Analysis of homogeneity in a historic coffin nail and screw assemblage for use in relative chronology

The Firsovo-XI ground burial ground is located on the right bank of the Ob River opposite the city of Barnaul on the low bedrock bank of the Ob River. In 1993 and 1996, a burial of a mature man in a sitting crouched position was examined at the Firsovo-XI burial ground in the Barnaul Ob region. The accompanying inventory is represented by one microlithic plate. For this burial No. 18, the AMS date GV-02889 was obtained - 9106±80 years BCE. According to the craniometric parameters, the anthropological appearance of the buried man corresponds to the intermediate Caucasoid-Mongoloid type, which characterizes the most ancient population of the central regions of Northern Eurasia. However, very large total dimensions of the skull distinguish it from the craniological materials of the Neolithic of this burial ground and of the plain-foothill Altai in general. The combination of chronological, ritual and anthropological specifics of the burial makes it necessary to compare it with materials not only from the south of Western Siberia, but also from more extensive regions of the central regions of Northern Eurasia. The analysis of published data allows us to establish that burials in the "sitting crouched" position are quite rare in Western Siberia and adjacent regions. They are often represented by burials without inventory. Most often, analogies comparable in terms of the features of the burial rite are recorded in the forest-steppe Ural-Volga region; however, the range of analogies is not limited to this region. There is an unconditional need for AMS dating of such burials. In the south of Western Siberia and adjacent territories, burials in the "sitting crouched" position are quite rare and are often represented by burials without inventory. Obtaining AMS dates for sites excavated in the 20th century led to a revision of previously made conclusions about the chronology, periodization and cultural affiliation of some "sitting" burials. An illustrative example is burial No. 2 of mound 4 of the Labazovsky burial mound. The burial of a woman over 45 years old, buried in a sitting position, was discovered in the buried soil under a mound of the Srubnaya culture, and was also attributed to this culture. The description and drawing of the burial allow us to conclude that this is a burial in the "sitting crouched" position. AMS dates performed in different laboratories showed that this burial dates back to the end of the 7th - beginning of the 6th millennium BCE. The burial from the barrow cemetery Malo-Kizilsky II (barrow 2/2) in the Southern Urals, in which four skeletons were found, abundantly sprinkled with ochre, in a sitting position in an antithetical orientation to each other in the NE-SW direction, also belongs to the Neolithic with a high degree of probability. The markers of the early age of "sitting crouched" burials are the stratigraphic conditions (burials in a layer of buried soil) and the presence of traces of ochre in the burial. There is a need for a thorough revision and AMS dating of burials without inventory in the "sitting" position in the territory of the south of Western Siberia and adjacent regions. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

The present work addresses the issues of the absolute and relative chronology of early burials at the Firsovo-XI burial ground on the right bank of the Upper Ob River. Description of four burials of the site and results of their AMS 14C dating are reported, alongside with the cultural and chronological analogies among the contem-poraneous monuments of Altai. Eight burial places were discovered at Firsovo-XI, including five single graves, two double graves and one collective burial. The burials were arranged in two rows in the direction from northwest to southeast. The deceased were oriented with their heads to the north and northeast. The research concluded that the burials which form the cultural “core” of the Firsovo-XI burial place (burial grounds nos. 14, 15 and 42) belong to the Early Neolithic period, and their radiocarbon age is determined by the middle of the 5th millennium BC, while their calendar age fits into a very narrow interval of several decades or several centuries (a one-sigma interval of 5710–5460 cal BC and a two-sigma interval of 5740–5360 cal BC). The Neolithic burials of Firsovo-XI constitute a single chronological group with burials nos.1 and 13 of the Bolshoi Mys burial ground. It stands to reason that this group may grow in size over time, as the work on AMS 14C dating of early necropolises and single burials of the Upper Ob region expands. At this stage of research, the problem of identifying cultural and chrono-logical markers for the selected group of burials remains urgent. Within the framework of this study, it has been suggested that the ornaments made from the teeth of a bear and a horse (?), or an onager (?), take the role of such markers. It cannot be ruled out that with the appearance of new data such markers may include the orna-ments made from wolf teeth and double-sided polished knives with a concave blade. As a working hypothesis, it has been suggested that the date obtained for the cemetery no. 18 of Firsovo-XI (GV-02889 9106±80 BP) was not accidental and that this burial actually belongs to the final Mesolithic or early Neolithic period. The chronologi-cal and ritual specifics of this burial are also emphasized by the craniological specificity of the buried male, and by the large total size of the skull, which distinguishes him from the rest of those buried at the burial ground.

