Archaeological Evidence Research Articles

Landscape Histories and the Search for Early Settlements along Louisiana's Bayous

Abstract Historical changes from shifting land use, the natural meandering of waterways, and the aftereffects of erosion complicate modern environments and obfuscate precontact landscapes. Although archaeologists can create stratified sampling models or employ systematic surveys, traditional field methodologies are often not suitable for site discovery, thereby limiting knowledge of ancient cultural landscapes. Many water systems in southern Louisiana, and in many parts of the world, have been covered or concealed in backswamps by natural geomorphological processes, development, or environmental degradation. Investigation standards that do not account for these changes will not be effective at identifying archaeological sites in such transformed landscapes. Discoveries made during ongoing archaeological research in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, provide examples of what can be missed and offer solutions through changes in archaeological field methods. This article advocates for a mixed-methodology approach, drawing from historical research and shallow geophysics to look at landforms and landscape changes. Strictly following state survey guidelines can muddle the archaeological record, particularly in places subject to significant landscape change from historical land-use alteration. By applying these approaches, we offer a way to reconstruct ancient landscapes and landforms that are culturally significant but often missed given the nature of modern environmental conditions.

The South Caucasus from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic: Intersection of the genetic and archaeological data

The genomic characterisation of human remains and the study of archaeological assemblages are complementary keys to understanding the evolution of ancient human groups. This article proposes a dialogue between these two approaches for the South Caucasus between the Upper Palaeolithic and the Neolithic periods.In the Upper Palaeolithic before the Last Glacial Maximum (ca. 40.-23. ka cal BP), genetic and archaeological data demonstrate the originality of the populations of the South Caucasus (Caucasus_UP genome) compared with their neighbours in SE Europe and SW Asia and also show the existence of links between these different regions. For the post-LGM phase (ca. 20.9–11.7 ka cal BP), archaeological data suggest a certain continuity with the previous period during the cold phase of the Oldest Dryas, followed by a marked rapprochement with the Zarzian culture in the Zagros starting with the warming of the Bølling-Allerød. Genetic analyses, which are available only for the latter phase, reveal a new genome (Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer or CHG), that is very close to that of the ancestors of the Neolithic populations of the Zagros.For the Early Holocene (ca. 11.7–8.2 ka cal BP or 9700-6200 cal BCE), the CHG genome, which still characterises the populations of the South Caucasus, is difficult to distinguish in modelling from that of the Zagros (Iran_N). However, archaeological data suggest that the spread of the Iran_N/CHG gene pool from Iran to Upper Mesopotamia and Central Anatolia was due to populations from the northwest Zagros, and not to those from the South Caucasus, who had only occasional contacts with the Fertile Crescent.At the beginning of the Middle Holocene (ca. 8.2–7.2 ka cal BP or 6200-5200 cal BCE), the appearance in the South Caucasus of animals and plants presenting a high level of domestication, as well as the introduction of new techniques (pressure knapping with a lever, pottery), are clearly due to the arrival of populations from the Fertile Crescent, as confirmed by genetic analyses. These analyses also show that there was not a replacement of local Mesolithic communities by Neolithic farmers, which the archaeological evidence confirms.

Vroegmiddeleeuwse funeraire diversiteit en de diepste dialectgrenzen in de Nederlanden

The most prominent dialect boundaries in the Dutch language area run from north to south, ending in the southwest between the rivers Scheldt and Dender. Notably, one isogloss separates an eastern region with long vowels fronted by i-umlaut, from a western region lacking that feature. This paper examines the main historical linguistic perspectives on the origins of this complex phenomenon integrating historical and archaeological evidence. A general explanation for the dialect boundaries posits a confrontation between an Ingvaeonic or North Sea Germanic movement from the west and a Frankish movement from the (north)east. The stabilisation of this confrontation, particularly the umlaut-isogloss between the Scheldt and the Dender, remains unresolved and is one of the most intriguing aspects of the Germanic colonisation of the region. Although historical sources are sparse, recent archaeological research has provided new insights. Archaeology, which studies human traces left in the ground - including living forms, artefacts, agriculture and burial practices – has revealed that early medieval cremation rites coincide with the umlaut-isogloss in that region, revealing a convergence between archaeological and historical linguistic evidence. Northern populations, familiar with Ingvaeonic customs, practised cremation, giving the oldest Ingvaeonic elements in the Low Countries both a cultural and linguistic identity. Alongside the Franks, the Saxons also contributed significantly to the colonisation history of the area. Therefore, it is essential to outline the historical knowledge of the first appearances of the Saxons, Franks and Thuringians and their interactions. Contemporary sources such as the Byzantine author Procopius (c. 550) are valuable for a better understanding of colonisation on both sides of the Channel and the North Sea. The roots of the umlaut-isoglosses in the Ingvaeonic continuum prompt a discussion of Ingvaeonisms and their early manifestations, including place names ending in -inga haim, within the broader context of the Dutch-Roman language boundary.

