European Archaeological Sites Research Articles

Intriguing Occupations at Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Spain): the Acheulean Subunits TD10.3 and TD10.4

This paper presents the zooarchaeological, technological, use-wear, and spatial analyses of the earliest sedimentary subunits of TD10 (TD10.3 and TD10.4) of the Gran Dolina site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain), dated to c. 400 ka. Both units have yielded Acheulean technology, with occupational models characterized by the superimposition of multiple and independent events paired with short, sporadic occupations. Subunits TD10.3 and TD10.4 formed during a period in which the cave was largely reopened after a temporary closure. This period of reopening is evidenced by several blocks that fell from the ceiling and walls. Fifty-seven groups of refits and anthropic conjoins, of which 43 resulted from deliberate hominin activity, confirm the low disturbance of the deposits. Contrary to TD10.4, TD10.3 shows good preservation of faunal remains, although anthropogenic modifications are very scarce. Technologically, both deposits represent well-developed Acheulean assemblages, with high proportions of large-shaped tools and percussive material, which place this area among those that have yielded the most evidence of this type among all the excavated Atapuerca sites. The question of why these subunits contain so many hammerstones, manuports, and large tools associated with faunal remains that have been so scarcely modified is discussed based on data from spatial, technical, and use-wear analyses, which have identified butchery activities, and for the first time in the Pleistocene Atapuerca record, borer elements and possible thrusting stone spear tips. Furthermore, the occupational and technological characteristics of these subunits were compared with other western European archaeological sites, including the nearby site of Galería, with which a broad correlation can be made.

Multicentennial oak chronologies from Northern Belarus

In this study, we present new medieval oak tree-ring chronologies developed on the base of subfossil wood collected from the Luchosa and Chernitsa riverine sediments, as well as samples from archaeological excavations and buildings in Vitsebsk and Polotsk (Northern Belarus). Two absolutely dated tree-ring chronologies for 586–1351AD and 1410–1647AD were built. Dates have been confirmed via comparison with subfossil, archaeology, and historical oaks chronologies from the neighboring regions. It was shown that medieval Baltic tree-ring chronologies include wood from the Zapadnaya Dvina basin. Newly built chronologies can be used for dating and provenancing of oak wood originating from European archaeological sites, historical buildings, and natural archives.

A new source of calcium carbonate nanofibres from recarbonated lime in subsoils at European archaeological sites

Calcium carbonate nanofibres have been described from a number of natural environments and have generally been found in similar locations to those of needle-fibre calcite, such as caves, palaeosols and calcretes. Here we report large amounts of calcium carbonate nanofibres in buried archaeological stratigraphy consisting of recarbonated lime from mortar or plaster. The materials were observed in Roman and medieval contexts and could have been associated with either manufacture or use of the lime products. The phenomenon appears to be widespread, occurring in examples from UK and Latvia, with related nanosized material from Spain. Possible mechanisms are discussed, but the reason for nanofibrous crystallisation occurring in these situations is not currently understood.

Guinea pig remains from the XVIth century Ojców castle (southern Poland)

The mandible of a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was found in osteological material collected during archaeological excavations at Ojców Castle (southern Poland). The bone fragment was radiocarbon dated and subjected to ancient DNA analysis. The age of this guinea pig mandible fragment was directly dated between the late 16th and the early 17th century. The radiocarbon dating results are compatible with dating based on stratigraphic position. The ancient DNA analysis confirmed the taxonomic identification and indicated possible routes of introduction of this species into Europe. Given the high-status of the castle’s possessors in the 16–17th centuries, it can be assumed that the single guinea pig bone in Ojców belonged to a pet and was probably not acquired as a source of food, which also may have been the case in the few other European archaeological sites with guinea pig remains.

The first European woolly rhinoceros mitogenomes, retrieved from cave hyena coprolites, suggest long-term phylogeographic differentiation.

The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an iconic species of the Eurasian Pleistocene megafauna, which was abundant in Eurasia in the Pleistocene until its demise beginning approximately 10 000 years ago. Despite the early recovery of several specimens from well-known European archaeological sites, including its type specimen (Blumenbach 1799), no genomes of European populations were available so far, and all available genomic data originated exclusively from Siberian populations. Using coprolites of cave hyenas (Crocuta crocuta spelea) recovered from Middle Palaeolithic layers of two caves in Germany (Bockstein-Loch and Hohlenstein-Stadel), we isolated and enriched predator and prey DNA to assemble the first European woolly rhinoceros mitogenomes, in addition to cave hyena mitogenomes. Both coprolite samples produced copious sequences assigned to C. crocuta (27% and 59% mitogenome coverage, respectively) and woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis; 27% and 81% coverage, respectively). The sequences suggested considerable DNA degradation, which may limit the conclusions to be drawn; however, the mitogenomes of European woolly rhinoceros are genetically distinct from the Siberian woolly rhinoceros, and analyses of the more complete mitogenome suggest a split of the populations potentially coinciding with the earliest fossil records of woolly rhinoceros in Europe.

