Century CE Research Articles

The impact of social status and biological sex on diet at 10th century CE Hungarian sites from stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses

Stable isotope analysis is a valuable tool to determine the diet of past societies, as well as the relationship that diet has with biological sex and social class. In this research, we performed stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses on individuals from four 10th century CE Hungarian sites (Karos-Eperjesszög, Tiszanána, Bodroghalom, and Üllő-Ilona út) to determine if their diet was affected by their sex or social status. We also compared these sites with Kenézlő-Fazekaszug, our previously published, contemporaneous site. The study yielded some unexpected results, indicating that elevated social status was not a reliable indicator of high animal protein consumption among the residents of the upper class Karos site. Additionally, the results suggested that biological sex was only a factor in animal protein consumption at the putative middle-class sites, such as Tiszanána. With its comprehensive sampling, this research provides new stable isotopic data to the Central and Eastern European database, as well as exciting results about a crucial period in Hungarian history. It may also serve as the impetus for future stable isotope analyses of other 10th century Hungarian sites.

TORTURING THE EARTH: MASCULINITY AND VIOLENCE IN COLUMELLA'S DE RE RUSTICA 10.68–74

Writing in the first century ce, Columella delineates farming practice based on personal experience and observation. Roman attitudes towards slavery, truth, and torture are highlighted in a particularly graphic description of preparing the soil for sowing.

Links between climatic histories and the rise and fall of a Pacific chiefdom.

Sea level rise and climate change are shaping present societies, particularly those on oceanic islands. Few historical examples could serve as references for these changes. One such potential model is the Saudeleur Dynasty with its capital Nan Madol on the Pacific Island of Pohnpei. However, the timing of its construction, as well as the dynasty's fluctuations and potential environmental influences, has remained unresolved. Through the analyses of 230Th ages on 171 dates on corals fragments used as building materials and charcoal 14C ages from excavations, 2 major construction phases spanning from the 10th to the 15th century CE can be discerned. The results show that the first phase of the site's construction, spanning the 10th-12th century, marked the dynasty's rise. The second period, spanning from the late 12th to the early 15th century, provides the most substantial evidence for the demise of the island-scale chiefdom and a significant societal reorganization. The phases are centuries earlier than previously believed. With this new evidence, we propose the hypothesis that variations in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and subsidence-related sea level rise presented major challenges for building and maintaining Nan Madol, and thus, influenced the course of the island's history. This case serves as a compelling example of how adverse climatic conditions can spur investments-in this case, in seawater defense under high sea levels-yet ultimately may contribute to abandonment. It offers lessons for island nations, showcasing coastal resilience in the face of worsening catastrophic events that unfolded over generations.

Chinese astronomy in a world context

Abstract This brief paper aims to indicate what the study of Chinese astronomy can add to our understanding of premodern astronomy in the wider world. Some aspects of Chinese astronomy enable us to perceive the interestingly contingent nature of much of what is often taken for granted about the way astronomy was done elsewhere, particularly in the premodern West. Two examples of East-West contact in astronomy are examined: exchanges with India, particularly in the Sui and Tang dynasties in the 7th and 8th centuries of the Common Era and contacts with astronomy from the 13th century CE Islamicate world. Finally the issue of the sphericity of the Earth is considered in a comparative context.

