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The presented paper shows the preliminary results of an archaeological and geophysical survey carried out in Horná Mičiná - Hájny diel (Central Slovakia). The site documents prehistoric settlement and is located outside the primarily agricultural area of the Zvolen basin. The magnetometric survey showed the existence of positive anomalies, suggesting the presence of settlement structures. The archaeological research revealed the existence of a settlement feature and a furnace pit. Elemental and mineralogical analyses witness the exploitation of local copper ores. On the basis of 14C analysis, the settlement can be dated to early Eneolithic period. Further knowledge about the settlement are provided by archaeobotanical and osteological analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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At Tell Yunatsite, a prehistoric settlement mound located in the Upper Thracian plain of Bulgaria, stratigraphic relationships between archaeological deposits are incredibly complex. Such complexity then prompted our exploration into developing a new methodology for the documentation of complex stratigraphic relationships. Here, we present the results of a new photogrammetry-assisted methodology that was developed to compensate for the shortcomings of currently utilized stratigraphic documentation methods, such as the Wheeler-Kenyon box grid and the Harris Matrix. First, using a UAV drone, we produce a high-resolution photogrammetric model of the entire site. Second, with structure from motion photogrammetry, we produce 2.5D models of excavation units in stratigraphic succession. Finally, utilizing GIS and Blender (a 3D computer graphics software application), we digitize the horizontal extents of each archaeological deposit and "fill" the space between their successive surfaces (from top to bottom) until a faithful 3D model of each deposit is generated. These deposit models are then combined and rendered simultaneously to form 3D block models of the excavation units that may, in turn, be cross-sectioned in any direction to view stratigraphic relationships in virtual profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caves are sensitive to hydrological processes including sediment transport associated with changes in external climatic conditions. When located in the proximity of prehistoric settlements, cave sediments can provide details about human activities and help to elucidate the paleoenvironment. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of lithological, geochemical, magnetic, organic matter, non-pollen palynomorphs, and charcoal data from sediment in Ciur Izbuc Cave, revealing significant paleoenvironmental and hydrodynamic changes over the past 6500 years. The first phase (6500–3500 calibrated years BP; cal BP) depicts a dynamic system with constant surface-subsurface connections, moderate-to-high erosion, and low-to-moderate sediment accumulation rates. The low charcoal levels during this phase indicate limited human impact. The second phase (3500–1400 cal BP) features contrasting depositional environments; the initial interval shows low accumulation under reduced water flow, reflective of a stable late mid-Holocene climate, while the subsequent interval reveals an abrupt shift to wetter conditions, characterized by runoff-derived minerogenic sediments. This period coincides with increased human impacts, including fire activity and land-use changes since the late Bronze Age. The third phase (1400–100 cal BP) exhibits complex hydrological dynamics, with sporadic, intense erosion linked to short-term climatic shifts. Increased charcoal concentrations and the presence of fungi indicate persistent human activity, intensifying after 300 cal BP. Our findings underscore the complex relationship between climate events, humans, and sediment dynamics in the Ciur Izbuc Cave, highlighting the utility of a multi-proxy approach in reconstructing past environmental changes. • Cave sediment sequence reflects changes in transport conditions, sediment sources, and human impact. • Depositional events appear to be related to well-known Middle and Late-Holocene climate events. • Increased fire activity and coprophilous fungi spores over the past 1500 years document intense human activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northeast Tibetan Plateau, functioning as an alpine pasture, has been influenced by prehistoric settlements for millennia. However, the extent to which climate and anthropogenic activities have shaped this rangeland remains contentious. Here, we present sedimentary ancient DNA evidence from Lake Donggi Cona sediment core, focusing on the trn L p6-loop region of vascular plants and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA for Poaceae and Cyperaceae. Our findings indicate that before 7.4 cal ka BP, the rangeland was characterized by alpine steppe with low richness, influenced by dry environmental conditions. By 7.4 cal ka BP, more taxa migrated to the study region, with a relatively high richness supported by a humid environment. The climate conditions, coupled with low grazing pressure, sustained a relatively high pastoral quality. Intensified nomadic activities after 4 cal ka BP contributed to a severe decline in pasture quality, characterized by a high abundance of poisonous taxa. This study highlights that both human activity and moisture availability contribute to the rangeland characteristic, with human activity as the predominant factor since 4 cal ka BP. • Sedimentary ancient DNA reveals characteristic changes to Tibetan rangeland during the Holocene. • The ITS1 metabarcoding method for Poaceae and Cyperaceae has high taxonomic resolution. • Pastoralism