Archaeological Assessment Research Articles

In-situ Artefact Documentation of Underwater Cultural Heritage Using Third-Party Data

Abstract Large underwater construction projects generate hundreds of potential cultural heritage objects requiring archaeological assessment and – potentially – mitigation. Some can easily be avoided in planning, whereas others cannot. Singular objects tend to present a dilemma in heritage management: their archaeological significance tends to lie in their association to an – at the time of finding – unknown context rather than in the object itself. Though these objects may be protected by heritage legislation, they are often undesired in museum collections, and even if destined for disposal, they can only be salvaged and documented at significant cost. Their cultural heritage ‘value’ is often, though mostly tacitly, considered low or at least undecided. We argue that in-situ preservation by record can be a viable solution for such objects, provided that appropriate documentation methods are employed. Fortunately, these objects are often targeted by other types of pre-construction surveys and inspections, usually conducted using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), making hours of third-party video footage available to the archaeologist. This article examines if existing third-party video inspection data can be used towards acceptable archaeological recording without compromising the cost-efficiency so crucial to the industry. Hence, the focus of this article is the typical industry-standard inspection-, work class-, or even low-end hobby-ROV (from where the jump to legacy data or, indeed, crowdsourcing is obvious), suggesting a few simple amendments to data acquisition specifications which may potentially save the cost of a dedicated archaeological inspection campaign.

Archaeological investigation in the future capital city of Indonesia (IKN) at Sepaku, East Kalimantan

The Indonesian government plans to relocate the capital city from Jakarta to Sepaku in East Kalimantan. So far, the location is known as a vast industrial-scale plantation area and one of the selected places for the transmigration program during the 1970s. Being planned as a constructed capital city from scratch, of course several studies have been carried out by experts on multiple aspects of the project. However, it is still lacking an archaeological assessment to calculate the loss of cultural heritage and historical information of the area. While history is obviously essential in the realm of identity, no archaeological study designed to contribute to the cultural development of the future capital city of Indonesia has been proposed. Our project recommends an array of archaeological surveys, followed by the excavation of two newly discovered archaeological sites in Sepaku. The study reveals a cave habitation site dated to 9–7 ka and a more recent iron workshop from the XV–XVII century AD. The two sites significantly contribute to revealing a complex past on the site of this future capital city, a past that was previously assumed to be only quite recent; typically based on the historical notes of the Paser Sultanate from the XVI century AD and remnants of Dutch-Japan colonization.

The Evolution of Scotland's Towns: Creation, Growth and Fragmentation. Edited by E. Patricia Dennison. Edinburgh University Press. 2018. xvii + 350pp. £24.99.Northern England and Southern Scotland in the Central Middle Ages. Edited by Keith J. Stringer and J. L Angus.Boydell Press. 2017. xvi + 369pp. Price not stated.Medieval St Andrews: Church, Cult, City. Edited by Michael Brown and Katie Stevenson.

The Evolution of Scotland's Towns: Creation, Growth and Fragmentation. Edited by E. Patricia Dennison. Edinburgh University Press. 2018. xvii + 350pp. £24.99.Northern England and Southern Scotland in the Central Middle Ages. Edited by Keith J. Stringer and J. L Angus.Boydell Press. 2017. xvi + 369pp. Price not stated.Medieval St Andrews: Church, Cult, City. Edited by Michael Brown and Katie Stevenson.

The Balearic Islands in ‘Island Encyclopaedias’, 700 BCE–1700 CE: An historical and archaeological assessment of island knowledge production with suggestions for future research

Historical ‘island encyclopaedias’ (isolarii, islarios, ‘de insulis’) and their predecessors (Nesiotikà, peripli) were predominately written by authors of the Mediterranean region from the 7th century BCE to the 17th century CE. In this article, we first present an overview of these sources geared towards an Island Studies readership and next consider two main questions: First, how was knowledge about islands produced in the past? And second, can these historical sources motivate new questions for future research? The Balearic Islands have been selected to investigate these questions due to their long history of settlements and trade networks, which prompted their inclusion in many encyclopaedias. In addition, local archaeological and historical sources permit a comparison of emic and etic perspectives. Topics of analysis include descriptions of geography, cultural customs and resource use (including oil, wine, animals, salt, and freshwater), each selected with a view to future comparative studies.