LICCHAVI INSCRIPTIONS: A CULTURAL MONUMENT OF KATHMANDU VALLEY

Numbers of Licchavi inscriptions installed by the Licchavi rulers are found to be established around Kathmandu valley. They are profoundly installed since 5th century CE. Inscriptions are the authentic evidence that have made possible to construct a clear apparition of Licchavi age. They are potential from historical, cultural as well as monumental point of view. Inscriptions are concrete attest of several issues concerned to their reign and a strong indicator to mend the structure of an ancient settlements. They are not only source of defining tangible and intangible inheritances of the age but valuable monument associated with several cultural practices. Despite its historical significance, traditional practices related with this monument emerged through local perception have been an essential part of Nepalese culture through the time. In this context, what are the recent eminence of Licchavi inscriptions? How are they perceived by local communities and expressed through? And how far the inscriptions have been affected by traditional activities? are the questions or problems related to these valuable monuments that have been unanswered. To answers these queries have been attempted in this paper. To reveal the facts, primary and secondary sources have been adopted. Survey of inscriptions of the valley, collection of information through interviews and observation of traditional practices were conducted with the collection of photographs. Related literatures as a secondary source were consulted. The collected facts were analyzed to draw conclusion in a descriptive manner. From these facts, it has been revealed that Licchavi inscriptions as a monumental heritage are in crisis with several threats in lack of proper conservation. As per location they stand and the structural theme they comprise, they have been perceived as purposeful object or deities rather than a historical monument by local communities and are expressed by offering of materials with great belief and devotion. The tradition to some extent has been gradually ruining the inheritances and should be taken into consideration soon.

Sasanian Niello Inlay: Microanalytical Investigation of a Silver Oval Bowl with Tigers and Grapevines

ABSTRACT Researchers utilized non-invasive analytical techniques such as micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) spectroscopy, micro-X-ray diffraction (µ-XRD), and micro-Raman spectroscopy to examine a silver oval bowl adorned with tigers and grapevines, believed to date back to the Sasanian period of Iran (third to seventh centuries CE). The bowl, currently housed in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underwent analysis aimed at identifying the composition of both the silver alloy and the niello used in its decoration. The primary objective of the study was to discern the alloy composition and the niello application technique employed by Sasanian metalworkers. The findings revealed that the bowl is crafted from a silver–copper alloy containing approximately 3 wt.% of copper. Additionally, the niello inlays were determined to consist solely of silver sulfide (acanthite). The composition of the niello closely resembles that of early Roman niello inlays, suggesting a possible technological connection with Romans in the Sasanian period.

Towards a word similarity gold standard for Akkadian: creation and model optimization

Abstract We present a word similarity gold standard for Akkadian, a language documented in ancient Mesopotamian sources from the 24th century BCE until the first century CE. The gold standard comprises 300 word pairs ranked by their paradigmatic similarity by five independently working Assyriologists. We use the gold standard to tune PMI + SVD and fastText models to improve their performance. We also present a hyper-parametrized PMI + SVD model for building count-based word embeddings, that aims to deal with the data sparsity and repetition issues encountered in Akkadian texts. Our model combines Dirichlet smoothing with context distribution smoothing, and uses context similarity weighting to down-sample distortion caused by formulaic litanies and partially or fully duplicated passages.

Understanding the Intellectual Approaches of the Archaeology of ‘Rōhaṇa’ from the 1840s to 1960s: A Literature Review

The archaeology of Rōhaṇa entails a focus on comprehending ‘Rōhaṇa’ from material perspectives. Originating in the mid-19th century CE, this approach evolved with diverse theoretical, methodological, and technological dimensions in alignment with the scholarly context of its time. This paper constitutes an investigation into the available sources explaining the progression of archaeological studies on Rōhaṇa from the 1840s to the 1960s, highlighting the contributions of individuals often identified as British Colonial Officers, Antiquarians, and Archaeologists. While extant research has predominantly centred on elucidating Rōhaṇa, it has overlooked an exploration of the intellectual practices of the scholars involved. Consequently, this paper aims to comprehend the intellectual approaches employed in existing scholarly works on Rōhaṇa. This study uses qualitative methods in secondary research to analyse sources such as published accounts and reports by British officers, archaeological field reports and other significant studies by local scholars. Examining the methodologies, findings, and conclusions of these selected studies reveals their collective contribution to the intellectual understanding of Rōhaṇa from a material perspective. In conclusion, antiquarian methods initially identified Rōhaṇa as the southern administrative division, with Māgama serving as its capital. Subsequently, archaeological initiatives expanded this knowledge through field methods, providing insights into regional settlement patterns. Over time, inquiries into the historicity of Rōhaṇa emerged, evolving the understanding of this region by the mid-20th century.