causes a decline in pasture quality during the late Holocene. • Moisture availability and human activity contribute to increased plant richness on NE Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Infilled gullies are valuable information sources on human–environment interaction. • Initial gullying in the region is associated with Late Neolithic land use. • The sediment infill reflects several cycles of the surface erosion and stabilisation. • Erosion phases relate to periods of the Bronze Age, Hallstatt and La Tène periods. The long-inhabited Central European lowlands have exposed to significant erosion since prehistoric times, primarily due to deforestation and agricultural practices, leading to colluvium formation and erosional features. Infilled erosional gullies, particularly near abandoned settlements, may offer insights into landscape changes and settlement evolution. Our multidisciplinary research at the Přerov-Předmostí archaeological megasite in Czechia integrates geoarchaeological methods, geophysics and extensive development-driven excavations. This site, located on the migratory corridor between the Pannonian and Poland plains, serves as a focal point for studying the interplay between human settlement, land-use development and environmental changes in this region. By combining geophysics and excavation, we investigate settlement and land-use patterns, correlating these with the environmental and pedosedimentary record of an infilled gully. The incision of the gully represents initial phase of erosion at this site. Formed before 2300 BC, it is among the oldest in the region, likely triggered by Late Neolithic land use. Our findings also indicate a cyclical erosion pattern linked to four primary settlement peaks: the Early Bronze Age (2300–1600/1500 BC), the Young/Late Bronze Age (1500–900 BC), the Hallstatt period (900–400 BC) and the La Tène period (400 BC–50 BC/1 AD). These periods of heightened settlement activity alternated with times of reduced or no population pressure, leading to stabilisation and subsequent pedogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem definition: Geomorphic phenomena have a primary impact on the locations, dispersions, spheres of influence, physical developments, and morphologies of settlements. In other words, geomorphic units and topographic elements are very important in physical development of settlemenets and play a significant role in the spatial distribution patterns of cities, as well as influencing the morphologies, constructions, and textures of them. Accordingly, location, orientation of mountains, and the type of landform have an undeniable role in issues such as urban construction and urban population movement. Nowadays, the increase in human population has created an increasing need to land occupation around residential areas; this is closely related to the geomorphic indicators of each area. Then, if the process of creating new settlements is formed with no proportion to natural capacities and facilities, it will create adverse effects and results in the physical-biological problems of cities, such as natural hazards, which cause disturbing the balance of the environment and disrupting services. Evidence of hazards in recent years show that most developing countries, especially in their rural areas, have high-risk physical structures that are often vulnerable to hazards. Therefore, based on various studies, there is a close relationship between geomorphological components and human settlements. These components have sometimes caused the growths and developments or emergence and expansions of settlement centers, which have sometimes appeared to be dangerous and repulsive. Therefore, recognizing the natural environment characteristics and the features and capabilities of landforms is important and necessary for identifying suitable and sustainable points for the creation and development of human settlements. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the roles of geomorphic features and components in the formations, developments, evolution, and patterns of settlements around Shirkuh Mountain in the arid and warm region of Central Iran. Methodology: To do this research, topographic and geological maps, Google Earth images, and, most importantly, field studies and observations were used. This study was based on descriptive phenomenological method. Accordingly, geomorphological factors, including altitude, direction, and lithology, geomorphic features, including fluvial landforms, such as alluvial plains, alluvial fans, plains, lake and river terraces, and glacial landforms like cirques, valleys, and glacial terraces were surveyed and analyzed. Then the role of each factor in the creation, development, and transformation of the settlements was studied and evaluated. Results: The results showed a different settlement pattern on the northern and southern slopes, as well as the western and eastern slopes of Shirkouh. Most of the settlements of the southern slopes were located at high altitudes between 2450-2550 m along the ice-water equilibrium line. However, the settlement range elevation on the northern slopes varied between 1700 and 1650 m, while fluvial landforms, such as river terraces, alluvial fans, and pediments, had not played a role in the formations of these settlements even with relatively good water resources unlike most other parts of Iran and the world. The settlement on glacial landforms at altitudes above 2000 m probably dated back to very dry and hot periods and the settlement on the edge of the current playa depression referred to the Late Quaternary cold periods. The formations and developments of settlements in the two completely different environments and climatic conditions, namely the high altitudes