses and villages) due to enhancement of grassland extent and species dispersal, and negatively correlated with current human population density due to habitat loss and deterioration. 3 We described the size of the community vascular plant species pool, species richness per 1 m2 and the relative richness (richness divided by the size of the species pool) in 45 thin soil, calcareous (alvar) grasslands in Estonia. In addition to historical and current human population density we considered simultaneously the effects of grassland area, connectivity to other alvar grasslands, elevation above sea level (indicating grassland age), soil pH, soil N, soil P, soil depth, soil depth heterogeneity, geographical east–west gradient, precipitation and spatial autocorrelation. 4 Both the size of the community species pool and the species richness are significantly correlated with the Late Iron Age human population density. In addition, species richness was unimodally related to the current human population density. The relative richness (species ‘packing density’) was highest in the intermediate current human population densities, indicative of moderate land-use intensity. 5 Community species pool size decreased non-linearly with increasing soil N, and was highest at intermediate elevation. Small-scale richness was greater when sites were well connected and when the elevation was intermediate. Spatial autocorrelation was also significant for both species pool size and small-scale richness. 6 In summary, human land-use legacy from prehistoric times is an important aspect in plant ecology, which could be an important contributor to the current variation in biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zephyrus is the property of Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca 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.)