Многослойные геоархеологические объекты побережья озера Байкал: итоги и перспективы изучения

The article summarizes and analyzes information on 16 multilayered geoarchaeological sites of the Lake Baikal coast, including the famous Ulan-Khada site. The research is based on the results of excavations, literary and archival materials. A list of local sites has been determined, their mapping, archaeological assessment, and radiocarbon data (153 dates, mostly AMS) have been analyzed. These sites are provided with stratigraphic, geological, and geomorphological characteristics, high-quality and informative materials. They represent a reliable source base and are the basis for the study of the regional Holocene cultures and the reconstruction of paleoclimates and paleolandscapes. The predominant location of multilayered sites on the western coast of Lake Baikal and, first of all, its Little Sea section is noted. From 3 to 15 cultural levels have been recorded on multilayered sites, containing finds from different periods from the Stone Age to the Late Iron Age. Currently, only two multilayered sites (Kurla 1 and Kurla 4) are known on the Lake Baikal coast, containing complexes of the Final Paleolithic. Early Holocene assemblages were noted at 8 sites (the most significant are Sagan-Nuge, Berloga, and Ityrkhei 1). Stratified Neolithic complexes predominate belogning to the early (10 sites), middle (4 sites) and late (9 sites) stages of this period. Among the most significant sites containing several isolated Neolithic layers are Sagan-Zaba 2, Ityrkhei 1, Tyshkine 2, Katun 1, Buguldeika 1 and 2. Reference sites for the Early Bronze Age are Ulan-Khada 1, Katun 1, Tyshkine 2 and 3, and for the Late Bronze Age – Tyshkine 3, Katun 1 and Berloga. At the Sagan-Zaba 2, Katun 1, and Buguldeika 2 sites, studies of the Early and Late Iron Age are promising. Radiocarbon dates have been obtained for almost all the studied sites (14). The complexes of the Early (29 dates) and Late (22 dates) Neolithic are the most endowed with them. At present, the chronology of the Lake Baikal coast cultural complexes seems to be as follows: the Final Paleolithic – 19,270–14,250 cal BP, Mesolithic – 13,070–8220 cal BP, Early Neolithic – 8170-6900 cal BP, Middle Neolithic – 6930–6290 cal BP, Late Neolithic – 5840–4650 cal BP, Early Bronze Age – 4850(4530)–3220 cal BP, Late Bronze Age – 3330–2000 cal BP, Early Iron Age – 2120–1530 cal BP, Late Iron Age – 1240–940 cal BP.

Old World Methods, New World Pots. The Introduction of the Potter’s Wheel to the Spanish Colonies of Concepción de la Vega and Cotuí (Dominican Republic 1495–1562)

Wheel-made ceramics from early colonial Caribbean sites (1492–1562) have traditionally been labelled as European imports. This paper challenges that assumption, as the intercultural interactions within colonies in the New World have led to the creation of new social identities and changing material culture repertoires. Macro-trace ceramic analysis from the sites of Concepción de la Vega and Cotuí (Hispaniola, present-day Dominican Republic) show that the potter’s wheel was in fact introduced to the Spanish colonies at an early stage. The evidence of RKE (rotative kinetic energy) on sherds and the discovery of parts of a potter’s wheel are the earliest traces of the potter’s wheel found in the Americas. Here we aim to present how the potter’s wheel was introduced within the context of transcultural pottery forming. This paper will show that traditional coiling techniques were supplemented with finishing techniques on the wheel. The transformation processes within ceramic repertoires are assessed through theories of colonialism and learning processes, combined with archaeological and ethnoarchaeological assessment of the ceramic chaîne opératoire. Evidence from ceramic analysis is combined with historical sources to understand social processes surrounding the technological changes behind the introduction of the potter’s wheel to the New World colonies.

