Atlantic Europe Research Articles

Un état des connaissances sur la navigation préhistorique en Europe atlantique

Que ce soit en mer ou dans les eaux intérieures, l’usage des moyens de transport nautiques par les populations préhistoriques ne se laisse pas aisément approcher. On doit en effet composer avec la grande rareté des principaux témoins : les embarcations sur lesquelles se sont effectuées les navigations. Malgré cette limite posée par la documentation, il est possible de préciser certains aspects chronologiques et fonctionnels à partir des sources indirectes qui nous sont accessibles dans l’enregistrement archéologique et en analysant les témoins directs que constituent les rares épaves, équipements et représentations qui nous sont parvenus. Pour ce qui concerne l’Europe atlantique, sur laquelle est centrée cette étude, nous pouvons aussi préciser quelques données concernant le rythme et les contraintes qui s’y appliquaient sans doute en nous appuyant sur la connaissance des milieux dans lesquels évoluaient les embarcations, et auxquels elles étaient fortement soumises en termes d’adaptation de leur système technique. L’analogie diachronique avec l’histoire plus récente de ces moyens de transport peut aussi nous ouvrir quelques pistes quant aux modalités de déplacement plausibles. Si la revue de tous ces faisceaux d’indices ne permet pas de définir la nature exacte de toutes les embarcations alors utilisées, on peut cependant ouvrir et délimiter le champ des possibles. Il inclut une large variété typologique réalisée à partir de perches, de fûts, de planches et de fagots végétaux, parfois revêtus de peaux tendues, composant différents types d’architectures : radeaux, pirogues, bateaux de peaux, bateaux de planches assemblées. À l’exception du dernier type, qui n’apparaît vraisemblablement que vers la fin de la Préhistoire européenne, ces dispositifs ont pu, pour la plupart, naviguer au même moment et parfois sur les mêmes voies d’eaux, mais probablement pas pour les mêmes usages.

Influence of artificial drainage system design on the nitrogen attenuation potential of gley soils: Evidence from hydrochemical and isotope studies under field-scale conditions

In North Atlantic Europe intensive dairy farms have a low nitrogen (N) use efficiency, with high N surpluses often negatively affecting water quality. Low feed input systems on heavy textured soils often need artificial drainage to utilise low cost grassland and remain profitable. Heavy textured soils have high but variable N attenuation potential, due to soil heterogeneity. Furthermore, drainage system design can influence the potential for N attenuation and subsequent N loadings in waters receiving drainage from such soils. The present study utilises end of pipe, open ditch and shallow groundwater sampling points across five sites in SW Ireland to compare and rank sites based on N surplus, water quality and “net denitrification”, and to develop a conceptual framework for the improved management of heavy textured dairy sites to inform water quality N sustainability. This includes both drainage design and “net denitrification” criterion, as developed within this study.N surplus ranged from 211 to 292 kg N/ha (mean of 252 kg N/sourha) with a common source of organic N across all locations. The predicted soil organic matter (SOM) N release potential from top-subsoil layers was high, ranging from 115 to >146 kg N/ha. Stable isotopes analyses showed spatial variation in the extent of specific N-biotransformation processes, according to drainage location and design. Across all sites, nitrate (NO3-N) was converted to ammonium (NH4+-N), which migrated offsite through open ditch and shallow groundwater pathways. Using the ensemble data the potential for soil N attenuation could be discriminated by 3 distinct groups reflecting the relative dominance of in situ N-biotransformation processes deduced from water composition: Group 1 (2 farms, ranked with high sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− > 5‰ and δ18O-NO3− > 10‰), low NH4+-N concentration coupled with a high denitrification potential; Group 2 (1 farm with moderate sustainability, NH4+ < 0.23 mg N/l, δ15N-NO3− < 8‰ and δ18O-NO3− < 8‰), low NH4+-N concentration with a high nitrification potential and a small component of complete denitrification; Group 3 (2 farms, ranked with low sustainability, NH4+ > 0.23 mg N/l, 14‰ > δ15N-NO3− > 5‰ and 25‰ > δ18O-NO3− > −2‰), high NH4+-N concentration due to low denitrification. The installation of a shallow drainage system (e.g. mole or gravel moles at 0.4 m depth) reduced the “net denitrification” ranking of a site, leading to water quality issues. From this detailed work an N sustainability tool for any site, which presents the relationship between drainage class, drainage design (if present), completeness of denitrification, rate of denitrification and NH4-N attenuation was developed. This tool allows a comparison or ranking of sites in terms of their N sustainability. The tool can also be used pre-land drainage and presents the consequences of future artificial land drainage on water quality and gaseous emissions at a given site.

