Refuse Deposits Research Articles

Army ant middens - Home and nursery of a diverse beetle fauna.

Army ants provide nourishment to a large variety of animals. This includes birds that feed on animals flushed out by army ant raids, symbiotic arthropods that consume the ants' prey or their brood, and other arthropods that scavenge on army ant refuse deposits. The latter have not received much attention, and the few published studies lack detailed species identifications. Here we provide a first systematic inventory of the beetle fauna associated with refuse deposits of Eciton army ants, with a focus on Eciton burchellii. We collected 8364 adult beetles, 511 larvae, and 24 eggs from 34 deposits at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We used a combination of DNA barcoding and morphology to identify a subset of 436 specimens to species level. The samples included several new species, and we here formally describe two water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae). Refuse deposits harbored a diverse beetle fauna. The identified subset consisted of 91 beetle species from 12 families, with rove beetles being the most abundant and diverse visitors. Of the 85 species found with E. burchellii, 50 species were collected from only one or two refuse deposits. Conversely, seven species were found in 10 or more refuse deposits, indicating a certain level of habitat specialization. We matched adults and immatures for 22 beetle species via DNA barcodes, demonstrating that army ant middens also serve as a beetle nursery. The present survey highlights the significant ecological function of army ants as promoters of biodiversity and their status as keystone species in tropical rainforests.

Bird remains from ecclesiastical sites in medieval Hungary

AbstractThis comprehensive paper, based on already published avian material, provides an overview of the exploitation of birds at ecclesiastical settlements in medieval Hungary, with an outlook on other European religious establishments. Owing also to the differences in excavation methods, sample size, and measurements used during the identification of bird remains, the seven discussed ecclesiastical sites in the Carpathian Basin, which was part of the Hungarian Kingdom during the Middle Ages, showed considerable variability from this point of view. It is certain that poultry constituted the lion's share of the bird meat consumed, even in the wealthiest religious houses, such as bishopric centers. The presence of sexed specimens in some of these bone collections made it possible to distinguish between a small and a large phenotype of domestic chicken based on biometric data. However, in cases when finds were not only collected by hand but the food refuse deposit was also screened, one finds that these assemblages are both quantitatively and qualitatively more varied in terms of the presence and frequency of certain taxa including small game, suggesting the value and special role of (wild) fowl at ecclesiastical establishments. The avian remains that suggest the use of trained birds, as well as the evidence for the use and curation of crossbows, contribute to our knowledge about the hunting and fowling customs at certain religious houses.

The use of space on two Early Iron Age house sites in South-West Jutland, South Scandinavia: A geoarchaeological multiproxy approach

This paper describes analyses for understanding the general use of space on two Early Iron Age house sites on the site of Sønderris in South-West Jutland (South Scandinavia). The main method consists of the geoarchaeological techniques of soil P analysis by citric acid extraction, low frequency magnetic susceptibility analysis, and measurement of the soils organic content by loss-on-ignition. The results of these analyses are, moreover, interpreted alongside artefact distribution data, data on the dispersal of plant macrofossils, and an evaluation of the architectural details of the sites.At both house sites, the geoarchaeological data shows patterning indicative of human activities. The main achievements are inference of outdoor areas which may have contained pyres or kilns, delineation of yard spaces with refuse deposition, and the characterisation of functional aspects of two small outbuildings. In general, the geoarchaeological results are consistent with the inferences attained from non-geoarchaeological sources. A notable exception is that few clear traces of stalling were identified in the geoarchaeological record, despite the presence of animal booth partition walls indicating the presence of byres in the longhouses. Possible reasons for this are discussed.Overall, this study demonstrates the continued usefulness of long-established geoarchaeological methods for gaining insights about the nature, extent, and orientation of activities on prehistoric house sites. A key take-away from the study is that the potential of any individual method for reading activities (geoarchaeological or otherwise), increases when several techniques with overlapping, but not identical, scope for inferring activities are integrated. The resulting multiproxy analysis is, as a whole, more useful than the sum of its constituent parts.

