Archaeological Community Research Articles

Archaeology of Historic Football Grounds: A Case Study of the 19 May Stadium in Turkey

In Turkey, being young and healthy was idealized as the politics of the state that had successfully ruptured the link with the Ottoman Empire, thereby making sport a significant component of culture and modern life in Turkey. One of the most important football grounds was the 19 May Stadium, which was the first football ground in Turkey and reflected the political and sports culture of the time. Yet, 19 May Stadium is not perceived to be part of the country’s heritage equation; it has meaning for individuals of all ages, and it contributes significantly to the overall quality of life. Accordingly, this study makes an archaeological examination of 19 May Stadium as a form of material culture. It examines the evolving field of community archaeology projects and how they contribute to the importance of place, memory, and meaning in the historical context of the site, thereby making them more visible on the historical environment agenda in Turkey.

On the Value of Informal Communication in Archaeological Data Work

Abstract Archaeological data simultaneously serve as formal documentary evidence that supports and legitimizes chains of analytical inference and as communicative media that bind together scholarly activities distributed across time, place, and social circumstance. This contributes to a sense of “epistemic anxiety,” whereby archaeologists require that data be objective and decisive to support computational analysis but also intuitively understand data to be subjective and situated based on their own experiences as participants in an archaeological community of practice. In this article, I present observations of and elicitations about archaeological practices relating to the constitution and transformation of data in three cases in order to articulate this tension and document how archaeologists cope with it. I found that archaeologists rely on a wide variety of situated representations of archaeological experiences – which are either not recorded at all or occupy entirely separate and unpublished data streams – to make sense of more formal records. This undervalued information is crucial for ensuring that relatively local, bounded, and private collaborative ties may be extended beyond the scope of a project and, therefore, should be given more attention as we continue to develop open data infrastructures.

DNA metabarcoding and macroremains from coprolites reveal insights into Middle and Late Holocene inhabitants of Bonneville Estates Rockshelter, Nevada

The analysis of coprolites provides direct evidence of resources consumed and may be paired with ethnographic data to elucidate the dietary and medicinal use of plants in archaeological communities. This article combines and contrasts the macroscopic analysis and DNA metabarcoding of 10 coprolites from Bonneville Estates Rockshelter, Nevada, USA. While the results from both methods confirm previous understandings of subsistence practices at the site, minimal overlap in identified taxa suggests that each accesses different components of the consumed material. The two methods should therefore be seen as complementary and employed together, where possible.

Developing a holistic and collaborative approach for the archaeology of Australian South Sea Islanders in Queensland

ABSTRACTAustralian South Sea Islanders are a distinctive cultural group comprising descendants of over 60000 labourers who came to Australia from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and elsewhere in the Western Pacific between 1863 and 1904. “Blackbirded” labourers were commonly referred to as victims of a slave trade, though many also came voluntarily to work in the sugar plantations of northern New South Wales and Queensland. The advent of racist exclusionary immigration policies introduced from 1901 further forced South Sea Islanders to the margins of colonial society. Yet many Australian South Sea Islanders would argue their untold history speaks to resilience and overcoming adversity. Australian South Sea Islanders have a distinctive cultural heritage, including material culture, oral traditions embedded in the landscape and connections to places – from sugar mills to domestic sites – revealed archaeologically. This heritage must be approached sensitively given its association with sometimes difficult histories but is crucial to understanding the contributions of Australian South Sea Islanders to Australian society, contemporary communities and identities, and historical and social significance across multiple scales. Collaborative research with Australian South Sea Islanders pushes the boundaries of “community archaeology” by taking a slow approach to research, reframing ethnographic objects and cultural landscapes, and producing an archaeology that can include many voices.