Persistence of gender biases in Europe

Prior work suggests that modern gender bias might have historical roots but has not been able to demonstrate long-term persistence of this bias due to a lack of historical data. We follow archaeological research and employ skeletal records of women's and men's health from 139 archaeological sites in Europe dating back, on average, to about 1200 AD to construct a site-level indicator of historical bias in favor of one gender over the other using dental linear enamel hypoplasias. This historical measure of gender bias significantly predicts contemporary gender attitudes, despite the monumental socioeconomic and political changes that have taken place since. We also show that this persistence is most likely due to the intergenerational transmission of gender norms, which can be disrupted by significant population replacement. Our results demonstrate the resilience of gender norms and highlight the importance of cultural legacies in sustaining and perpetuating gender (in)equality today.

Provenancing antiquarian museum collections using multi-isotope analysis.

Many of the most significant archaeological sites in Europe were excavated by antiquarians over one hundred years ago. Modern museum collections therefore frequently contain human remains that were recovered during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Here we apply multi-isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr, δ 18O, δ 13C, δ 15N) and 14C dating to evaluate the provenance of human remains within a collection that is thought to have been recovered from one of the most important archaeological sites in Britain. Excavated in 1910, the site of Coldrum in Kent is a megalithic burial monument that may be one of the earliest sites associated with the transition to farming in Britain. The interpretation of this site is therefore key to understanding how agriculture began. Using isotope analysis we show that although the human skeletal collections attributed to Coldrum do contain some of the earliest dated Neolithic human remains in Britain, they also contain the remains of individuals of fifth to seventh centuries AD date. We evaluate subsistence and mobility patterns of early Neolithic populations and provide new information about the origins of those individuals in the collection that date to the fifth to seventh centuries AD. We demonstrate the utility of employing isotope analysis to provide direct and independent information about the provenance of human remains in museum collections.

Gems in the Ustinow Collection, Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo

Scientifically, the collection’s primary importance is its Middle-Eastern origin; collections of gemstones from the Middle East have rarely been published unlike those from European archaeological sites. Thus the possibility opens up to compare finds from the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire with a focus on similarities and differences. While in the western provinces the gemstones typically spread during the era of the Roman Empire, in the eastern provinces the use of seals and gemstones goes back several thousand years. It follows that in the western regions, representations of the official themes of the age of the emperors, including the characteristic figures of gods of the state religion (Jupiter, Minerva, Mars, Venus Victrix), are the most common. In contrast, the eastern provinces saw the spread of representations of local gods (Zeus Ammon, Zeus Heliopolitanos, Sarapis) or the Hellenistic types of the Greek gods (Apollo Musagetes, Aphrodite Anadyomene, Hermes Psychopompos). However, there were figures of gods that were equally popular in both regions, such as Tyche–Fortuna, Nike–Victoria, Eros–Amor, Dionysos–Bacchus, Heracles–Hercules. Each of these became rather popular in the Hellenistic World, spreading basically spontaneously throughout the entire Roman Empire. There was a similar unity in the popularity of represenations of animals, too.The eastern region was, however, characterised by the relatively large number of magic gemstones. There is a piece among these which has no exact analogy (Cat. 69) and its analysis sheds new light on the previous interpretation of similar pieces. The popularity of magic gemstones is highlighted by the fact that some of their motifs became distorted beyond recognition in the popularisation process. Understandably, Sasanian gemstones and seals, which revived the Romans’ dying custom of sealing for some time, were also typical of the eastern regions. What is conspicuous is that the stone cameos (agate, sardonyx) so common in the western regions are completely missing from the collection, while there is a fair number of glass cameo pendants made in the eastern regions.From an educational and community cultural aspect, the significance of the Ustinow collection lies in the fact that it represents several historical and cultural eras between the fourth century B.C. and the fifth century A.D. for the benefit of the interested public, private collectors, and students of archaeology and the antiquities. The gemstones may be small, but the representations on them can be extraordinarily rich in meaning. With adequate enlargement and due professional expertise, which this catalogue aims to promote, all this information can come to life in front of us, allowing us a glimpse into the lives and thoughts of the citizens of a Mediterranean world two thousand years back.

