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The use of model and miniature vessels in the ancient world is common throughout history, with evident differences between cultures. Research on their possible function and meaning in numerous contexts are still ongoing, especially related to the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt, since just few sets of model vessels in stone have been recorded prior to the Fourth Dynasty. In this paper is reported a previously undocumented instance, derived from the Bet Khallaf necropolis in the Abydos region, dated to the beginning of the Third Dynasty. The paper addresses also some remarks about the possible function of stone model vessels at the beginning of the Dynastic Period of Egypt, with comparisons between other Near Eastern and Mediterranean ancient cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Universidad Autónoma de Madrid has been working since the mid-1990s at the Iron Age village of al Madam located in the interior of the Oman peninsula, in the Emirate of Sharjah (UAE). In 2019 we received permission to excavate a necropolis in the municipality of al Khudairah (Sharjah), opening a new potential for the study of the funerary world of ancient Magan, as this area was called in the Mesopotamian texts. With the permission of the local authorities, and so as to balance study of the village with that of the necropolis, our team expanded and added a permanent contingent of archaeobiologists to our roster. Thus in February 2020 began the Spanish Archaeological and Archaeobiological Mission at Sharjah (SAAMS) and a new project: the "Al Madam–al Khudairah Project: Life in the Oasis–Death on the Hills." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the 8th and 11th centuries CE, the Iberian Peninsula underwent profound upheaval due to the Umayyad invasion against the Visigoths, resulting in population shifts and lasting demographic impacts. Our understanding of this period is hindered by limited written sources and few archaeogenetic studies. We analyzed 33 individuals from Las Gobas, a necropolis in northern Spain, spanning the 7th to 11th centuries. By combining archaeological and osteological data with kinship, metagenomics, and ancestry analyses, we investigate conflicts, health, and demography of these individuals. We reveal intricate family relationships and genetic continuity within a consanguineous population while also identifying several zoonoses indicative of close interactions with animals. Notably, one individual was infected with a variola virus phylogenetically clustering with the northern European variola complex between ~885 and 1000 CE. Last, we did not detect a significant increase of North African or Middle East ancestries over time since the Islamic conquest of Iberia, possibly because this community remained relatively isolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nabataean monumental rock‐cut tombs in the oasis of al‐Badʿ are the main heritage and tourist attraction of the Madyan peninsula, in the heart of the Neom region in Saudi Arabia. Through an analysis of their architectural and decorative features, this study provides, for the first time, a thorough overview of the 35 tombs in the necropolises of Mughāyir Shuʿayb and al‐Aṣīfir. A multiscalar examination sheds light on the processes used in their realisation, assesses the investments required for their execution and the status of the sponsors, and thus reveals a social and spatial ranking of the Nabataean necropolis. The study also reveals a ‘cultural’ standardisation of the tombs in terms of the techniques used to cut and decorate them, as well as a local particularity dependent on topography, geomorphology, culture and personal choices. The presence of these impressive funerary monuments at al‐Badʿ confirms the siteʼs major economic, political and cultural role within the Nabataean world, as well as the importance of the caravan route leading from the Red Sea ports to the major urban centres of the southern Levant, including Petra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four rock‐cut tombs have yielded nine Nabataean inscriptions or fragments of inscriptions, five of which are already published (Nehmé, 2015, pp. 51–52). They were all photographed either by L. Nehmé in 2005 or during the surveys undertaken in 2017 and 2018 by the al‐Badʿ Archaeological Project (Charloux et al., 2021; Bigot‐Démereau et al., 2024). They are presented below according to the tomb to which they belong, the number of which is the one given by the al‐Badʿ Archaeological Project, followed, when relevant, by the number in Philby's Land of Midian (1957). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conditions of the burial environment trigger microstructural modifications and physical‐chemical changes in the bone, such as chemical dissolution, increase of crystallinity, chemical exchanges, collagen degradation and changes in porosity, hence to reproduce these patterns is a challenging task. This work presents a new method to accelerate the diagenetic processes in the laboratory. Artificial aging is obtained by immersion at 80°C in "enriched" solutions derived from the leaching of gravesoils, maintaining the same pH, for 1 month, on modern bones collected from an autopsy. Two distinct solutions from two graves of the necropolis of Travo (IT) (7th–8th century AD) were adopted. The induced damage patterns, on the bone microstructure and the organo‐mineral fraction, have been compared with those observed on buried skeletal elements from the same graves, by providing a multi‐analytical approach (BSE‐SEM, EMPA, FT‐IR, MP‐AES). Bioapatite parameters, such as crystallinity index and Ca/P molar ratio, evolved similarly and, in some cases, reached the same values of buried bones. Conversely, in the absence of microbial activity, the organic fraction better survived the artificial aging. For the same reason, the porosity due to bioerosion was absent in the artificially aged samples, whereas the biological pores and the post‐mortem fractures exhibited the same histomorphology. It is believed that the opportunity of reproducing the diagenetic changes by replicating the chemical environment of the burial site at the laboratory scale is of great interest to forensic science and archaeology (e.g., to reconstruct the burial environment). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence seems to have been a constant in Egyptian history, as attested by documentary sources. The material culture also reflects this state of violence; however, anthropological findings, although present, are not as numerous as might be expected. In the present study, we analyze the injuries found in three crania (New Kingdom, 1500–1070 BCE) from the necropolis of Qubbet el‐Hawa, near the island of Elephantine (Aswan, Egypt). All three cases are adult males with several injuries caused by a sharp‐edged weapon, with no signs of survival. The macroscopic analysis of the wounds was combined with archaeological and historical data to provide an explanation of the possible weapon used and the possible scenarios (intergroup or intragroup violence) where these deaths could have occurred. These cranial injuries leave no doubt as to the intentionality and repetition in the act of causing death. These findings offer clear evidence and reliable information that contributes to the understanding of interpersonal violence and its potential causes in ancient Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Selvicciola necropolis is a large burial site dated to the Copper Age, located on the mid-Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy, in the Fiora river valley. Despite post-depositional disturbances, 32 prehistoric tombs were found, generally in a good state of preservation, with a total number of 119 individuals identified. In the present study, radiocarbon and stable isotope measurements on bone collagen are combined with skeletal data for 71 of these individuals. We aim to investigate possible changes in food practices and burial patterns throughout time. In detail, the results allowed us to define a timeframe for the use of the cemetery of at least 2000 years, with the two most ancient individuals found in tomb 17 and dated to around 3950 cal BC, assigning this a necropolis chronological investigation of the so-called Rinaldone culture. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis confirmed a predominantly agropastoral subsistence strategy for this prehistoric community. Although the plant intake consisted mainly of C3 species, we further discuss the fact that the stable isotope data suggest an increase in the consumption of C4 plants over time. The integration of radiocarbon and isotopic data with the skeletal evidence and material culture provides an interesting insight into the funerary world of this community, highlighting the importance of Selvicciola for the understanding of life in the Mediterranean at the transition between the fourth and the third millennia BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necropolis of Heliopolis in Egypt has not been systematically explored and is not yet fully excavated. During the excavations of Ard Neqabet El-Muhamin in the years 1987-88, three tombs were discovered, dating back to the Greek-Roman period. The tombs contain various objects from different time periods and materials. The aim of this research is to examine these objects in detail and publish their archaeological information in order to date and illuminate them. [Extracted from the article]

The archaeological World Heritage Site of Hegra (Mada´in Salih, Al-Hijr), in Saudi Arabia, is often considered the southern capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. Positioned just northeast of the AlUla Valley (where ancient Dadan is located), the Nabataeans recreated several aspects of their northern capital, Petra. They carved more than 130 tombs into the sandstone outcrops of which nearly a hundred had a monumental character with ornate façades of exceptional beauty and deep sense of enduring. In February 2023, our international, multidisciplinary research team conducted a field campaign in Hegra. Our objective was to measure the orientation of Nabataean tombs and sanctuaries in the area, which could offer new clues to aspects of Nabataean culture and religion that we had studied in earlier works at Petra, and elsewhere in Nabataea. This paper includes the analysis and interpretation of the data on the orientation of 113 tombs, including all monumental ones, the largest coherent set of Nabataean tombs ever analyzed. The results show that the tombs were not randomly orientated but followed a series of patterns, most probably emphasizing the skyscape, within the framework of the Nabataean lunisolar calendar religious festivals, and, on occasions, also the local landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Heritage sites face many challenges that affect the quality of life (QOL), it is thus empirical that more research studies shed light upon this important topic. This research examines the most important problems of Egyptian World Heritage Sites, with a focus on the Memphis site due to its outstanding universal value (OUV) and the posed threats that may affect its global value. The necessity of maintaining world heritage sites in accordance with UNESCO's guidelines has recently come to the state's attention so a supreme committee was formed, according to a presidential decree. Thus, this paper aims to present an applied strategy for managing Memphis site in an integrated manner to contribute to raising the QOL indicators while maintaining the OUV of the site through a multiphase research approach; first the theoretical approach, where a literature review and the basic concepts; second, an empirical desk-based literature review of similar sites. This in turn yielded quantitative and