Stone Archive of World War I Victims: The Case of the Monument from Ruszów (Poland) and Various Aspects of Community Archaeology

Stone Archive of World War I Victims: The Case of the Monument from Ruszów (Poland) and Various Aspects of Community Archaeology

THE GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE OF WALLACE TANK PUEBLO (AZ Q:1:199 (ASM)), PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA: REHABILITATING THE DAMAGED CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF A PUEBLO IV VILLAGE

Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO) is a unique landscape of physical beauty and paleontological treasures. Known for its ancient fossils, petrified wood, and awe-inspiring vistas, it is also well-known in the archaeological community as having some of the earliest villages on the southern Colorado Plateau. Additionally, it is home to a few large late precontact pueblos (Pueblo IV period: ~1275-1400 CE) that were once part of an extensive regional network of communities where people and goods moved across the landscape. Wallace Tank Pueblo is the largest Pueblo IV period village within the Park. This once thriving 600-room pueblo was home to the ancestors of the Zuni, Hopi, and other descendant communities. Over time the physical features of the village were damaged by historic ranching activities and natural erosion. It is now a scoured and degraded landscape where the once sustaining natural spring is not even identifiable. Because of the uniqueness of this village within the Petrified Forest environment consultations between the Park and descendant communities should consider management plans that will re-establish a spring-fed wetlands. Such a plan would not only focus on preservation of the cultural features, but also on the health of the environment and that of the descendants who maintain an emotional and spiritual connection to this ancestral village.

현행 역사교과서 내 한국 고대사 분야에 대한 고고학 관련 서술 검토

This paper is about the basic framework and archaeological descriptions of the ancient Korean history in the current history textbook in middle and high school. History textbooks are the most fundamental to history education, and it is necessary to review the descriptions in the field of archaeology at a time when public interest in archaeology is increasing. As a result of examining various history textbooks, it was found that the ancient history section not only fails to properly reflect the results of archaeological surveys and research in Korean historical archaeology, but also contains errors in related descriptions and some visual materials due to the lack of understanding of archaeological materials and the failure to properly reflect the latest research results by the writing team composed of only history majors. Due to the biased composition of writers consisting of only history majors, errors were found in related descriptions and visual materials due to lack of understanding of archaeological materials or lack of understanding of the latest research and research results. The ancient field has limitations only with the study of literature history due to the lack of historical records, so assistance in the field of archaeology dealing with material data is essential. In order to properly implement historical education, close cooperation between archaeology, history, education, and the education sector is necessary. First, the archaeological community should start by communicating with the history community, which is actively participating in the writing of history textbooks, in order to form a consensus, and then strive to improve the descriptions and system of history textbooks in a more desirable direction through cooperation with the education community in the future. In the case of history textbooks currently being written, at least the participation of archaeologists in the review process is essential.

Recovering the Memories of the Capdella Cardboard Hospital Through Community Archaeology

Recovering the Memories of the Capdella Cardboard Hospital Through Community Archaeology

The Prince and the Pauper: Evidence for the early high-redshift formation of the Galactic α-poor disc population

Context. The presence of [α/Fe]–[Fe/H] bi-modality in the Milky Way disc has intrigued the Galactic archaeology community over more than two decades. Aims. Our goal is to investigate the chemical, temporal, and kinematical structure of the Galactic discs using abundances, kinematics, and ages derived self-consistently with the new Bayesian framework SAPP. Methods. We employed the public Gaia-ESO spectra, as well as Gaia EDR3 astrometry and photometry. Stellar parameters and chemical abundances are determined for 13 426 stars using NLTE models of synthetic spectra. Ages were derived for a sub-sample of 2898 stars, including subgiants and main-sequence stars. The sample probes a large range of Galactocentric radii, ∼3 to 12 kpc, and extends out of the disc plane to ±2 kpc. Results. Our new data confirm the known bi-modality in the [Fe/H]–[α/Fe] space, which is often viewed as the manifestation of the chemical thin and thick discs. The over-densities significantly overlap in metallicity, age, and kinematics and none of them offer a sufficient criterion for distinguishing between the two disc populations. In contrast to previous studies, we find that the α-poor disc population has a very extended [Fe/H] distribution and contains ∼20% old stars with ages of up to ∼11 Gyr. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the Galactic thin disc was in place early, at lookback times corresponding to redshifts of z ∼ 2 or more. At ages of ∼9 to 11 Gyr, the two disc structures shared a period of co-evolution. Our data can be understood within the clumpy disc formation scenario that does not require a pre-existing thick disc to initiate the formation of the thin disc. We anticipate that a similar evolution can be realised in cosmological simulations of galaxy formation.

Decolonizing Archaeological Practice in Northeast India: Views from the Community Archaeology Initiatives in Nagaland

Nagaland has a significant wealth of oral traditions closely tied to ancestral sites. Ancestral sites represent pre-colonial indigenous occupation and serve as a collective memory for groups of descent, for example, as part of narratives of group migrations from prominent sites of dispersal. Despite such direct historical continuity, the participatory role and involvement of local communities in archaeological research in India are largely peripheral. Hence, whether in other parts of India or the Northeast region, due to the ancestral heritage and traditional knowledge of local communities associated with the ancestral sites, it is necessary to adopt a decolonizing approach in the study of these places. This approach includes community-based participatory research (CBPR) that involves descendant and non-descendant communities residing within the proximity of archaeological sites. Such research is essential to unlocking new challenges and opportunities within the disciplinary practice. Against this background, I present some case studies from Nagaland that demonstrate the potential and relevance of such an approach to the study of ancestral sites in Northeast India. Résumé Le Nagaland possède une richesse importante de traditions orales étroitement liées aux sites ancestraux. Les sites ancestraux représentent l'occupation indigène pré-coloniale et servent de mémoire collective pour les groupes de descendance, par exemple, dans le cadre des récits de migrations de groupes à partir de sites de dispersion importants. Malgré cette continuité historique directe, le rôle participatif et l'implication des communautés locales dans la recherche archéologique en Inde sont largement marginaux. Par conséquent, que ce soit dans d'autres parties de l'Inde ou dans la région du Nord-Est, en raison du patrimoine ancestral et des connaissances traditionnelles des communautés locales associées aux sites ancestraux, il est nécessaire d'adopter une approche décolonisatrice dans l'étude de ces lieux. Cette approche comprend la recherche participative basée sur la communauté (CBPR) qui implique les communautés descendantes et non descendantes résidant à proximité des sites archéologiques. Une telle recherche est essentielle pour relever de nouveaux défis et opportunités dans la pratique disciplinaire. Dans ce contexte, je présente quelques études de cas du Nagaland qui démontrent le potentiel et la pertinence d'une telle approche pour l'étude des sites ancestraux dans le Nord-Est de l'Inde.

Integrating legacy survey data into GIS‐based analysis: The rediscovery of the archaeological landscapes in Grevena (Western Macedonia, Greece)

AbstractSurface archaeological survey has been widely established as the principal method for the regional study of Mediterranean diachronic landscapes. Before the introduction of GPS and digital, GIS‐based recordings in the late 1990s, survey projects employed analogue recording strategies (e.g. personal notebooks, printed forms and cartographic materials) resulting in low‐precision spatial datasets. These archives, termed here as legacy survey data, can today be visualized and analysed using computational tools. The aim of the present work is to exemplify how legacy data can be reused and reproduced to explore unknown aspects of past survey projects. It showcases a multi‐source, GIS‐structured workflow to manage and re‐evaluate data from the region of Grevena, north‐western Greece, where a largely unpublished all‐period extensive survey titled the Grevena Project has pinpointed a rich, yet unavailable to the archaeological community cultural record. The publications lacked critical evaluation of the survey results and significance, such as accurate site locations, size and chronology as well as a description of the field collection strategies used. To recover and combine these data into a single geodataset, a three‐step workflow was created, including the systematic recording of collected artefacts, the deployment of archival and remote‐sensing resources (e.g. georeferenced cartographic and photographic materials and satellite imagery) and the development of a new extensive survey in selected areas for validation purposes. Results indicated heterogeneity in the techniques employed by the Grevena Project for site recognition. They also brought an important assemblage of Palaeolithic finds unrecorded before. Furthermore, large‐scale geomorphological analysis using geomorphometric approaches demonstrated an irregularly high density of sites in elevated areas, which is considered a surveying bias. Remote sensing sources including archival aerial photographs highlighted regional landscape changes (e.g. in forest coverage) revealing architectural remains unmapped before. Finally, the new survey around Ayios Georgios showed the discovery of several new sites, emphasizing a case study of much more complex dynamics than originally considered during the Grevena Project.

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Hallam Movius is the most cited and controversial scholar among East Asian Paleolithic researchers. Criticisms of the Movius theory that have been raised so far have often been developed in such a way that the ‘Movius line’ is not valid because there are ‘Acheulean (type) handaxes’ in East Asia and Southeast Asia. However, it is not so easy to clearly answer the question, ‘To what extent does it resemble a true Acheulean hand axe?’ Therefore, rather than examining the validity of the Movius theory through ‘formal similarity’, this study attempted to criticize the Movius theory at a more fundamental level by retracing the genealogy of the core theories that form the intellectual foundation of the Movius theory. The analysis revealed that the Movius theory is based on the ‘old intellectual legacy’ of modern Western academia that is no longer accepted by current academic circles. Theories that Movius relied on, such as Transformisme, Orthogenesis, Presapien theory, and Alpine glacial chronology, have now been discarded in the natural science and archaeology communities, and the culture-historical archaeology is also a controversial methodology in terms of its validity. In other words, considering the current level of academia, the intellectual foundation theories of the Movius doctrine are anachronistic. Therefore, the Movius model, which logically stands against old theories and concepts that no longer have a future, cannot help but be evaluated as anachronistic. Recent research has revealed that Movius’ survey of the Burma region had several critical stratigraphic errors and that there were also problems with stone tool determination. The basis of the Movius line is uncertain in that Movius built his theory based on uncertain data. Bifacial processing technology is a phenomenon that appears universally in the Old Continent, and is not a special phenomenon that appears only in certain regions such as Africa and Europe. However, we cannot lump them all together and name them ‘Acheulean’. This is because so much technological diversity is hidden within the morphological unity of ‘bifaces.’ From that perspective, the ‘Movius Line’ not only has no substance, but also fails to properly explain the Paleolithic culture of East Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as the Paleolithic culture of Europe and Africa. Therefore, the insubstantial Movius line should be discarded.

РЕЦЕНЗИЯ НА МОНОГРАФИЮ «МОЛЕВ Е.А., МОЛЕВА Н.В. БОСПОРСКИЙ ГОРОД КИТЕЙ: МОНОГРАФИЯ. ЧАСТЬ III. – НИЖНИЙ НОВГОРОД: ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО НИЖЕГОРОДСКОГО ГОСУНИВЕРСИТЕТА, 2022. – 453 c.: С ИЛ., ТАБЛ.»

The review analyzes the monograph by Evgeny Alexandrovich Molev and Natalia Vladimirovna Moleva "The Bosporan city of Kitei: Monograph. Part III", dedicated to the results of excavations in the field seasons 2005-2012 and 2016-2017. The preparation and publication of the fundamental work were the result of many years of research into the ancient city of Kitei. At the time of publi-cation of the monograph, one of the authors of the work, Yevgeny Alexandrovich Molev, passed away. But the debt of memory and respect for the famous Russian archaeologist and antiquarian prompted his colleagues and associates, led by Alexander Valentinovich Makhlayuk, to complete the work and publish it. Evgeny Alexandrovich was a great friend of Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov. After the collapse of the USSR, the eminent Russian scientist made every effort to restore comprehensive ties between Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University and Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov. This was reflected in the par-ticipation of colleagues in international and all-Russian conferences, the opposition of candidate and doctoral dissertations, in performances as a leading organization, the preparation of reviews of dissertations, monographs and textbooks. For 15 years he was the chairman of the State Attestation Commission in the field of Histo-ry. His high competence and professionalism made it possible to objectively assess the quality of the training of graduate historians, to be on top of the requirements for modern specialists. Evgeny Alexandrovich published his articles in the electronic journal "Kavkazologiya" when he took his first steps. Therefore, we could not remain indifferent to the appearance of the latest monograph by E.A. Molev. The topic studied in the monograph is certainly relevant. For kavkazologists, it is in-teresting because it provides a new layer of knowledge about the interaction in the ancient era of the Greek cities of Bosporus and the Sinds and Meots, which is fully correlated with the identical studies of R.J. Betrozov in the Northwestern Caucasus. The structure of the work is clear and well-founded. The scientific content of the sections is relevant to existing academic standards. The publication deserves the highest appreciation and at-tention of the historical and archaeological community.

The Return of Organic Soft Tissue Preservation Abilities and the “Bog Body” Phenomenon in MLTT Restored Peatlands

Climate change and human manipulation in peatlands threatens peatland health, presaging the loss of instrumental peatland functions including carbon sequestration or the bog body mummification function. In response, peatland ecologists are studying restoration methods to revive degenerating bogs, including the Rochefort Moss Layer Transfer Technique (MLTT). Since the advent of these studies, questions regarding the return of lost peatland functions have arisen. This study employed a qualitative experimental study of mammal soft tissue samples in a controlled incubatory environment mimicking an MLTT restored peatland to discern if the MLTT method induced the return of the bog body mummification function. The findings indicate that the function does appear to return, which crucially implies that restorative efforts in peatland ecology have a valid prospect with promising returns, therefore this field is worthwhile to continue because this study shows that it is possible to save peatlands and their functions, further permitting the archaeological community to save the artifacts found in peatlands.

Hume Village and Castle

A three-year community archaeology project was completed on behalf of the Hume Castle Preservation Trust at the village of Hume in the Scottish Borders. The project engaged with over 300 members of the public, providing training and volunteering opportunities in a suite of archaeological skills. The project work focused on Hume Village and its surrounding landscape; in particular Hume Castle and the remains of the former medieval village immediately surrounding it, and the associated kirkyard which housed the former Hume Parish Church. Extensive survey work was completed in the kirkyard and adjacent Glebe, in the grounds of Hume Castle, and at the castle itself. Excavations were completed in the castle grounds, the Glebe, and in the garden of West End Cottage in Hume Village. The results of the survey and excavation works portray the changing settlement pattern and use of land in the village area, particularly highlighting occupation and use of the former buildings surrounding the castle up to 200 years after its destruction. A similar pattern was found in the kirkyard, with continual use of the cemetery over 300 years after the abandonment, and probable destruction, of the former kirk. The results indicate that despite the destruction of its castle and kirk, the village of Hume has persevered, maintaining an important sense of place and memory in the landscape.

Local History and the Development of Heritage Bonds: A Primary Education Intervention

The Roman Baths of Valduno (Spain) possess significant educational potential, as recognized by visitors in a previous study, even though the facilities have not been maintained properly or have not been given enough publicity , which has resulted in their neglect. Through participation in a school project, a specific intervention is planned, following the ideas of community archaeology, regarding the study and dissemination of the Baths by following the ideas of community archaeology throughout. This study aims to analyse the impact this intervention has on 16 students regarding their knowledge of heritage and the bonds forged and reinforced concerning the site, as well as to identify the difference in historical knowledge acquired after a classroom explanation of the Baths and an open guided tour focused on the interests of the students. A case study was designed following the educational ethnography method, as it facilitates daily attendance as well as close observation of the case in question. The instruments developed (a register for participant observation and a semi-structured interview) reveal that symbolic appropriation of the site occurs as interaction and related knowledge increase. Furthermore, open guided tours facilitate greater significant learning in contrast to a classroom explanation on a heritage site. Educational experiences that embrace experimental, transdisciplinary, and participative methodologies contribute to a holistic understanding of heritage.

Heritage and Cultural Affiliation: Archaeological Materials in the Performance of Identity and Belonging in Igbo Ukwu, Southeastern Nigeria

This paper explores the use of images of archaeological objects as a conduit for members of a social group to establish a connection with the past, shape new realities of identity, and express a sense of belonging. With a focus on Igbo Ukwu, a renowned archaeological community in southeastern Nigeria, this paper follows the discourse on images as realistic claims to truth situated within heritage studies. Specifically, we conceptualize archaeological objects as a materiality of belonging, examining how their affect among community members extends beyond the tangible objects to include images of the objects reproduced across different media. By examining the elevation of images of archaeological objects to index cultural affiliation between the past and the present, we highlight the emergence and (re)production of corporate notions of belonging in Igbo Ukwu community. This paper contributes to discourse on a holistic approach to the use of archaeological objects in the (re)construction of identities and ideologies. We argue that by tracing the history of representation and the role that images play in it, we are able to isolate and reconstruct the process through which new, or reimagined, realities emerge.

Community‐led investigations of unmarked graves at Indian residential schools in Western Canada—overview, status report and best practices

AbstractPart of Canadian history that is now being addressed is the legacy of Indian residential schools (IRSs) and closely related institutions. For most of their 200‐year‐plus history, these were run by various churches or religious organizations, and many were directly funded (and eventually run) by government. Attendance by Indigenous children at these schools was made compulsory, and children were deliberately taken far from their cultural base, native language and family in the name of cultural assimilation. Abundant and longstanding evidence has documented abuse, neglect and high rates of death at the schools. Most or all schools had cemeteries, many of which have fallen into neglect and/or been lost through time. Documenting the numbers, names and burial locations of students who died at the schools has become a national priority. Since 2021, interest in this work has accelerated, due in large part by media announcements of geophysical findings of potential unmarked graves at various school sites. Geophysical surveys for unmarked graves are planned or underway at a large number of school sites nationwide. Related lines of research are seeking to document the extent and nature of student deaths based on archival records, survivor accounts and other lines of evidence. As suggested by government and demanded by Indigenous communities, these searches are being led by the affected communities. This paper represents a snapshot of elements of the work in progress, based in part on the personal participation of the author in multiple IRS searches and resulting direct involvement with local communities. Included in this contribution are a historic context, broad overview of community participation/leadership and suggested refinements to geophysical survey best practices that have been promulgated by the Canadian archaeological community and other nationwide organizations.

Self, Service, and Social Activism: Community Archaeology at Timbuctoo, New Jersey

Self, Service, and Social Activism: Community Archaeology at Timbuctoo, New Jersey

HEAD LOUSE PALEOEPIDEMIOLOGY IN THE OSMORE RIVER VALLEY, SOUTHERN PERU.

Recent studies of louse ectoparasites from mummies have developed robust data sets that allow a true epidemiological approach to the prehistory of louse parasitism. One epidemiological principle is that the binomial of overdispersion is normally negative, meaning that in a host population, parasites are aggregated in a few individuals. We demonstrate the overdispersion of lice in 3 different prehistoric communities that differ along 3 axes or variables: environmental setting, socioeconomic status, and cultural affiliation. Distinct cultural practices could have been involved in different patterns of louse infestation. Prevalence, intensity, and abundance of infestations exhibit statistically significant differences between the communities. We also find differences in prevalence between subadults and adults that contrasted by cultural affiliation and suggest conditions different from those seen today. We show that overall prevalence was affected primarily by ecological setting, not socioeconomic status nor cultural affiliation. These findings demonstrate that statistical analysis of archaeological data can reveal the states of infestation in past populations with lifestyles not seen in modern people. Our approach paves the way for future comparisons of subpopulations within archaeological communities.