Archaeological Field Research Research Articles

“We Found People…”

This photo essay shows human remains. Viewer discretion is advised. Death Valley in Chojnice, Poland, is the site of mass crimes committed by officers of the Third Reich against citizens of the Second Polish Republic during World War II. This photo essay describes the circumstances of the discovery of mass graves dating from late January 1945, when several hundred Poles were taken to the outskirts of the town, murdered, and their bodies burned to cover up the traces of the crime. The text advocates the presentation of human remains as irrefutable material evidence of the crime and of the the cover-up attempt. The reason it is presented as a photo essay is because the visual arts, in the context of documenting mass graves, are able to capture aspects of the site – the materiality of the crimes committed and the aura of the exhumation itself – that are not usually taken into account in archaeological field research. Such elements, however, are inherent to any field research that involves the exhumation of innocent victims.

Landscape of Resistance. Traces of the Military Training of the Lithuanian Liberation Army in Plokštinė Forest, Samogitia, Northwestern Lithuania

In recent years, fortified and open-type campsites of the Lithuanian Partisan War (1944–1953) have become the subject of archaeological research in Lithuania. The military training camp for soldiers of the Lithuanian Liberation Army (the so-called Vanagai, or Hawks) in Plokštinė Forest (Plungė District), Samogitia region, northwestern Lithuania was investigated by the author of this paper in 2019 and 2020. From 15 to 25 August 1944, in the face of the impending second Soviet invasion, the Plokštinė Forest camp was used to train the Samogitian youths in the basics of armed resistance. Archaeological field research carried out in the Plokštinė Forest allowed the determination of the exact location of the Vanagai military training camp and firearms training ground, the collection of archaeological data on the camp, its layout and equipment, as well as the everyday life of the Vanagai, and the weapons they used. This paper presents the results of the archaeological research of the Vanagai military training camp and their analysis. Based on the research data, the importance of the landscape in the selection of the campsite and firearms training ground, their spatial layout and the identification of activity areas are discussed.

Il museo archeologico di uno scrittore: Carlo Dossi a Corbetta

In 1895, the writer and diplomat Carlo Dossi (1849‑1910) retired to Corbetta, near Milan, and devoted himself to archaeological field research, leading excavations in the area and designing his own museum. If we look at the Antiquarium forense set up by Giacomo Boni in Rome, we can see that the innovative and up-to-date aspects are the hallmark of this museum. In addition, the museum’s specialised library is reviewed, pointing out the complex nature of this place, which is now assessed as a tool for narrating the story of this territory in a captivating and multimedial way.

Decolonising the archaeology of indigenous artisanal gold mining in Eastern Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT In this paper, I will look at how I utilised archaeological ethnography as a methodology to study ancient and contemporary indigenous gold mining practices in Eastern Zimbabwe. Subsequently, I will present an archaeological field research that I undertook at Nyahokwe and Saungweme sites between 2016 and 2017 and move on to show how material culture recovered was collaboratively interpreted in conversations with contemporary indigenous gold miners. I argue that by using archaeological ethnography as a field methodology that privileges multivocality, this ultimately decolonised archaeology's underlying politics which is protected by expert hegemonic discourses. During the field study at Nyahokwe and Saungweme sites artisanal miners popularly known as makorokozas revealed their localised understanding of crucibles and hammerstones that were recovered during both archaeological excavations and surface collections. Thus, used as decolonised methodology, archaeological ethnography allowed for multiple voices to be embraced in archaeological knowledge production.

Issues of Archaeological Cultures Study in the Territory of Uman Region (on materials by H.Yu. Khraban)

The purpose of the research paper is to focus attention on the role of the ‘second plan’ historians in scientific research of the history of Ukraine; to evaluate and study comprehensively the contribution of H.Yu. Khraban to the archaeological study of Uman region territory; to carry out a detailed analysis of the archaeological part of the scholar’s scientific heritage; to find out the results of his archaeological studies, and to show the importance of the archaeological study of the regions for the reconstruction of the genuine history of Ukraine.
 Scientific novelty: The contribution of H. Khraban to the study of various archaeological cultures sites in the western part of Cherkasy and neighboring oblasts is analyzed based on the fundamental source base, and after finding as well as introduction into scientific circulation of a significant array of new archival sources. The paper significantly augments a list of scholar’s works, many of which are unpublished and remain relevant to this day.
 Conclusions. The activity of H. Khraban devoted to the archaeological study of the territory of Uman region, Eastern Podillia, and the popularization of the ancient history of Ukraine is analyzed. The contribution of the historian to the addition of previously unknown pages from the history of the expansion of different archaeological cultures tribes into Uman region territory, his assistance in the organization of Uman Museum of Local Lore research activities, and the involvement of the public in the archaeological study of the region are shown. H.Yu. Khraban himself participated in archaeological field research in Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr oblasts. Hryhorii Khraban maintained systematic ties with the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and spoke at meetings of the Department of Archeology Early Slavs with important reports on the results of his studies. Scientific notes and collected material objects were systematically given by the scholar to the scientific funds of the Institute of Archaeology.
 According to the time of their dating, H. Khraban attributed the archaeological sites discovered in the territory of Uman region to the Paleolithic period, Trypillia culture, Bronze Age, Bilohrudivska culture, Scythian period, Zarubyntsi and Cherniakhiv cultures, and the sites of the early Slavs. H. Khraban’s merit as an archaeologist lies in the fact that he helped to study the continuity in the settling of Uman region territory since ancient times.

