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The characteristics and settlement patterns of the Early–Middle Chalcolithic period (ca. 5,800– 4,700 cal bc) around the Sea of Galilee have hardly been studied so far. The regional diversity of Chalcolithic material culture and the fragmentary nature of the archaeological record hinder a broader understanding of socio-cultural processes in this area. Chalcolithic architecture and finds, excavated for the last 23 years under the Graeco-Roman city of Hippos on Mt. Sussita, provide a rare opportunity to delve into the characteristics of the Chalcolithic period east of the Sea of Galilee. The current paper presents these remains and discusses their typological traits, spatial distribution, and possible cultural attribution. The site represents one of the few non-Golan Chalcolithic occurrences in the region, and its finds suggest an Early–Middle Chalcolithic period dating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of raw materials for ancient pottery production was influenced by a variety of technological and cultural factors, underscoring the importance of characterising these materials to understand the technology of ancient societies. This research examines ancient ceramics from two multi-period archaeological sites: Staro Čiče-Gradišće (Neolithic, Copper Age, Copper/Early Bronze Age, Early Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age, Roman period, and Late Mediaeval period) and Kurilovec-Belinščica (Early Bronze Age and Middle/Late Bronze Age), alongside potential clayey raw materials collected near these settlements. Using a multi-analytical approach (optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, mass and emission spectrometry, and laser granulometry), the research aims to determine the characteristics of the paste recipes (raw clay and tempers) and to examine the type and provenience of the raw materials used for ancient pottery production over different periods of the past (from the Neolithic to the Late Mediaeval period). The results showed that ancient potters preferred to use moderately plastic, sandy clay, while Bronze Age potters often used highly plastic clay. Potters utilised various non-plastic tempering materials, such as sands and gravels, grog, and mollusc shells, with their choice being influenced by the need to enhance technological properties as well as by regional and culturally determined pottery traditions. Most of the ceramics are of local origin, made from easily available raw materials that represent flood sediments of the nearby Sava River. However, non-local materials were detected in Neolithic samples, indicating the presence of exchange networks among those communities, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the development of pottery technology in the Trieste Karst region (North-East Italy) from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age (EBA). It also seeks to identify cultural links with other areas by examining potentially imported vessels. Archaeometric analyses (X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy) reveal significant differences between Neolithic ceramics (Danilo–Vlaška Group) and the majority of Late Copper Age (LCA)/Early Bronze Age (EBA) pottery (primarily associated with the Ljubljana Culture and a few with the Cetina Culture). Neolithic pottery displays consistent characteristics across all vessel types, including coarse grain, prevalent sparry calcite temper, and the absence of grog. In contrast, most LCA and EBA vessels exhibit distinct features such as very fine-grained paste, no sparry calcite, notable use of grog temper, higher quartz, muscovite, and flint content. Notably, from a technological perspective, the analyzed Cetina vessels bear a strong resemblance to the majority of LCA ceramics. The differences between Neolithic and LCA/EBA vessels clearly suggest the use of new raw materials, recipes, and techniques, likely reflecting changes in cultural and social contexts and potential connections with the core area of the Ljubljana Culture.

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.)

Cueva de Los Postes is located in the southern part of the Spanish Extremadura region, in the Fuentes de León municipality. This study analyzed pottery found during archaeological excavations in Cueva de Los Postes. The aim was to determine whether the raw materials had common or separate origins and determine whether or not the origin of the pottery raw material was regional. In this regard, several pottery fragments were found in different phases (Neolithic and Copper Age) of the Holocene occupation of Cueva de Los Postes. These were analyzed using ATR-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy). The analyzed samples demonstrated no strong differences in their composition. In order to identify a possible origin for the kaolinite of the analyzed pottery, six samples of clay sediments were taken from inside and around the cave and subjected to ATR-FTIR. This was done to compare their compositions and check for a possible correlation with the pottery. The analyzed pottery, from different stratigraphic units, shows homogeneity in raw material. This finding, and the analyses made of the regional sediments, confirm that the raw material was regional and that there was a continuous use of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the development of pottery technology in the Trieste Karst region (North-East Italy) from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age (EBA). It also seeks to identify cultural links with other areas by examining potentially imported vessels. Archaeometric analyses (X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy) reveal significant differences between Neolithic ceramics (Danilo–Vlaška Group) and the majority of Late Copper Age (LCA)/Early Bronze Age (EBA) pottery (primarily associated with the Ljubljana Culture and a few with the Cetina Culture). Neolithic pottery displays consistent characteristics across all vessel types, including coarse grain, prevalent sparry calcite temper, and the absence of grog. In contrast, most LCA and EBA vessels exhibit distinct features such as very fine-grained paste, no sparry calcite, notable use of grog temper, higher quartz, muscovite, and flint content. Notably, from a technological perspective, the analyzed Cetina vessels bear a strong resemblance to the majority of LCA ceramics. The differences between Neolithic and LCA/EBA vessels clearly suggest the use of new raw materials, recipes, and techniques, likely reflecting changes in cultural and social contexts and potential connections with the core area of the Ljubljana Culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica 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.)