A Comparative Analysis of Fractionation of Potassium in Soils from Some Refuse Dumpsites in Benin City Nigeria

A study on potassium dynamics and fractionation was carried out in Benin City to determine the amount and distribution of k fraction in soil samples collected from different refuse dumpsites. The sand, silt and clay contents of the dumpsites soils varied from 83.3 to 95.3, 0.60 to 3.35 and 2.55 to 15.10%, respectively. Soils were dominantly sandy with textural classes varying from sand to loamy sand down at depth. The result revealed that the water-soluble k and Exchangeable k range from 163.8 to 643.4 mg/kg in surface soils and 271.1 to 319.8 mg/kg in sub-surface in Benin-Onitsha Bypass and Benin-Warri Bypass. The difficult exchangeable k content ranged from 93.6 to 483.6 mg/kg and 50.1 to 467.9 mg/kg .in the surface and sub-surface of the dumpsites; K content was highest in the subsurface soils than in surface soils due to high deposition of refuse from surface soils within the dumpsites. In general, distribution of K forms decreased in the order reserved K > fixed > water-soluble > Exchangeable K, Structural K > Diff. Exch. K as well as the mobility factor for each of the refuse dumpsite investigated. Similarly, the amount of the various forms of k extracted decreased as the soil pH decreased. The soil samples collected far away from the dumpsites have lower concentrations of k forms compared to those from the vicinity of the dumpsites. This shows that the waste dumps had higher concentration of elements, thereby interacting with the soil and enhance their dominance within the dumpsites. The particle size fraction of the refuse dump suggests the need for consideration of active soil portions for sustainable K management of the environment.

REVENIA-KORINOS: ONE OF THE EARLIEST NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS IN NORTH GREECE AS EVIDENCED BY RADIOCARBON DATING

ABSTRACTRadiocarbon (14C) dating was applied to the Neolithic open-air, flat-extended settlement at Revenia-Korinos in Pieria, North Greece. The samples came from the earlier habitation period of the settlement, characterized by more than 100 pits that vary significantly in shape and dimensions, some of them being identified as subterranean or semi-subterranean pit dwellings. It is suggested that the fills of the pits were the result of secondary, structured refuse deposition, except for pits that preserve their habitational use, according to stratigraphic data. The 14C results confirm that Revenia is among the earliest Neolithic settlements in North Greece and the Aegean in general. The initial phase of habitation is dated at around 6600/6550 BC comparable only to two other EN sites in North Greece. Habitation intensified at around 6460/6430 BC, accompanied by a shift in pottery style. This phase lasts until 6200/6100 BC when the pit habitation mode is followed by above-ground, rectangular post-framed structures. The dates of the human burials from Revenia also identify them as among the earliest Neolithic burials in Greece. Finally, the radiocarbon dates proved very useful for sequencing the chronological use of the pits and the excavated area in general.

Archaeozoological assessment of the refuse deposit of the archiepiscopal residence in Esztergom

Archaeozoological assessment of the refuse deposit of the archiepiscopal residence in Esztergom

Byzantine-Early Islamic resource management detected through micro-geoarchaeological investigations of trash mounds (Negev, Israel).