Sources of Shared Knowledge: Community Stakeholders, Undergraduate Students, and Archaeologists on an International Archaeological Dig

I have had the dream to become a physician and specialize in cardiology for about seven years now. As a pre-med undergraduate student at Carleton College, I knew that meant I would have to take the Medical College Admissions Test and organic chemistry, as well as get meaningful clinical experience. However, I had no idea I would also lead community outreach for a project doing archaeological field research in Peru! Although this was not a typical pre-med experience, my time with Dr. Sarah Kennedy’s Proyecto Arqueológico Medio Ambiental (PAMA) in Puno, Peru, was one of the most beneficial experiences I have had during my career.

Portable x-ray fluorescence calibrations: Workflow and guidelines for optimizing the analysis of geological samples

The use of portable Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometers has exploded within the last decade for e.g., environmental, geological, and archaeological field research. Producing reliable geochemical data using a pXRF is a challenging process that requires the development of dedicated and matrix-matched empirical calibrations. Although a large field of applications, several research papers are still published using unquantified pXRF data, using manufacturers' built-in calibrations unsuitable for targeted rocks, or interpreting chemical concentrations without checking the limit of quantification of the pXRF spectrometer and its calibration model. In this paper, we present a general workflow for building an empirical calibration model for a pXRF spectrometer, from choosing reference materials to validating calibration's efficiency and quantifying its limit of quantification. We also compare the geochemical results on a sedimentary and an igneous rocks suite obtained from thirty-two calibration models that were built using different software available, including a simple homemade spreadsheet, the EasyCal calibration software, a free and open-source calibration app named CloudCal, and the built-in GeoMining and GeoExplorer calibrations provided by Bruker manufacturer on the Tracer 5 pXRF. This decoupled approach allows (i) to explore the pros and cons of each calibration model and determine which empirical calibration model brings the most accurate chemical concentration for a sedimentary and an igneous rock suite, (ii) to weigh the impact of each calibration parameter (type of regression line, spectral interferences, normalization, influence coefficients, multiple conditions of excitation and acquisition) on the accuracy of geochemical concentrations on rock samples and (iii) to bring innovative tools to assess the limits of quantification of a newly built calibration model.

Bending the Trajectory of Field School Teaching and Learning through Active and Advocacy Archaeology

Many individuals practicing field-based research are subjected to sexual harassment and assault. This fact holds true for people engaged in archaeological field research and may be true for students who are just learning field methods while enrolled in an archaeological field school. We review some of our current research on the means of reducing and preventing sexual harassment and assault at archaeological field schools, as well as ways to create safer, more inclusive learning spaces. Additionally, we suggest that for the discipline to advance field school teaching and learning, we, as field directors, must situate ourselves as active and advocacy anthropologists: an approach that puts our students as a central focus when developing field-based pedagogy. As the authors of this work, we review our identities and positionality in conducting this research and in making meaning from the data we have collected.

‘Arkeolojik Alanda Mimarın Rolü’: Uygulamalı bir Eğitim Modeli

The architect working in the historical environment is expected to have some basic knowledge, regardless of the specific purpose of their work, whether it is the design of a protection roof to be built for more effective preservation of archaeological data, the documentation of new architectural data revealed by excavations, or the planning of an anastylosis application to be carried out in the area. First of all, the architect; must be able to perceive, understand and evaluate the historical structure and environment. It is observed that the provision of this knowledge in architectural education and the training of architects for the archaeological site is lacking. In this study, in archaeological field research that requires the contribution of many different disciplines; a practical training model proposed for the education of architects and architect candidates who will take responsibility in studies related to the identification, documentation and evaluation of immovable cultural heritage is discussed. A series of summer schools were organized in selected sites with undergraduate architecture students during the active season of archaeological excavations in order to create an education model for this and to enable this topic to be able to take its place in architectural education as a credit course in the future. The difficulties in archaeological sites and the multidisciplinary nature of the excavation teams were observed in the summer schools, and it was emphasized that the architect could take on many other roles besides documentation. During the training, traditional measurement techniques were taught and applied, and introductions to digital methods were given. In this study, considering the possible steps to be taken in the future, the theoretical framework and practical applications of these summer schools held directly at the archaeological site, the observations made, and the evaluations of the feedback of the participants are handled.