Paisajes tatuados. Revaloración de la distribución del Arte Atlántico, métodos de investigación y cronología a la luz del hallazgo de un gran conjunto de arte rupestre en Monte Faro (Valença, Portugal)

The Winter 2012 marks the beginning of a pioneer research in Portugal intended to approach Atlantic Art under the theoretical and methodological principles of Landscape Archaeology, targeting a confined geomorphological unit. This paper presents the results of systematic field surveys at Monte Faro, carried out between 2013 and 2015, and announces the discovery of the largest concentration of Atlantic Art sites ever found in this country. This evidence will contribute to reassess the widespread believe in the peripheral character of Atlantic Art in Portugal, if put against the realities found in Galicia, Ireland, England and Scotland. Yet, most importantly, it will allow us to reexamine aspects that have been at the forefront of Atlantic Art studies, from chronology to fieldwork methodologies and the application of digital technologies in rock art recording. But we shall also tackle issues that have been lacking in-depth discussion like the question of style, the concept of biogeography and its usefulness in rock art studies, aiming towards a theoretical and methodological revitalization of research on the prehistoric art of Atlantic Europe.

The 8.2 ka BP Holocene climate change event and human population resilience in northwest Atlantic Europe

The 8.2 ka BP event may represent the largest, most abrupt Holocene climate event. This paper examines the impact of this event on human activity in the middle Mesolithic. It produces Bayesian statistical models for the chronology of anthropogenic sites in northwest Atlantic Europe for a 1000 year time window around the event to explore evidence for human responses to climate change or resilience in the face of this climate change event. By approaching evidence for activity at sites in Denmark, Belgium, France, Ireland and Britain we explore evidence for differential temporally- and spatially-transgressive local responses to climate change in this period to move to sub-continental scales of activity.

Hydrodynamic instability in the cold-core low area and its effect on the weather

Cold-core lows are poorly understood cyclones, but they significantly impact on the formation of weather conditions in Ukraine, especially in its central and western regions.&#x0D; In the paper, the evolution of a cold-core low, which is associated with the enlargement of rainfall areas with thunderstorms over the Western Europe and Ukraine. The low formed on July 21tst, 2014, in a deep cold trough of a Rossby wave over Atlantic Europe. During period 21-24 July the low was moving to the East and there were precipitation zones under its eastern part. Therefore, sizes of precipitation zones cannot always be explained by impact of front and thermic instability, in this paper it is tried to assess hydrodynamic instability in forming of precipitation in a cold-core low. The research method is based on the use of the linear theory of the hydrodynamic instability of the zonal flow with Rossby waves.&#x0D; To investigate barotropic instability fields of meridional profiles of absolute vorticity. It is shown that flow in which the low moved was barotropic unstable. Using baroclinic instability characteristics (Phillips’s criterion) Baroclinic zones were revealed in atmospheric fronts and in northern part of area in question.&#x0D; It has been shown that hydrodynamic instability, both barotropic and baroclinic, in the eastern part of the cold-core low leads to intensification of atmospheric processes on the fronts, which was revealed to strengthening of precipitation and in the enlargement of zones of their formation.

Post-glacial colonization of Western Europe brown bears from a cryptic Atlantic refugium out of the Iberian Peninsula

The European brown bear (Ursus arctos) shows a particular phylogeography that has been used to illustrate the model for contraction-expansion dynamics related to glacial refugia in Southern European peninsulas. Recent studies, however, have nuanced the once generally accepted paradigm, indicating the existence of cryptic refugia for some species further north. In this paper we collected available data on chronology and mitochondrial haplotypes from Western European brown bears, adding new sequences from present day individuals from the Cantabrian (North Iberia) area, in order to reconstruct the dynamics of the species in the region. Both genetics and chronology show that the Iberian Pleistocene lineages were not the direct ancestors of the Holocene ones, the latter entering the Peninsula belatedly (around 10,000 years BP) with respect to other areas such as the British Isles. We therefore propose the existence of a cryptic refugium in continental Atlantic Europe, from where the bears would expand as the ice receded. The delay in the recolonization of the Iberian Peninsula could be due to the orographic characteristics of the Pyrenean-Cantabrian region and to the abundant presence of humans in the natural entrance to the Peninsula.