The relationship that soil interred human bone has with the burial environment has implications for the survival of the organic and inorganic components, including collagen and DNA. The study of both the Chapel House Farm Medieval cemetery, Poulton, Cheshire, UK, and contemporary skeletal remains from cemeteries from Liverpool, U.K. provides new data into the environmental conditions that human bone encounters in the burial environment that are either conducive to preservation or result in complete dissolution of both the organic and inorganic bone matrix.Medieval bones from Chapel House Farm cemetery were analysed to establish the relationship between the organic and inorganic matrix of preserved human bone, and the interaction these had with their burial environment. The use of FTIR and XRF techniques proved to be effective mechanisms in assessing the relationship between the organic and inorganic molecules extracted from the different types of Medieval bone to assess their preservation. These analytical methods were able to establish the degree of soil component intrusion (movement) into the bone, the collagen content, as well as the condition of the mineral matrix of soil interred Medieval bone to be quantified using 2 mg of bone, reducing the need to destroy precious human bone samples.The results from the study of both the Medieval preserved bones from Poulton and Modern contemporary dissolved human remains from Liverpool U.K., where the remains were known to have fully dissolved within 20-30 years post interment, found that the mobility of ions including: Ca, Fe, Mg, K, and P, out of the bone into the soil, does not happen at a constant or predictable rate, but is linked to the environmental soil conditions and burial dynamics. These include: hydrology, seasonal temperature, pH of the soil, burial depth as well as the initial health and age of the individual. Soil samples from two contemporary Liverpool cemeteries were taken from 14 single graves spanning seven time periods (2000- 1850AD) at four depths (0-110cm), along with control samples. They were subjected to X-ray Fluorescence semi-quantitative analysis. The results for the concentrations of five elements: Fe, Mg, Ca, P and K, were statistically tested for trends associated with interred dissolved human remains. The concentration of these ions remained at a relatively constant level in the top soil (0-50 cm) through time. The results demonstrated a clear negative correlation between the levels of Ca and Mg with time, and depth, as well as a significant difference between these components and the control samples. The levels of Fe and K, demonstrated significant trends through two time periods at 50-110 cm, with peaks during initial decomposition and the war years (70-90 years). P demonstrated peaks at 50 and 150 years post interment at all depths.There was a statistical difference in pH of the Liverpool cemetery soils in 50-110 cm depths, and a general increase in the pH from 5-7 in the cemetery soil with relation to time.The presence of ions including: Ca, Fe, Mg, K, and P, derived from human remains from both the preserved Medieval and dissolved contemporary cemeteries persisted in the soil decades after the initial bone dissolution, making this a potentially new technique to assist in the detection of older forensic and historical soil interred human remains; and in addition provides information on the rate of release through time of chemical elements from decomposing human skeletal material.

The paper proposes material of the study of medieval burial grounds of upland Dagestan, obtained during the joint Dagestan-Georgian archeological expedition, which was carried out in Central Upland Dagestan, in the territory of the former Sarir, in 1977-1981. As a result of a comprehensive work, in addition to archeological, architectural, ethnographic and epigraphic monuments, the following medieval burial grounds were studied: Tad-raal, Akhalchinsky, Uradinsky, Khunzakhsky. These burial grounds have been identified with burials dating back to the X-XIV centuries, as well as one burial belonging to the XIX century. Identified medieval burials comprise three types of burial structures: 1) burials in ground pits of rectangular elongated shape; 2) burials in rectangular stone boxes; 3) burials in soil pits of elongated rectangular shape with ledges-shoulders and slabs of horizontal overlaps. The Tad-raal burial of XIX century was made in a wood coffin.The article provides a detailed description of the revealed burial complexes, characterizes the construction of their structures, funeral rite, funeral set and dating of burials. Using the method of comparative analysis of structural features of burial structures and equipment, the dating of the functioning of burial grounds is specified. The considered material allows to conclude on active historical ties of mountain Dagestan with medieval Georgia, as well as the spread of Christianity among the local population. At the same time, it is noted that the expressive and peculiar local culture has preserved the features of the previous epoch, which is reflected in the funeral rite and funeral structures.

A Newfound from Mansourabad Behbehan Based on Archaeological Surveys

Research on human remains excavated from archaeological sites has primarily focused on the Three Kingdoms period and the Joseon dynasty. These studies are centered around reconstructing the life histories and burial processes of the individuals whose remains are recovered. However, such research has often been limited to cases where remains were found in isolation, with clear causes of death. In contrast, when multiple human remains are discovered, the reasons for burial can be diverse. The archaeological site investigated in this study is located in the eastern historical preservation area of Jinju Castle, specifically in Zone 3 of Beonseong-dong, Jinju. During excavation undertaken before the maintenance of the sewage system in Jinju, more than 20 human remains were identified within a grave structure dating to the late 9th to early 10th century. The dating was estimated to be around 800-900 CE based on associated pottery and radiocarbon dating. The remains were found in a disarticulated state, and an analysis of the cranial and postcranial elements revealed that the majority were women and children. The remains featured traces of sharp force trauma on the cranium and mandible, suggesting that the cause of death may have been due to external factors such as decapitation. By comparing and analyzing the signs of trauma on the remains, and by utilizing the results of radiocarbon dating, associated artifacts, and contemporary historical texts, it can be concluded that Jinju was a significant site during the political turmoil of the late Unified Silla period, particularly in relation to events such as the Rebellion of Kim Heon-chang and the geopolitical tensions between Later Baekje and Goryeo. Considering the burial date, age composition, and traces left on the remains, it is highly likely that these individuals were associated with the Rebellion of Kim Heon-chang. In conclusion, the human remains excavated from Beonseong-dong in Jinju are believed to be victims of the chaotic circumstances of the late Unified Silla period.

European and Northwest African Middle Pleistocene Hominids by F. Clark Howell of human skeletal remains from the Middle Pleistocene has always been one of the greatest gaps in human-paleontological knowledge. At THE SPARSE REPRESENTATION first, Southeastern Asia was unique in having provided remains from the Trinil beds in Java, but the signifi­ cance of this poorly preserved skull-cap was confirmed and greatly amplified by subsequent discoveries (Von Koenigswald 1940) of better preserved specimens at other localities of similar age, as well as in the still older Djetis beds. Still tfuly unique in all the world is the somewhat younger occupation site of Locality 1 Choukoutien, with its extraordinarily abundant, prob­ ably cannibalized, human remains in association with hearths, stone implements (Choukoutienian chopper/ chopping-tool complex), and remains of slaughtered animals. For many years, the only such find from the West was the enigmatic human mandible from the Grafenrain gravel pit at Mauer in the Rhineland. Then, within a few years in the mid-thirties, three additional speci­ mens came to light in western Europe (Steinheim), Britain (Swanscombe), and northwest Africa (Rabat, Morocco). In the last several years, further Middle Pleistocene human remains were found in northwest Africa, both in Algeria (Ternifine) and in Morocco (Sidi Abderrahman). All these discoveries (Fig. I) have excellent paleontological associations, and, in three cases (Swanscombe, Ternifine, Sidi Abderrahman), there are associated stone implements (Acheulean of various stages). However, no occupation site is yet F. CLARK HOWELL is Associate Professor of Anthropology, De­ partment of Anthropology, University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.). He was born in 1925, and educated at the University of Chicago (Ph.D., 1953). HOWELL has undertaken field and other studies on early man in Europe (1953,1956) and in Africa (1954,1957-58,1959), and made a recent brief visit to Israel (1959). He has published various papers on human paleontology, especially as regards the Neanderthal problem, and on early man and the Pleisto­ cene in general. Prior to submitting the present paper to CURRENT ANTHRO­ POLOGY, HOWELL sent it, for comment and criticism, to three colleagues, of whom W. W. Howells and Kenneth P. Oakley responded. The response was primarily commendatory, and except for HOWELL's addition of some paragraphs along lines recommended by Oakley, the paper stands as first written. Vol. I . No.3' Ma)' 1960 known from the Middle Pleistocene of Europe or Africa with in situ human skeletal remains, stone im· plements, and the bones of slaughtered animals. These human skeletal remains, taken in conjunction with those from the Middle Pleistocene of eastern and southern Asia, have an important bearing on interpre­ tations of the course of human evolution. The signifi­ cance of these discoveries has been obscured by the pre­ occupation of some human paleontologists with other human remains either suspected to be of Pleistocene antiquity or questionable due to an extraordinary com· plex of morphological features (the famous hoax of Piltdown). Largely as a consequence of this, there have grown up two main interpretations of man's phylogeny in the Pleistocene, one depending on the possible im­ portance of the suspicious fossils, and the other de­ pending only on the scanty, but well-dated, human fos­ sils enumerated above. The former interpretation recognizes an early, at least earlier, Middle Pleistocene separation of a morphologically modern (sapiens) lineage. The latter postulates progressive transforma· tion of primitive and variable Middle Pleistocene hu­ man populations into diverse Neanderthal and re­ lated, geographically distinctive, groups, as well as into incipiently sapiens peoples. The purpose of this paper is to discuss tI-1e significance of the :Middle Pleistocene human remains from Europe and North Africa for the resolution of this basic problem in the study of human phylogeny. COMPARATIVE STRATIGRAPHY AND ASSOCIATIONS THAMES RIVER: SWANSCOl\'IBE The Swanscombe human remains were recovered from gravel deposits exposed in the Barnfield pit, be­ tween Dartford and Gravesend, on the south bank of the lower Thames River valley. Marston (1937) dis­ covered a complete occipital in June, 1935, and a left parietal in March, 1936. Twenty years later Wymer re­ covered the right parietal of the same individual. The three fragments occurred in the same seam of sandy

Over several decades, human skeletal remains from at least twelve individuals (males, females, children and infants) were recovered from a small area (ca. 10 x 10 m) on the eastern shore of Table Bay, Cape Town, near the mouth of the Diep River where it empties into the sea. Two groups, each comprising four individuals, appear to have been buried in single graves. Unusually for this region, several skeletons were interred with large numbers of ostrich eggshell (OES) beads. In some cases, careful excavation enabled recovery of segments of beadwork. One collective burial held items including an ostrich egg-shell flask, a tortoise carapace bowl, a fragmentary bone point or linkshaft and various lithic artefacts. This group appears to have died together and been buried expediently. A mid-adult woman from this group sustained perimortem blunt-force trauma to her skull, very likely the cause of her death. This case adds to the developing picture of interpersonal violence associated with a period of subsistence intensification among late Holocene foragers. Radiocarbon dates obtained for nine skeletons may overlap but given the uncertainties associated with marine carbon input, we cannot constrain the date range more tightly than 1900-1340 calBP (at 2 sigma). The locale appears to have been used by a community as a burial ground, perhaps regularly for several generations, or on a single catastrophic occasion, or some combination thereof. The evidence documents regional and temporal variation in burial practices among late Holocene foragers of the south-western Cape.

Abstract. The wide applicability of in-situ produced Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides (TCNs) to geological problems and experiences in development and testing gained over the past decade is encouraging for its application to archaeological questions, where there is a distinct need for an additional independent dating tool beyond the limits of radiocarbon (~ 40 ka). Just as TCNs are applicable to a broader time period with considerable precision in archaeology, so also are they applicable to all lithologies. Application of TCNs to archaeological problems is relatively simple: either surface exposure dating (using cosmogenic nuclide production) or burial dating (using decay of radioactive cosmogenic nuclides) can be applied. For a successful application, close collaboration between archaeologists and TCN experts is required. The total exposure from 100 a to 5 Ma of a given surface of archaeological origin can be determined by surface exposure dating. The range of burial dating is from ~0.1 to 5 Ma. TCNs have been successfully applied to many archaeological problems during the last decade and both surface exposure dating and burial dating show high potential in the solving of archaeological problems.

Human remains are present in a number of contexts. Some of these are archaeological burial sites, which can comprise individual or mass graves burials. Human remains are usually found buried (or cremated), but they can also be found in museums and in universities, as part of their anatomical collections. Human remains can be found in churches as relics, in ossuaries, and as part of objects. Hence human remains refer to not just a complete skeleton, but also apart of a bone or tooth, hair and mummified remains. In more recent forensic, police or medico-legal cases, human skeletal remains can be found in a number of contexts, such as fire scenes, natural disasters, clandestine graves, or on the surface in open areas (e.g. a woodland). One aspect ofphysical anthropology is that which studies human skeletal remains in order to reconstruct the past, understand human variation, and provide information about the deceased individuals, such as their age at death, sex, ancestry, stature, pathological conditions or traumatic injuries; the remains from medico-legal or police cases fall under the branch offorensic anthropology.