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research (NEH)

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research (NEH)

The Other Archaeologists: The Ignorant Villagers and the Colonial Archaeology of Taxila in the Late Nineteenth Century

This paper investigates the role ordinary people have played in archaeological field research during the late nineteenth century. Its geographical focus is on the Taxila valley in Pakistan. It was in the early later nineteenth century that Alexander Cunningham carried out extensive explorations in the area. He engaged local people during the course of his explorations aiming at gathering information about the valley’s archaeological landscape and previous diggings at many sites. Of particular importance was a resident of Shah-dheri village, called Nur. Notwithstanding their potential contribution during the surveys, Cunningham still failed to credit them for it. He rather maligned his local informants and guides as ignorant and destroyers. This paper argues that we need a discovery as well as reappraisal of the role ordinary local people have played in archaeological investigations in the subcontinent. The category of ordinary people under discussion here is different from what native scholarship embodies, viz. scholars, pundits and learned informants. It includes people who are imperceptible, or even absent, in the margins and bottoms of the pages of colonial knowledge. Such researches would not only reveal novel aspects of colonial archaeology but would, at the same time, lead to devise ways for potential engagements between archaeologists and local populations in present-day South Asian archaeology.

„Jakaś groza wieje od tych pól ponurych” – świadkowie i dziedzictwo masowych, drugowojennych zbrodni w Dolinie Śmierci w Chojnicach

This paper discusses the results of the research carried out in a project entitled An archaeology of the Death Valley. First, the historical context related to mass killings on the outskirts of Chojnice during the Second World War is sketched. Then, the results of the archaeological field research are presented. The last part is about ethnographic research which allowed to document various memories related to mass killings in the Death Valley as well as human and non-human witnesses of these events. The idea behind this paper is to show that archaeology and ethnography are crucial in discovering and documenting sites of mass killings and their heritage.

The Field School Syllabus

AbstractResearch indicates that sexual harassment and assault commonly occur during archaeological field research, and students, trainees, and early career professionals are more frequently subjected to harassing behaviors compared to mid-career and senior scientists. Specific to archaeological education, the undergraduate educational requirement of a field school puts students and trainees in situations where harassment historically has been unchecked. We present the results of a systematic content analysis of 24 sets of field school documents. We analyzed these documents with attention to how field school policies, procedures, and language may impact students’ perceptions of their expected behaviors, logistics and means of reporting, and stated policies surrounding sexual harassment and assault. Coding was conducted using an a priori coding scheme to identify practices that should lead to a safe and supportive field learning environment. Our coding scheme resulted in 11 primary codes that we summarized as three primary themes: (1) field school organization and expected student behavior, (2) logistics of the course, and (3) stated policies surrounding sexual harassment and assault. Based on these themes, we provide recommendations to modify field school documents and practices to create a field school that provides safe opportunities for students to learn.

Archaeology in the Shadow of Schindler’s List

This paper presents some of the preliminary results of non-invasive and invasive archaeological research on the terrain of a former German Nazi labour and concentration camp in P?aszów, a suburb of Kraków. The starting point is a reference to Schindler’s List – a film that is partially about the camp (KL Plaszow in German) and which created a certain social picture of it. This paper discusses the history of archaeological research relating to Holocaust landscapes in Poland, and sketches the historical context related to the opening, functioning, closing and later reusing of the campscape. The last section provides a glimpse into the archaeological field research and its results. The main thesis of this paper is that the history of World War II, including the Holocaust, is transforming in front of our eyes into archaeology. The paper shows how archaeology can play an active and crucial role in discovering, documenting and interpreting material remains related to the Holocaust and its manifold consequences.