qualitative results and allowed for the measurement of the link between QOL and heritage sites management. Then a third phase which consisted of devising an applicable strategy management plan for Memphis site. The strategy has been proposed in light of the country's vision, strategy for sustainable development: Egypt vision 2030, and the strategic plan for Greater Cairo Region 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beth Sheʿarim in Lower Galilee was an important Jewish village in the Roman period, with an extensive necropolis containing lavish tombs that provided burial for Jews from across the Roman East. The necropolis is renowned for its many inscriptions in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, and more. Two catacombs previously unknown were discovered recently in the western part of the necropolis. Each contains a few halls shaped as corridors with arcosolium chambers along the walls. Each arcosolium accommodates 3–4 burial places. In one of the caves, two Greek inscriptions painted in red were found; one, written on a slab of stone, mentions a proselyte named Jacob, while the other, inscribed on the wall, mentions Judah, the owner of the tomb. This article deals with the catacombs and the inscriptions in the context of late Roman Palestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rescue archeological excavations at the multicultural site of Tarnyane, Vidin district, Northwest Bulgaria, conducted in 2020–2021 uncovered evidence that the site was inhabited during the Early Bronze Age (EBA), Middle Bronze Age (MBA), Late Iron Age, and the Middle Ages. This article provides an overview of the main archaeological features uncovered during the excavations, along with the first results from anthropological, archaeozoological and geoarchaeological analyses. During the excavations, remains of an Early Bronze Age and Late Middle Ages settlements were studied, as were three necropolises: one from the Early Bronze Age, one from the Middle Bronze Age, and one from the Late Middle Ages. The archaeological site near Tarnyane has shed new important light on the development of the settlement patterns and burial practices during the Bronze Age and Late Middle Ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows the results of the analysis of the photogrammetric use of 360-degree cameras in complex heritage-related scenes. The goal is to take advantage of the large field of view provided by these sensors and reduce the number of images used to cover the entire scene compared to those needed using conventional cameras. We also try to minimize problems derived from camera geometry and lens characteristics. In this regard, we used a multi-sensor camera composed of six fisheye lenses, applying photogrammetric procedures to several funerary structures. The methodology includes the analysis of several types of spherical images obtained using different stitching techniques and the comparison of the results of image orientation processes considering these images and the original fisheye images. Subsequently, we analyze the possible use of the fisheye images to model complex scenes by reducing the use of ground control points, thus minimizing the need to apply surveying techniques to determine their coordinates. In this regard, we applied distance constraints based on a previous extrinsic calibration of the camera, obtaining results similar to those obtained using a traditional schema based on points. The results have allowed us to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each type of image and configuration, providing several recommendations regarding their use in complex scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the absolute chronology of burials from the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC discovered under the mounds of three barrows in the Kordyshiv cemetery in western Ukraine. Its aim is to create a chronological model of the burials by modeling 27 AMS 14C dates obtained from 21 individuals buried in single and collective graves. Dietary analysis of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values are presented. The Bayesian modeling of the 14C dates from the three Kordyshiv barrows revealed the extremely important role of these monuments as long-term objects used for ritual purposes. At the end of the 3rd millennium BC, the epi-Corded Ware Culture (epi-CWC) community erected a mound over the central burial in Barrow 2, then interred the graves of three additional deceased. After several hundred years Barrow 2 was reused by Komarów Culture (KC) communities from the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) who interred their deceased in the existing mound. The oldest monument with MBA burials was Barrow 3, in which the dead were buried in a two-stage sequence before and after the mid-2nd millennium BC. The youngest dated grave was Burial 1 in Barrow 1, comprising a collective burial that was interred between 1400 and 1200 BC. The additional analyses of carbon and nitrogen isotopes show significant differences in the diet of epi-CWC individuals buried in Barrow 2 from the individuals representing the KC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text offers for the first time a critical and comprehensive study of the Necropolis Museum of Tarragona, which was inaugurated in 1930 by the renowned archaeologist Serra i Vilaró. It starts with a detailed description of the museum and its history with many unpublished old photographs and many little-known archive documents. The broader framework of Catalan archaeological and diocesan museums is then analysed in order to understand the context in which the museum of Tarragona was set. The third section of the text analyses the Mediterranean context and all the contemporary museums from which Serra took inspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic and osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, the ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior are obscured by the opacity of the archaeological record and the lack of written sources. Here, we apply an interdisciplinary suite of analytical approaches (zooarchaeological, anthropological, archaeological, paleogenetic, and isotopic) to explore the funerary deposition of animal remains and the nature of joint human-animal burials at Seminario Vescovile (Verona, Northern Italy 3rd-1st c. BCE). This context, culturally attributed to the Cenomane culture, features 161 inhumations, of which only 16 included animal remains in the form of full skeletons, isolated skeletal parts, or food offerings. Of these, four are of particular interest as they contain either horses (Equus caballus) or dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)–animals that did not play a dietary role. Analyses show no demographic, dietary, funerary similarities, or genetic relatedness between individuals buried with animals. Isotopic data from two analyzed dogs suggest differing management strategies for these animals, possibly linked to economic and/or ritual factors. Overall, our results point to the unsuitability of simple, straightforward explanations for the observed funerary variability. At the same time, they connect the evidence from Seminario Vescovile with documented Transalpine cultural traditions possibly influenced by local and Roman customs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to the new Late Antiquity reality was materially reflected in various transformations in the urban elements: from the city walls to the street map, including domestic spaces and necropolises. This document provides a map that locates these urban mutations in different areas of the city of Ecija (Seville) that have not been studied in depth. This is accompanied by a general analysis of the late-antique urban phenomenon, in order to culminate with the interpretation and comparison of both aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edition of an epigraphic and funerary fragment is published. Judging by the material evidence, the fragment may have come from the necropolis of Algezares or its surroundings. It has been preserved since ancient times in the Archaeological Museum of Murcia and belonged to a slab of fine-grained and high-quality white marble. Based on its paleography, the inscription can be dated to the 1st century AD. After its verification, the fragment was exhumed during ancient excavations carried out by Cayetano de Mergelina y Luna in 1934. In this year, the basilica of Algezares was excavated for the first time. Due to the almost absolute predominance of the Late Antique record in Algezares, the epigraphic fragment was interpreted as Early Christian inscription. However, the actual chronology of the fragment coincides in time with the necropolis of Algezares. Its first phases were excavated in 2007 and dated between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near the northwestern-southeastern foothills of the Marvdasht plain in Fars province, lie a range of ancient necropoleis which date from the reign of Darius I, the Achaemenid king and until the first century after the Muslim conquest. The well-known necropoleis of Naqsh-e Rostam and Persepolis have the most complex tombs among them. However, there are other burials in this region, although smaller and simpler or even imitative, which have considerable archeological importance, since they provide information for the social and political understanding of their time of creation, often known as the dark ages. The present study aims to introduce and analyze the structural-chronological features of the rock-cut tomb of Khūrigān, one of the recent discoveries near Naqsh-e Rostam. Regarding the architectural and stylistic characteristics of the tomb and its context, as well as considering its archeological landscape and using historical information, the period from the last century of the Achaemenid reign until the beginning of the Sassanid dynasty is considered for the general chronology of this tomb; however, through applying a more detailed perspective, we can attribute the chronology of this tomb to the first half of the 3rd until the 1st century BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread integration of digital technologies in the field of archaeology, facilitated by increasingly powerful and economically accessible tools, is producing a profound transformation in the conventional methodologies employed by archaeologists. This contribution specifically delves into the documentation of excavation phases and artifacts, presenting a workflow tested on the tomb 27 of the Colle Vaccaro necropolis (AP) within the educational project managed by the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (ICR). The digital representation of distinct layers and artifacts, developed together with with micro-excavation and restoration operations, serves as a tool for real-time analysis and documentation. Crucially, it acts as a foundational element for constructing an information system geared towards subsequent and more comprehensive historical-archaeological analyses. The outcome of this contribution is the formulation of a semi-automatic process designed to ensure a geometrically accurate and informed three-dimensional representation. This workflow for documenting an excavation and its artifacts is designed to facilitate efficient data utilization both for scholars and professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the results of the research undertaken through a series of on-site surveys (2021-2023) at the Sasso Pinzuto site, located approximately 1 km SE of Tuscania (Viterbo, Italy). Situated along the eastern side of the Marta river valley, the necropolis layout is little known but it is extensive, including ca. 100 rock-cut chamber tombs. The 2021-22 archaeological campaigns started with a new topographical survey of the site and investigated two areas