Sustainable resource management is of central importance among agrarian societies in marginal drylands. In the Negev Desert, Israel, research on agropastoral resource management during Late Antiquity emphasizes intramural settlement contexts and landscape features. The importance of hinterland trash deposits as diachronic archives of resource use and disposal has been overlooked until recently. Without these data, assessments of community-scale responses to societal, economic, and environmental disruption and reconfiguration remain incomplete. In this study, micro-geoarchaeological investigations were conducted on trash mound features at the Byzantine—Early Islamic sites of Shivta, Elusa, and Nesanna to track spatiotemporal trends in the use and disposal of critical agropastoral resources. Refuse derived sediment deposits were characterized using stratigraphy, micro-remains (i.e., livestock dung spherulites, wood ash pseudomorphs, and plant phytoliths), and mineralogy by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Our investigations detected a turning point in the management of herbivore livestock dung, a vital resource in the Negev. We propose that the scarcity of raw dung proxies in the studied deposits relates to the use of this resource as fuel and agricultural fertilizer. Refuse deposits contained dung ash, indicating the widespread use of dung as a sustainable fuel. Sharply contrasting this, raw dung was dumped and incinerated outside the village of Nessana. We discuss how this local shift in dung management corresponds with a growing emphasis on sedentised herding spurred by newly pressed taxation and declining market-oriented agriculture. Our work is among the first to deal with the role of waste management and its significance to economic strategies and urban development during the late Roman Imperial Period and Late Antiquity. The findings contribute to highlighting top-down societal and economic pressures, rather than environmental degradation, as key factors involved in the ruralisation of the Negev agricultural heartland toward the close of Late Antiquity.

An Isotopic and Morphometric Examination of Island Dogs (Canis familiaris): Comparing Dietary and Mobility Patterns in the Precolumbian Caribbean

In precolumbian insular Caribbean archaeological sites, domestic dog (Canis familiaris) remains have been recovered from varied contexts, such as formal burials, in refuse deposits, and as modified artifacts, indicating their complex and multifaceted role within indigenous societies. In this study, isotopic and morphometric analyses provide biochemical and morphological correlations to assess this differential treatment. We examined collagen values (n = 21) of carbon (δ13Cco) and nitrogen (δ15N), and enamel values (n = 81) of carbon (δ13Cen), oxygen (δ18Oen), and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) of dog remains from 16 precolumbian sites. Five comparative parameters were used to assess dietary variations between different groups: buried versus nonburied, local versus nonlocal, Greater versus Lesser Antilles, chronology, and modified versus unmodified remains. The only statistically significant difference in diets was between local and nonlocal dogs. Sufficient data were available to conduct isotopic mixing models using the FRUITS statistical program on four individuals for which depositional and morphological data were available. Results of dietary modeling indicate an unexpectedly heavy reliance on plant foods consistent with intentional feeding. This approach highlights the utility of combining isotope analysis, dietary models, morphometrics, and depositional context to provide comprehensive biographic overviews of individual animals.

Crops behind closed walls: Fortified storage at Castelinho in the Late Iron Age of NW Iberia

The site of Castelinho (Torre de Moncorvo, northeast of Portugal) is a fortification strategically placed on a small elevation, near the river Sabor, built in the Late Iron Age and occupied until the Early Roman period. It is characterized by impressive defensive features, including large walls with turrets, ditches and complex entrances, inside of which no clear evidences of domestic areas were found. On the contrary, this monumental defensive apparatus seems to have served mostly to protect several storage facilities, mainly elevated granaries, in which abundant archaeobotanical remains were recovered.The excavation of Castelinho comprised the systematic sampling of sediment in a wide diversity of contexts, ultimately leading to the recovery of large amounts of charcoal, fruits and seeds. Most came from secondary or tertiary refuse deposits but some seem to have been actually related to the destruction of granaries by fire.Carpological results show the predominance of naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum) while hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare) and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) were found in smaller amounts. These crops were stored fully processed, taking into account the almost absence of chaff and the scarce presence of weeds. Charcoal analysis suggest Pinus pinaster and Quercus evergreen provided most of the wood used in the construction of the granaries.In this study, this data will be presented, discussed and compared with archaeobotanical and archaeological information from other sites excavated in the Sabor Valley and in the surrounding region. The size and monumentality of Castelinho, combined with the fact that it provided few evidences of other activities besides storage, suggests this site had a relevant role for local communities. This will be discussed together with other evidence of the social relevance of storage for Late Iron Age communities in the region.