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Copyright of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia is the property of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia 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 paper presents a qualitative and quantitative structural analysis of some pottery fragments belonging to the Boian culture, discovered in the archaeological site of Galatui - Movila Berzei, in a dwelling - sanctuary. Six representative pottery fragments were used. To visualize some microscopic details of the surfaces of these pottery fragments, digital optical microscopy was used. Also, for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the crystalline structure of the powder samples taken from the surfaces, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used. The obtained results show that the ceramic mass has a high content of quartz, accompanied by various oxide compounds from the clay used, low in calcium but rich in iron. The analyzed pottery fragments present different decorative patterns, from parallel and broken lines, to checkerboard-type patterns that denote a special leaning towards aesthetics of the communities from Galatui - Movila Berzei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TÜBA-AR: Turkish Academy of Sciences, Journal of Archaeology is the property of Turkish Academy of Sciences 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 is focused upon a significant quantity of archaeological finds discovered in one of the archaeological surface surveys in the summer of 2010, during my participation at the Timișoara – Arad motorway rescue excavations, next to the village of Orțișoara. Special attention is drawn to the pottery for domestic usage which, after a comparative analysis with other findings from the surrounding area, were identified as part of the Banat culture, phase II. After a careful reflection upon the satellite images, the shape and gates positioning, the possible settlement could be seen as a rondelle type fortification. This type of settlement is mapped in different areas from Romania (Iclod, Portărești) as well as Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. The multitude as well as the diversity of the finds (pottery, a possible small clay figurine and the lithic materials) is suggesting a much wider periodization starting from Middle Neolithic to the Late Neolithic and most probably early Bronze Age. As a result of human intervention trough agricultural activities as well as natural transformations, the presumed settlement was levelled. A prompt rescue excavation either through a systematic or extended archaeological prospection would be necessary and it would bring much more insight upon this kind of settlements in Banat and the surrounding regions.

Copyright of Journal of Social Sciences Research / Sosyal Bilimler Arastirmalari Dergisi is the property of ODU Journal of Social Sciences Research 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 presents the findings gleaned from a series of macroscopic, colourimetric, mineralogical, geochemical and microstructural analyses of a pottery assemblage brought to light during the archaeological excavation (2012–2013) of the settlement of El Cortijo de Montiel Bajo (Santo Tomé de la Vega, Jaén, Spain). The different analyses aim at identifying the mineralogical composition and manufacturing processes of the Chalcolithic vessels. The typological and stratigraphic analysis of the different structural complexes, combined with a radiocarbon dating, place the site in the last third of the 3rd millennium BC. The study sheds light on the phases of transition characteristic of Eastern Andalusia’s Copper Age and the wide range of analytical techniques confirms both the uniformity of the raw materials (evidencing a local provenance) and that the pottery production process was well integrated into the technological traditions of the south of the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chalcolithic period in the Lisbon region, Portugal, is usually divided into three phases chronologically: the Early Chalcolithic, characterized by cylindrical corrugated cups, Full Chalcolithic by so-called acacia-leaf decoration, and Late Chalcolithic by Bell Beaker pottery. The aim of this research is to determine if Chalcolithic ceramic raw materials and production techniques have remained the same over time and whether the pottery is locally produced. Regarding the Lisbon region, 149 ceramic samples from four Chalcolithic settlements (Vila Nova de São Pedro, Penedo do Lexim, Espargueira and Baútas) were evaluated concerning textural, chemical and mineralogical compositions. Textural analysis was performed using optical microscopy, chemical characterization was achieved using micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and mineralogical characterization was undertaken using X-ray powder diffraction and petrographic microscopy as main techniques. Results suggest that production techniques may have remained similar throughout all the Chalcolithic period, with firing temperatures between 700 and 800 °C. Multivariate analysis of results from chemical and mineralogical analyses suggests that multiple sources of raw materials must have been used in the manufacture of the pottery collected at the four Chalcolithic settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia is the property of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia 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 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.)