Making Christian landscapes in Atlantic Europe. Conversation and consolidation in the early Middle Ages. Edited by Tomás Ó Carragáin and Sam Turner . Pp. xvi + 622 incl. 132 colour and black-and-white figs and 5 tables. Cork: Cork University Press, 2016. £35. 978 1 78205 200 5

Making Christian landscapes in Atlantic Europe. Conversation and consolidation in the early Middle Ages. Edited by Tomás Ó Carragáin and Sam Turner . Pp. xvi + 622 incl. 132 colour and black-and-white figs and 5 tables. Cork: Cork University Press, 2016. £35. 978 1 78205 200 5

The Role of Stone in Island Societies in Neolithic Atlantic Europe: Creating Places and Cultural Landscapes

The focus of the paper is an engagement with the significance of the exploitation of stone sources to make objects, particularly stone axe heads on islands in northwest Europe during the Neolithic period (4000 – 2500 BC). Case studies of Lambay Island in the Irish Sea, Rathlin Island off the northeast coast of Ireland, and the Shetland Islands explore the use of these three stone sources through the archaeological record, examining the biographies of objects (from quarries, through use, to discard or deposition) and applying a range of approaches to understanding material culture. What emerges is an understanding of the central role these three lithic sources played in how people engaged with and created their island places and landscapes. Through their daily engagement with different stone sources (including the ones focused on here) at a range of scales, people created and sustained social relationships and conventions. Hence it is argued that stone artefacts from local sources played a special role in shaping identities on the three islands.

A chrono-cultural reassessment of the levels VI–XIV from El Cuco rock-shelter: A new sequence for the Late Middle Paleolithic in the Cantabrian region (northern Iberia)

A large number of sites dated to the Late Middle Paleolithic and the Early Upper Paleolithic have been recorded in the Cantabrian region (northern Iberia), making this area a key location to investigate the lifeways of the last Neanderthals and the first anatomically modern humans. The stratigraphic sequence from El Cuco rock-shelter was originally attributed to the Early Upper Paleolithic based on radiocarbon dates measured on bone apatite. However, new radiocarbon dates on shell carbonates from the lower levels produced inconsistent dates with those previously published. In order to clarify this anomaly, a reassessment of the chronology of levels VI to XIV was undertaken. The review was based on new radiocarbon dates performed on bones and shells, and a re-evaluation of the lithic assemblages. Bone samples did not produce radiocarbon dates due to a lack of collagen preservation but radiocarbon dating of shell carbonates provided dates ranging from 42.3 to 46.4 ka BP. These dates are significantly older than that previously obtained for level XIII using biogenic apatite from bones (∼30 ka uncal BP), suggesting that the bone apatite used for radiocarbon dating was rejuvenated due to contamination with secondary carbonate. Lithic assemblages, defined in the first place as Evolved Aurignacian, have now been confidently attributed to the Mousterian techno-complex. These results suggest a Middle Paleolithic chronology for this part of the sequence. The new chronology proposed for El Cuco rock-shelter has significant implications for the interpretation of Neanderthal subsistence strategies and settlement patterns, especially for coastal settlement and use of marine resources, not only in northern Iberia, but also in Atlantic Europe.

HLA genes in Atlantic Celtic populations: are Celts Iberians?

Atlantic Europe populations were analyzed with HLA genes in order to establish their relationship among themselves and with other populations. Standard genetic and statistical software analyses were used. Celtic populations (British Isles and French Bretons) have genetically been found close together: Irish, Welsh, Orkney Islanders (Scottish), French Bretons, Galicians, Spanish Basques, Portuguese, cluster together in DA genetic distances, correspondence analysis and Neighbour Joining dendrograms. Genetics have been shown by itself not suffice to determine populations migration/relatedness. Aristotle and Herodotus placed Celts in Iberia and R1b chromosome Y marker is high in Iberia and all Celtic European populations above mentioned (probably stemming from Iberian Ice refugee after Last Glaciation) and Ancient Celt language (Gaelic) is being translated from Iberian-Tartesian language: these suggest that Celts and Iberians, so named by Classic authors, constitute the same population. On the other hand, a) R1b gene analysis of Canary Islands ancient inhabitants (Guanches), b) abundant Iberian scripts are also found in Canary Islands, c) a established North Africa/Iberia ancient gene flow, and d) no evidence of demic diffusion from eastern to western Mediterranean according to human ancient skeleton studies is noticed in Mesolithic/Neolithic transition: these facts suggest that ancient Canary Islanders may be included within the Iberian/Celtic population. Our conclusions are that: 1) Celts are concentrated in Atlantic Europe, 2) Iberians and Celts mentioned by classic authors most probably refer to the same population living in Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal); in addition, North African Berbers and ancient Canary Islanders also belong to this group 3) Postulated farmers demic diffusion in a East to West Mediterranean direction never existed. Keywords: Celts, Iberians, Picts, Scottish, Orkney Islands, Irish, British (English), French Bretons, Welsh, Basques, Galicians, Canary Islands, Mediterranean demic diffusion, Gaelic language