Analysing Deposition and Site Formation Processes in Medieval Cess Pits Using Bone Fragmentation

Signatures of animal bone fragmentation have huge potential for understanding deposition and archaeological site formation processes, yet they are scarcely studied, especially in medieval urban contexts. Archaeological investigations at 1–5 Benjamin Street, Farringdon uncovered a number of medieval cess pits and other contexts associated with the Hospitaller Priory of St John of Jerusalem. The well-preserved zooarchaeological assemblage from these contexts was deemed an excellent case study for in-depth bone fragmentation analysis to both test and display the utility of the method at this type of site. The analysis revealed that material from the lowest fills of the cess pits differed from the upper fills in that fragmentation was more intensive. Based on the size and weight of fragments, and surface modifications related to burning and taphonomy, we postulate that floor and hearth sweepings were occasionally deposited in the cess pits whilst they were in use. This material was likely further fragmented when cess pits were periodically emptied. Faunal specimens in the upper fills have different fragmentation and taphonomic signatures and more likely relate to opportunistic refuse deposition or capping after the use of the cess pits. This analysis shows the archaeological potential of this approach when aligned with specific research questions concerning deposition.

Zooarchaeological and taphonomical study of the white-tailed deer (Cervidae: Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman 1780) at Sitio Sierra, a pre-Columbian village in Pacific Coclé province, Panama, with an evaluation of its role in feasts

The white-tailed deer (Cervidae: Odocoileus virginianus) was the most widespread sizeable mammal in the ancient anthropogenic savannahs of the Pacific watershed of Panama. This cursorial, browsing and gregarious species was not only a major component of human diet for several thousand pre-contact years but also an iconic mammal imbued with polysemic symbolism. Deer were the most frequently consumed mammal in most pre-Columbian refuse deposits, and deer bones and antlers were used to fashion several kinds of implements. Spanish eye-witness chroniclers of the years of conquest (1515–1550 CE) refer to cultural proscriptions against eating mammal meat by certain groups in the chiefdoms that bordered Parita Bay on the Pacific coast. Spanish soldiers extolled larders replete with dried and salted deer carcasses. This situation alludes to periodic “feasts”, which are considered to be an important mechanism for enhancing social relations and for cementing alliances. We argue that feasting behaviour is identifiable at Sitio Sierra (AG-3), a large village located in the alluvial bottomlands of Cocle province near a major river (Santa Maria) and occupied between about 2200 and 500 cal yr. B.P. The representation of all deer body parts in some refuse piles at this site—including complete and articulated remains—is predicted correlate of rapid and mass consumption typical of feasting. Deer body parts with high meat values predominate. Young animals were consumed. Most of the observed cut marks on deer bones represent de-fleshing. There is little evidence for rodents’ gnawing the bones and no evidence of carnivore gnawing. The zooarchaeological data are corroborated by data on ceramic vessels and by physical signs of cooking at the site.

Archaeobotanical proxies and archaeological interpretation: A comparative study of phytoliths, pollen and seeds in dung pellets and refuse deposits at Early Islamic Shivta, Negev, Israel