Semantic Segmentation and Classification of Active and Abandoned Agricultural Fields through Deep Learning in the Southern Peruvian Andes

The monumental scale agricultural infrastructure systems built by Andean peoples during pre-Hispanic times have enabled intensive agriculture in the high-relief, arid/semi-arid landscape of the Southern Peruvian Andes. Large tracts of these labor-intensive systems have been abandoned, however, owing in large measure to a range of demographic, economic, and political crises precipitated by the Spanish invasion of the 16th century CE. This research seeks to better understand the dynamics of agricultural intensification and deintensification in the Andes by inventorying through the semantic segmentation of active and abandoned agricultural fields in satellite imagery across approximately 77,000 km2 of the Southern Peruvian Highlands. While manual digitization of agricultural fields in satellite imagery is time-consuming and labor-intensive, deep learning-based semantic segmentation makes it possible to map and classify en masse Andean agricultural infrastructure. Using high resolution satellite imagery, training and validation data were manually produced in distributed sample areas and were used to transfer-train a convolutional neural network for semantic segmentation. The resulting dataset was compared to manual surveys of the region and results suggest that deep learning can generate larger and more accurate datasets than those generated by hand.

Deformed archaeological remains at Lilybaeum in Western Sicily (southern Italy): possible ground signatures of a missed large earthquake

AbstractArchaeoseismic analysis performed in Western Sicily points to deformed archeological remains at Lilybaeum, a Punic coastal city founded in 397 B.C. at the Island’s westernmost edge. Starting from the direct observation of deformed ruins, an interdisciplinary work strategy, which included field-structural analysis, drone-shot high-resolution aerial photogrammetry, and geophysical prospecting, was employed to investigate whether the identified deformations may represent the ground effects of a previously unknown large earthquake in the area. Among the unearthed remains, some mosaics and a stone-paved monumental avenue show evidence of tectonic deformation, being fractured, folded, and uplifted. The trend of folding and fracturing is consistent with the NNW–SSE oriented tectonic max stress axis to which Western Sicily is currently subjected. Displacement along a fracture deforming the Decumanus Maximus together with the finding of a domino-type directional collapse, enable us to interpret the observed deformation as the ground signature of a coseismic slip. The seismic rupture occurred along a previously unmapped deformation front that fits well within the seismotectonic context of Western Sicily. Measured offset, geophysical prospecting, and age-constraints all suggest the possibility that a highly-energetic earthquake nucleated in the area following a coseismic rupture along a NE–SW trending back-verging reverse fault towards the end of the fourth century CE. Since seismic catalogs do not provide evidence of such a large earthquake, this event might represent a missed entry in the historical seismic record. This finding provides constraints to redefine the seismic hazard of Western Sicily, a region where recurrence-time intervals for large earthquakes are still unknown.

Between North and South: Buddhist Cliff Sculpture in Northern Sichuan in the First Half of the Seventh Century CE

In the first half of the seventh century CE, clusters of Buddhist cliff sculptures were carved into cliffs and boulders in Guangyuan, Mianyang, Bazhong, and other locations nestled in the northern Sichuan Basin. They mark the start of large-scale Buddhist grotto construction in Sichuan, significantly impacting the establishment of regional grotto traditions in southwestern China. Through analysis of site forms, statue types, and devotional inscriptions, this article argues that these Buddhist cliff sculptures represent a reintegration of divergent Buddhist practices and artistic conventions that emerged during the Southern and Northern Dynasties in northern and southern China. While their niche-based site structure and collective sponsorship through the yiyi association can be traced back to northern China in the prior two centuries, the sculptural style primarily reflects a regional tradition exemplified by the free-standing statues unearthed in Chengdu, central Sichuan in the Southern Dynasties. The construction of these sites, catalyzed by the influx of northern officials and monks into Sichuan toward the end of the Sui and the early Tang, provides valuable material for exploring the social integration of northern and southern China, as well as the religious dynamics between Buddhism and Daoism in northern Sichuan.