From 2D and 3D documentation to 4D interpretation. Building archaeological conclusions and workflow strategies gained by remote study of Insula V 1, Pompeii

The text describes new methods elaborated for and used in the building archaeological assessment of a city block, studied first on site, then remotely by members of the Swedish Pompeii Project. Use of a digital platform, with collected wall observations and analysis, systematic photographic documentation of all standing structures, and 3D models, allowed discussion to proceed after the fieldwork came to an end. The models provided new possibilities and new angles of approach, e.g. examining walls at any given point, studying boundary walls as wall-strings in their full extent, allowing all kinds of sectioning at will, introducing bird’s-eye views as a new perspective in study, and measuring wherever needed. The joint results obtained are summed up in a four-phase development of the use of space: the earliest structures; the late Samnite building boom (2nd century BC); the colony (second half of 1st century BC); the imperial era (until AD 79). This narrative includes conclusions concerning building process and development of masonry techniques and on changes in way of life. Many results affect Pompeian archaeology in general. Results of particular importance concern the character of the early plot division and the understanding of the building process creating the double-atrium house of Caecilius Iucundus, including an anchorage in time for this creation in the Claudian period. The relatively small impact in terms of damage that may be ascribed the literary recorded earthquake of AD 62/63 is also worth noting. The text ends with a suggestion of a new workflow for insula studies.

Presence of Parasite Remains in Historical Contexts in the City of Córdoba, Argentina, in the Nineteenth Century

We conducted a paleoparasitological study on sediment samples from two trash pits and a cesspool, collected during an archaeological assessment of a building located in the historic downtown of the city of Córdoba, Argentina. People have used these premises for residential and commercial purposes since the beginning of the seventeenth century, although the samples analyzed correspond to nineteenth-century contexts. Light microscopy examination revealed the presence of parasite eggs of whipworm (Trichuris sp.), possibly roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), and tapeworm (taeniid). The presence of these fecal-oral and food-borne transmitted helminths supports other lines of evidence that indicate poor sanitation and hygiene habits and inadequate food processing, which may have contributed to the high incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal diseases recorded at that time. The paleoparasitological data agree with the historical information on the health status of the populations that inhabited the city of Córdoba in the past, especially in relation to their habits and diet.

Taking control of the production of heritage: Country and cultural values in the assessment of Aboriginal cultural heritage significance

ABSTRACT Cultural heritage management produces hundreds of archaeological assessments each year. However, the level of input from Aboriginal people into the significance assessment of places uncovered during this commercial archaeological work is minimal at best. Assessment outcomes continue to privilege scientific archaeological concepts of significance. To address this, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation has led the development of a tailored approach to significance assessment that is framed by the concept of Country. The criteria that have been developed integrate scientific archaeological approaches with Aboriginal cultural values and community perspectives in a balanced assessment methodology, which creates space for Aboriginal control of the assessment process and allows Aboriginal community perspectives to inform management/protection outcomes. Framing significance assessment within Traditional Owner perspectives of Country provides the opportunity for generating archaeological data that can address research questions and cultural significance at landscape or regional scales that are meaningful to the Traditional Owners, decolonising understandings of the past, and directly contributing to the protection of heritage places through improved and sustainable management outcomes.

Predicting wildfire impacts on the prehistoric archaeological record of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA

BackgroundWildfires of uncharacteristic severity, a consequence of climate changes and accumulated fuels, can cause amplified or novel impacts to archaeological resources. The archaeological record includes physical features associated with human activity; these exist within ecological landscapes and provide a unique long-term perspective on human–environment interactions. The potential for fire-caused damage to archaeological materials is of major concern because these resources are irreplaceable and non-renewable, have social or religious significance for living peoples, and are protected by an extensive body of legislation. Although previous studies have modeled ecological burn severity as a function of environmental setting and climate, the fidelity of these variables as predictors of archaeological fire effects has not been evaluated. This study, focused on prehistoric archaeological sites in a fire-prone and archaeologically rich landscape in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, USA, identified the environmental and climate variables that best predict observed fire severity and fire effects to archaeological features and artifacts.ResultsMachine learning models (Random Forest) indicate that topography and variables related to pre-fire weather and fuel condition are important predictors of fire effects and severity at archaeological sites. Fire effects were more likely to be present when fire-season weather was warmer and drier than average and within sites located in sloped, treed settings. Topographic predictors were highly important for distinguishing unburned, moderate, and high site burn severity as classified in post-fire archaeological assessments. High-severity impacts were more likely at archaeological sites with southern orientation or on warmer, steeper, slopes with less accumulated surface moisture, likely associated with lower fuel moistures and high potential for spreading fire.ConclusionsModels for predicting where and when fires may negatively affect the archaeological record can be used to prioritize fuel treatments, inform fire management plans, and guide post-fire rehabilitation efforts, thus aiding in cultural resource preservation.

Methodological Approach (In Situ and Laboratory) for the Characterisation of Late Prehistoric Rock Paintings—Penedo Gordo (NW Spain)

This paper draws on the study of the prehistoric art site of Penedo Gordo (NW Spain) resulting from a collaborative interdisciplinary research. One of its primary goals was to design and put into practice a multi-analytical protocol for characterising prehistoric rock paintings, combining in situ and laboratory analytical techniques. Thus, following the archaeological assessment of the site, the panels exhibiting red paintings were analysed by colour spectrophotometry and portable Raman spectroscopy. Analytical techniques were applied to a collection of samples exhumed from the excavation that simultaneously took place on site. These included three red accretions on different substrates (compact soil, white quartzite and grey quartzite) and stone fragments representative of the outcrop’s petrographic variability, aiming to determine their mineralogical composition, texture and study the stone-paint boundaries. Moreover, colouring materials exhumed from the excavation and collected in the immediate surroundings of the rock outcrop were analysed in order to scrutinise the provenience rock art’s raw materials. Laboratory analysis consisted of stereomicroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. One of the major outcomes was the discovery of a drop of red pigment preserved in an archaeological layer associated with Late Neolithic/Copper Age material remains.

The value of contemporary social significance in archaeological assessment and its implications for current legislative reform: a case study from the Esperance region, Western Australia

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a case study of an Aboriginal heritage assessment conducted with the Esperance Nyungars in southern Western Australia. The study incorporates contemporary social significance with archaeological assessment to form a holistic cultural significance statement for the landscapes surrounding the Munglinup River. The results are analysed with reference to the currently proposed legislative reform of the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act. The analysis has relevance for archaeological assessment methodologies, cultural heritage management, legislation reform and administration of the current and future Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act. This case study demonstrates the value of incorporating social significance into archaeological assessments, including custodial responsibilities, cultural landscapes and the links between ecology and cultural heritage.

Archaeological Assessment of the Coastal Areas of the Mexican State of Jalisco

This study presents an assessment of the various archaeological works conducted in the coastal areas of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Special attention is paid to project objectives and results so that each research approach can be characterized to determine whether they can be considered examples of “coastal archaeology” under the current definition. Furthermore, this study identifies characteristics that should receive greater attention in the design of future coastal archaeology projects located within the broad costal area of Jalisco and discusses effective approaches for achieving this goal.

Archeological Assessment of Two Naval Battlefields in Çeşme and Sinop, Turkey

A marine survey was conducted to reveal the maritime cultural heritage of the naval battlefields of Cesme (1770) and Sinop (1853). The seafloor of the battle sites was mapped using a high-resolution side-scan sonar revealing the location of shipwreck remains and some potential sites of interest. The findings associated with the battles were identified by comparing their locations with historical charts and documents. Sonar imaging indicated that this cultural heritage has been heavily damaged by modern fishing and anchoring activities, as well as by natural sedimentation. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combined archeology, history, and geophysics, these two lesser known naval battlefields were studied scientifically for the first time as maritime cultural heritage sites and a preliminary interpretation of the findings is presented in this paper. Aside from their historical importance, these battlefields have great archeological value, because they harbor the last known samples of warships from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries located on Turkish coasts. Considering that these rare cultural material remains are under threat, new regulations were suggested for both their protection and management and the site was brought to the attention of the authorities.