and the margins of the downstream depressions, indicated a climate change and consequently vertical displacements of the settlements along the Holocene. The results also revealed that other factors, such as geographical direction, altitude, slope, and lithology, had played an effective role in the densities and developments of these settlements. Innovation: This study showed that the alluvial fans had never been used to build a settlement anywhere in the study area until the last 3 decades due to heavy rainfall and heavy flooding. Although according to previous studied, most of the settlements in Iran, whether urban or rural settlements, especially in the central and eastern parts, have been located on alluvial fans, even the prehistoric settlements. Also, this study showed that glacial landforms located at the high altitudes had been the most desirable place for the creation and transformation of settlements due to specific climatic reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous syntheses of palaeoclimate and archaeological data from the Kashmir Valley have proposed that climate changes drove prehistoric settlement of the valley, based on the adaptation of West Asian winter crops to mid-Holocene warm-humid conditions ca. 5000 BP. It has been argued that these conditions enabled population growth that became unsustainable following the onset of a cold-arid phase ca. 3000 BP, with these cycles of growth and collapse again repeating ca. 2000 and 1000 BP. Here we present multi-proxy palynomorph, charcoal and sediment data indicating that from ca. 4500-1500 BP the environment of the valley was characterised by drier conditions, comparable to other regional records indicating weakening Westerly precipitation over Central Asia. Considering recent archaeobotanical data indicating the presence of both West Asian winter crops and East Asian summer millets in the valley as early as 4500 BP, we argue that rather than Malthusian cycles of growth and collapse in Kashmir, early populations likely drew on a broad range of available domesticates and varied ecotopes across the valley to allow a Boserupian response to changing Holocene climate conditions. These adaptations were likely more oriented towards flexible systems of agro-pastoralism practiced throughout the Inner Asian mountains, rather than towards developing large urban settlements as was the case in the river basins and plains south of Kashmir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

The paper investigates potentials and challenges during the interpretation of prehistoric settlement dynamics based on large archaeological datasets. Exemplarily, this is carried out using a database of 1365 Neolithic sites in the Weiße Elster river catchment in Central Germany located between the southernmost part of the Northern German Plain and the Central Uplands. The recorded sites are systematically pre-processed with regard to their chronology, functional interpretation and spatial delineation. The quality of the dataset is reviewed by analyzing site distributions with respect to field surveys and modern land use. The Random Forests machine learning algorithm is used to examine the impact of terrain covariates on the depth of sites and pottery preservation. Neolithic settlement dynamics are studied using Site Exploitation Territories, and site frequencies per century are used to compare the intensity of land use with adjacent landscapes. The results show that the main trends of the Neolithic settlement dynamics can be derived from the dataset. However, Random Forests analyses indicate poor pottery preservation in the Central Uplands and a superimposition of Neolithic sites in the southernmost part of the Northern German Plain. Throughout the Neolithic the margins between soils on loess and the Weiße Elster floodplain were continuously settled, whereas only Early and Late Neolithic land use also extended into the Central Uplands. These settlement patterns are reflected in the results of the Site Exploitation Territories analyses and explained with environmental economic factors. Similar with adjacent landscapes the Middle Neolithic site frequency is lower compared to earlier and later periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, we strive to find routes of flint supply that may have been used systematically on the northern Alpine Foreland during the fourth millennium BCE, based on the origin of the siliceous raw materials; second, these routes will be interpreted as a part of cultural entanglements. Using the sedimentary microfacies method for sourcing the raw materials of artefacts recovered in prehistoric sites makes it possible to study the provenances of large series' pieces in a non-destructive manner. Besides insights into the economy of flint raw material supply practices of single precisely-dated sites, this cross-regional comparison allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the economic relations and thus the mobility pattern of the respective settlement communities in different time periods. The method used for raw material sourcing is described in Affolter et al., 2021 (this issue) in detail. In this paper, we present as a first research step new raw material determinations from four Late Neolithic wetland sites on the northern Alpine Foreland that encompass several dendrochronologically-dated settlements: Twann Bahnhof (3838–3532 BCE) and Sutz-Lattrigen Hauptstation innen/Hafen (3827–3566 BCE) at Lake Biel and Hornstaad Hörnle IA (3919–3902 BCE) as well as Sipplingen Osthafen A and B (3919–3904 and 3857–3817 BCE) at Lake Constance. Thanks to the precise dating of the settlements and the finds deriving from the respective stratigraphic layers, not only regional differences but also transformations over