Search

The emergence of the Middle Palaeolithic, and its variability over time and space are key questions in the field of prehistoric archaeology. Many sites have been documented in the south-eastern margins of the Massif central and the middle Rhône valley, a migration path that connects Northern Europe with the Mediterranean. Well-dated, long stratigraphic sequences are essential to understand Neanderthals dynamics and demise, and potential interactions with Homo sapiens in the area, such as the one displayed at the Maras rock shelter ("Abri du Maras"). The site is characterised by exceptional preservation of archaeological remains, including bones dated using radiocarbon (14C) and teeth using electron spin resonance combined with uranium series (ESR/U-series). Optically stimulated luminescence was used to date the sedimentary deposits. By combining the new ages with previous ones using Bayesian modelling, we are able to clarify the occupation time over a period spanning 200,000 years. Between ca. 250 and 40 ka, the site has been used as a long-term residence by Neanderthals, specifically during three interglacial periods: first during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 7, between 247 ± 34 and 223 ± 33 ka, and then recurrently during MIS 5 (between 127 ± 17 and 90 ± 9 ka) and MIS 3 (up to 39,280 cal BP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core drilling has been used successfully in archaeology for a variety of applications, including mapping stratigraphy across large areas, estimating feature depth and content, understanding site formation processes, as well as complementing information obtained through surface collection and geophysical survey. In this paper, we provide an overview of the first core drilling campaign carried out in 2021 on the outer settlement of the Bronze Age tell from Toboliu in western Romania. The overall aim of this coring program was to gather information regarding the nature of various features within the settlement, with a focus on the anomalies visible in the geomagnetic site plan. Based on 165 drilled cores, a reconstruction of the site's stratigraphy is presented in this paper. This reconstruction was controlled and confirmed by excavations in one of the coring transects where the stratigraphic interpretation of the cores could be linked with the excavated stratigraphy. Additionally, samples for radiocarbon dating were collected from several cores. Based on this data, we discuss preliminary insights into possible house locations and preservation issues, as well as the chronological development and occupation sequence of this complex site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Book of Kings is the main source for reconstructing the chronology of the monarchic period in Israel, but it contains many contradictions and raises difficulties that make the reconstruction disputed to this day. The prevailing approach tends to attribute historical credibility to the biblical data, while few have suggested that some of the numbers have been deliberately manipulated to create symbolic or meaningful schemas. The purpose of the present study is to reinforce the artificiality of these numbers by presenting two cases of a »climax-decline pattern« at key points in the Book of Kings' chronology, in which a king with the longest reign in the history of a kingdom is followed by a period of deterioration towards disaster over the same duration. If these regnal years have been reworked to incorporate them into the book's literary design, then they may mislead the historian who wishes to use them to reconstruct a relative or absolute chronology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose an approach to reconstruct the timing of human activity at Points Cave, an Upper Paleolithic rock art site located in the middle of the Ardèche River Gorge (Rhône valley, France), based on the dating and characterisation of a stalagmite containing soot. Points Cave ('Grotte aux Points' in French), also called the 'little sister of Chauvet Cave', is famous for its parietal art including a series of dots made of palm prints. A large number of stalagmites formed in the cave during the last 500 ka. However, quarrying of the cave floors during historic times led to the partial destruction of the sedimentary deposits, and many of the stalagmites were found lying on the floor. In particular, one of them (STM‐18‐04) showed the presence of at least four dark layers in cross‐section, which appeared as possible remnants of fire‐related activities in the cave. Despite being present at the same site, no other specific link between STM‐18‐04 and the rock art has been documented. This stalagmite, however, allows us to identify phases of human presence, located at the cave entrance. To do so, we performed a series of analyses to determine its period of growth and the nature of the dark layers that it contains. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy confirmed that the dark layers include soot, and uranium‐series dating indicated that the fire events occurred, respectively, around 14,200–14,100 and 12,500 years ago, in agreement with the radiocarbon ages of charcoal specimens recovered from the excavation areas nearby. We thus highlighted phases of human activity at the site during the Upper Magdalenian and/or beginning of the Epipaleolithic. By comparing our results with the regional paleoclimatic record, the soot layers trapped in the stalagmite appear to be synchronous with two cold periods, likely the Older Dryas and the Younger Dryas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New biostratigraphically constrained chronologies have been developed to help elucidate the sedimentary and tectonic history of Quaternary sequences on the Hikurangi margin of north-eastern Zealandia. Three sites on the mid to lower slope of the accretionary prism (IODP Site 372-U1517, 375-U1519, 375-U1518) and two sites east of the deformation front (Hikurangi Trough Site 375-U1520 and Tūranganui Seamount Site 375-U1526) are dated using a detailed biostratigraphic framework based on planktic foraminiferal records from ODP Site 181-1123. The dating indicates sedimentation rates are very high and variable on the accretionary prism (0.2–9.6 m/kyr), especially during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) when downslope redeposition from the continental shelf and upper slope is common. Sedimentation rates at Hikurangi Trough Site 375-U1520 are also variable (0.01–3.0 m/kyr) and they increase markedly as the incoming site approached the deformation front, especially during the LGM, due to an abundance of downslope redeposition from the inner to mid shelf. The incoming Quaternary section at Tūranganui Seamount Site 375-U1526, is punctuated by hiatuses that shorten in duration as the site approached the deformation front, whilst sedimentation rates remain relatively low (0.04–0.4 m/kyr). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zealandia has very few biostratigraphic markers to help elucidate the often complex and discontinuously cored stratigraphy of Quaternary sequences on the margins and submarine plateaux of the subcontinent. In this study, a detailed biostratigraphic framework has been developed to help unravel the complex stratigraphy of tectonically deformed Quaternary sediments on the Hikurangi margin of north-eastern Zealandia. The framework is based on well documented and dated 0–1.2 Ma planktic foraminiferal records from Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) Site 181–1123 on the Chatham Rise, just north of the Subtropical Frontal Zone. The framework has 104 biostratigraphic markers and is subdivided using the Sinistral Truncorotalia truncatulinoides Zone (STZ) 0–533 ka, the Dextral Tr. truncatulinoides Zone (DTZ) 533–2440 ka, the lowest common occurrence (LCO) Tr. truncatulinoides (621 ka), the highest common occurrence (HCO) Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (624 ka), and the HCO Tr. crassacarina (1101 ka). Further subdivision is then based on the tops and bases of short-lived climatically-tempered influxes of Globigerinoides ruber, Hirsutella hirsuta, Hr. praehirsuta, Tr. truncatulinoides, Tr. crassacarina, and Nq. pachyderma. Most of these biostratigraphic markers are not unique, but sequences of markers that are unique to each marine isotope stage provide an unprecedented level of biostratigraphic detail and chronological dating when they are used within the contextual chronological framework of keystone biostratigraphic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the first Spanish American lacquerwares produced by Indigenous artisans in the seventeenth century, barniz de Pasto in Colombia and Peribán lacquer in Mexico, and discusses how the evolution of the decorative motifs, techniques, and forms of these lacquerwares can establish an initial dating chronology. Over the last thirty years, a sufficient number of examples of seventeenth-century Spanish American lacquerware have come to light that are datable, whether through provenance, historical references, or radiocarbon dating, and that make possible tentative chronologies for their production. The Hispanic Society of America in New York City holds at present the most significant collection of datable pieces of barniz de Pasto and Peribán lacquerware that now provide the key dates that can serve as the basis for establishing dating chronologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neogene-Quaternary continental deposits cover large areas of Greece and several fossil mammal sites have been discovered in the country. There are several collections of large fossil mammals for this time span, which provide important data for the fauna biochronology, correlations, palaeoecology and palaeogeography of the area. The last lists with the fauna, age and biochronology of the Greek large mammal localities were given in 2006 for the Neogene and in 2001 for the Quaternary. Extensive research over the last twenty years provided several new localities, and many data and information were published. Therefore, an updating of the lists was more than necessary, and the present article deals with it; it covers the time span untill June 2023. Lists include all faunal information as the systematic classification, chronology, biostratigraphic correlation of the faunas, and main bibliography. It is worth mentioning that some of the Greek localities are key-localities for the Eastern Mediterranean region, e.g., Pikermi, Axios Valley, Villafranchian collection. These faunas are important for the comparison and identification of new collections, correlations, palaeoecology, and palaeogeography of Neogene European mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-archive studies of climate events and archive-specific response times require synchronous time scales. Aligning common variations in the cosmogenic radionuclide production rate via curve fitting methods provides a tool for the continuous synchronization of natural environmental archives down to decadal precision. Based on this approach, we synchronize 10Be records from Western Gotland Basin (WGB, Baltic Sea) and Lake Kälksjön (KKJ, central Sweden) sediments to the 14C production time series from the IntCal20 calibration curve during the Mid-Holocene period ~6400 to 5200 a BP. Before the synchronization, we assess and reduce non-production variability in the 10Be records by using 10Be/9Be ratios and removing common variability with the TOC record from KKJ sediments based on regression analysis. The synchronizations to the IntCal20 14C production time scale suggest decadal to multi-decadal refinements of the WGB and KKJ chronologies. These refinements reduce the previously centennial chronological uncertainties of both archives to about ± 20 (WGB) and ±40 (KKJ) years. Combining proxy time series from the synchronized archives enables us to interpret a period of ventilation in the deep central Baltic Sea basins from ~6250 to 6000 a BP as possibly caused by inter-annual cooling reducing vertical water temperature gradients allowing deep water formation during exceptionally cold winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zhegu area in southern Tibet is situated in the central and eastern part of the Tethys Himalayan tectonic belt, with the Kangbuzhenri area being abundant in gneissic granites. This study examines the petrology, chronology, and geochemistry of the Kangbuzhenri gneissic granite, providing insights into its Pan-African and Early Paleozoic geological evolution. The zircon U-Pb chronology indicates an upper intercept age of ~539 Ma, reflecting Pan-African orogenic events in the eastern part of the Tethys Himalayan tectonic belt, and a lower intercept age of ~144 Ma, representing a late tectonic–thermal event. Geochemically, the gneissic granites are calc-alkaline peraluminous rocks with high SiO2 and Al2O3 contents and low TiO2, P2O5, MgO, and FeOT contents. The gneissic granites are enriched in LREE and LILEs (Rb, Pb, Th, U, etc.), but relatively depleted in HREE and HFSEs (Nb, Ti, P, etc.). Most of them show a weak negative δEu anomaly, except for two samples which show a significant negative δEu anomaly due to the crystallization of plagioclase. Based on the above study, most of the gneissic granites exhibited the characteristics of an I-type granite, while two of the samples were a highly differentiated I-type granite with S-type affinities. All the above characteristics indicate that the gneissic granite likely originated from the partial melting of crustal materials and sediments with a minor involvement of mantle-derived