Marine Archaeology Assessment of the South Terminal Project Orange and Jefferson Counties, Texas

BOB Hydrographics, LLC (BOB) conducted a marine archaeological assessment in support of the Orange County South Terminal Project. The South Terminal is proposed on an oxbow channel of the Neches River, downstream from Beaumont, to accommodate loading and unloading of ships and barges and an adjacent tank storage facility. Plans for marine portions of the property include construction of two ship docks and one new barge dock. Dredging will remove sediments down to an elevation of -42 feet (ft) Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to create ship berths and a turning basin. Planned future expansion would increase the depth of the berths and turning basin to -48 ft MLLW. A barge dock will be dredged along the edge of the Neches River Channel to an elevation of -17 ft MLLW. Pilings will be driven to support dock and gangway platforms and to create mooring and breasting dolphins and barge monopiles. A portion of the oxbow, west of the ship docks will be filled to create upland as part of a proposed storage tank facility. Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. contracted with BOB, on behalf of the project sponsor, Port of Beaumont Navigation District, to assess the potential for submerged archaeological sites within the proposed South Terminal. Submerged archaeological sites, in this context, might be historic sites, such as sunken or abandoned watercraft, which may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or as State Antiquities Landmarks. The South Terminal will be constructed on publicly owned land; therefore, Texas Antiquities Permit 8926 was obtained prior to beginning fieldwork. A review of the cultural background determined that 3 prior marine archaeological investigations have been conducted within 3 miles of this project. At least 7 wrecks have been reported within 3 miles of the survey area. Field investigations included marine geophysical survey and probing of 2 anomalies. Geophysical survey was completed by BOB from June 10-13, 2019. A total of 78 acres was surveyed. The submerged Area of Potential Effect totals 54.7 acres, including: 34.3 acres for dredging ship and barge berths, 10.3 acres for ship docks and storage tanks, and 10.1 acres of survey buffer, mandated by the Texas Historical Commission, along the eastern margin of the dredging footprint. The Principal Investigator was solely responsible for archaeological data analysis and report preparation. Preliminary analysis of geophysical survey data resulted in recommendations of archaeological avoidance for 3 potential historic sites, designated as Anomalies 1, 2 and 3. Additional investigation was conducted from August 26-29, 2019 and January 19-21, 2020. Probing disproved the significance of Anomaly 1. Closeorder magnetometer survey disproved the significance of Anomaly 2. Probing determined that Anomaly 3 is associated with a buried, wooden-hulled watercraft, Site 41OR113, measuring 32 feet wide and at least 82 ft long. Site 41OR113 is potentially eligible as a State Antiquities Landmark and for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. All disturbance of the river bottom, related to construction of the South Terminal, must be avoided within state-mandated target avoidance buffers extending 50 meters beyond the margins Site 41OR113. If the wreck cannot be successfully avoided, then further investigation would be required to determine whether the site is historically significant and eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. All portions of the survey area, outside of the 41OR113 avoidance zone, are recommended for archaeological clearance. This study was completed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (Public Law 89-665; 16 U.S.C. 470), requiring that the lead agency consider the effects of projects upon historic resources, if those projects receive either permits or funding from the federal government. This study complies with the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191), which provides for the protection of cultural resources on state lands. Title 13, Part 2, Chapters 26 and 28 of The Texas Administrative Code mandates the minimum reporting and survey requirements, respectively, for marine archaeological studies conducted under Texas Antiquities Permits. Archaeological project records are curated at the Center for Archeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos. No artifacts were collected during these investigations.

High-pressure meta-ophiolite boulders and cobbles from northern Italy as possible raw-material sources for “greenstone” prehistoric tools: petrography and archaeological assessment

High-pressure meta-ophiolite boulders and cobbles from northern Italy as possible raw-material sources for “greenstone” prehistoric tools: petrography and archaeological assessment

Archaeological assessment reveals Earth's early transformation through land use.