A common theory is that copper smelting first appeared in the Near East in close connection with the early pottery industry. However, copper smelting may well have been discovered many times in history and at many places. Our hypothesis is that copper smelting could have been discovered when the copper-bearing mineral malachite, accidentally or intentionally, was present in lime-burning kilns. To test our hypotheses, a series of test burnings during which malachite, limestone and solid carbon fuel were present in the same furnace have been carried out. The weight and copper content before and after burning was measured. The weight loss was the result of the evaporation of carbon-dioxide in the limestone and the evaporation of carbon-dioxide as well as water in the malachite. The weight loss and final copper content give a clear picture of the effectiveness of the burning procedure. The mechanism behind the successful smelting was most probably the reaction between the carbon in the solid fuel and the carbon-dioxide released from malachite and limestone when they were heated up. This reaction created the carbon oxide necessary for the reduction of "copper-oxides" to copper. The best conditions for discovering this conversion are likely to have existed in areas with an extensive production of lime plaster in combination with an abundance of native copper as well as malachite. The Anatolian mountains was one of the areas where these conditions were at hand. Massive lime production first began in this region in the PPNB around 10,800 BP. We, therefore, propose that copper smelting could have been discovered at this time in Anatolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica 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 Aras and other rivers running across the Moghan region played an important role in the formation of prehistoric sites. The Moghan plain has not so far received the scholarly attention it deserves. While extensive scientific activities have covered the Lake Urmia Basin, this plain has for the most part remained neglected. Yatag Tepesi, a prehistoric site in Germi, Moghan, was subjected to a systematic investigation. The main objective of this paper is to introduce the pottery traditions and to determine the chronological sequence of the site. To gain a more detailed understanding of cultural interactions with other regions and to ascertain the chronological sequence of the site in the Chalcolithic period, the following questions were raised: To which cultural period(s) does Yatag Tepesi date based on the recovered cultural evidence, including the pottery? The main hypothesis is that the site relates to the Middle Chalcolithic (LC1) and Late Chalcolithic (LC2‒3). Judging from the available evidence, to which regions does the site exhibit the closet links? Our analyses indicate contacts and affinities with other parts of northwest Iran, most notably the Qaradagh region and the Lake Urmia Basin, and South Caucasia. The paper adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The results of the study suggest that in light of the pottery and other lines of evidence, Yatag Tepesi maintained interactions with other centers of northwest Iran, and flourished between 3700/3600‒4500 BCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dutluca region is a location in central-west Anatolia that has not been surveyed much. The presence of a ceramic different from Hacılar and Lakes Region Early Chalcolithic painted wares was mentioned in Dutluca, which was first referred to by J. Mellaart. However, there is no detailed information. In the surveys we conducted in 2018 and 2019, two prehistoric settlements were revealed in Dutluca region. These are Dutluca Mound and Adatepe. Dutluca Mound is a settlement that started from the Early Neolithic period and continued until today. Adatepe, on the other hand, is a tophill settlement that was inhabited in Neolithic and Chalcolithic period. In the Neolithic period, monochrome pottery is generally similar. The painted wares of Hacılar are seen in a wide area in Southwest Anatolia. Paint decorated ware has an important place in dating the Early Chalcolithic Age ceramics. Especially the Early Chalcolithic painted sherds of Adatepe is important in terms of representing a tradition different from that of Hacılar painted sherds. Painted wares of the Dutluca region differ from those of Hacilar. This separation is due to the different paint decorations. In addition, the pits identified on Adatepe are not available anywhere else for now. The spread of Hacılar culture in the south of Western Anatolia and the spread of Fikirtepe culture in the north is evident. The presence of painted wares in Dutluca, which is located between these two cultural regions, is also important for understanding the cultural development process in Western Anatolia in the Early Chalcolithic Age and for establishing interregional relations. In the context of the Early Chalcolithic Age, it can be concluded that the Dutluca region can be considered as a separate cultural region such as the Lakes Region, Fikirtepe, and the West Anatolian shores. This manuscript evaluates Dutluca region and explains the prehistory of the region and the significance of Early Chalcolithic wares in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Histria Archaeologica is the property of Arheoloski Muzej Istre u Puli 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 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.)