materials. Combined with the previous chronological studies, the Kangbuzhenri gneissic granites were formed in an extensional tectonic environment during post-collision orogeny and then they were influenced by the Kerguelen mantle plume tectonic–thermal event around ~144 Ma and the subsequent Southern Tibet Detachment System (STDS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronze and iron objects from the middle‐class Xiongnu burials at Tamiryn Ulaan Khoshuu were examined for technology and chronology. The bronze objects were made from copper–tin–lead alloys, mostly for ornamental purposes, while the iron objects were household items made of cast iron. Radiocarbon measurements dated the site to the 4th century bce to the 1st century ce. The results revealed two key factors: (1) Xiongnu style material culture established by incorporating various contributions from across Eurasia at an earlier date than previously supposed; and (2) the emergence of regionally stratified material culture suggesting intimate political relationships consistently maintained between geographically distant Xiongnu communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay focuses on Dante's divisio scientiae presented in the second book of his Convivio. As a first step, it offers a fresh reading of Dante's description of knowledge and the cosmos, emphasizing its deeply visual nature. The article then presents an overview of the Medieval tradition of the divisio scientiae, culminating with divisions that are geographically and chronologically close to Dante's Florence. In relation to Brunetto Latini's Rettorica and Tresor, new evidence is provided to elucidate his peculiar division of logic. Ultimately, Dante's divisio and its objectives are reassessed in light of their historical background, underscoring their cosmological and totalizing scope. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the findings consider cognitive practices, such as diagrams, and examine a wide array of sources within their historical and institutional context, highlighting their transmission and dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies since 2005 have raised doubts about the Assyrian King List's (AKL) intention and ability to measure absolute time. If telescoping of time occurred, it would be difficult to detect during periods when royal annals were scant. The best way to detect discontinuity in the AKL is by comparison with contemporary king lists, such as one constructed from 1–2 Kings regnal formulas. If the AKL conflates time, an assessment of the plausibility of historical scenarios resulting from different timeframes allows for discrimination between one timeline or another. Israel and Judah's interlocking chronological systems make a comparison with the Neo-Assyrian timeline possible but contain 44 more years than the timeline implied by the AKL and Assyrian Eponym Canon. By narrowing the window of time within which a deficit in the Neo-Assyrian canons may have occurred, possible reasons for missing years in the consensus chronology present themselves. This investigation concludes that Assyria sought to maintain the legitimacy of the institution of kingship during a protracted period of unacceptable or anomalous authority. Concerns surrounding the continuity of kingship would have dictated the final form of the Assyrian King List/Assyrian Eponym Canon. Using Divided Kingdom regnal data, a revision of the historical timeline is proposed that aligns archaeological, radiocarbon, biblical, and Assyrian data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the long-term dynamics in the canopy proves to be difficult due to the short observational records of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). To explore the linkage between tree growth, NDVI dynamics and largescale atmospheric circulation in the Greater Khingan Mountain, Northeast China, we established a chronology of Larix gmelinii tree ring width at three elevations (870-920 m, 1,100-1,150 m and 1,270-1,320 m) in the northern foothills of the mountain range. We then calculated the correlations between the tree ring chronologies and NDVI and climate factors, and reconstructed the NDVI time series from June to September 1759-2021 in the region based on the middle-elevation tree ring chronology. The results identify the positive effect of temperature (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) and the negative effect of precipitation (r = 0.44, p < 0.01) in the growing season as the main influencing factors of NDVI for the study period (1981-2019). The 11-year moving average of the reconstructed NDVI series reveals two periods of high canopy vigor (1898-1926 and 2009-2013) and three periods of low canopy vigor (1860-1962, 1882-1888 and 1968-1977) in the last 263 years. These periods correspond to drought events recorded in the historical literature. Wavelet analysis shows that the reconstructed sequences exhibited 11-13, 23-25, and 39-42 years period variations. Integrating this with spatial correlation analysis reveals that tree growth in the Mangui region was impacted by the combined effect of the North Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the North Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. The results of this paper provide a reference for the study of vegetation change patterns in the northern foothills of the Greater Khingan Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents 32 high-resolution geomagnetic intensity data points from Mesopotamia, spanning the 3rd to the 1st millennia BCE. These data contribute to rectifying geographic disparities in the resolution of the global archaeointensity curve that have hampered our understanding of geomagnetic field dynamics and the viability of applying archaeomagnetism as a method of absolute dating of archaeological objects. A lack of precise and well-dated intensity data in the region has also limited our ability to identify short-term fluctuations in the geomagnetic field, such as the Levantine Iron Age geomagnetic Anomaly (LIAA), a period of high field intensity from ca. 1050 to 550 BCE. This phenomenon has hitherto not been well-demonstrated in Mesopotamia, contrary to predictions from regional geomagnetic models. To address these issues, this study presents precise archaeomagnetic results from 32 inscribed baked bricks, tightly dated to the reigns of 12 Mesopotamian kings through interpretation of their inscriptions. Results confirm the presence of the high field values of the LIAA in Mesopotamia during the first millennium BCE and drastically increase the resolution of the archaeointensity curve for the 3rd-1st millennia BCE. This research establishes a baseline for the use of archaeomagnetic analysis as an absolute dating technique for archaeological materials from Mesopotamia.