Cleaning up a Messy Mousterian: How to describe and interpret Late Middle Palaeolithic chrono-cultural variability in Atlantic Europe

Cleaning up a Messy Mousterian: How to describe and interpret Late Middle Palaeolithic chrono-cultural variability in Atlantic Europe

Shells and Humans: Molluscs and Other Coastal Resources from the Earliest Human Occupations at the Mesolithic Shell Midden of El Mazo (Asturias, Northern Spain)

Human populations exploited coastal areas with intensity during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe, resulting in the accumulation of large shell middens. Northern Spain is one of the most prolific regions, and especially the so-called Asturian area. Large accumulations of shellfish led some scholars to propose the existence of intensification in the exploitation of coastal resources in the region during the Mesolithic. In this paper, shell remains (molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms) from stratigraphic units 114 and 115 (dated to the early Mesolithic c. 9 kys cal BP) at El Mazo cave (Asturias, northern Spain) were studied in order to establish resource exploitation patterns and environmental conditions. Species representation showed that limpets, top shells and sea urchins were preferentially exploited. One-millimetre mesh screens were crucial in establishing an accurate minimum number of individuals for sea urchins and to determine their importance in exploitation patterns. Environmental conditions deduced from shell assemblages indicated that temperate conditions prevailed at the time of the occupation and the morphology of the coastline was similar to today (rocky exposed shores). Information recovered relating to species representation, collection areas and shell biometry reflected some evidence of intensification (reduced shell size, collection in lower areas of exposed shores, no size selection in some units and species) in the exploitation of coastal resources through time. However, the results suggested the existence of changes in collection strategies and resource management, and periods of intense shell collection may have alternated with times of shell stock recovery throughout the Mesolithic.

Climate‐Smart Agriculture

Climate‐Smart Agriculture

Short sea shipping in the Atlantic Arc: a spatial shift-share approach

This article presents a proposal for determine, given a port region, new SSS candidates between a node and its neighbours, considering the nautical distance between ports as a distance metric. For accomplishing that, classic, homothetic and spatial shift-share decompositions are applied to the 2006-2014 throughput dataset of the 57 European Atlantic Arc main ports. The conclusions show that along the Atlantic facade of the Iberian Peninsula (Portuguese and Galician region - Spanish-ports), and for some Irish sea positions, there are growing nodes with great potential for keep their throughput increasing, in terms of inner competitiveness or by establishing new SSS services between neighbour positions. Another Atlantic Arc ports, affected by the crisis, also appear with good recovering chances based in the setting up of new SSS services.

Short sea shipping in the Atlantic Arc: a spatial shift-share approach

This article presents a proposal for determine, given a port region, new SSS candidates between a node and its neighbours, considering the nautical distance between ports as a distance metric. For accomplishing that, classic, homothetic and spatial shift-share decompositions are applied to the 2006-2014 throughput dataset of the 57 European Atlantic Arc main ports. The conclusions show that along the Atlantic façade of the Iberian Peninsula (Portuguese and Galician region - Spanish-ports), and for some Irish sea positions, there are growing nodes with great potential for keep their throughput increasing, in terms of inner competitiveness or by establishing new SSS services between neighbour positions. Another Atlantic Arc ports, affected by the crisis, also appear with good recovering chances based in the setting up of new SSS services.

Cork Weather Past and Present: A Comparison between 1793 and the Late Twentieth Century on the Atlantic Fringe of Europe

The analysis of a personal weather diary kept by John Fitzgerald of Cork allows frequency analyses of daily weather conditions to be made that can be quantified and compared with Cork's present climatic regime. In many cases this comparison shows that much of Cork's weather in 1793 falls within the range of conditions that have been recorded over the past 30 years (1957–1986). But there are exceptions which point to both the early months as well as the summer of 1793 having been wetter and colder than today. Comparisons with conditions reported for Britain show that there were important differences between the two areas and possible explanations for these differences are offered in terms of patterns of atmospheric circulation.