time in raw material supplies can be approached with an extraordinarily high temporal resolution. Hence, this article demonstrates the interpretative potential of flint provenance determination to study the spatial mobility of prehistoric settlement communities. In addition to the presentation of previously unpublished materials, the aim here is to show an initial approach to the study of spatial mobility and entanglements using flint data, which is to be expanded in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shovel probes are a common form of archaeological data collection in densely vegetated landscapes. They were once the subject of critical analyses that evaluated their utility for archaeological survey, specifically the discovery of archaeological sites. In the decades that have passed since these classic studies were published, the objectives of regional survey have continued to evolve. Many archaeologists now recognize regional survey as a fundamentally demographic endeavor, one whose aim is to understand how many people lived where in a landscape during different periods of time. This recognition has placed greater demands on methods of regional data collection than those envisioned in the classic shovel probe literature. In addition to discovering prehistoric settlements, surveys must also reliably collect the full range of data that is needed for making the population estimates (be they relative or absolute) that lie at the heart of settlement demography. This paper evaluates the utility of shovel probes for studying regional settlement demography using the area and density of ceramic sherd scatters, a commonly used population proxy in numerous parts of the world. This evaluation is empirically grounded in analyses of data from the Intermediate Area (southern Central America and northern South America), the results of which are used to assess, and in some instances modify, regional survey results from the Middle Térraba Basin in southern Costa Rica. [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]

Numerous remains of ceramic vessels were discovered during the archaeological excavations carried out in 2012 at the site of Glavice near Stara Povljana on the island of Pag. Some of these finds can be attributed to the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period (indicated also by the finds of Venetian coins), and others are clearly dated to the prehistoric period, predominantly Iron Age. The aforementioned remains were discovered around and even within the heavily damaged dry stone structures, which, although they cannot be precisely dated to either prehistoric or later periods, indicate the longevity of use of this site for habitation. Due to the context of these finds it is highly possible that the prehistoric settlement was organized on the plateau below the nearby hill and adjacent to the arable field, which is considered to be atypical for the area and indicates a possible change in settlement placement patterns. Therefore, in this paper we shall analyse fragments of prehistoric vessels, their consistency, typology and decorations, and place them in the context of prehistoric finds in the wider territory as well as evaluate the importance of this site in the overall distribution of prehistoric settlements on the island of Pag.

Copyright of Archaeologia Baltica is the property of Archaeologia Baltica 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 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]

Many varieties of siliceous raw materials can be found in the territory of Poland. Known exclusively from in situ outcrops in the Holy Cross Mountains area until recently, striped flint is distinctive in terms of its technical and visual features. The authors present the state of knowledge about the variety of striped flint from the Ryczów Upland, the outcrops of which were found only about a decade ago. New data obtained from the central part of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland has cast interesting light on the issues of the origin of striped flint and the ways it was used by the prehistoric communities inhabiting the region. Identifying the sites of siliceous rocks outcrops, extraction and distribution are extremely important at not only the local but also trans-regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we would like to discuss results of a preliminary field research in the vicinity of the chocolate flint outcrops in Iłża, Site 3, “Krzemieniec I” (Kielce Upland, southeastern Poland), including the discovered lithic finds – debitage products (flakes and blades), cores, and formal tools, such as bifacial knives. We made an attempt to infer the chronology of those lithic specimens which were found during the surface survey or in trenches without preserved stratigraphy. Based on their spatial distribution, as well as typological and technological analysis, we distinguished the oldest traces of occupational activities of prehistoric societies in the vicinity of Iłża related to the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Additionally, we conducted a microscopic analysis of the state of preservation of characteristic lithic artefacts. This showed possibilities of linking specific states of preservation of flint surfaces with a generalised chronology of the Stone Age and Bronze Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the first contribution to a multi-faceted study of the origins of food production in the lower Odra region. Since 2004, the author has conducted microregional surveys to identify Stone Age settlements in the studied region. Later, starting from 2015, a number of settlements of the Band Pottery horizon in the microregion have been investigated (Linear Band Pottery, Stroke-Ornamented