conventionally defined the Northern and the Southern Area. In the Northern Area, specifically within the vicinity of Tumulus 1, fragments of mould-decorated architectural plaques from a building discovered. In the Southern Area, a small plateau about 90 m from the Northern Area, four burial graves (n. 126, 127, 128, 130) and two chamber tombs (125 and 129) were excavated. This study sheds light to the great potential of applying digital technologies for a new understanding of the Etruscan tombs. Indeed, by using various non-destructive prospecting methods (aerial photogrammetry, fieldwalking survey, architectural drawings), coupled with precise location using RTK GNSS, and integration of legacy data in GIS, the site underwent a comprehensive reexamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of two distinct projects on two pre-Roman funerary areas are presented: the eastern necropolis of Padova between via Tiepolo and via S. Massimo (excavations 1990-1991), and the northern necropolis of Este in the area of Casa di Ricovero (excavations 1983-1993). The first project focused on building of a geodatabase to manage and archive documentation data, as well as to consciously plan resources allocation and research steps. The second project, on the other hand, focused on 3D reconstructions of two burial mounds in a BIM environment, with both research and dissemination aims. Therefore, it was possible to experiment with the limits, potential, and effectiveness of this method in an unusual archaeological context, characterised by monuments built mainly with perishable materials and lacking architectural structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution deals with the use of relational databases (RDB) and GIS for the spatial analysis of Iron Age funerary contexts in the Italian peninsula through two projects by the Chair of Etruscology at the University of Bologna. The two selected case studies of Bologna's western necropolis and Spina's Valle Trebba necropolis represent distinct phases of research and discuss the challenges in updating historic systems and creating dialogue between systems adopted at different times. The Bologna case provides the opportunity to discuss the quality of data from old excavations in reconstructing funerary landscapes using GIS. The case of Valle Trebba exemplifies the difficulties in planning and managing information on 1.215 tombs and over twelve thousand objects through an articulated relational archiving system. The iconography of Attic pottery allows us to understand the management of qualitative data. As far as spatial analysis in a GIS environment is concerned, we reassessed the solutions adopted for the Valle Trebba project, which are currently unsatisfactory, as they do not meet the principles of accessibility of such tools, nor Open Data Standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project 'Ritorno a Vulci' focuses on specific sectors of the south-eastern necropolis of Vulci, where excavations have been conducted since the 1800s. One of the primary objectives of this project is to create a dedicated WebGIS that will generate and manage new topographical documentation of the area. This will serve as a collaborative digital research platform, making document consultation more accessible and contributing to their preservation. Another significant digital project is 'Vulci nel Mondo' (VNM), which is conceived as a Virtual Museum. The Authors illustrate this highly versatile tool as an online space to bring together a permanent collection on Vulci. The standard virtual tour model is built on two key aspects: navigation, providing access to the collections and other information on the museum's website, and interaction, simulating a physical space with which visitors can engage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview is presented of ongoing initiatives within the frame of the Monte Abatone Project, focused on the large urban necropolis of the Etruscan city of Caere (Cerveteri). Excavation campaigns; a multi-layered GIS, suitable for archive data and new acquisitions onfield; an experimental processing and modeling of the multi-scalar Information System - architectural (BIM) and topographic (GIS) - of the Campana Tumulus; challenging restorations of thousands of sherds: all this should contribute to have a clearer picture of the necropolis and of the historical and cultural profile of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is dedicated to the Geographic Information System developed for the filing and the analysis of Pontecagnano necropolises, where over 10100 tombs dated from the Etruscan to the Samnite phase (9th-3rd century BC) have been excavated so far. The first version of the GIS was developed between 1999 and 2000 and initially tested on an area of the Western necropolis. It consists of an alphanumeric descriptive database, developed using Microsoft Access 2000, linked to a cartographic section implemented with the MapInfo software. The paper concludes with a preliminary presentation of the update of the information system, which is going to migrate to an open-source software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on some methodological approaches specific to digital archaeology in the analysis of a particular type of landscape, namely Etruscan-Italic necropolises. First, it highlights the interpretation of a necropolis as a landscape of ancestors and the importance of material and immaterial practices in the formation of such a space. Then it addresses the theoretical framework of phenomenological landscape analysis, developed in recent decades by C. Tilley, as a privileged way to address both aspects. In order to reconcile the phenomenological approach to landscape with the use of digital spatial technologies, which according to Tilley are insufficient because they are at best 'representations' of landscape, A. De Guio's reading of the Powerscape concept is introduced. De Guio