Abstract The emergence of the Middle Palaeolithic, and its variability over time and space are key questions in the field of prehistoric archaeology. Many sites have been documented in the south-eastern margins of the Massif central and the middle Rhône valley, a migration path that connects Northern Europe with the Mediterranean. Well-dated, long stratigraphic sequences are essential to understand Neanderthals dynamics and demise, and potential interactions with Homo sapiens in the area, such as the one displayed at the Maras rock shelter (“Abri du Maras”). The site is characterised by exceptional preservation of archaeological remains, including bones dated using radiocarbon (14C) and teeth using electron spin resonance combined with uranium series (ESR/U-series). Optically stimulated luminescence was used to date the sedimentary deposits. By combining the new ages with previous ones using Bayesian modelling, we are able to clarify the occupation time over a period spanning 200,000 years. Between ca. 250 and 40 ka, the site has been used as a long-term residence by Neanderthals, specifically during three interglacial periods: first during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 7, between 247 ± 34 and 223 ± 33 ka, and then recurrently during MIS 5 (between 127 ± 17 and 90 ± 9 ka) and MIS 3 (up to 39,280 cal BP).

In recent years, the late medieval archaeology of the Southern Urals has concentrated on the study of settlements left by the bearers of the Chiyalik archaeological culture (XIII-XIV centuries). Currently known monuments have been discovered in the forest steppe zone, mainly in the basin of the Belaya River and its left major tributaries (Ik, Urshak, Dyoma, Karmasan and Chermasan). The article considers the objects located in the central part of the Southern Urals (the territory of modern central Bashkiria and the eastern part of Tatarstan). The purpose of the work is a general analysis and classification of kashin ceramics revealed during the excavations of the Chiyalik culture settlements. The subject of study are fragments of ware found during excavations, the importance of this source of information can scarcely be exaggerated, due to its uniqueness, this type of open-type vessels, even in a fragmented state, acts as a fairly reliable chronological datum point, allowing us to outline possible trade and exchange relations.

Over a long period of archaeological study of Novgorod, a rich collection of medieval antiquities was accumulated, which reflects all areas of activity of its inhabitants in the Middle Ages. In particular, household items are widely represented, among which a small group of agricultural implements stands out, which makes it possible to trace the history of the development of agricultural technology for the territory of Novgorod. The article provides a detailed description of the collection of agricultural implements, and the necessary research has been carried out to systematize them based on classifications developed by domestic archaeologists. The chronological framework of the work covers the period from the mid-10th to the 15th centuries, which is due to the peculiarities of the preservation of the cultural layer on the territory of Novgorod. Written, visual and ethnographic materials were also analyzed as part of this study.

The article analyzes the letters of St. Feofan 1881‒1883, addressed to N. I. Kugusheva and her daughters Alexandra and Anastasia, and undated letters adjacent to them. The research considers numerous examples of absolute and relative dating established as a result of cross-analysis of letters to different addressees. If more precise information is not available, we establish extreme chronological limits, no earlier and no later than the dating of the letter. The indications are historical events, circumstances of the biography of correspondents, mentions of famous persons as living or dead, and correlation with other letters. Events that are important for the family become milestones and do not allow dating letters earlier or later than the date they indicate, namely the death of daughter Maria, the wedding of daughter Alexandra, the appearance of a newborn granddaughter in the house, etc. These crucial landmarks, identified during the research, help form a reliable chronological outline in which, according to logic, undated letters are located.

This article summarises the main findings and data on the ancient peopling of the Mediterranean island of Sicily through an archaeo-anthropological perspective. The hypothesis surrounding the presence of the Lower Palaeolithic in Sicily with more ancestral species of Homo is also extensively reviewed and it is explained why there are not sufficient elements to maintain it. Finally, future multidisciplinary proposals are made to fill the gap on Sicilian cave archaeology.

Purpose The Korean Society of Medical Education (KSME) was founded in 1983 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023. This study examines the evolution of topics discussed at KSME conferences from 1971 through 2023, highlighting shifts in the focus of medical education. Methods We analyzed 90 KSME conferences over 5 decades (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s), categorizing the topics into three eras based on emerging themes and continuity. Results Consequently, 37 topics covered at the conference were categorized. Ten topics continuously appeared from the 1970s to the 2010s, including future directions of medical education, teaching methods, faculty development, and curriculum. The topics from the 1970s to the 1990s included 14 areas, such as medical education evaluation, non-undergraduate curriculum, community-related, and research. Thirteen new topics emerged after the 2000s, such as social accountability, student support, professionalism, and quality improvements. The most common topics under innovations in medical education, a case of curriculum innovation at universities that began after 2000, were clinical clerkship, curriculum development, and medical humanities. Conclusion KSME’s selection of conference topics has been strategically aligned with societal needs and the evolving landscape of medical education. Future topics should continue to address relevant societal and educational challenges.