Diplomatic Communication of Silk Sign: Vehicle, Signification, and Narrative

ABSTRACT This study explores how silk as an aesthetic sign plays the active and efficient role of diplomatic narrative in the cultural and political communication between countries employing the historical and archaeological evidence in China. Aesthetic signs are of communicative values and cultural narrative significance. Silk is an aesthetic sign with iconic properties. The paper argues that beauty, exquisiteness, and value are the visual properties that silk as a sign vehicle presents in terms of texture, colours, patterns, and weaving techniques, recognised across all cultural contexts throughout history. The richness of favourable meanings that a sign conveys is embodied in the characteristics of its specific vehicle. The combination of silk as a sign vehicle and its designated object conveys the sign's value, thus performing the narrative function. Due to its iconic functions, silk is the most distinct and active aesthetic sign. Therefore, this paper argues that silk as a sign expresses diplomatic fraternity and harmony narrates aesthetics of unremitting pursuit of gentleness and auspiciousness, and constructs an international image of a country willing to coexist with others harmoniously and offer mutual assistance during difficulties.

Apuntes para una bioarqueología de la infancia en Uruguay

Apart from occasional descriptions of infant burials in the first half of the twentieth century, bioarchaeological studies of childhood in Uruguay have few precedents, particularly of a demographic and taphonomic nature. In this paper, we analyze the background and current situation of childhood bioarchaeology in Uruguay, including a detail of the archaeological record of infant skeletal remains. This record is fragmentary in three aspects. First, there is a lack of representation at the level of skeletal elements, with the remains consisting mainly of cranial and dental remains. Second, there is an underrepresentation at the level of individuals who died in the first year of life; the cause of these two fragmentarities is probably a bias at the level of recovery of the remains during excavation. Finally, there is a low number of dated remains; more datings are needed to increase the chronological resolution of the record. For the moment, the potential of the record for childhood bioarchaeology studies is limited, and it is possible to make significant advances in the short term at the level of dietary changes during early life and funerary patterns; further studies require a quantitative and qualitative increase of the sample.

Late pleistocene exploitation of Ephedra in a funerary context in Morocco

The active compounds found in many plants have been widely used in traditional medicine and ritual activities. However, archaeological evidence for the use of such plants, especially in the Palaeolithic period, is limited due to the poor preservation and fragility of seed, fruit, and other botanical macro-remains. In this study, we investigate the presence and possible uses of Ephedra during the Late Pleistocene based on the analysis of exceptionally preserved plant macrofossils recovered from c. 15 ka year-old archaeological deposits at Grotte des Pigeons in northeastern Morocco. This cave has yielded the earliest carbonized plant macrofossils of Ephedra, which were found concentrated in a human burial deposit along with other special finds. Ephedra is a plant known to produce high amounts of alkaloids, primarily ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which have been utilized in traditional medicine. Direct radiocarbon dates on both Ephedra and the human remains indicate that they were contemporaneous. To understand the uses of Ephedra by people at the site, we discuss the different pathways through which plant remains could have arrived. We suggest that the charred cone bracts of Ephedra likely represent residues of the processing and consumption of the plant’s fleshy cones, which may have been valued for both their nutritional and therapeutic properties. Furthermore, we interpret the presence of Ephedra and its deposition in the burial area as evidence that this plant played a significant role during the funerary activities.