This article presents a systematic methodological comparison of three archaeobotanical proxies (phytoliths, pollen and seeds) applied to an assemblage of dung pellets and corresponding archaeological refuse deposits from Early Islamic contexts at the site of Shivta. We set out with three main methodological questions: one, to evaluate the relative input of botanical remains from dung in refuse assemblages; two, to evaluate each archaeobotanical dataset and to test whether they are comparable, complementary or contradictory in their interpretations from dung; and three, infer herding practices at the site during the Early Islamic period. Our findings show that ovicaprine dung accumulated in Early Islamic Shivta during at least two periods: mid-7th–mid-8th centuries CE, and late-8th–mid-10th centuries CE. Methodologically, we see incomplete and incompatible reconstructions arise when each method is considered alone, with each proxy possessing its own advantages and limitations. Specifically, the amount of preserved seeds in dung pellets is low, which restricts statistical analysis and tends to emphasize small or hard-coated seeds and vegetation fruiting season; yet this method has the highest taxonomic power; pollen preserves only in uncharred pellets, emphasizes the flowering season and has an intermediate taxonomic value; phytoliths have the lowest taxonomic value yet complete the picture of livestock feeding habits by identifying leaf and stem remains, some from domestic cereals, which went unnoticed in both seed and pollen analyses. The combined archaeobotanical reconstruction from samples of the mid-7th–mid-8th centuries suggests that spring-time herding at Shivta was based on free-grazing of wild vegetation, supplemented by chaff and/or hay from domestic cereals. For the late-8th–mid-10th century samples, phytolith and pollen reconstruction indicates autumn-winter free-grazing with no evidence of foddering. Unlike the dung pellets, macrobotanical remains in the refuse deposits included domestic as well as wild taxa, the former mainly food plants that serve for human consumption. Plant remains in these refuse deposits originate primarily from domestic trash and are only partially composed of dung remains. The significance of this study is not only in its general methodological contribution to archaeobotany, but also to lasting discussions regarding the contribution of dung remains to archaeological deposits used for seed, pollen and phytolith analyses. We offer here a strong method for determining whether deposits derive from dung alone, are mixed, or absolutely do not contain dung. This has important ramifications for archaeological interpretation.

Sub‐tephra archaeology and geochemistry at La Arenera, Managua, Nicaragua form a record of human activity before the Asososca Maar eruption of 2130 BP

AbstractWe recently investigated an occupational surface that lies at the base of a deep deposit of volcanic sand emplaced approximately 2130 years ago in what is now a western suburb of Managua, Nicaragua. LA4, an area of 25 × 18 meters from which overlying sand had been removed by quarrying, was cleaned so that features and artifacts could be point plotted and sediments from the pre‐eruption surface could be sampled. Portable x‐ray fluorescence analysis of surface sediments detected patterns of elemental enrichment that are interpretable as signals of pre‐eruption human activities. The geochemical data combined with feature and artifact distributions support several inferences about how people were using the space on the eve of the 2130 BP volcanic event. A small test excavation confirmed the presence of a shallow but moderately dense primary refuse deposit containing sparse but varied faunal remains, including marine species. The ubiquity of artifact scatters on other exposures of the sub‐tephra surface suggests that the site covers at least 96 hectares, and we speculate that more intact and denser deposits than LA4, possibly including structures and agricultural features, may eventually be encountered.

Perinatal Human Remains from Poggio Civitate (Murlo): A Preliminary Presentation

Abstract Comprehensive analysis of faunal remains from the Etruscan settlement of Poggio Civitate was initiated in 2011. During the analysis of zoological materials collected in past and ongoing excavations, several human skeletal specimens were identified. Stratigraphically these bones are tied to the site’s Orientalizing period of architectural development. Analysis of the human assemblage, which to date includes 47 specimens, shows that the bones represent perinates who died around the time of birth. Furthermore, none of the remains come from archaeological contexts reflective of formal, ritualized disposition. Instead, the bones all derive from large deposits of animal and cultural debris, and most come from refuse deposits that are concentrated around areas of non-elite domestic and industrial activities. This emerging pattern suggests that during the seventh century B. C. E. mortuary behaviors surrounding perinatal death at Poggio Civitate were markedly different from those associated with older individuals. Rather than the easily observable, formal cemetery interment that was accorded to mature members of the community, perinates were disposed of in a private, informal manner that is archaeologically far less visible.