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research (NEH)

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research (NEH)

Early Kanem-Borno fired brick élite locations in Kanem, Chad: archaeological and historical implications

ABSTRACT One of the most intriguing problems concerning the Kanem-Borno sultanate of the central Sahel between the eighth and nineteenth centuries AD concerns its early intra-African connections. Apart from historically documented linkages with North and parts of West Africa, were there trade and other contacts with eastern regions such as Darfur, the Middle Nile Valley and areas beyond prior to the fifteenth century? Addressing the results of recent archaeological field research conducted in Kanem, Chad, this paper lays the foundations of an answer to that and other pressing questions concerning Kanem-Borno. Because the region concerned is a virtual archaeological blank, the first and foremost goal of fieldwork was securely to identify and describe locations once related to the sultanate. Based on previous studies as well as various new surveys, test-excavations and radiometric dating, archaeological sites undoubtedly associated with early Kanem-Borno were located and preliminarily investigated. Those sites consist of the ruins of fired brick enclosures encompassing fired brick buildings or groups thereof dated to the eleventh to fourteenth centuries. Taking into account the construction materials used and newly available absolute dates, as well as historical data, it is assumed that these sites were élite localities very probably founded and occupied by members of what would become the Sayfuwa aristocracy and related groups.

The DistoX2: A methodological solution to archaeological mapping in poorly accessible environments

Spatial information is crucial to archaeological field research. From the plane-table to the total station, recent technological advances have enabled data collection to become fully digital and highly accurate. Nevertheless, the recent expansion of archaeological expeditions to novel environments often incompatible with modern mapping equipment, e.g. tropical forests or ephemeral shorelines, calls for further methodological innovations. Such projects, as well as those under logistic or financial limitations, are still largely reliant on more time consuming, less accurate, traditional approaches, e.g. offset or tape and compass methods. The DistoX2 is a digital, highly portable, and versatile hand-held instrument originally developed for speleological surveys where total stations and DGPSs are not feasible. However, the potential of the DistoX2 system as a spatial mapping tool in above-ground contexts has been surprisingly overlooked. Here, we present a first assessment of the applicability of the DistoX2 for archaeological mapping in non-speleological environments. We investigate precision and accuracy in controlled above-ground settings relative to two common methods of data collection – total station, and tape and compass. We test the relative precision of the DistoX2 when mounted on a tripod or operated in hand-held mode and discuss its applicability, and potential combined used, in the context of other increasingly popular methods – GNSS and SfM photogrammetry. With a mean error of ≈5.00 cm for horizontal readings and ≈2.00 cm for vertical readings, the DistoX2 is considerably more accurate than the tape and compass method (µ ≈ 67.00 cm horizontal; µ ≈ 3.00 cm vertical). While the DistoX2 exceeds the error thresholds of projects that require high spatial sensitivity (e.g. Palaeolithic excavations), it provides a reliable, low-cost and more accurate alternative to many projects that resort to more traditional methods. This fills an existent methodological and financial gap amongst the growing diversity of archaeological expeditions.

Das Odeion im Artemision von Ephesos

Das Odeion im Artemision von Ephesos

Lene Kici Cave Art: Possible Symbolic Evidence Associated with Palaeolithic Human Occupation in Timor-Leste

Hand stencils are the oldest manifestations of Palaeolithic cave art. Recent archaeological field research in the Tutuala region of Timor-Leste has documented new archaeological sites at the Lene Kici caves that include Palaeolithic hand motifs and other nonfigurative motifs including a disk, dots, a triangle, and possible other geometric shapes. This study characterizes the production techniques, shapes, composition, and spatial locations of these motifs. Based on the available information and regional context, a Pleistocene chronology is considered highly probable. The context of the hand stencils suggests they were not occasional motifs; rather, they seem to have dominated the early graphic repertoire of the earliest settler groups in Southeast Asia and the islands of Wallacea.

“Save Archaeology from the Technicians”: Wheeler, World Heritage and Expert Failure at Mohenjodaro

Abstract:Between the 1960s and 1980s, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched a number of international salvage campaigns at the behest of its member states, the most notable being the Nubian Monuments Campaign. Saving ancient monuments and discovering archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan was viewed as a landmark in twentieth-century heritage conservation and international co-operation; it was never to be repeated again. Requests for assistance continued, yet the campaigns were configured as conservation missions rather than integrated field projects. In retrospect, this action delimited UNESCO’s goals to bridge education, science, and culture and, ultimately, impacted the potential of cross-cultural dialogue and partnerships afforded by archaeological field research. This article focuses on UNESCO’s International Campaign for the Safeguarding of Moenjodaro (1974–97) and traces the role of experts, both archaeological and hydrological, within UNESCO’s mission. It uncovers the organization’s handling of the monumental challenges and long-term effects of a multimillion-dollar salvage effort. In doing so, the article reveals the early role of prominent archaeologists Mortimer Wheeler and John Otis Brew, the ideological shift at UNESCO from archaeological research to monumentality and preservation, and the tensions that emerged as world heritage was reimagined.