The purpose of this study is to present the current status of research into human remains excavated from archaeological sites in South Korea following its liberation from Japanese colonial rule and to examine the improvements potentially needed to conduct adequate archaeological research on human remains in South Korea in the near future. Human remains, as archaeological data, can provide various types of information, such as the biological characteristics of past groups of people. They also provide direct data that can shed light on many aspects of cultural evolution, and discussions regarding how to properly use data from human remains excavated from archaeological sites in Korea are still in their preliminary stages. Continued developments in science and technology are expected to reveal more information than can currently be obtained from ancient human skeletal remains. To gather information on the cultures of ancient people, which is the ultimate goal of archaeology, there has to be a shared understanding that ancient human skeletal remains must be treated ethically before being viewed simply as potential sources of archaeological data. Further, to increase the value of the collected data, there is a need for a higher degree of interdisciplinary research through mutual collaboration with multiple archaeologists as well as other experts in the fields of anthropology, genetics, and biochemistry.

The archaeology of Jewish Medieval burial grounds has been a matter of dispute over the non-disturbance of Jewish human remains by Ultraorthodox Jewish groups. They call for the application of the Halakha, the Jewish religious law, claiming that those graves are of people of Jewish faith. The topic of non-disturbance of human remains by archaeologists may echoes the disputes, claims, and arguments defended by indigenous communities. But I will argue here that the two cases show little resemblance since neither are Jewish people uniquely indigenous in the European context, nor do religious laws govern the management of medieval heritage in Europe. Accordingly, the topic under discussion has little relation to religious claims to ancient heritage nor to the ethics of archaeological practice in relation to human remains, but to the politics of archaeological practice in the contemporary multireligious world. The article seeks to provide a full picture of discussion on the issue of the management of ancient burial grounds in Europe, raising sensitive issues regarding particular religious communities. Here the recommendation given by the Faro Convention will be introduced, but also its limitations discussed when mediating with particular communities and their religious agendas.

Se presentan en este estudio los resultados de los análi­sis isotópicos realizados sobre una muestra de restos huma­nos de la necrópolis calcolítica de Los Millares. Para proce­der a su discusión se ha realizado previamente su contextualización cronológica a partir de una serie de data­ciones radiocarbónicas y la revisión de la cronología relati­va de los sepulcros. Las dataciones muestran el uso de la necrópolis megalítica durante todo el periodo de ocupación de Los Millares, al menos desde 3100/3000 hasta 2200/2100 cal AC. Los resultados del análisis isotópico apoyan las pro­puestas sobre un incremento en la aridez desde el 2400/2300 cal AC. Además, en una dieta dominada por los recursos terrestres en la que las proteínas suelen proceder del consu­mo de herbívoros, existe una cierta variabilidad con indivi­duos que pueden haber consumido otros recursos.

The article presents the preliminary results of studying of the Pinchuga-6 burial ground in the Lower Angara region. This site is the first large necropolis of the late Iron Age to be explored in the region. 16 cremated burials on the side were recorded at the necropolis. Eventually 30 individuals of different ages were identified. The research revealed single children’s and adults’ burials, collective and paired complexes. In the collective complexes the remains of three or five people are buried. Based on the results the main features of the funeral ceremony were identified. Among the finds from the burial ground and the inter-burial ground space are weapons, tools, ceramic vessels, objects of Western Siberian cult casting and adornments. According to the analogy, the burial ground dates back to the second quarter of the 1st millennium AD. In addition materials of the Tashtyk and Late Kulai guises have been collected at the site along with local elements of the Lower Angara region. Keywords: Lower Angara region, finale of the Iron Age, burial ground, burial ceremony, funeral equipment, ceramics, dating, cultural connection

When human skeletal remains are discovered, there is initially little knowledge or explanation of their background. Executing a thorough osteological analysis of human skeletal remains can identify unknown information and provide new knowledge. Skeletal remains purchased from India until 1985 are believed to stem from a “legal” grave-robbing bone trade. A set of human remains housed at WVWC’s human anatomy lab, purchased in the early 1960s, display an “Origin India” sticker. Due to the origination, we decided to analyze the human remains. The purpose of this study is to conduct a complete osteological analysis on this set of human remains. Data were collected using Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains and The Human Bone Manual. Specific bony features and abnormalities found during the analysis were compared to the given scientific norms to establish pathology. Preliminary anthropometric assessments show lumbosacral scoliosis. The remains appear to belong to a young adult (15-20) but age is difficult to infer due to post mortem alteration of the epiphyses. There is evidence of a potential calcium deficiency, which also affects epiphyseal fusion, which can alter age approximation. Sex appears ambiguous which supports the young age, but leaning male, based on the pubic symphysis and ventral arc. Bone remodeling around the sternum indicates fracture with complete healing. The tibiae show bowing; all articulations appear gracile, though some long bones show early osteoarthritis. Due to this controversial analysis, future research warrants a detailed computed tomography scan.