Acid rock drainage passive remediation using alkaline clay: Hydro-geochemical study and impacts of vegetation and sand on remediation

Acid rock drainage (ARD) is one of the most adverse environmental problems of the mine industry, especially in regions with an abundance of coal refuse (CR) deposits (e.g. the Northern Appalachian Coalfield in the USA) where surface and ground waters are affected by this pollution due to the acidity and high content of sulfates and heavy metals.This study explores the effectiveness of the ARD passive remediation method using alkaline clay (AC) through a series of static and long-term kinetic laboratory experiments (over three years) complemented with field measurements and geochemical modeling. Two important issues associated with this passive and auto-sustainable ARD remediation method were investigated: 1) the hydrogeochemical study of the mixture in terms of the percentages of AC and CR, and, 2) impacts of vegetation cover and a saturated sand barrier on the remediation. Both the field measurements and the samples used for the experiments came from a local coal waste site.Through the analysis of the field measurements and the outcome of the laboratory experiments and the geochemical modeling, alkaline clay proved to be an effective remediation material for ARD, in terms of achieving a neutral pH in the leachate and immobilization of sulfate and metals such as Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd, Co. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the use of vegetation and a saturated sand barrier are beneficial. Vegetation acted as a phytoaccumulation/phytoextraction agent, causing an additional immobilization of metals. The saturated sand barrier blocked downward the oxygen and water diffusion, reducing pyrite oxidation rates. The proposed remediation approach ensures that the acidity consumption will likely occur before all the alkalinity is exhausted.

The end of the world, or just ‘goodbye to all that’? Contextualising the red deer heap from Links of Noltland, Westray, within late 3rd-millennium cal BC Orkney

As part of a major international research project, The Times of Their Lives, a programme of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling was undertaken to refine the chronology of activities in one small but important part of the extensive Late Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement on Links of Noltland on the island of Westray, Orkney. The selected area (Trench D) is well known for having produced, next to a wall, the remains of a heap of at least 15 red deer carcasses, on top of which had been placed a large cod, a gannet’s wing along with part of a greater black-backed gull, and a pair of large antlers. This remarkable deposit had been preceded by, and was followed by, periods of cultivation and the deposition of domestic refuse. Refined date estimates have been produced, based on 18 radiocarbon determinations obtained from 16 samples from Trench D (including nine newly obtained dates, three from individual deer in the heap). These clarify when, during this long sequence of activities, the deer were heaped up: probably in the 22nd century cal BC, around the same time as Beaker pottery was deposited elsewhere on the Links. This allows comparison between the dated activities in this part of the site with activity elsewhere on the Links and also with other episodes of deer deposition in 3rd-millennium cal BC Orkney. It encourages exploration of the possible reasons for what appears to be a remarkable act of structured deposition. The significance of an earlier, much larger scale deposit featuring cattle remains at Ness of Brodgar is discussed in exploring the nature of Orcadian society and practices during the second half of the 3rd millennium cal BC.

Anthropogenic overprints on natural coastal aeolian sediments: A study from the periphery of ancient Caesarea, Israel

Abstract Near surface sediment stratigraphy associated with ancient human settlements can potentially reveal the complex history of human impact. This study explores such impacts in the area around ancient Caesarea, a well-known Roman to Early Islam period metropolis in the central coastal plain of Israel, with analysis of human-induced macro-features and microscopic remains found in buried sediments. We retrieved these anthropogenic markers through boreholes and analysed them with sedimentological and radiometric dating techniques, integrated with archaeological and historical records. The analysis identified a refuse deposit comprising two grey loamy sand artefact-bearing facies bedded between late Holocene aeolian sand. One anthropogenic facies represents an urban garbage mound and the other may be an agricultural pedo - sediment, both dated to the Roman to Early Islamic periods. The grey pedo-sediment, contained in three boreholes in the lowlands south of Caesarea, covers an area of at least 1.4 km 2 . Apparently improved in terms of soil fertility, we postulate that the pedo-sediment is the outcome of composting enrichment of the soil for agriculture. Taking advantage of the high coastal freshwater aquifer in the study area, we propose that the pedo-sediment represents buried agricultural plots. The comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach demonstrated in this study of cored sediments outside ancient human settlements is among the few in the coastal area of the southern Levant. It could be relevant to other archaeological sites in the Mediterranean and elsewhere around the world.