Bioarchaeology and evidence of violence from a precolonial later stone age communal burial in South Africa.

This study reports on the bioarchaeology and evidence of interpersonal violence in a group of archaeological skeletons found near Ladismith, Western Cape, South Africa. The co-mingled skeletal remains derive from at least ten individuals of varying ages and both sexes. Overlapping radiocarbon dates on three individuals place them in the first half of the 15th century CE, pre-dating first European contact at the end of that century. Three juvenile crania have perimortem perforations, the locations of which indicate violent deaths. The sizes and shapes of the lesions suggest impact by a blade at least 110mm long and 50mm wide but with edges only 2mm thick. Based on these dimensions, we hypothesise that this was a metal-tipped spear. The nearest metal-working communities at this time lived approximately 500 km away, implying long-distance trade or exchange. δ13C, δ15N and 87Sr/86Sr values indicate that this was a heterogenous group of individuals who had spent their early lives in different locations and consumed varied diets, who had come together and were living in or travelling through the Ladismith area at the time of their deaths. This finding extends the timeframe and location for the practice of communal burial in the Holocene of southern Africa and provides additional support for the hypothesis that communal burials in this region tend to be associated with violence.

Agrobiodiversity and crop diffusion in Morocco from Antiquity to the early Modern period (8th century bce–17th century ce): an archaeobotanical review

Agrobiodiversity and crop diffusion in Morocco from Antiquity to the early Modern period (8th century bce–17th century ce): an archaeobotanical review

The Downturn of Egypt’s Eastern Desert in the Middle Roman Imperial Period

Roman activity in Egypt’s Eastern Desert fluctuated significantly, ranging from intense exploitation of its resources and desert routes that facilitated Indo-Mediterranean trade, to the Roman Empire’s near total abandonment of the region. In those areas crucial to the Roman state – stone quarries, Red Sea ports, desert road stations and mining settlements – a nadir in occupation occurs near the mid-third century CE. But archaeological evidence indicates that significant reductions in activity occurred between the late second and early third centuries CE – i.e., in the Antonine and Severan Periods. The downturn was probably a result of distant geopolitical engagements, outbreaks of disease and/or shifting patterns of trade, which led to the Empire’s neglect of and gradual withdrawal from the area. This article reviews the archaeology of the Eastern Desert and considers the reason(s) this once-important region fell into decline. [Formula: see text]

A Synthetic Geometry Proof of Heron’s Formula

Summary Heron’s formula, which dates back to at least the first century CE, links the area of a triangle to the lengths of its sides. This paper offers a proof of the formula using the triangle’s incircle and the properties of similar triangles.

Ancient Genome of Broomcorn Millet from Northwest China in Seventh Century CE: Shedding New Light to Its Origin and Dispersal Patterns

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) is among the earliest domesticated staple crops in the world’s agricultural history and facilitated the development of several early agrarian cultures, particularly those originating in northern China. However, the propagation route of broomcorn millet in China from the Middle Ages to the present remains unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the genetic affinity between ancient and modern millet samples, trace the genetic origins and diffusion pathways of broomcorn millet, and provide insights into its domestication and spread. To achieve this, we sequence ancient DNA from broomcorn millet remains excavated from the Chashan Village cemetery (AD 691) in Gansu Province, China. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, integrating ancient and modern millet genomes, reveal a close genetic relationship between ancient millet and contemporary millet from Ningxia Province (445 km away from Chashan Village), suggesting a potential origin for the Chashan millet. This finding aligns with the tomb’s epitaph, which documents the reburial of the tomb’s owner, who was originally buried in Ningxia, and provides important archaeological evidence for understanding the interaction between geopolitical dynamics and the natural environment in northwest China during the late seventh century. Furthermore, outgroup-f3 and D statistics evidence suggests substantial genetic interactions between ancient millet and modern varieties from the Loess Plateau, Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, and Northeast Plain, indicating the dispersal route of broomcorn millet, along with human migration routes, from the northwest to northern China and ultimately to the northeast region, starting from the Middle Ages onward. This study enhances our understanding of millet’s genetic history, offers a novel perspective on burial archaeology, and provides valuable insights into the origins, domestication, and diffusion of broomcorn millet.