Challenging the Significance of the LALIA and the Justinianic Plague: A Reanalysis of the Archaeological Record

Summary The Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA), and the Justinianic Plague, were recently suggested as the possible culprits for settlement contraction and population decline that supposedly occurred in the 6th c. CE. According to some who support this claim, these changes contributed to the weakening of this empire, which eventually led to the loss of vast territories and its defeat by the Persians and Arabs in the first half of the 7th c. CE. The assumptions that climate and plague had devastating impacts in the 6th c. CE are largely based on selected textual evidence, and archaeological evidence outside of the boundaries of the Eastern Roman Empire. As the current article will show, it seems that these assumptions are inherently incorrect as vast amounts of evidence, including archaeological survey data, settlement patterns, shipwreck analyses, pottery distribution in the Mediterranean and other material, indicate that there was no decline in the 6th c. CE. On the contrary, it is possible that there was a peak in population size in the second half of the 6th c. CE, suggesting that the LALIA and the Justinianic plague were limited in their impact.

Inflammatory arthropathies: Perspectives from a Portuguese male individual (1574–1834 CE)

AbstractArthropathies are common in past populations and can be categorized into two groups: those with predominant bone production (e.g., osteoarthritis) and those with significant bone loss (e.g., erosive arthropathies). The former is frequent in the archaeological record, whereas the latter are uncommon. We present a Post‐Medieval male individual, recovered in the Convent of the Holy Spirit (Loures, Portugal), with multiple articular and entheseal bone changes, particularly extensive periarticular, marginal, and subchondral erosive processes, often exposing trabecular bone. Proliferative lesions and extensive ankylosis are also observed in the synovial joints. These pathological changes affect both the axial and peripheral skeleton in a polyarticular, bilateral, and asymmetric pattern. Given that the appendicular skeleton, particularly the hands and feet, are the most affected areas, the most probable diagnosis is a peripheral spondyloarthropathy such as psoriatic arthritis or reactive arthritis. This case study is the first archaeological instance of psoriatic arthritis or reactive arthritis described in Portugal, highlighting the importance of a differential diagnosis and the need for reflection when pathological changes characteristics overlap, advocating for a broader diagnostic approach.

The Characterization of the Building Materials Used in the Refectory of the Manzana Jesuítica in Córdoba (Argentina) on the Basis of a Study of Its Historical Background and the Archaeological Evidence

This paper explores the historical and geological background of the refectory of the Manzana Jesuítica in the city of Córdoba (Argentina), as a basis for characterising some of the building materials used in it. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the raw materials, labour, and production methods employed by the Jesuits in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. To this end, six fragments containing brick, render, and paint layers were studied by X-ray diffraction and using optical and scanning electron microscopies. Our results show that the ceramics differed solely in terms of their firing temperature, while the mortars were either air lime- or gypsum-based. The paints, mainly lime-based with clays, have similar mineralogical compositions, with some differences in colour due to the presence of goethite. This study demonstrates that the Jesuits, through their strategically situated settlements in the province of Córdoba, developed an economic system for the extraction and transport of raw materials, centred around the use of local resources. This, combined with construction techniques imported from Spain and adapted to local circumstances, was a sign of the adaptability of the Jesuit Order and their lasting influence on the region. Understanding the materials and techniques used by the Jesuits provides valuable insight into the methods of construction employed in historical buildings, offering key perspectives for their conservation. Moreover, it highlights the significance of local resource management in the longevity and preservation of these architectural works.

The Archaeology and Cultural Heritage of the Mafia Archipelago, Tanzania: Recommendations for Conservation and Management

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on the status of conservation and management of the cultural heritage of the Mafia archipelago, Tanzania, by examining six sites: the stone town sites of Kisimani Mafia and Kua, Ukunju Cave, Mwamba Ukuta, Chole Island ruins, and Bwejuu Island. These sites constitute a rich archaeological record, extending from ancient time through the medieval to the recent past. Mafia’s rich cultural heritage has attracted multiple phases of archaeological research since the mid-1950s. Despite being well known, the archipelago’s heritage places face serious conservation and management challenges of both natural and anthropogenic origins. Natural challenges include severe wave erosion, while anthropogenic ones include looting and relentless pressure from development projects. We propose specific recommendations for addressing these challenges, underpinning the need to develop sustainable heritage tourism that will stimulate community heritage awareness and promote conservation.

A Bronze Age town in the Khaybar walled oasis: Debating early urbanization in Northwestern Arabia.

Recent exploration of the Khaybar oasis by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (AFALULA-RCU-CNRS) has led to the discovery of an exceptional Bronze Age fortified site called al-Natah. For the first time in Northwestern Arabia, the characteristics of a third/second-millennium-BCE settlement can be assessed over a large area. Preliminary archaeological survey and soundings have revealed a fortified 2.6-hectares town built around 2400-2000 BCE which lasted until at least 1500 BCE and possibly 1300 BCE-but with possible interruptions-, functionally subdivided into a residential area, a probable decision-making zone and a necropolis. The nucleated dwellings were constructed following a standard plan and were connected by small streets. By comparison with neighboring oasis centers, we suggest that Northwestern Arabia during the Bronze Age-largely dominated by pastoral nomadic groups and already integrated into long-distance trade networks-was dotted with interconnected monumental walled oases centered around small fortified towns. And by comparison with the contemporary situation in the Southern Levant, we also envisage that the archaeological record bears witness to a 'low urbanization' (or 'slow urbanism'), indigenous to North Arabia, evidencing weak but increasing social complexity through the Early and Middle Bronze Ages.

Late-Holocene hydroclimatic change and its effect on human activity at Xiada Co on the western Tibetan Plateau

The scarcity of paleoclimate records in the western Tibetan Plateau (TP) hinders our understanding of how environmental evolution affects past human population, agriculture, and animal husbandry. Here, we utilized a range of materials to investigate the impact of climate change on human activities in the Xiada Co basin on the western TP during the Late-Holocene. We presented a continuous compound-specific hydrogen isotope record of sedimentary leaf waxes (δ2Hwax) from a sediment core of Xiada Co, and compared it to XRF core-scanning elements, brGDGT-based mean annual air temperature (MAAT) record, and fecal stanol-based human population proxy record from the same sediment core, as well as archeological evidence from the TP. The δ2Hwax exhibited a sustained increasing trend during the period from 4700 to 900 cal yr BP, followed by a generalized decrease in δ2Hwax values during 900–0 cal yr BP. The multi-proxy analysis of Xiada Co sediments revealed that the δ2Hwax values mainly reflect changes in the ISM precipitation, and are also influenced to some extent by glacier meltwater. Furthermore, a warm and humid climate condition was conducive to human habitation. Appropriate adaptation strategies, such as the herding of cold-tolerant and dry-tolerant sheep and the cultivation of barley in the western TP, led to a surge in population density during 3400–2900 cal yr BP, despite the slightly deteriorated climate background. This study confirmed the importance of choosing the right adaptive strategies to cope with climate change for human survival and development on the Tibetan Plateau.

A Source of Confusion: New Archaeological Evidence for the Dorchester Aqueduct

Abstract The Dorchester Aqueduct, located to the north-west of Dorchester (Durnovaria) in Dorset, is arguably the most famous and well-examined Roman watercourse in Britain. The aqueduct has been intermittently investigated over the course of the last 100 years, but most extensively during the 1990s. The upper stretches of the aqueduct and its source have, however, eluded archaeologists, with multiple routes and water sources being suggested. A new programme of geophysical and topographic survey, combined with targeted investigation together with a reappraisal of the excavations from the 1990s, has provided additional evidence for the route of the aqueduct, extending its course for a further two kilometres to Notton on the River Frome.

CONTEXTUAL REANALYSIS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FORM AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE PANAGIA HOUSES AT MYCENAE

The Panagia Houses, one of the building complexes at Mycenae, located to the south-west of the Citadel, were interpreted by the excavators as a group of three independent units. They were constructed and occupied during the Late Helladic (LH) IIIB phase, with two main phases distinguishable in the archaeological record, followed by a reoccupation phase. Careful analysis of the archaeological data published by Mylonas-Shear, which focused on the arrangement of individual units, formality of layout, access and movement patterns, and visibility, suggests that the group should be interpreted rather as a single complex, developed during the period of the maximum expansion of the settlement. The building was gradually expanded to form an extended household, with primary living space surrounded by a number of additional rooms for storage, work and habitation. It was composed of a rectangular main unit, surrounded by an extension formed around a small inner courtyard. The movement between the two levels was organised through a system of connected rooftops, with trapdoors and staircases ensuring access to the various rooms of the complex. During the LH IIIB2 Early phase, Mycenae was hit by a devastating earthquake. Much of the town was left in ruin, but the Panagia Houses were rebuilt, although in a smaller form, with the main unit abandoned and the courtyard inside the extension transformed into the main room of the complex. The status of the complex probably changed, but it was still inhabited by a middle-class family, who possessed a number of valuables and took part in the palatial mobilisation system. The household probably suffered in a widespread fire which destroyed Mycenae at the end of LH IIIB. Its remains were then used as two small dwellings by the survivors of the catastrophe. The history of the complex reflects the changing vicissitudes of the Lower Town of Mycenae.

Examining the effect of post-depositional processes on the preservation and identification of stone tool residues from temperate environments: An experimental approach.

Studying taphonomy is crucial for understanding how post-depositional processes impact archaeological remains. This knowledge is pivotal for accurately interpreting the archaeological record. Although taphonomy has a long tradition in archaeology, it is less developed in the analysis of stone tool residues compared to other subdisciplines. To address this gap, our study aims to further develop our understanding of the preservation potential of stone tool residues in temperate environments through actualist experiments. To achieve this, we develop a multidimensional experimental program that features the first biweekly monitoring of weathering processes on residues over a one-year cycle, aiming to understand the short-term effects of weathering immediately after tool discard. Additionally, the program involves the study of longer-term burial and weathering visual effects on different residue types within various previously unexplored depositional environments. This approach allows us to observe the visual effects of both weathering and burial processes and to improve our understanding of the different mechanisms involved in the diagenesis of stone tool residues. While known factors such as microbial activity and soil acidity play a primary role in residue decay, specific stone tool-related factors also prove important, underscoring the need to develop further a specific branch of taphonomy related to stone tool residues. Moreover, our results show that certain residue types may survive within these environments that are often considered as being hostile. A residue analysis of stone tools from temperate contexts may thus contribute unique data that can improve our understanding of past human behaviour. Future research with more diverse residue types and depositional conditions will permit further refinement of our understanding of how taphonomy affects residue preservation and enhance the reliability of residue identifications. As such, stone tool residue analysis will become firmly rooted within broader functional approaches to address how humans use stone tools and how this affects stone tool variability.

Political organization and gender predict violence in the Andean archaeological record

The relationship between sociopolitical organization and violence remains an enduring question in anthropological research. Less studied is the articulation of gender with violence in societies of different sociopolitical organization. We investigate the frequency and type of violence experienced by adult males and females in pre-Hispanic Andean archaeological contexts, comparing exposure to antemortem (nonlethal) and perimortem (potentially lethal) violence across three categories of sociopolitical organization: autonomous communities, regional cultural formations, and states. Using a database of 8,607 adults from 169 publications and over 155 sites, we construct a multinomial logistic regression using Bayesian Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods to fit our model. The odds of antemortem and perimortem trauma were low for both sexes. However, the odds of antemortem trauma were consistently higher for males than females in all categories of sociopolitical organization, suggesting that men were more frequently exposed to violence. Males display similar odds of cranial trauma across all forms of sociopolitical organization, while females display slightly reduced odds of cranial trauma in states compared to autonomous communities. Perimortem trauma is especially strongly patterned by sex. In autonomous communities, the odds of potentially lethal cranial trauma are equivalent between the sexes; in states, they are consistent for males, but depressed for females. In the pre-Hispanic Andes, living in states dramatically reduced the chances of encountering lethal violence for females, but not males. Our study complicates the notion that increasing sociopolitical complexity leads to decreasing interpersonal violence and highlights the importance of gender in understanding the human history of violence.