Robustness of serial clustering of extratropical cyclones to the choice of tracking method

Cyclone clusters are a frequent synoptic feature in the Euro-Atlantic area. Recent studies have shown that serial clustering of cyclones generally occurs on both flanks and downstream regions of the North Atlantic storm track, while cyclones tend to occur more regulary on the western side of the North Atlantic basin near Newfoundland. This study explores the sensitivity of serial clustering to the choice of cyclone tracking method using cyclone track data from 15 methods derived from ERA-Interim data (1979–2010). Clustering is estimated by the dispersion (ratio of variance to mean) of winter [December – February (DJF)] cyclone passages near each grid point over the Euro-Atlantic area. The mean number of cyclone counts and their variance are compared between methods, revealing considerable differences, particularly for the latter. Results show that all different tracking methods qualitatively capture similar large-scale spatial patterns of underdispersion and overdispersion over the study region. The quantitative differences can primarily be attributed to the differences in the variance of cyclone counts between the methods. Nevertheless, overdispersion is statistically significant for almost all methods over parts of the eastern North Atlantic and Western Europe, and is therefore considered as a robust feature. The influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on cyclone clustering displays a similar pattern for all tracking methods, with one maximum near Iceland and another between the Azores and Iberia. The differences in variance between methods are not related with different sensitivities to the NAO, which can account to over 50% of the clustering in some regions. We conclude that the general features of underdispersion and overdispersion of extratropical cyclones over the North Atlantic and Western Europe are robust to the choice of tracking method. The same is true for the influence of the NAO on cyclone dispersion.

Characterization of cores and organic remains in Iron Age gold objects: The Recouso treasure

ABSTRACTThe study of the gold earrings from the Recouso Treasure (NW Iberia) led us to identify the use of non-metallic fills in the manufacturing process. This article offers an initial characterization of these core materials and discusses their possible purpose. Based on the identification of diatom skeletons in the fill of one earring and the Py-GC-MS analysis of a sample from another, we suggest that sediment from a stagnant open body of water was used as core material. This sediment was subjected to thermal modification. Although the use of non-metallic cores in goldworking processes has been documented in other areas of Atlantic Europe, such as the British Isles, studies of their nature and composition are few. The identification and radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples from an Ag–Au–Cu melting mass from the same hoard are also included in this article. The charcoal fragments were identified as oak (Quercus sp. deciduous) and dated to the second to first centuries BC.

Morphological and molecular methods reveal the Asian alga Grateloupia imbricata (Halymeniaceae) occurs on Cantabrian Sea shores (Bay of Biscay)

:Introduction of nonindigenous species (NIS) via anthropogenic activities (i.e. shipping) has serious consequences for marine ecosystems. On shores of the Cantabrian Sea (northern Spain), there is no routine NIS screening combining molecular and anatomical methods. This makes the detection of inadvertent expansions of exotic species difficult. In this work, a screening of nonfoliose Grateloupia specimens combining morphological and DNA barcoding procedures (COI-5P and rbcL genes) was conducted in the marina of Gijón, Bay of Biscay. A reproductive population of G. imbricata was found. This is the first report of this introduced Asian seaweed in continental Atlantic Europe. The detection of this species on shores of the Spanish Atlantic is relevant biogeographically since other previous records in the North Atlantic suggest a stepping-stones route via the Azores and Canary Islands. Routine screenings for early detection of exotic algae is becoming a powerful risk assessment tool for further introductions.

Collection and consumption of echinoderms and crustaceans at the Mesolithic shell midden site of El Mazo (northern Iberia): Opportunistic behaviour or social strategy?

Recent studies in Atlantic Europe on crab remains, goose barnacles and sea urchins have revealed that these species can be of great help in determining patterns of shellfish collection and providing new information on subsistence strategies of hunter-fisher-gatherers. Current excavations at the Mesolithic shell midden site of El Mazo cave (Asturias, northern Iberia) have produced a sizeable amount of crustacean and echinoderm remains from a long stratigraphic sequence that covers an important part of the Mesolithic chronological range, providing the opportunity to investigate long-term exploitation patterns. Results show that echinoderms (sea urchins) and crustaceans (goose barnacles and crabs) were present throughout all of the stratigraphic units (from 8.9 to 7.6 cal ka), suggesting that they were a persistently exploited food source. However, these resources were not intensively exploited, save perhaps sea urchins at the base of the sequence. From a quantitative perspective, these resources have been traditionally interpreted as minor resources exploited opportunistically to help group survival. However, given the pattern of continuous exploitation exhibited by these resources in northern Iberia and other areas of Atlantic Europe, we suggest that they can be interpreted from a qualitative perspective as stable resources with a significant social value.