This study examines the phonological changes in Khmer, focusing on the loss of onset voicing, the emergence of register contrast, and the development of a bifurcated vowel system. By analyzing rhyme pairs from Khmer poetry (16th-19th centuries) and spelling variations in Khmer inscriptions (late 7th-mid-18th centuries), I propose a chronology of these changes. The results indicate that vowel mergers resulting from vowel bifurcation in the rhyme pairs appeared from the 17th century onwards. Additionally, spelling variations reflecting the loss of onset voicing and the vowel mergers were observed in inscriptions dating back to the late 16th century. These findings align with previous research, suggesting that both the loss of onset voicing and the vowel bifurcation occurred in the late 16th century. However, the relative chronology of these changes remains uncertain since evidence for both changes emerges around the same time.

The Armenian antiquities of Taurica-Crimea are considered as a complex of archaeological sites, including material evidence of the presence of Armenians on the peninsula in the Golden Horde period (middle of the XIII–XV century). The problem of their identifi cation from the array of medieval archeological sites of the peninsula is connected with the detection of so-called "ethnic markers" in the studied complexes – objects of epigraphy, architecture, decoration. At the same time, in archaeological terms, the material heritage of the Armenians in Crimea in the XIV–XV centuries includes cultural strata and construction the remains of ancient cities, villages, monasteries and burial grounds. The lower chronological boundary of the functioning of the sites dates back to the first half of the XIV century, and the upper one in most cases is determined by the XVI–XVIII centuries, that is due to the fact that the Armenian community continued to exist on the peninsula already in the Ottoman period.

The article presents the results of an analysis of materials from excavations of some reference archaeological complexes of the Golden Horde city of Solkhat. During long-term systematic studies of the Golden Horde capital of Crimea, a great number of archaeological materials was obtained, which were only partially introduced into scientifi c circulation. Based on these studies, analysis of architectural monuments, materials from written sources and cartographic data, a basic chronology of the history of Solkhat was compiled. At the same time, the publication of a number of materials and analysis of the stratigraphic situation makes it possible to specify and detail the chronology of some representative complexes of the city. For the analysis in this publication, we used excavation data from the central part of the city: the madrasah-mosque of Uzbek, the so-called «Beybars mosque». The archaeological complexes from the outskirts of the city are also indicative: materials from the excavations of a caravanserai, a mausoleum on the off shoot of Maly Agarmysh mountain and a medieval bathhouse. For the analysis of stratigraphy and chronology, mainly closed archaeological complexes were selected: household pits, dugouts, separate cultural layers covered by later structures and leveling surfaces. This made it possible to identify a certain set of fi nds (mostly mass material) that are chronological indicators. Correlation of data from these complexes with materials from other objects both on the territory of Solkhat and beyond will help determine the cultural and chronological affi liation of these archaeological sites and the fi nds discovered on them during excavations.

The article presents the study of the Dyalyan tradition of ritual practice characteristic of one of the groups of the Bulan-Koby archaeological culture of Altai in the last quarter of the 1st millennium BC – the first half of the 1st millennium AD. The key features of this tradition are identified, the most significant of which is the burial of an individual oriented to the western sector of the horizon, accompanied by a horse laid “above” or “at the feet” of the buried individual. 45 similar burials localized in the northern and central Altai have been excavated to date. These burials demonstrate the features of the formation and evolution of the Dyalyan tradition throughout the entire period of the existence of the Bulan-Koby culture. This group of the population had the greatest importance in the pre-Turkic period (second half of the 4th – first half of the 5th centuries AD). New materials from the excavations of the Choburak-I necropolis, one of the demonstrative objects of which is published and analyzed in the article, confirm that in the nomads of Dyalyan tradition were representatives of the local elite in the Northern Altai. This is evidenced by the composition of the accompanying inventory from the studied burials which included advanced models of weapons and defensive armament, equipment for a person and a riding horse. The possibilities of reconstructing the historical fate of the Dyalyan tradition bearers are presented. It should be stressed that the characteristic features of the rite were not continued in the funeral practice of the early medieval Turks. The available rather fragmentary materials make it possible to outline the western direction of the migrations of the “Dyalyans” (probably as part of the Rouran community), as well as to make an assumption about their participation in the formation of certain population groups of the Srostki culture of the Forest-Steppe Altai.

Umm Tawabin (‘Mother of Bread Ovens’ in Arabic) is a large fortress overlooking the Wadi ‘Arabah and southern Dead Sea in Jordan. From the time of its discovery by a Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) expedition in the late 19th century, Umm Tawabin had not been excavated, nor published extensively in spite of its strategically elevated location with panoramic views on all sides, its monumental fortification and numerous and varied archaeological remains until the Ghor as-Safi Project survey (Ariotti 2017) and excavations (Ariotti 2022; 2021; Politis and Ariotti 2020). The goal of this investigation was to determine the extent, function (or multiple functions) and dating of the site, along with the subsistence practices and diet of its inhabitants based on its topographical, architectural and excavated material culture, botanical and faunal remains (Ariotti 2021, Edwell 2023, Hansen and Heinrich, in press). This paper presents an overview of the chronological development and strategic importance of Umm Tawabin from the Hellenistic to Roman periods in view of its stratigraphic evidence, radiocarbon dates and pottery. It also presents some fragmentary remains dated to the Iron Age II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a bibliography of various scientific articles related to luminescence and radiation measurements. The articles cover topics such as the development of new luminescent detectors, the use of luminescence in dosimetry, and the application of luminescence dating in archaeology and geochronology. The articles provide insights into the properties and applications of different luminescent materials and techniques. [Extracted from the article]