Central-Eastern Europe as a centre of Middle Ages extractive metallurgy

Central-eastern to southeastern Europe, from Bohemia to Greece is home to some of the richest ore deposits on earth, with archaeological evidence suggesting a long history of metal use. However, the exact timing and extent of past metal processing activities remains unclear. The Middle Ages and Early Modern period (c. 500–1800 common era (CE)) in Europe, saw the expansion of metal use at an unprecedented scale, continent-wide. Here we analysed rates of past atmospheric lead (Pb) deposition in six peat bogs from Romania, Serbia and Greece. We show that after 1000 CE, the redevelopment of central European mining industry was synchronous with Pb pollution in southeastern Europe, with the onset of metal pollution occurring in the area prior to central Europe. Therefore, southeastern Europe may have led regional mining developments, with technological advances rapidly shifting from east to west through the Middle Ages. This indicates how southeastern Europe should be included in future discussions of Middle Age metallurgy not simply as a contributor, but at times as a leader in metal production.

Gravfeltet i Hålandsmarka, Time kommune, SV-Norge

In 2008, a pre-development excavation examined a grave field on the ridge of Hålandsmarka. The burial ground was in use from the Early Bronze Age to the end of the Iron Age, and the excavation provided an opportunity to gain new insights into the long-term use of a grave field. The Hålandsmarka excavation allowed archaeologists to explore not only reuse of the grave field throughout this period, but also variations in burial form, treatment of the corpse, and grave goods over shorter timespans. The aim of the project has been to challenge the normative approach to graves as containers of a single burial event, and call attention to construction processes and other practices demonstrating the repeated use and transformation of the graves and their surroundings. Graves can be viewed as places of recurring engagement between the living and the dead, and as opportunities to explore the importance, duration and entanglement of material culture. Hålandsmarka should not be considered as a unique site: the results presented here are heavily dependent on our choice of archaeological methods, and we have the responsibility to be aware of the potential for complexity in both past and present practices when planning future excavations. The findings from Hålandsmarka call attention to the multi-temporal and gathered nature of grave fields in particular, as well as the archaeological record in general.

Materializing Digital Archaeology: Managing 3D Models

The archaeological record is fragmented yet the artifacts and data that comprise it are used to make vast claims about human nature and behavior, and about past and contemporary cultures and societies (Huggett, 2012; Huvila, 2019). The digital archaeological record is further fragmented by the rarity of digitization (due to resource and time constraints) and the loss of information through the digitization process Huvila & Huggett, 2018; Schroer & Mudge, 2017). Due to the lack of connection between the physical artifacts and their digital instantiations (as 3D models, metadata records, scanned images, etc.) it is difficult to understand what contextual information has been lost and/or altered from the physical data. This results in knowledge and information claims based on limited and biased data which can lead to an exacerbation of the silences and gaps in the archaeological record (Huggett, 2020) which 1) reduces the accuracy of archaeological research and 2) can differentially harm marginalized communities because, like archival records, the archaeological record can be used to assert “master” or “grand” narratives (Bastian, 2009; Carbajal & Caswell, 2021). This Work-in-Progress poster is focused on information loss during the 3D modeling of archaeological artifacts. I posit that instead of understanding 3D models of artifacts as singular sources of information, they should be treated as one component of a complex resource. However, it has been difficult to find my way through the required reorientation of concepts like materiality from the digital humanities (Drucker, 2013; Kirschenbaum, 2012) and to implement this reorientation in practice.

Diversity of Late Yangshao Agricultural Practices at Xishanping, NW China

ABSTRACT Previous work at the Xishanping site, located in the upper Wei River basin in eastern Gansu Province, NW China, has identified the earliest archaeological evidence for agricultural diversification for the period 5200–4300 cal. yr BP. This study presents the first integrated archaeobotanical and isotopic research on charred crop remains at Xishanping site. Our essay suggests that late Yangshao populations at Xishanping not only implemented a wider mixed-crop millet-based agricultural regime, but to some extent intensified cultivation from around 5200–4800 cal. yr BP. This study enriches current understandings of the spatial and temporal changes in agricultural practices in the late Neolithic Wei River Basin at the dawn of complex society in northern China.