Environmentally transformative human use of land accelerated with the emergence of agriculture, but the extent, trajectory, and implications of these early changes are not well understood. An empirical global assessment of land use from 10,000 years before the present (yr B.P.) to 1850 CE reveals a planet largely transformed by hunter-gatherers, farmers, and pastoralists by 3000 years ago, considerably earlier than the dates in the land-use reconstructions commonly used by Earth scientists. Synthesis of knowledge contributed by more than 250 archaeologists highlighted gaps in archaeological expertise and data quality, which peaked for 2000 yr B.P. and in traditionally studied and wealthier regions. Archaeological reconstruction of global land-use history illuminates the deep roots of Earth's transformation and challenges the emerging Anthropocene paradigm that large-scale anthropogenic global environmental change is mostly a recent phenomenon.

Nigel Baker, Jonathan Brett & Robert Jones. Bristol: a worshipful town and famous city. An archaeological assessment. 2018. Oxford: Oxbow; 978-1-78570-877-0 £40.

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Lipids, funerals, gifts and feasts. Organic residue analysis on Merovingian ceramics from the Elversele burial field (Belgium)

During the excavation of a Merovingian cemetery in Elversele (Temse, Belgium), archaeologists encountered nine burials each with one earthenware vessel clearly deposited in the graves, dating to the 6th–7th century AD. Vessels as grave goods are often linked with funerary feasting in Merovingian contexts, the contents of the vessels than acting as funerary meals in gift-giving relationships. However, as the custom of depositing vessels seems to diminish throughout the 6th and 7th century, it has been suggested that such vessels in most cases functioned only symbolically and that they held no actual foodstuffs. In order to verify or debunk this hypothesis, eight of the nine vessels from Elversele were sampled for organic residue analysis. Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) was used on the archaeological samples and various organic compounds related to foodstuffs were identified. This was complemented with an archaeological assessment of the pottery. Traces of animal fats and possibly also vegetal matter have been attested and, together with the results of the archaeological assessment, form clear evidence for the deposition of foodstuffs in these graves.

Marine Archaeology Survey in Support of Galveston Island State Park Marsh Restoration and Protection Project Galveston County, Texas

BOB Hydrographics, LLC conducted a marine geophysical survey and archaeological assessment of a proposed construction access channel in Galveston County, on behalf of HDR Engineering, Inc. A proposed 25-acre bay access channel would cross portions of State Mineral Lease Tracts, West Bay 59, 65 and 66 in West Galveston Bay. The channel would provide construction access to build a breakwater for the Galveston Island State Park Marsh Protection and Restoration Project, sponsored by the General Land Office. An archaeological survey was requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, based on their review of Permit Application SWG-1998-02298. Consultation between the Texas Historical Commission and the Galveston District concluded that archaeological survey only would be required for the channel providing access from the bay to the island and not for areas adjacent and including the proposed breakwaters. The area of potential effect encompasses 70 acres, including a 50-meter buffer mandated by the Texas Historical Commission around the proposed channel. A review of cultural background determined that 1 marine archaeological investigation and, at least, 1 wreck have been reported within 3 miles of the survey area. BOB completed a marine geophysical survey on May 9, 2019 under Texas Antiquities Permit 8906. A total of 140 acres was surveyed to provide options for adjusting the route if necessary. Water depth at the time of the survey ranged from 4 to 9 feet. BOB assessed all geophysical data to locate archaeological sites potentially affected by construction of the access channel. No artifacts were collected during the survey. No significant geophysical targets were discovered that might be potentially eligible for the State Antiquities Landmark or for the National Register of Historic Places. BOB recommends cultural resource clearance for all areas surveyed, provided that a THC-mandated 50-meter buffer is honored around the perimeter of the survey area. This study was completed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665; 16 U.S.C. 470) and the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191). The minimum reporting and survey requirements for marine archaeological studies conducted under a Texas Antiquities Permit are mandated by The Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Part 2, Chapters 26 and 28, respectively. Project records are curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos.