Archaeological Artefacts Research Articles

Signs and Symbols: A Visual Culture Study of Civilization Markers in the Yangtze River Basin

This study employs visual culture theory and semiotics theory to systematically examine the visual symbols embedded in material cultural remains from different regions and periods of the Yangtze River Basin. The research reveals that the civilization marker system in the Yangtze River Basin exhibits the following characteristics: First, the visual symbols in material cultural remains are diverse, encompassing archaeological sites, cultural relics, architectural symbols, and artifact patterns; Second, the diachronic evolution of symbols reflects a developmental trajectory from images to symbols to text, demonstrating shifts in social structure and cultural concepts; Third, symbol systems from different regions maintain their uniqueness while influencing each other, forming a unified yet diverse civilizational pattern; Fourth, these visual symbols embody ecological wisdom of harmony between humans and nature, humanistic spirit of respect for ritual and ethics, and enduring creative vitality. The study concludes that in-depth research of civilization markers in the Yangtze River Basin has significant theoretical and practical value for inheriting cultural genes, strengthening cultural confidence, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese culture.

Do you like this pottery? Reveal public perceptions of archaeological artefacts with semantic differential method on virtual 3D models

Do you like this pottery? Reveal public perceptions of archaeological artefacts with semantic differential method on virtual 3D models

Maximizing temperature sensitivity in a one-dimensional photonic crystal thermal sensor

This paper focuses on a defective one-dimensional photonic crystal thermal sensor with fabricated layers of gallium nitride, glycerin, and air. The transmission features of this sensor have been presented based on the transfer matrix approach using MATLAB software. Interest in the sensor’s sensitivity to temperature variation is for the sake of the photonic bandgap behavior of the 1D photonic crystal and the thermo-optic effect of glycerin must be preserved over a long time in protecting archaeological artifacts. In this direction, theoretical modeling together with numerical simulation studies are conducted to optimize the refractive index of GaN to enhance sensitivity. This work is going to evaluate the performance of the sensor in terms of the shift in the transmission spectrum of the sensor with the imposition of changes in temperature. The effect of the thickness of the defect layer together with the incident angle on the performance of the sensor will be discussed further. Sensor sensitivities are about 10 nm/°C, with a quality factor reaching a high value of 35,443 at an incident angle of 30°, while sensitivities at an incident angle of 65° have 20 nm/°C and a quality factor of 14,723.

The Afontova Gora IV (Ovrazhnaya) Site: An Analysis of a Complex with “Ocher” in the Structure of the Paleolithic Layer

We analyze a part of the Paleolithic layer of Afontova Gora IV (Ovrazhnaya) in Krasnoyarsk, evidencing intentional exploitation of outcrops of red sandstone and other local rocks. We describe archaeological finds and faunal remains, identify species important for subsistence. Based on the results of the intrasite spatial analysis, we separate an area of domestic activities centered on an open hearth. Scar-patterns and raw material links were analyzed. The preservation of the cultural context was demonstrated. The area likely functioned within a single activity episode. Types of activity are reconstructed. Primary reduction techniques applied to oval-flat pebbles to get first or second order blades were the same as those used to obtain ready wedge-shaped microcores transported to the site. To test the idea that red rocks were used as sources for mineral pigment, rock samples and archaeological artifacts were examined. In samples from Afontova Gora IV, no minerals that could be used to obtain the red pigment of the “ocher” type were found. Pieces of red rock brought to the site must have been used differently. The 14C-date of the complex with cultural remains is ca 18 ka cal BP.

Feasibility of nanoparticle-enhanced LIBS (NELIBS) for the analysis of archaeological metallic artifacts: a critical assessment

NELIBS of historical metallic artifacts can improve the limit of detection up to 78%.

Prediction of the potential distribution and preservation of archaeological wooden artifacts in Yangzhou city, China

Prediction of the potential distribution and preservation of archaeological wooden artifacts in Yangzhou city, China

Biomechanical disparities in pankration: A comparative computational analysis of ancient and contemporary techniques

Abstract Study aim: The study analyzed biomechanical similarities and differences between ancient and modern sports techniques, focusing on pankration. It examined historical artifacts and modern pankration scenes to elucidate biomechanical developments over time. Material and methods: OpenPose was employed for this analysis, focusing on both ancient depictions of pankration and contemporary pankration footage. The methodology involved collecting and analyzing depictions of archaeological artifacts, examining video performances frame by frame, and applying computational analysis to determine the Cartesian two-dimensional coordinates of joints. Comparative vector mapping and kinematic analyses were used for assessment. Results: The analysis revealed distinct biomechanical patterns between ancient and modern pankration techniques. It was found that ancient techniques primarily leverage gravity for movement execution, while modern techniques emphasize the utilization of muscular capacity. This distinction indicates a transformation in biomechanical strategy, shifting from a gravity-focused approach in ancient practices to a muscle-focused approach in modern practices. Conclusions: The research highlights the differences between ancient and modern pankration, emphasizing punching and kicking techniques. These changes reflect broader shifts in athletic practices over time, influenced by cultural and historical factors, and similar disciplines. The study not only enhances our understanding of ancient sports biomechanics but also opens avenues for future exploration of other ancient athletic disciplines using current computational methods.

Archaeological prospecting using the Electric Resistivity Imaging method at the Borsippa site, Near Babylon, Central Iraq

Many important archaeological sites in Iraq still need to be preserved. Some of these sites were subjected to destruction and negligence. So, exploring these sites represents a priority for its protection. A 2D Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) as a non-invasive geophysical survey method was implemented at a part of the Borsippa archaeological site near Babylon to search for the subsurface archaeological artefacts/structures. Electrical resistivity measurements were carried out using a Dipole-Dipole array. Steps were taken to process and filter using Horizontal profiles, forward modelling, and 2D inverse models to analyze the resistivity measurements. The ERI inversion results show that the superficial conductive zone produced variations in ERI inverse models. The low resistivity caused by the relatively high conductivity was observed due to rainwater leaking into the topsoil zone. The ERI sections revealed a coherent depth of approximately 7 meters and the anomalies geometry and semi-layering soil. These changes can be attributed to the high resistivity contrast between the relatively high-resistivity anomalies and the surrounding intact soil. The soil types include dry silty and clayey soils and crushed refractory materials such as broken bricks and ruins mixed with rock pulp. These materials have resulted in the collapse of walls due to weathering and erosion. Based on the identified patterns, shallow-depth high-resistive anomalies are present and extend throughout some parts of the study area. These anomalies are represented in a SW-NE trend of the mound area. At the bottom of this zone is another zone with low resistance values and variable thickness, which varies from place to place within the study area. The results proved the efficiency of the ERI technique in detecting archaeological wall-like artefacts, which represents a data bank for any future archaeological prospection.

Lead isotopes in the context of the provenance of copper alloys and mutability processes in Lithuania from the second half of the 1st century to the 13th century AD

This paper presents the results of analysis of lead isotope ratios (208Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, 206Pb/204Pb, 208Pb/206Pb, 207Pb/206Pb) in copper alloys combined with chemical composition studies of archaeological artefacts by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The study covers a total of 208 samples collected from 55 sites spread all over Lithuania. The chronological range of the study encompasses the period from the second half of the 1st century AD to the 13th century AD. The repeated recycling of copper alloys, the addition of scrap materials with varying compositions, and the mixing of lead from different geological ore deposits naturally alter the original chemical composition of the alloy. The continuous recycling and alteration of materials pose challenges in identifying the original connections between the regions of origin of copper alloy ores in southern Eurasia and the users of these raw materials in the eastern Baltic Sea region. Together with lead isotope ratio analysis, investigation of copper alloy types, copper groups, and metal working technological development fundamentally changes the idea of a linear exchange of non-ferrous metals. The analysis carried out in this research has enabled the identification of the provenance and dissemination of non-ferrous metal raw materials (alloys and scrap metal) as part of the European exchange network at local (the present territory of Lithuania), regional (the eastern Baltic region), and trans-European levels.

From copper‐based alloys to coins—Part I: Metallurgical characterization from complex manufacturing processes of imitation coins dated to the third century CE

AbstractThe evidence for imitation coinage found on the Gallo‐Roman site of Châteaubleau (Seine‐et‐Marne, France) has been attested for several years. Successive excavations and findings related to the production of imitation coins, both struck and cast, have revealed major minting activity during the second half of the third century CE. This paper presents the study of 11 archaeological samples issued from this counterfeiting workshop site, which is today considered the most important in the north‐western provinces of the Roman Empire. These samples, which correspond to different stages in the production chains leading to coins, mainly radiates (antoniniani, double sestertii), were characterized by metallography, energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) and the Vickers hardness test, in order to understand the different manufacturing processes, especially the ‘rod to coin’ one. This project is divided into two parts. The first, which is the subject of this paper, focuses on the chemical and metallurgical study of the archaeological artefacts. This has enabled us to identify and characterize the manufacturing processes thanks to the highly characteristic microstructure of the samples from the rod‐to‐coins process. Some of the cylinders derived from this process were also silvered by plating a foil of silver or silver–copper on a flan of pure copper in order to obtain irregular radiates. As regards fake double sestertii, several manufacturing techniques were identified: direct moulding of coins in stacked terracotta moulds, the casting of flans to strike double sestertius and the cutting of flans from metal plate is also a technique used in Châteaubleau. Characteristic composition and microstructures were also observed in these samples. This paper will be followed by a second focused on two experimental archaeology sessions carried out in order to reproduce the process ‘from rod to coins’ and then to compare the reproduced samples with the archaeological samples.

Design process in collaboration with archaeology: Contemporary exhibition of a Hellenistic statue

Archaeological artefacts in museums serve as artistic displays and provide visitors with insights into the historical context of their discovery. Some finds offer direct, observable information, while others convey more subtle, context-dependent representations, such as iconography. This study focuses on identifying the iconography of a recently discovered Hellenistic statue through an analysis of archaeological literature. The gathered information was then used to evaluate the effectiveness of the display of similar statues in museums. Key factors considered included appropriate chronological placement, spatial organization of the surrounding environment, emphasis on hierarchy, visibility from all angles, clarity of the iconographic elements, and the inclusion of explanatory text. Based on these criteria, several display design alternatives were proposed, with one selected and implemented for the exhibition of the newly unearthed statue. The effectiveness of the approach was validated through the assembly, and the adaptability of the method to similar exhibition design scenarios was discussed.

Archaeology and Commerce: Olbia Dolphins on the Global Antiquities Market

The original promise of the internet was that it could have served as a tool whereby the general public could access, a single mouse-click away, unlimited amounts of reliable open access archaeological information supplied by academia or the museum world. This vision is in practice frustrated by the current form of that resource. Since changes that started taking place from 2015, the internet has increasingly been developing primarily as a commercial tool of modern capitalist trade. The casual searcher for information on a large range of archaeological phenomena will therefore primarily be faced with page after page of adverts offering examples of archaeological artefacts for sale and texts about their private collection.

Building Activity in Olbia in the Late Roman Time

This paper is devoted to the publication of two newly excavated building structures consisting of underground and ground constructions that are attributed to the latest period of Olbia’s existence. Archaeological artefacts found inside them are presented, including trading amphoras and ceramic pottery that are diagnostic for the final stage of the Cherniakhiv culture dating the last third of the 4th – the first quarter of 5th century AD. Separate attention is paid to a speculative idea about the fortified city, settled by Goths on the territory of the former Roman fortress of Olbia. The results of the recent archaeological excavations give the possibility of refuting this idea. The urban structure of the latest period, its status, and its spatial development are not yet clear and must be studied in depth.

Systematic Evaluation of Recent Research on the Shroud of Turin

ABSTRACT This study critically reviews four decades of academic research on the Shroud of Turin, a highly debated archaeological artifact. Employing advanced epistemological methods such as argument mapping and Bayesian analysis, the study systematically evaluates the two leading hypotheses: the medieval creation of the Shroud and its authenticity as the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. This examination suggests a warrant for the proponents’ belief in the authenticity hypothesis. It highlights the vitality and complexity of the controversy surrounding the dating and image formation process of the Shroud of Turin.

Fauna Šiaulių dvare XVII–XVIII a. pagal zooarcheologinius ir istorinius duomenis

Since 1589, Šiauliai became the center of Šiauliai Crown Estate, which maintained the ruler’s estate. From the 17th century onwards, Šiauliai Crown Estate was constantly entrusted to manage by loans to nobles of the Grand Dutchy of Lithuania, with its administrators changing over time (from 1678 to 1696, it belonged to King John III Sobieski). Šiauliai Crown Estate was administered by their appointed administration: an economist, vice-economist, and local officials. Officials of the manor administration were assisted by provision clerks, scribes, and other staff. The residence of the administration became Šiauliai Manor. The first small-scale archaeological investigations in the residential estate of Šiauliai Manor were carried out in 1997 (led by Audronė Šapaitė). More extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the manor between 2010 and 2022. During this period, a total area of 533 square meters was excavated, and 10,577 square meters were surveyed. The remains of 11 structures dating from the 17th century to the early 20th century were localized within the territory of Šiauliai Manor, and 8,286 archaeological artifacts were collected along with abundant zooarchaeological material. In total, 1,114 fragments of zooarchaeological material dating from the 17th to the 18th centuries were collected and analyzed from archaeological cultural layers of the manor. The studied material provides an overview of the distribution of domestic (85 %) and wild (15 %) fauna in the zooarchaeological material of Šiauliai Manor. The surviving material allows insights into prevailing trends such as differences in the quantities of domestic and wild fauna, and to some extent, the presence of domestic animals in the manor, as well as the consumption of luxury goods and reflections of Western culture in Šiauliai Manor. The inventories of Šiauliai economy and the obtained statistical analysis provide an opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the daily life of the ruler’s table in Šiauliai Manor during the 17th–18th centuries and to extract the maximum information from the available/remaining data.

Scientific Methods for Preserving Archaeological Metal Artifacts in Egyptian Museum Environments.

Scientific Methods for Preserving Archaeological Metal Artifacts in Egyptian Museum Environments.

REPRESENTATION OF AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENT IN THE MEDIA WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF AN INSTITUTIONALIZED ACCOUNT

The article considers the popularization of archaeological phenomena in the context of their presence in the media space. It is demonstrated that “public archeology” is presented in detail in the framework of foreign and domestic studies, and key works in this area are cited. Using the example of a specifi c archaeological site of Arkaim (a historical site of the Middle Bronze Age located in the Chelyabinsk region), the formation of a media image through an institutionalized account on social networks is considered. For this purpose, the publications of the Arkaim Historical and Archaeological Museum- Reserve for 2023, including 537 posts, were analyzed using the content analysis method. These materials are considered in the context of their form (type of content) and content (what is reported in the posts). In addition, metrics refl ecting the activity of the audience within the community have been collected, and an overview of the most and least popular community posts within the specifi ed period is demonstrated. The obtained results are consistent with the data of a sociological survey conducted during fi ve expeditions to Arkaim in 2023 with the support of the Russian Science Foundation and the Chelyabinsk Region, in which 443 respondents took part. The fi ndings of the study demonstrate that the positioning of Arkaim within the framework of three dominants - a place for tourist recreation far from civilization (nature), a place with historical and archaeological artifacts (education), and a place for creative, ethnographic and other events (culture) - does not refl ect the interests of a signifi cant proportion of the actors of the place. The audience’s interest in mystical and spiritual practices, recorded during the survey, is not refl ected in the content of the offi cial community of the Arkaim Museum, which may lead to losses of a potential audience open to new experiences (for example, attending lectures and excursions), but who did not fi nd anything corresponding to their main area of interest.

Different levels of interpreting chemical data by prompt gamma activation analysis on polished stone tools in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary)

Average chemical composition data can be effectively exploited in provenance, i.e. raw material’s origin, research of archaeological polished stone artefacts where direct correlation with potential raw materials is possible. This study summarizes the success of Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) method on two different levels of chemical data interpretation for variable rock types found in Hungary, in the Carpathian Basin and their wider vicinity, i.e. material characterization and provenance identification level. Characterization of different lithologies is possible by variable combinations of some major element oxides (Si, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Al, Fe and Ti). Applying statistical methods, boxplots and Principal Component Analysis, we proved that serpentinites, nephrites and Mg-Si-rich subgroup of ‘white stones’ can be clearly distinguished, while the ‘green stone’ category cannot be further differentiated, partly overlaps with hornfels and significantly overlaps with other rock types (basalts, metadolerites-metagabbros, andesites and metavolcanites). The provenance identification is successful in the case of contact metabasites and HP metaophiolites, while less exact for nephrites, basalts and hornfels.The non-destructive PGAA proved to be very effective in the identification of certain lithologies, while for other polished stone tool raw materials it has medium certainty and requires complementing methods.

A world of beads from the Island of Mozambique (16th–20th centuries)

ABSTRACT Hundreds of beads are collected every year on the shores of the island of Mozambique, dating between the 16th and the 20th-century. They are recovered in the sand and strung into neckless to sell for the best offer. More than archaeological artefacts and important historical, social, economic, and cultural items, they have a dominant role in the island’s local economy today. These archaeological materials are dispersed in time but also in space since they originate from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The privileged geographical position turned this African island into a logistical support platform for transoceanic routes, a mandatory crossing point for ships of the Portuguese crown, and for the other European monarchies that traded in the Indian Ocean. The beads are a palimpsest of cultures and trades, not only in the past but also in the present, and they still play an important role in their relationship with local communities.

Mapping Stratigraphy and Artifact Distribution with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Three-Dimensional Models—A Case Study from the Post Research Area in Northwestern Texas, USA

This study applies UAV-based photogrammetry to map and examine the stratigraphy and archaeological artifact distribution in two localities within the Post research area in northwest Texas. A DJI Inspire 1 UAV equipped with a Zenmuse X5 camera captured nadir and oblique images. These were processed using Agisoft Metashape to generate 3D models. These models enabled the precise mapping of stratigraphic boundaries, revealing the distinctions between Triassic-age bedrock, Pleistocene-age alluvial deposits, and Holocene-age aeolian sediments. Field surveys from 2022 to 2024 documented over 5000 artifacts with sub-centimeter accuracy, including diagnostic projectile points and ceramics. This research highlights the advantages of UAV-derived 3D models in rapidly and accurately documenting stratigraphy and archaeological data. It demonstrates the value of UAV technology for visualizing landscape-scale processes and artifact contexts, offering a new approach to understanding the interactions between geomorphology and archaeology. The findings contribute to advancing UAV applications in both geomorphological and archaeological research.