Iron Age ovens and hearths from the hilltop of Quinta de Crestelos, Sabor Valley (NE Portugal): An archaeobotanical approach on typology, functionality and firewood use

The construction of Baixo Sabor Dam (NE Portugal), led to the discovery and excavation of the site of Quinta de Crestelos, with a human occupation ranging from the Early Palaeolithic to mid-20th century. Its Iron Age phase, found at the site's hilltop, revealed an unprecedented large number of combustion structures, comprehending several typologies of ovens and hearths, as well as refuse deposits in which archaeobotanical samples were recovered.Given the number and interpretative importance of these structures to the general understanding of the site, a holistic approach to their study was devised. This research combines the analysis of archaeobotanical samples with the morphological study of archaeological features comprising typological analysis. Such corpus of data is finally compared with ethnographical examples. The objectives of this study were to identify the main firewood species used inside the ovens, to define patterns of fuel use, to evaluate the existence of firewood selection - including both taxonomic outcomes and dendrological attributes - and their possible determining factors, as well as these structures functional purposes and patterns of use.The analysis of the carbonized plant content in these combustion structures displayed a diverse range of 15 taxa, with the majority of the ovens and hearths revealing predominance of Arbutus unedo, Cistus sp., Fraxinus sp., Juniperus sp. or Quercus evergreen. Triticum aestivum/durum is the main crop recovered in the studied samples, followed by Panicum miliaceum. Residual presences of Hordeum vulgare, Vicia faba, Vitis vinifera and Papaver sp. were recovered as well.The archaeobotanical results, together with the typology of the ovens and hearths, their spatial distribution and ethnographical examples, allowed the discussion of the structure's functionality, the identification of patterns and trends of their use according to different typologies and contexts and the recognition of possible firewood selection and storage practices. This study also provides a preliminary approach to the paleolandscape of the site during the Iron Age of NW Iberia.

AMS 14C Dating of Materials Recovered from the Tunnel under the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Teotihuacan, Mexico

AbstractIn 2003, flooding occurred in the Ciudadela (Citadel) of Teotihuacan and saltpeter began to damage the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. Work done to solve this problem led to one of the most important archaeological discoveries made in this site in recent years: an intact tunnel sealed for more than a thousand years. The project created to study the tunnel was named Tlalocan or Path to the Underworld. More than 60,000 objects have been recovered after years of exploration and removing huge amounts of soil and stones. This paper presents the first results of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating performed on some of those materials recovered from the tunnel. With these findings, in combination with the archaeological data, based on stratigraphy and ceramic typology, a chronology of several events is proposed concerning the construction phases and ceremonial use, as well as partial and definitive closures of the tunnel. Every closure was accompanied by a deliberate and structured deposition of offerings and ritual refuse along the tunnel. The range of ages that covers the Bayesian calibration of samples collected along the tunnel is around 115 yr, from AD 125 to 240. Material collected at the surface of the chamber located at the end of the tunnel and under the pyramid gave ages in the interval between AD 400 and 534. All samples analyzed fall within the interval of time that covers the period of occupation of Teotihuacan.

Clay Tobacco Pipes from a Colonial Refuse Deposit in Fort San Severino, Matanzas Province, Cuba

This article provides a detailed study of clay tobacco pipes excavated from a refuse deposit at Fort San Severino, Matanzas city, Cuba. The pipes date to the late eighteenth through the nineteenth century and are dominated by reed-stem typology. The collection includes Dutch, British, Spanish, and Balkan specimens. The study of these pipes contribute to the archaeology of clay pipes in Cuba and provide insight into the socioeconomics of pipe culture at fort San Severino. Moreover, it brings special attention to the occurrence of western Mediterranean reed-stem tobacco pipes, yet to be studied from other Spanish sites in the Caribbean.