The Surgery of Celsus' De Medicina.

Celsus' De Medicina (first century ce) is the first comprehensive treatise on medicine and surgery to survive from antiquity. Bridging the gap between the Hippocratic Corpus and the works of Galen, it documents the important advances in anatomy and surgery of the Alexandrian school during the Hellenistic era. De Medicina contains an anatomically based system of surgery and strikingly modern concepts of wound management, as well as the first accounts of hemostasis by ligature, per primam healing of wounds, amputation, and complex, elective operations, including lithotomy and inguinal herniotomy. The possibility (and desirability) of per primam healing, thereby permitting elective surgical procedures, was ignored until rediscovered in the 19th century; its recognition by Celsus prompts a re-evaluation of the excellence of ancient surgery.

Lorenz Fries on the defense of Avicenna, the prince of physicians: Addressed to the medics of Germany (1530).

During the 14th century CE, a pivotal shift took place in the world of medicine as its epicenter transitioned from the Middle East to Europe. The emergence of the European Renaissance sparked skepticism regarding the significance of Avicenna's contributions to the advancement of medicine. This paper explores how the rise of secularization and the Renaissance in Europe marked significant cultural transformations, fostering the spread of literacy. These societal shifts influenced the trajectory of medical thought, and Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine" received both praise and condemnation amidst the evolving intellectual landscape. In this context, Lorenz Fries composed his "Defense of Avicenna," a testament to his profound admiration for Avicenna's legacy. This paper presents an English translation of Fries' 1530 work, and introduces Fries and Avicenna's "Canon," contextualizing Fries' defense within the broader rejection of Arab-language medical texts in the 16th century. It also explores Avicenna's influence on European medicine and anatomy during the Renaissance and highlights the enduring relevance of his contributions to the annals of science. Fries' defense underscores Avicenna's methodological acumen and emphasizes the importance of a robust theoretical foundation in medical practice. Avicenna's integration of Aristotelianism with Platonism highlighted the necessity of a rigorous method informed by theory in medical analysis. Fries' defense remains relevant today, particularly in advocating for systematic medical analysis against subjective approaches. Avicenna's medical philosophy seems nested within a larger, hopeful attempt to resolve the tensions between science or naturalism and religion or spiritualism. The rejection of Avicenna reflects broader conflicts between Aristotelian and Neoplatonic traditions, suggesting a complex interplay of secularization and theological influences in shaping medical thought during the Renaissance.

FamilyTreeDNA Group Project Administrator Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract. Several scholars have in the past hypothesized a northward movement of Hunnic contingents which ultimately reached Scandinavia on the basis of archaeological and philological evidence, an event which should be detectable in both ancient and modern DNA if true. Here I report that when analyzing a combination of ancient and modern DNA samples from across Eurasia one can detect a westward movement from the Altai-Sayan region to Europe which ultimately reached southern Sweden, and also accurately date this migration event to the 4th and 5th centuries CE with the help of carbon-14 dating and estimated TMRCAs of certain Y-DNA lineages. It is possible to identify these individuals and groups as Huns by analyzing their Y-chromosomal and autosomal DNA in combination with burial context. The significance and implications of this become clear when looking at the philological evidence which suggests that the Huns had a formative and lasting impact on the development of the peoples, cultures and beliefs of Scandinavia Keywords: Attila, Huns, Scythians, Y-DNA, Xiongnu

Ship Timbers from the Islamic Sites of al-Balid and Qalhat, Oman: Sewn-Plank Technology in the Indian Ocean during the 10–16th Centuries CE

Ship Timbers from the Islamic Sites of al-Balid and Qalhat, Oman: Sewn-Plank Technology in the Indian Ocean during the 10–16th Centuries CE