Pottery Culture, and Rössen Culture), as well as the roundel at Nowe Objezierze. As of 2018, crucial research is taking place in a central settlement (7/10 ha) of the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) in Mierzyn 5: PAR 30-04/106, where 20,000 artefacts, 25 homesteads, and 13 identified post house structures were found. The author's recent studies demonstrate the lower Odra region to be crucial for understanding stylistic changes in the Early Neolithic. The results of recent research in the lower Odra region, conducted as microregional studies, provide numerous and valuable assemblages reflecting the overall LBK settlement development in the region. Already in the first phase of the work with ceramic materials, it became clear that there was a need to create a periodisation system that would take into account the specifics of the region and the archaeological material. As a result, it is proposed that the division of Phase II into the Subphases A and B is not sufficient, thus making it necessary to distinguish new units within Phase III. At the same time, the Skoroszowice-type pottery seems to have been used in the lower Odra region. Currently, it is considered very likely that groups of people continued to exist in the Proto- Stroke-Ornamented Pottery Culture Horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to present the results of trial archaeological research on the site of Vranjače, situated east from the site of the national monument The Archaeological site of Debelo Brdo, a prehistoric hillfort settlement, antique and late antique defence structure in Sarajevo conducted during August of 2017. In accordance with the above, the methodology used during the implementation of trial archaeological research will be briefly described, primarily the use of extensive field survey (ETP), with the aim of obtaining results that would give a complete picture of the distribution of archaeological potential of the site of Vranjače. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present data on the chronology of fluvial and aeolian sediments as well as ecofacts that allow us to indicate the timing of Middle Stone Age settlement in Affad on the Middle Nile. Previously published chronometric data based solely on (multi‐grain) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates suggested the extremely late settlement and usage of Middle Stone Age technology in North‐East Africa during the Terminal Pleistocene (post‐Last Glacial Maximum). The current analyses using multiple dating methods—multi‐ and single‐grain OSL, thermoluminescence (TL), electron spin resonance (ESR) or accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS14C)—with OSL analyses carried out blind in three independent laboratories suggest this age is incorrect. More likely is that the site dates to about 50 ka. The comparison of dating results and methodological differences enable us to explore a spectrum of possible explanations. Here we infer the strong need to consider an appropriate methodology specific to the depositional context for indicating the age of fluvial sediments and prehistoric settlements at open‐air sites of North‐East Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enclosed landscape around the Artanish Peninsula (Lake Sevan/Armenia) can be seen as a prehistoric terra incognita due to the wholesale lack of archaeological investigations to date. Initial approaches in 2019 – funded by the Gerda-Henkel-Foundation – revealed outlines of the prehistoric settlement patterns which could be placed in relation to gold mining in a clearly delineated natural corridor along this line of superregional communication and trade routes. The intention of the following project is to implement an intensive, holistic-archaeological investigation of the settlement network in the surroundings of the gold mining area and an interdisciplinary attempt to embed these structures within the larger ecological and anthropogenic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island of Sardinia is well known for its Late Neolithic and Copper Age underground rock-cut tombs that were used over generations for collective burials. Many tombs were decorated to resemble house interiors and cemeteries are often referred to as villages of the dead. Research so far has focused on excavating stratigraphic contexts within some of these monuments, or on typological classifications of tomb plans and wall decorations, but the landscape context of the cemeteries and their relationship to settlements have been overlooked. The article presents the results of two seasons of survey in Ossi (north-west Sardinia), focusing on two major cemeteries (Mesu 'e Montes and S'Adde 'e Asile). Combining fieldwalking, mapping and 3D recording techniques, the survey provides a comprehensive documentation of the cemeteries (from the underground architecture of individual tombs to their landscape setting) and yields evidence of prehistoric settlements in their vicinity. The article discusses the topographic and visual relationships between the tombs and the residential areas and how they may reflect social interactions between the living and the dead in late prehistoric Sardinia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has great potential in terms of prehistoric settlements that constitute one of the components of cultural tourism. The number of visitors to these areas remains still low. The settlements of Roman time period such as Ephesus, Hagia Sophia, Cappadocia, Mevlana Museum, which have visual appeal with their striking standing works, attract more visitors than prehistoric settlements such as Göbeklitepe, Çatalhöyük, Troy, Alacahöyük, Körtik Hill, Arslantepe. However, these settlements belonging to the recent period are generally