In addition, to reconstruct and fully understand operational and behavioural chain in the life-cycle of an artefact it is essential to consider marks that indicate the life of an artefact in a secondary context, where it can no longer be used for the primary function. Reused objects affect the total assemblage interpretation and have to be considered as part of the technological, economic, social and ideological context. Those marks are especially recognizable in repairing the pottery, which is a very good indicator of adoption of pottery to new purposes and changing its value for the owner or entire community. The paper presents results and interpretation of pottery repairs from two sites in Eastern Croatia belonging to the Vučedol Culture (Late Copper Age). The results have shown that the most frequently repaired form is the type of bowl which have the highest rate of standardization, production and use. These bowls also require more labour input, and they are time-consuming for the potters. Their value is not only in economic need for a specific product but probably in a combination of social, aesthetic and technological values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on ceramic vessels unearthed from Copper Age necropolises located in the area of the modern city of Rome and commonly attributed to the Rinaldone culture. The peculiar vessels' shapes, mainly associated with the consumption of beverages, their accuracy of manufacture and the very low impact of these ceramic morphologies in the coeval household assemblages lead to the study of such an apparently selected production through a multidisciplinary research. Petrographic analysis, X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) integrated with the analysis of manufacturing traces and X‐ray investigation suggest the transmission of technological choices, which remained unchanged over almost two millennia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spal: Revista de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de la Universidad de Sevilla is the property of Spal. Revista de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de la Universidad de Sevilla 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.)

Copyright of Journal of the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb / Vjesnik Arheološkog Muzeja u Zagrebu is the property of Archaeological Museum in Zagreb 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 study aims to investigate the chemical composition of nineteen painted pottery fragments belonging to the Eneolithic Petresti culture in order to identify the relationship between the ceramic artifacts and potential clay sources located in the proximity of the archeological site. Two analytical techniques (attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) have been used to achieve these goals. SEM-EDS was especially useful for morphological investigation and the multielemental composition of the pottery and pigments, while FTIR provided information on the ceramic and clay composition. The results show similarities for both techniques and offer preliminary information regarding the clay composition and some potential sources of the raw material used for pottery manufacturing in the Eneolithic period. Cluster analysis using Ward Linkage method also correlated the clay sources with the analyzed painted pottery. Despite the limited numbers of sample, the archaeometric results indicate that there is an obvious link between the painted pottery belonging to Petresti culture and four of the selected clay sources from the Alba Iulia-Lumea Noua archeological site. Hence, some of the local clay sources may be considered to be the raw material for the Petresti pottery manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EarlyCopperAge pottery sherds discovered in a cave within the crystalline dolomites of the Southern Carpathians (Romania)were investigated by polarized light optical microscopy (OM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) to obtain information on the pottery production in the Copper Age in the territory of present-day Romania. Microscopically, the clayey matrix of the ceramic body is highly birefringent or consists of low-birefringent and isotropic partsmixed together, containing fragments of quartz, muscovite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, chlorite, heavy minerals and metamorphic and magmatic rocks, as well as an opaque material. The EMPA data revealed an Fe-rich illite-like matrix and helped to identify the mineral nature of the inclusions. Local pottery production in bonfires or surface clamps is envisaged. Miocene illitic clays may have been used as raw materials, mixed with a small amount of sandy temper. The thermal changes revealed by OM, the modification of the XRPD peaks and the EMPA data suggest firing temperatures of between 800 and 850°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additional rescue archaeological excavations of the site AN 7A Jagodnjak - Napuštene njive in Baranya, on the route of the Osijek - Beli Manastir highway, uncovered the southern edge of a Middle Bronze Age settlement which was explored in 2015. The south part of the explored area contained structures belonging to the Copper Age Lasinja culture. Research showed that the Middle Bronze Age settlement stretched for three hundred meters to the south of the central part of the settlement fortified by a ditch. The gentle rise in the southern part of the site contained traces of large pits where the fills included characteristic ceramic fragments of the Lasinja culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus 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.)