Gaza Ware, one of the hallmarks of Palestinian pottery in Late Islamic/Ottoman times, was produced in the southern Coastal Plain and is characterised by dark-coloured fabric and a large variety of vessel forms. Although most scholars agree that Gaza Ware was already in use in the 18th century and continued into the 20th century, the earliest appearance of this pottery is still under debate. This article offers new insights into Gaza Ware typology and chronology, based on published and unpublished ceramic assemblages from excavated contexts in southern and central Palestine. More specifically, it is suggested here that the advent of Gaza Ware can be traced back to the 17th, if not the 16th, century, and morphological and fabric criteria to discern between 'early' and 'late' variants of certain vessel types are presented. This fresh look at Gaza Ware will hopefully assist archaeologists and ceramic specialists dealing with Late Islamic Southern Levantine contexts to fine-tune the chronology of contemporaneous ceramics and excavated remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Korean Society of Medical Education (KSME) was founded in 1983 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023. This study examines the evolution of topics discussed at KSME conferences from 1971 through 2023, highlighting shifts in the focus of medical education. Methods: We analyzed 90 KSME conferences over 5 decades (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s), categorizing the topics into three eras based on emerging themes and continuity. Results: Consequently, 37 topics covered at the conference were categorized. Ten topics continuously appeared from the 1970s to the 2010s, including future directions of medical education, teaching methods, faculty development, and curriculum. The topics from the 1970s to the 1990s included 14 areas, such as medical education evaluation, non-undergraduate curriculum, communityrelated, and research. Thirteen new topics emerged after the 2000s, such as social accountability, student support, professionalism, and quality improvements. The most common topics under innovations in medical education, a case of curriculum innovation at universities that began after 2000, were clinical clerkship, curriculum development, and medical humanities. Conclusion: KSME’s selection of conference topics has been strategically aligned with societal needs and the evolving landscape of medical education. Future topics should continue to address relevant societal and educational challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of the Newport Medieval Ship in 2002, many studies have tried to establish a chronology for its construction and subsequent abandonment. Whilst conventional ring-width dendrochronology has been able to identify the provenance and provide a terminus post quem for the ship, until now a felling date for timbers associated with the original construction of the vessel has proved elusive. This study reports results from the application of stable isotope dendrochronology to date timbers from the ship. Using a combination of dendrochronologically-dated timbers and stable oxygen isotopic data from dated and undated samples, we can provide an independent verification of the ring-width dendrochronology and to return the first felling dates for an assemblage of the ship's framing timbers. Our results indicate that the ship was likely constructed shortly after the winter of AD 1457/8 with an operational lifetime of less than a decade. The study highlights the potential for the use of stable isotope dendrochronology for the precise, absolute dating of archaeological ship remains where ring-width dendrochronology alone has not proved effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the dating of the Great Tomb Robber Papyri and their impact on the chronology of the late 20th Dynasty in ancient Egypt. The papyri contain information about the theft of tombs and temples that took place between the end of the reign of Ramses IX and the early years of Ramses XI. The investigation is based on the prosopography of the individuals involved in the thefts. The results show that the thefts coincided with the political events of the time. The implications of these findings for the history of this period are discussed. [Extracted from the article]

Due to the fact that still no absolute chronological data are available to estimate the chronology of the Ihuatzio archaeological site, we carried out an archaeomagnetic and magnetic mineralogy study on two fragments of its most common pottery. The first analyzed sample be longs to the "Uacusecha polychrome" type, while the second corresponds to the "Tariacuri red" style. The main magnetic carrier is linked to magnetites or titanomagnetites poor in titanium. We note the presence of hematite, but its contribution to the remanent magnetization is insignificant. We obtained eight reliable determinations of absolute intensities, ranging from 36.8 to 61.03 mT. The most probable dating was achieved with the global models and local curves available for Mesoamerica by using the bootstrap statistics. Even with the limitation of using only one geomagnetic element (absolute intensity) and divergent dating patterns, it has been possible to relate the chronology of the studied pottery with the apogee of the Tarascan Lordship and the dominant position of Ihuatzio along the Lake Patzcuaro area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new AMS 14C dates and technological characteristics of an enigmatic osseous implement – the T-shaped antler axe. T-shaped axes (T-axes) are made of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) antler beams with the perforation for a shaft through the removed trez tine. Our study centres on 33 axes from Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania, most of which were found during drainage of wetlands or sediment extraction in the 20th century, and thus remained unknown internationally. We successfully dated 19 of these artefacts, and here we compare their dates to published dates of T-shaped antler axes from western Europe (Belgium, The Netherlands, western Germany, Scotland), the southwestern Baltic (Denmark, northern Germany and northwestern Poland) and southeastern Europe (Ukraine). Radiocarbon results suggest the gradual spread of this specific antler tool producing technique from southern Europe towards the Baltic during the 6th millennium BC. The technological characteristics of T-axes in combination with the radiocarbon data enable us to preliminary discuss the chronology of aspects of T-axe production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to a long history of research on the origins, tracing distribution networks and assessing the cultural significance of amber, the pool of information on the complexity of exchange networks in Bronze Age Europe is steadily growing. The present study represents the next stage in the development of research on this issue. It presents a synthesis of previous knowledge on the presence of amber in the Early Bronze Age in the territory of present-day Slovakia, as well as new findings on the provenance of the raw material and the absolute chronology of the finds from selected three different sites located in the eastern part of the country. On the basis of the information obtained, key issues related to the provenance of amber, the context of its deposition and the chronological mechanisms of its spread in the studied area are discussed. The results obtained are encouraging enough to compare and clarify the initiation of amber acceptance, its further perception and valuation by exchange strategies, where amber seems to be provided rather as a by-product of a more complex trade system, focused primarily on metal exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ortaçağ Araştırmaları Dergisi (OAD) is the property of Ortacag Arastirmalari Dergisi (OAD) 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.)