dated to the Roman Period and similar ones can be visited in many countries in the Mediterranean basin. At this point, pre-historic settlements with rich evidence and remains constitute an important potential that can provide competitive advantage to our country. Especially in recent years, it is seen that the popularity of prehistoric settlements has increased with the UNESCO World Heritage list. At this point, the study deals with the emerging popularity and different opinions in the virtual and print media through the case of Göbeklitepe. In addition, it evaluates the responsibilities of tourism stakeholders on the subject from a subjective perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here the first comprehensive archaeobotanical investigation from the prehistoric farming settlement of Chap I (1065–825 cal bce), located in a high altitude valley in the central Tien Shan mountains, Kyrgyzstan. A total of 40,651 plant remains (seeds, chaff and other plant parts) have been identified, making this archaeobotanical study the first of its kind from Kyrgyzstan to enable a wider discussion on cultivated crop taxa including diversity of varieties and morphotypes within the same crop species, along with crop cultivation and processing practices. Additionally, the analysis of wild plant taxa permits a significant interpretation of crop weeds and the surrounding landscape ecology at the site. The crop assemblage at the site is dominated by Hordeum vulgare (naked and hulled barley) varieties, consisting of thousands of individual grains and chaff fragments recovered from all analysed contexts. The other crops consist of Triticum (free-threshing and possibly glume wheats), Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet), Setaria italica (foxtail millet) and Pisum sativum (pea). The wild plant spectrum suggests an open landscape created by humans, dominated by water and nitrogen demanding plants that were growing in a well-watered, possibly irrigated landscape at an altitude of 2,000 m a.s.l. The weed taxa also suggest that possibly both summer and winter crops were cultivated. Finally, we provide illustrations of recovered plant remains and list crop identification criteria, aiming to facilitate future archaeobotanical research in Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of geochemical survey performed at one of the shallow and ploughed prehistoric settlement sites in eastern Lithuania. The goal of the survey was to delineate the territory of the prehistoric settlement based on a multilevel survey, and geochemical patterns were analysed relative to the stratigraphy of the site. This research explores how particular aspects of the built environment might be visible in layer‐specific data sets produced by soil coring and a range of different geochemical analyses and how the results from different levels correspond to each other and relate to test excavation results. The study also has value in adding to the discussion of the geochemical properties that could be indicative of prehistoric human activity in Lithuanian sites and how they contribute to understandings of the site's overall size and structural arrangement. The results have demonstrated the lack of consistent correspondence between layer‐specific geochemical data sets and calls into question the validity of single‐level surveys for ploughed sites. Distinct anthropogenic sediments do not always reproduce the expected elevation of the allegedly anthropogenic geochemical markers. A thick cultural layer could represent the traces of post‐deposition in secondary zones rather than primary occupied parts of the settlement. Conversely, the number of geochemical properties indicative of human occupation may survive in their original position in different strata even if the cultural layer is very fragmentary or not preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the presence of multiple caves and rock shelters as well as flint outcrops, Ojców Upland is a region with an exceptionally high concentration of prehistoric human settlement traces. It has attracted archaeologists for over 150 years, leading to what was considered to have been a proper prospection of the area. Nonetheless, the analysis of airborne laser scanning has recently brought surprising results. In the very centre of the upland, on the densely forested hill 'Złota Góra' (Golden Hill), the remains of an exceptionally large defensive structure in the form of several rows of embankments were found. The use of magnetic methods made it possible to confirm their anthropogenic origin and the likely type of embankment construction. In turn, the layout of embankments combined with the results of a surface survey and the analyses of the acquired artefacts and the settlement context speak in favour of linking this defensive structure with a high degree of probability with the Neolithic or Eneolithic, most likely the Lengyel‐Polgár cycle or Baden culture. The presence of such a large fortification in the immediate vicinity of flint mines could shed new light on the image of the Late Neolithic‐Early/Middle Eneolithic period in this part of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campanian Plain (southern Italy) mid-late Holocene landscape information is preserved by repeated eruption debris from the Mt Vesuvius volcano and the Campi Flegrei caldera and suggests a long-lasting prehistoric settlement pattern based on extensive plough-based agriculture dating between at least c. the 3rd millennium BC Agnano Monte Spina eruption and the Middle Bronze Age (1620-1430 cal BC) AP2 eruption. This paper discusses the management of the Early Bronze Age field system at Gricignano d'Aversa US Navy base, Caserta province, on the basis of its topography sealed by the Pomici di Avellino eruption debris (1950-1820 cal BC), here reconstructed for the first time, suggesting that the gullies of the field system were designed for drainage. Settlement and funerary evidence, together with local environmental reconstruction and comparison with similar European contexts, are also employed to infer the social arrangement behind the prehistoric Campanian Plain evidence discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery of archaeobotanical assemblages from Late Chalcolithic Bakla Tepe and Liman Tepe in western Anatolia has provided the opportunity for in-depth analysis of agricultural strategies and the organisation of farming-related activity at the two sites. We find that Late Chalcolithic farmers utilised five major crop taxa, potentially including two mixed crops. The two sites also provide the first evidence for Spanish vetchling and winged vetchling cultivation in prehistoric Anatolia and the earliest evidence for this practice to date anywhere. We suggest that the settlements were organised into small, co-residential households that processed and stored their own crops, but we also propose that potentially communal extra-household storage and high levels of social monitoring may attest to supra-household cooperation. The later agricultural history of the vetchling species and the prevalence of extra-household storage at sites in coastal western Anatolia and the eastern Aegean islands add to evidence for a cultural koine between these regions in the fourth and third millennia bc. We also suggest that the large size of extra-household storage structures and the narrow range of crops cultivated at some Late Chalcolithic sites are consistent with the emergence of more extensive farming systems than those of earlier periods. Evidence for the use of extensive agricultural production to amass arable wealth by the citadel elites of later Early Bronze Age western Anatolia suggests that the agro-ecological foundations for emergent wealth inequality within the region were laid during the Late Chalcolithic. Testing this hypothesis through direct evidence for the nature of Late Chalcolithic farming systems is a key aim of ongoing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Prehistoric pottery is the most abundant material discovered in archaeological sites and represents the main element of knowledge about human communities from the past. This study presents a model of interdisciplinary investigation of pottery through several types of analyses, enabling the scientific study of this category of artifacts. The analyses were performed on 11 ceramic fragments from the Middle Bronze Age settlement of Piatra Neamț–Lutărie, Eastern Romania, considering information about the color, production technique, type, size, functionality and category of the vessel, but also data related to ceramic paste inclusions. The samples were studied by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (µFTIR). The results obtained provide important information regarding pottery manufacturing technologies, such as sources of the raw materials and firing temperatures, and revealed the functionality of various vessel categories within a prehistoric settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout time, cultures have manipulated the landscape for a variety of reasons, including the promotion of social control. One approach to facilitating this control is through omnipresent surveillance, known as a Panopticon design. Though the Panopticon is more commonly associated with structural design in industrial societies, the large earthen mounds constructed by prehistoric civilizations could have also played a role in maintaining social order. To explore the applicability of the Panopticon concept in a prehistoric context, visibility of the largest manmade earthen mound in the New World, Monks Mound, was modeled in a geographic information system. Results indicate that the terraces on the mound and the powerful individuals residing there would have been visible to most of the population, even when accounting for subsequent landscape modifications. This level of visibility would have projected an omnipresent threat of surveillance, possibly facilitating social order and cohesion among such a large population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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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]

Hillforts, prehistoric settlements on top of hills, are an inexhaustible source of information about Istria in prehistory. During two long millennia B.C. man lived in the whole of Istria, while the greatest concentration of settlements are recorded in the wider area around the Lim and Pula bays. Since they arose from the strategic need to defend their inhabitants and the wider territory, a considerable concentration has been recorded in Ćićarija and the Učka mountain massif where they were grouped around the main traffic routes along which people, goods, and ideas travelled, bringing progress. Natural characteristics, shortage of fertile land, lush forests but above all the cold continental climate, largely determined life as well as the exploration of the area from the Karst to Kvarner. In the KAŠTELIR Project, we place special emphasis on the sites of Rašpor on Ćićarija and Ozida near Brseč, which we analyse through the prism of numerous approaches: the recording of sites by means of surveys; interdisciplinary archaeological excavation; the history of research; typology, economy, the toponymy of hillforts; the density of hillforts in the landscape; the role of hillforts in communication; the diachronic study of hillforts; continuity and degradation of sites; finally, the issue of revitalization of space "by actively preserving the heritage of hillforts through their evaluation, protection, and promotion". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of the article is to develop the concept of forecasting futures using the past by integrating the concept of heritage in it. Design/methodology/approach: This paper demonstrates the process of development of the total heritage approach and its application. The process consists of the following steps: the review of the selected urban life visions and models of the past from prehistoric Catalhoyuk settlement up to the 20th century Japanese Metabolism to trace the examples of complex problem-solving and singularity presence that can be used for horizon scanning for the futures of urbanism; the development of total heritage approach based on the further analysis of selected examples demonstrating even unintentional presence of heritage in the construction of the futures; application of the total heritage approach for the modeling the futures of urbanism and illustrating it with the scenario of the future eopolis as the premise for cultural urban singularity. Findings: This paper demonstrates the process of development of the total heritage approach and its application. The process consists of the following steps: the review of selected historic urban utopias to trace the principal scheme, how the future or ideal visions of urbanism were constructed; the development of total heritage approach based on the further analysis of Thomas More Utopia and Neolithic Catalhoyuk settlement demonstrating even unintentional presence of heritage in the construction of the futures; application of the total heritage approach for the modeling the futures of urbanism and illustrating it with the scenario of the future eopolis as the premise for cultural urban singularity. Originality/value: The total heritage approach, developed in this research, presents heritage as the determinant structure or ethical imperative for sustainable future development toward cultural urban singularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published evidence of prehistoric settlement from the lowlands of Amazonian Peru is sufficiently scarce to perpetuate debates over the presence and impact of early populations in western Amazonia. In this paper we review the cultural prehistory of the Lower Ucayali River, assess the presence of archeological sites and recovered artifacts, and describe a promising new site (Suni Caño) which may have been the chiefdom seat of the late prehistoric Cocama. We argue for a fuller exploration of the site and nearby terraces along the Lower Ucayali and in doing so, suggest that studies aiming to resolve debates over early environmental influence of humans in the Peruvian Amazon may not be looking in the most propitious places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prehistoric settlement of the west coast of the Senegalese-Mauritanian basin is established from archaeological remains and coal samples collected, sometimes in a stratigraphic context. However, the chronology issued, in the Before Present (BP) age, does not take into account the taphonomic context of the sites and the local reservoir age. Therefore, this article revisits the chronologies obtained based on the 14C literature and dating(s) acquired. Changes in time and duration of human occupancy of the area are shorter or longer depending on adequate yields of local reservoir age (Ndeye, 2008), which is a relevant element for marine samples. Thus, the archaeological implications observed with the reservoir effect are the rejuvenation or ageing of the dates, the age of the sites, the duration of occupation prehistoric or historical sites studied. Using the calibration programmes, it is noted that for the site of Senegal (Khant), without taking into account the reservoir effect, the human occupation is a priori, from the fifth millennium (Ancient Neolithic) to the third millennium BC (Middle Neolithic). However, if this marine reservoir effect is applied, the chronological periodisation goes from the fourth millennium to the first millennium. For the Mauritanian sites, the reservoir age correction is necessary for the Chami site while for the Tintan site is not required. Therefore, the calibrated archaeological chronologies obtained after the application of the marine reservoir effect are more relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the archaeological findings at the Clark-Watson site in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, which provide valuable insights into the lives of settlers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The site's connection to trade networks and aspirations to be a major port are highlighted. The article emphasizes the importance of studying and displaying overlooked archaeological collections, even without professional excavation information, as valuable resources for understanding local history and fostering a sense of community. The collection includes a variety of artifacts such as tobacco pipes, ceramics, architectural materials, and personal items, which offer insights into the material culture and history of the area. The artifacts reflect the trade networks and cosmopolitan tastes of the inhabitants of colonial Perth Amboy. The collection is currently housed at Monmouth University, with select artifacts on display at a museum in Perth Amboy. It serves as a tangible reminder of the city's early history and its connection to the present, telling stories about immigration and trade that are relevant to the diverse population of Perth Amboy. [Extracted from the article]

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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.)

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.)