presents various spatial analysis algorithms, as fundamental 'hammers' to shape our knowledge of multifaceted landscapes such as powerscapes (an example of which is funerary landscapes). The reconciliation between the phenomenological approach to landscape and GIS-based spatial analyses of perceptual fields (especially vision and hearing) allows us to confidently rely on new perspectives, such as J. Ortoleva's recent research on auditory perception in Etruscan necropolises or the latest approaches to viewshed analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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After penetrating to the East of the Iron Gates, the Žuto Brdo-Gârla Mare culture occupies the banks of the Danube with the respective meadows. They did not come to major conflicts with the locals, a situation suggested by the small number of swords discovered and by the intense trade they practiced with the population of the Verbicioara culture, found here upon their arrival. Trade exchanges are suggested by the numerous sites from the late Verbicioara phase where Žuto Brdo-Gârla Mare pottery was discovered. There is also late Verbicioara pottery discovered in Žuto Brdo-Gârla Mare sites. The greater or lesser number of such discoveries is due to the small number of archaeologically researched sites from each culture. When a settlement is investigated archaeologically, many materials from the other culture are discovered. An example in this sense is represented by the Orevița Mare site of the Verbicioara culture. The next stage is represented by finds of Žuto Brdo-Gârla Mare pottery from a late phase. This appears both in its own sites and in Verbicioara sites. Balta Verde, Gruia, Orevița Mare, Patulele, Malovat or in the Hallstattian necropolis at Hinova. It is natural that novelties such as the fluted decoration reached the late Verbicioara sites. This decoration, used in Europe at that time, reaches the Danube thanks to the economic contacts suggested by Brotlaibidole. Some of these pieces from the necropolis and settlement in Ostrovul Mare are very similar to similar pieces from Slovakia, Austria and other areas. So the existence of the Bistret-lşalnița cultural group cannot be justified by the fact that it uses a lot of fluted decoration and less of the classical decoration of the Zuto Brdo- Gårla Mare culture. The groove was also used in the classical phase of this culture. It is present in Ostrovul Mare, in the necropolis of Bivolarii and the settlement at km. fl. 865, but also in the necropolis of Cârna, Grindul, Tomii and Plosca. In the Hinova necropolis of early Hallstatt, Žuto Brdo-Garla Mare style vessels were discovered. Similar pieces were also discovered at Balta Verde and Baley, south of the Danube. So it is a process that encompasses the entire space of the Zuto Brdo-Garla Mare culture. It unfolds slowly and has some hesitations, as we see in the piece from Pätulele and the mug fragment from Malovat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its strategic importance at the furthermost edge of the Neolithic expansion in Europe, archaeogenetic data from Mesolithic and Neolithic human remains from Portugal are still very limited. Here we present ancient mtDNA evidence (mostly unpublished) to fill the gap and discuss the pattern of "genetic resurgence" of hunter-gatherer (Mesolithic) ancestry, widely reported elsewhere in Europe, among the first megalith builders (Middle Neolithic) of western Iberia. A total of 11 Mesolithic and Neolithic necropolises located in the central and southern regions of Portugal dated to ca. 6200–3000 BC were studied. These sites comprise all Mesolithic–Neolithic cultural stages and include several funerary architectures and spaces. Reproducible mtDNA HVRI haplotypes were obtained from 23 individuals from six different archaeological sites spread across a >3000-year transect, from the Late Mesolithic to the Late Neolithic. Our results support a three-stage explanatory demographic and populational model: i) local hunter-gatherer populations constituted a highly homogeneous genetic pool; ii) the first farming practices were introduced by human groups carrying new, extraneous haplogroups and exhibiting the signature of admixture events occurring at the time of first contact with local hunter-gatherers; iii) the genetic pattern detected among the megalith-building populations, showing hunter-gatherer along with farming ancestry, may be explained by the segmentary principles, and attendant endogamic practices, that structured Neolithic societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During his excavations in the Fayum, between 1900 and 1902, Pierre Jouguet was able to find a large number of mummy cartonnages, which along with documents of various sorts yielded some surprising, previously lost literary texts, such as Menander's Sicyonians, Euripides' Erechtheus, and Stesichorus' Thebaid. The exact find-spot of the papyri is unclear: we know that the mummies were found in different necropoleis between Medinet Ghoran and Medinet en Nahas (ancient Magdola), but clear topographic information is largely missing: after reaching France, the cartonnages were dismantled in different steps over a span of several decades, so their 'archival' history is often difficult to trace. Nonetheless, even if their archaeological context is lost, the texts seem to point to common cultural contexts, as suggested by a comparison of their philological, palaeographic and 'bibliological' features. This article will survey such characteristics, in order to reflect on the readership and circulation of Greek literary texts in Ptolemaic Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article represents a contribution to the funerary archeology of the province of Scythia, outlining the picture related to the funerary practices addressed to children. It is emphasized that the burial rituals, most of the time, were different from those applied to adults in terms of the space within the necropolises, the position, the orientation, or the burial inventory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iron Age is characterized by an extended interweaving of movements by Celts in Europe. Several waves of Celts from Western and Central Europe migrated southeast and west from the core area of the La Téne culture (between Bourgogne and Bohemia). Through the analysis of non-metric dental traits, this work aims to understand the biological relationship among Celtic groups arrived in Italy and the Carpathian Basin, as well as between local populations and Celtic newcomers. A total of 10 non-metric dental traits were analyzed to evaluate biological affinities among Celts (Sopron-Krautacker and Pilismarót-Basaharc) and Scythians-related populations from Hungary (Tápiószele), Celts from continental Europe (Switzerland and Austria), two Iron Age Etruscan-Celtic sites from northern Italy (Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele), 13 Iron Age central-southern Italic necropolises, and the northern Italian Bronze Age necropolis of Scalvinetto. Strontium isotopes were measured on individuals from the necropolis of Monte Bibele to infer their local or non-local origin. Results highlight the existence of statistically significant differences between Celts and autochthonous Italian groups. Celtic groups from Hungary and Italy (i.e., non-local individuals of Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele) share a similar biological background, supporting the historical records mentioning a common origin for Celts migrated to the eastern and southern borders of today's Europe. The presence of a supposed Steppean ancestry both in Celts from Hungary and Celts from northern Italy corroborates the hypothesis of the existence of a westward migration of individuals and genes from the Steppe towards northern Italy during the Bronze and Iron Age, which contributed to the biological variability of pre-Celtic and later Celtic populations, respectively. Conversely, individuals from central-southern Italy show an autochthonous pre-Iron Age background. Lastly, this work supports the existence of Celtic migratory routes in northern Italy, as shown by biological and cultural admixture between Celts and Italics living together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Nami project included several sub-sites, among them the Late Bronze Age (LB) IIb–c necropolis in Nami East. The cemetery is situated c 50 m east of the main tell. Nami was a focal point of trade linking a north–south maritime trade route with an east–west terrestrial one. The settlement was dated by excavations to the Middle Bronze Age IIa and the LB IIb–c, the last of the 13th and early 12th centuries bce. Among the numerous finds in the LB IIc Nami necropolis, were a number of the ceramic shape named alabastron, or pyxis. They are not homogenous in shape, size, ware and decoration. Neutron Activation Analysis and Petrographic analyses of the ware established that they also do not share provenance. While the earliest appearance of the shape was in the Aegean, eventually a small version of the pyxis became more common in the southern Levant's necropoleis, and is found at Nami, where it was placed near the crania in burials. The analyses carried out on samples from the cemetery of Nami, showed that some of the pyxides were produced in the vicinity of the site, or in the general area. Others, however, were imported from Transjordan. Those include examples of plain and decorated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The funerary/cult archeological nucleus of Rua do Raio (Braga, in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula) was discovered between 2007 and 2009, under the excavation works of a necropolis of Bracara Augusta. This building exhibits a set of particularities that confirms its archeological importance. It is a construction dating from the middle of the 1st century AD, subject to two reforms, one in the second half of the 1st century AD and another in the 2nd century AD, with a trapezoidal shape and comprising ten rectangular tanks rendered with opus signinum mortars. It shows a unique architectural configuration in the city, as well as in the Portuguese territory, and the space is under musealization, together with a set of graves identified in the same archeological intervention. The present investigation contextualizes the funerary and religious architecture of the city. Its description is presented, highlighting its relevance, and an interpretative possibility is formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Archaic Acropolis of Europos (region of Central Macedonia, Greece) is an important archaeological site, which was inhabited since the 7th century BC up to the 4th century AD. In the lowland area, south of the acropolis and a short distance away, archaeologists speculate that the extensive ancient cemetery of the acropolis, which is a result of its long-term habitation, was located there. In an effort to locate marks that will support this view, WingtraOne GEN II, one of today's leading Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, was used to collect RGB and multispectral images. After the production of the necessary digital surface models and orthophotomosaics, index maps related to the crops were created. The total of the products allowed the visual identification of 123 marks, which are probably attributed to hitherto unknown covered ancient tombs. In addition, marks of unknown covered ditches of long length were found in the plain area, and on the outskirts of the acropolis marks of its possible wall and the base of one of its towers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material study of ancient Egyptian paintings began with the advent of Egyptology during the 19th century. By the 1930s, a lot had already been sampled and described. The limited palette for example has been analysed from actual painted surfaces but also from pigments and painting tools retrieved on site. However, most of these studies took place in museums while the painted surfaces, preserved in funerary chapels and temples, remained somewhat estranged from this primary physical understanding. The artistic process has been also reconstructed, mainly from the information presented by unfinished monuments, showing surfaces at different stages of completion. A lot of this modern and theoretical reconstruction is, however, based on the usual archaeological guessing game that aims at filling the remaining blanks. Our interdisciplinary project has decided to experiment on-site with state-of-the-art portable analysis tools, avoiding any physical sampling, to see if our knowledge of the work of the ancient Egyptian painters and draughtsmen could be taken at a further stage, while based on physical quantification that could be seen as a stronger and more reliable foundation for a redefined scientific hypothesis. The use of XRF mapping has, for instance, been applied to a known case of correction by surface repaint, something that is supposedly rare in the ancient Egyptian formal artistic process, while another fully unexpected one was discovered during the analytic exploration of a royal representation. In both cases, the precise and readable imaging of the physical composition of the painted surface offers a renewed visual approach based of chemistry, that can be shared through a multi- and interdisciplinary approach. However, this also leads to a more complex description of pigment mixtures that could have multiple meanings, where the practical often leads towards the symbolic, and from there hopefully to a renewed definition of the use of colours in complex sets of ancient Egyptian representations. At this stage, though the progress in this on-site material assessment of ancient works of art definitely means astonishing progress, one humbly has to face the fact that these ancient treasures shall still retain part of their defining mysteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edition of an epigraphic and funerary fragment is published. Judging by the material evidence, the fragment may have come from the necropolis of Algezares or its surroundings. It has been preserved since ancient times in the Archaeological Museum of Murcia and belonged to a slab of fine-grained and high-quality white marble. Based on its paleography, the inscription can be dated to the 1st century AD. After its verification, the fragment was exhumed during ancient excavations carried out by Cayetano de Mergelina y Luna in 1934. In this year, the basilica of Algezares was excavated for the first time. Due to the almost absolute predominance of the Late Antique record in Algezares, the epigraphic fragment was interpreted as Early Christian inscription. However, the actual chronology of the fragment coincides in time with the necropolis of Algezares. Its first phases were excavated in 2007 and dated between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to the new Late Antiquity reality was materially reflected in various transformations in the urban elements: from the city walls to the street map, including domestic spaces and necropolises. This document provides a map that locates these urban mutations in different areas of the city of Ecija (Seville) that have not been studied in depth. This is accompanied by a general analysis of the late-antique urban phenomenon, in order to culminate with the interpretation and comparison of both aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poorly preserved human bones discovered during the DHOMIAP Project excavation of the necropolis KR-N1 in the area of Khor Rori (Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman) were an opportunity to apply, for the first time in Dhofar's pre-Islamic funerary contexts, 3D photogrammetry to osteo-archaeological studies. The low economic engagement and the execution speed make this technique essential in the documentation of barely accessible archaeological remains and contexts, as already witnessed by previous studies conducted outside this research area. This paper aims to find a more appropriate method and setting for 3D model photogrammetric reconstruction of human remains, demonstrating the importance of this digital technology for the study of poorly preserved osteo-archaeological remains. For these purposes, the results obtained using two different settings for image acquisition (one with macro and one with standard lens) were compared and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Messapian necropolis of Monte D'Elia (used from the 6th to the 2nd cent. BC) is about 300 m S of the modern town of Alezio (Lecce, Apulia), which lays on one of the most important ancient settlements of the Salento peninsula (ancient Messapia). The site was investigated between 1981 and 1985 by the Apulian Archaeological Superintendence. In 2020, archaeological investigations have been resumed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salento, with the participation of researchers from the Institute of Heritage Science of the National Research Council. Their research activities focused on geophysical prospecting and topographical surveys, performed thanks to the combined use of laser scanner and digital photogrammetry by drone. This contribution illustrates these research activities, which are aimed at understanding the general plan of the necropolis, through the integration of the information published in the 1980s with data from new investigations and surveys, and, more generally, at the reconstruction of its topographic organization and extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Russkaa Starina is the property of Cherkas Global 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.)

Copyright of Bylye Gody is the property of Cherkas Global 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.)