Issues of chronology are central to inferences pertaining to relationships between both contemporaneous and successive prehistoric typo-technological entities (i.e., archaeological cultures), culture–environment relationships, and ultimately the mechanisms at play behind cultural changes observed through time in the archaeological record. We refine the chronology of Upper Paleolithic archaeological cultures between 35–18 calibrated kiloanni before the present in present-day France by incorporating recently published radiocarbon data along with new 14C ages that we obtained from several Gravettian archaeological contexts. We present the results of a Bayesian age model that includes these new radiometric data and that, more importantly, separates Gravettian contexts in regions north of the Garonne River into two successive cultural phases: The Northern Noaillian and the Rayssian, respectively. This new age model places the beginning of the Noaillian during Greenland Stadial 5.2. The appearance of contexts containing assemblages associated with the Rayssian lithic technical system occurs immediately prior to the termination of Greenland Interstadial 5.1, and it is present throughout Heinrich Event 3 (GS-5.1) and into the following GI-4 climatic amelioration. Despite the Rayssian's initial appearance during the brief and relatively weakly expressed Greenland Interstadial 5.1, its duration suggests that Rayssian lithic technology was well-suited to the environmental conditions of Greenland Stadial 5.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CEDRUS is the property of Mediterranean Civilisations Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Zeroavad Tepe II, situated in Davoudabad, Markazi Province, is recognized as one of the significant Sasanian sites in the Iranian Central Plateau. It underwent one season of archaeological excavation in 2022, revealing a plethora of cultural artifacts, particularly potsherds. Given the pivotal role of ceramics in archaeological studies, this article focuses on the analysis of 86 potsherds sampled from a total of 918 pieces recovered during the excavation of Sasanian deposits of the mound. Initially, the sherds were categorized and classified based on their technical specifications and form. This study, as a fundamental research, follows a descriptive-analytical approach. The research methods consists of two parts: library research and field studies focusing on ceramics. The findings indicate that the most frequently identified forms at Zeroavad Tepe II are jars, bowls, pots, plates, and trays, in order of frequency. The predominant decorative motifs are engraved designs. It is worth noting that the majority of the ceramics have been properly fired, suggesting that the kiln temperature was carefully controlled during the firing process. Furthermore, the comparative analysis reveals that the pottery from this region shares similarities with other areas such as Cham Ruteh, Sirm Shāh, Qal'eh Yazdgerd, Qal'eh Gori, Ecbatana (Hegmataneh), Veliran, Tesmijan, Vigol and Harasgan, and Berdankun. Additionally, the ceramics recorded in Mah Neshan in Zanjan, North Khuzestan and Mian Ab in Shushtar, as well as the Abu Sharifah site in Iraq, also exhibit resemblances. Apart from its regional characteristics, the Sasanian ceramics from Zeroavad Tepe II indicate the closest resemblance to the western Iran and the Iranian Central Plaetau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Artemis exploration zone is a geologically complex region likely to host some of the oldest and as‐yet‐unstudied materials on the Moon. We review six potential Artemis landing sites (001, 004, 007, 011, 102, and 105) within candidate Artemis III landing regions "Connecting Ridge," "Peak Near Shackleton," "Leibnitz Beta Plateau," "de Gerlache Rim," and "de Gerlache Rim 2." Kaguya Spectral Profiler mineral data were used to determine the average lithological composition at each landing site. Potentially accessible geologic materials, their ages and significance, and appropriate application of radiometric chronometers are discussed in reference to return samples from each potential landing site. Chronological analyses of return samples from the Artemis exploration zone will enable the anchoring of the lunar impact flux curve, determine the absolute timing of pivotal events in lunar geologic history, and reveal the geological diversity of the differentiated lunar body. Plain Language Summary: Artemis astronauts will bring new samples from the Moon back to Earth. We discuss the geology of some landing sites that astronauts might visit, what types of rocks they may encounter, and how to examine them using geochronology. The application of geochronology to Moon rocks is essential to determine the absolute timing of major events in lunar and early Solar System history. Key Points: The Artemis lunar missions will explore a feldspathic impact terrain and return samples from unexplored terrainLikely lithologies, ages, and chronometers are discussed for six potential landing sitesArtemis return samples from the Moon will be unique from Apollo samples and have the possibility of determining absolute ages of significant events in lunar history [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the Late Miocene to Pliocene transition from contractional to extensional tectonics in the upper plate of the Western Aegean retreating subduction system focusing on the Northern Peloponnese area, Greece. A new 3D tectonic model based on field data and cross‐sections clarifies the relationship between Corinth Rift (CR) normal faulting and inherited structures of the Hellenides belt. The tectonic history is divided into five stages: (a) Late Oligocene to Early Miocene ductile high‐pressure, low‐temperature metamorphism of the Phyllite‐Quartzite (PQ) Unit in the Hellenic subduction channel, synchronous with emplacement of overlying Hellenides nappes, (b) syn‐orogenic ductile exhumation of the PQ Unit at the subduction interface below the Cretan detachment (24–14 Ma), (c) Late Miocene underplating and vertical exhumation of