During the last 50 years several research expeditions were conducted along the Călmăţui River pointing out the vast number of places bearing traces of the prehistoric inhabitants. Intrusive researches were carried out so far in 15 settlements (13 in the second half of the 20th century, two in the last two years), some with extraordinary results. Part of the discoveries have been published in the form of excavation reports, some have remained unknown. The artefacts presented here are the result of the 1957 survey made by I. T. Dragomir in the Chalcolithic settlement from Largu. A 30 x 2 metres trench was executed during this survey, in order to observe the stratigraphic sequence. Few Chalcolithic features were revealed during the excavation of the 1-1.20 m archaeological deposit. The results of the survey were briefly published. The current paper presents the main typological characteristics of the ceramic inventory unearthed in 1957. The ceramic assemblage is rather small (compared with similar Chalcolithic settlements) and the degree of fragmentation is high (usually one shard per vessel). The pottery types that have been identified bear good analogies both south of the Calmăţui valley (in the Gumelniţa cultural environment) and north of it (in the Precucuteni and Cucuteni environments). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piece of earthenware presented here was discovered during the systematic archaeological researches conducted in 2018 in a tell-like site, at Lipia (Movila Drumul Oilor). The vessel was retrieved in a fragmentary state - 59 shards were delivered by the archaeologists to the Restoration Laboratory of the museum. All fragments were part of the same vessel - a large bowl, polished and painted, dating from the Chalcolithic period (Gumelniţa culture). The paint was applied before and after the firing of the vessel. The red oxide covering the outer surface constitutes the post-firing decoration and suffered the most damage along the ages. The preservation of this layer was one of the main concerns during the restauration process. Therefore, the chemical and mechanical treatment was applied locally. The next step in our process consisted in reconstructing the form by fitting the shards and by filling the gaps. Our work was completed by the coloring of the filling part in tones similar with the original (but not identical) and in spraying the vessel with a thin film, for protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavations from 2018 conducted in research unit 12 (S12) determined, for the first time since the beginning of the archaeological researches at Gruiu Dării, the demarcation of two Chalcolithic layers (N.1 and N.2). The identification of the two layers allows for some considerations regarding the possible existence of horisonz within the Cucuteni B-Cernavoda mixture. The analysis of the archaeological material from the two layers offered the possibility to follow the progress of the synthesis processes and the stylistic or typological evolution of some categories of objects involved in the specific interference phenomena for this area. The chronological or just stylistic value of the products resulting from such processes remains to be clarified by the accumulation of information and future debates. Three archeological complexes have been identified: C276 (N.1) most likely representing the remains of a structure; C277 (N.1), a hearth with a flat cobbles base and C276a (N.2), representing an „agglomeration" of archaeological materials concentrated mainly in the area of the B-square of the S12 section. Among the archaeological materials belonging to the two layers of S12, we identified ceramic products and tools which were not found in previous discoveries from Gruiu Dării. The discovery of pottery shards with similar decorations to those applied to some pieces found on the site of Hârşova and attributed to the Cernavoda Ib phase, opens the debate on the chronological or just stylistic relevance of these pieces. Judging by the chronological value assigned to the Hârşova classification, we may formulate the opinion of a possible earlier presence in the area of Cernavoda communities. However, the discovery of these pottery shards and those of the Cernavoda Ic type already attested on the same layer, raises questions about the chronological or just stylistic value of these pieces. Another novelty of the 2018 excavations regarding the Chaocolithic is the discovery of the first tools made of copper. It is also worth mentioning the discovery during the same excavations of a whole vessel with a tube. This vessel represents the second discovery of this type from Gruiu Dării in the context of a rather rare presence of this category of containers in the sites attributed to the Chalcolithic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the socio-economic importance of temples and palaces requires, in addition to an examination of their architecture, a study of the activities conducted within them. In this paper we carry out an inter- and intra-site comparison of patterns of pottery consumption in Canaanite palaces and temples during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, in an effort to outline the socio-economic roles of these institutions. We examine three main activities that reflect these roles: the consumption of food and drink; storage; and dedication of votive, miniature vessels. We conclude that temple activities reflected in the ceramic repertoire focus on the dedication of votive vessels in the MBA and commensality in the LBA, while palaces manifest a balance between storage and food preparation and consumption, much of which is broadly similar to that of households during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex physico-chemical investigations have been performed on white inlaid substance used in the ornamentation of prehistoric clay artefacts from southern Romania ceramics from the Early Chalcolithic, up to the Middle/Late Bronze Age. Structural and morphological investigations of the white pigments have showed hundreds of nm up to microns size particles with calcite and hydroxyapatite (ash bone) as dominant components. The calcite was found on Early Chalcolithic pigment vessels while those where hydroxyapatite was dominant from the Middle/Late Bronze Age. FTIR spectra revealed the biogenic source of the hydroxyapatite (i.e. cremated animal bone) and the crystallinity degree values agrees with the expected temperatures of firing of the ancient furnaces; the calcite-based pigments were supposed to be filled post firing. The EPR was not able to able to provide a clear assignment of the cremated animal bones but thermoluminescence showed various sources of calcite. [Display omitted] • Incised decoration pottery (Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age) from the southern Romania were studied. • For the pigment characterization we used complex physico-chemical investigations. • The mineralogical composition of the white pigment reflected a chronological differentiation. • The calcite was the main constituent of the pigment on the Chalcolithic pottery. • The predominant ingredient used in the Middle Bronze Age was hydroxyapatite from animal bone ash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]