the PQ Unit accommodated by thinning of the Hellenides nappe stack on low‐angle normal faults (LANFs) rooting into the Cretan detachment, followed by (d) NW‐SE‐trending high‐angle normal faulting, and (e) initiation of Corinth rifting by N‐S extension at 4–3.5 Ma. New results show that the LANFs all pre‐date Corinth rifting, forming above and around the NNW‐SSE‐trending, N‐plunging PQ dome, so that their strike varies from E‐W in the north to NE‐SW further south. Alluvial sediments deposited above E‐W‐striking LANFs are crosscut by early high‐angle CR faults. The northern termination of the PQ dome partially controls the location and segmentation of the CR. The transition from regional contraction to extension is attributed to changes in subduction dynamics at 8–5 Ma and to the SW propagation of the North Anatolian fault. Plain Language Summary: Extensional rifted margins often develop over areas that were affected by an inherited polyphase tectonic history. Inherited structures can be reactivated and influence the geometry of the active rift system. In this work, the inherited structural framework of the Southern Hellenides belt in Greece and its effect on younger Corinth rifting are investigated. The various structures (detachments, brittle low‐angle and high‐angle normal faults) observed in Northern Peloponnese are described and used to build a structural model that documents the 3D relationships between Corinth Rift structures and pre‐rift structures. A chronology of the different tectonic events that affected the Northern Peloponnese is proposed. Key Points: The Hellenides fold and thrust belt is thinned by Late Miocene low‐angle normal faults (LANFs) that exhume the phyllite‐quartzite domeE‐W‐striking high‐angle normal faults (HANFs) of the Plio‐Pleistocene Corinth Rift crosscut the older LANFs and detachmentsThe pre‐rift Drosopigi‐Stymfalia depocenter south of Mount Ziria was controlled by LANFs and then cut by HANFs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that John Brinsley’s 1620 translation of Virgil’s Georgics, Book IV, is a source for John Fletcher and Philip Massinger’s The Elder Brother. This contention results in dating the play to 1620 rather than 1618 as suggested by Martin Wiggins. The re-dating has consequences for the dating of other plays in the canon of Fletcher and his collaborators for the period 1617 to 1620, and I propose a new chronology for the Fletcher plays in this time span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal seeing is a mode of visual perception that interrupts the spatial bias we bring to visual literacy practices. Although an image only captures one moment in time, there are multiple spatioanalytical tools we can use to consider any image. Spatial literacy, which is the practice of analyzing objects through their properties in space, tends to be the default analytical mode for making sense of imagery. For people to bring a commensurate temporal richness to their articulated visual readings, we first highlight the perspectival richness of time and temporality. We next present five precepts that can guide enriched temporal seeing: contextual histories; relational chronologies; internal rhymicity; desequenced and resequenced narrative; and critique and meaning-making. Finally, we suggest that temporal seeing holds a series of educative possibilities for expanding the interpretive frames and perceptual apparatuses of literacy researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xiachuan site (35°26′22″N, 112°00′43″E) in Shanxi Province, northern China is an important Middle and Upper Paleolithic site, which contains four stages of development: the Middle Paleolithic culture, the initial and early Upper Paleolithic culture, the middle Upper Paleolithic culture and the late Upper Paleolithic culture. To establish the chronology framework for the site, a pedo-stratigraphic sequence at the QX2017T1 survey section of Fuyihegeliang Locality (Loc. FYH) was dated using blue-stimulated optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) on fine-grained quartz and post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL or pIRIR) on fine-grained polymineral. The quartz OSL ages of the Upper Paleolithic culture layer are between 21.4 ± 1.6 and 42.2 ± 3.0 ka, which is consistent with the calibrated 14C ages. The Middle Paleolithic culture layer is dated to from 118.2 ± 8.5 to 128.3 ± 9.5 ka using the polymineral pIRIR 100, 290 protocol. These new results allow us to put the main part of the Upper Paleolithic culture layer in the late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the early MIS 2, with the Middle Paleolithic culture layer corresponding to the early MIS 5. A gap of nearly 70 ka is observed between the two cultural layers, which is larger than previously expected. The presence of early hominins in the Xiachuan site during MIS 2 and MIS 3 as well as in early interglacial MIS 5 reflects their ability of adapting to variable environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an emerging need for redefining religious literacy for teachers in mainstream secondary schools in the United Kingdom (UK) where Religious Studies is part of the core curriculum. The research study draws upon careful observation and analysis of UK mainstream secondary school curricula about Islam and on the qualitative pieces of evidence from teaching the Institute of Ismaili Studies' (IIS) secondary curriculum in religious education classes for learners within the Shi'a Imami Ismaili Muslim community. A novel three-dimensional pyramid approach is proposed for those who teach Islam in UK secondary mainstream schools that aims to provide a holistic understanding of Islam using inclusivist and multifaceted perspectives. The dimensions of the approach include religious situatedness, social connection, and chronological evolution. The findings from implementing this approach show that situating religion within a humanistic realm helps learners gain insights into the nuances of dynamic forces that are at play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]