Unexpected morphological diversity in ancient dogs compared to modern relatives.

Dogs are among the most variable species today, but little is known about the morphological variability in the early phases of their history. The Neolithic transition to farming may have resulted in an early morphological diversification as a result of changes in the anthropic environment or intentional selection on specific morphologies. Here, we describe the variability and modularity in mandible form by comparing 525 dog mandibles from European archaeological sites ranging from 8100 to 3000 cal. BC to a reference sample of modern dogs, wolves, and dingoes. We use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to quantify the form of complete and fragmented mandibles. We demonstrate that an important morphological variability already existed before the Bronze Age in Europe, yet the largest, smallest, most brachycephalic or dolichocephalic extant dogs have no equivalent in the archaeological sample, resulting in a lower variation compared to modern relatives. The covariation between the anterior and posterior parts of the mandible is lower in archaeological dogs, suggesting a low degree of intentional human selection in early periods. The mandible of modern and ancient dogs differs in functionally important areas, possibly reflecting differences in diet, competition, or the implication of ancient dogs in hunting or defence.

Gerda von Bülow, Sofija Petković (eds), Gamzigrad-Studien I. Ergebnisse der deutschserbischen Forschungen im Umfeld des Palastes Romuliana. Römisch-Germanischen Forschungen, Band 75, Wiesbaden 2020, Reihert Verlag

As the title suggests, this work is only first volume of the final publication of German-Serbian excavations at Gamzigrad in the Zaječar District in eastern Serbia. It is very important archaeological site, one of Serbia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.1 The ruins itself were well known and have been excavated since 1953 by Serbian archaeologists as well as being mentioned in several publications previously (Herder 1846 [first mention]: 20–21; Kanitz 1861: 8–9; Breithaupt 1861 and few mentions in Serbian literature, Serbian excavations: Vasič 2007 and Żivić 2011). However, it was not until the 1980s that an inscription was found during excavations that allowed for final identification (Srejović 1985).The archaeological site is located south of the Danube River, near the present city of Zaječar. Its unique position on the map of archaeological sites in Europe is a consequence of being the location of the complex including palace and temples called Felix Romuliana built by the emperor Galerius (Caesar during first tetrarchy, 293–305 AD, and Augustus in the second – 305–311 AD) in the ancient province of Dacia Ripensis. The whole area of this complex covers about 40,000 m2 and was thus clearly a site of some importance especially in the late Roman period.

Integrating palaeo- and archaeobotanical data for a synthesis of the Italian fossil record of Lycopus (Lamiaceae, Mentheae)

Lycopus is a widespread herbaceous plant, currently part of European flora. Fossil remains of fruits (nutlets or mericarps) attributed to this genus are frequently found in European archaeological and palaeontological sites, being easily preserved in sedimentary deposits. In a worldwide context, the oldest fossils are from the early Oligocene (ca. 30 Ma) of West Siberia, but they become more common in Miocene (23.0–5.3 Ma) records, ranging from West Siberia to Central Europe. In the literature, the Oligocene and Miocene remains (plus a few Pliocene ones) were assigned to fossil-species, whereas the abundant Pliocene and Pleistocene occurrences (5–0.01 Ma) in Europe were mainly assigned to the extant species L. europaeus. The present work is conceived as the result of an ad hoc research team whose task was to revise and summarize the Italian fossil record of Lycopus, assembling palaeobotanical and archaeobotanical data. We herein report ca. 6000 Lycopus nutlets from 61 sites located in nine regions of Northern and Central Italy. Based on the available information on extant species, we detected nine morphological types of nutlets that can be used for the characterisation of fossils. Our analysis suggests that from 4 to 2.6 Ma a single taxon (L. cf. pliocenicus) with L. americanus-type of nutlets occurred in Italy. The first occurrence of the latter morphological type is from the early Oligocene of West Siberia. The available fossils mildly suggest that extant L. americanus could be the descendant of ancient Eurasian plants characterised by the L. americanus-type of nutlets, through expansion of their range to North America. Conversely, the abundant Italian records of the last 0.2 Ma, including remains from archaeological sites, are only referable to the Eurasian species L. europaeus.

Concept for prospective development for the Bilyar museum-reserve

This article presents main proposals on the concept of development of the Bilyar State Historical, Archaeological and Natural Museum-Reserve. The high potential of cultural and natural heritage in the territory of the Bilyar settlement and in its surroundings, which is currently not fully used, is noted. The identified heritage of the "Great City", the most important political and administrative, craft, commercial and cultural center of Volga Bulgaria, allows us to talk about it as one of the largest archaeological sites in Europe, and the Bilyar Museum-Reserve itself can become one of the interesting and promising museum centers of the Republic of Tatarstan. Both general directions of promising development of the Bilyar Museum-Reserve and specific museum and infrastructure projects are proposed. Proposals are formulated for the museumification of archaeological heritage, for the use of natural and landscape potential, for the creation of an ethnographic exposition, for the development of events' tourism, the formation of the "Craftsmen City " as well as proposals for the development of infrastructure on the territory of the museum-reserve and the Alekseevsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan. An assessment of the socio-economic effectiveness of the implementation of the intended concept was given.

Sounds from a Paleolithic seashell horn

Archaeology Although flutes and whistles made of bone have been found at Upper Paleolithic archaeological sites in Europe, musical instruments made of other materials are uncommon. Fritz et al. have identified the earliest known conch shell in the world, dating from about 17,000 years ago, which was used as a wind instrument at the French Magdalenian site of Marsoulas Cave. Careful removal of the apex of the shell in ancient times allowed air to flow through it to produce sound. Experiments revealed that playing the shell produces three notes similar to C, C-sharp, and D. Image enhancement of the exterior of the shell revealed dots of red pigment similar to paintings found on the cave walls. Sci. Adv. 10.1126/sciadv.abe9510 (2021).

Determination of the technical suitability of shelters for archaeological sites using fuzzy logic

Abstract The fuzzy logic method has been applied to the area of Preventive Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Particularly, this system focuses for the first time on the evaluation of the technical suitability of shelters for the preservation of archaeological remains, taken into account the specific characteristics of each site. It has been corroborated that shelters, traditionally considered preventive conservation strategies, may introduce new decay factors into the site or that their level of protection may be insufficient. However, there is a lack of technical studies that could help site managers with the decision of sheltering. Fuzzy logic is a mathematical methodology capable of considering the uncertainty processes associated with a set of variables. This work has developed a fuzzy logic model which allows a systematic classification of shelters and their efficacy based on the design characteristics of the shelter itself and the environmental conditions inside and outside the cover. This novel method has been used to assess three different types of shelters, located in Malta, the United Kingdom and Spain, in order to determine which is the best option for the preservation of the remains. In this sense, it has been possible to conclude that semi-closed covers, with lateral claddings, present an optimal protection. These results are also closely associated with the aggressiveness of the climate where the archaeological sites are and the materiality of the heritage site. The proposed fuzzy system, which is able to model information with uncertainties degrees, should be regarded as a new support for the decision-making process in relation to shelters at archaeological sites in Europe.

Assessing the Dating Potential of Violet Stimulated Luminescence Protocols

Violet stimulation is a new development in optical dating which has been suggested to extend the upper age limit of optically simulated luminescence (OSL) dating of quartz. Despite the reported advantage, few validation tests and applications have been published so far. The present study investigated the violet stimulated luminescence (VSL) using a single aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol and a multiple aliquot additive dose (MAAD) protocol. Sedimentary quartz samples from four archaeological sites in Europe with independent age controls spanning 40–900 ka were used, including Grotte Mandrin (France), Brooksby Quarry (UK), Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar (Spain) and Sima de las Palomas del Cabezo Gordo (Spain). The equivalent dose of a relatively young sample (∼40 ka) was successfully determined. However, significant underestimations were observed for older samples with higher doses. These findings indicate the need for further development of the measurement protocol to date high-dose natural samples.

Making skull cups: Butchering traces on cannibalised human skulls from five European archaeological sites

The presence of skull cups (bowls made from human calvaria) is considered evidence of the ritualistic treatment of human bodies. These artefacts are characterised by careful manufacturing which can be taphonomically observed in bone surface modifications (BSM) as cut marks and percussion marks. These BSM show morphological similarities across Upper Palaeolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age assemblages. This study is focused on the analysis of the frequency and spatial distribution of cut marks on skull cups from Gough's Cave (UK), Herxheim (Germany), and El Mirador Cave (Spain), as compared to the frequency and spatial distribution of modifications on human skulls (non-skull cups) from TD6.2 of Gran Dolina (Spain) and Fontbrégoua (France), with the aim of identifying a common pattern related to a symbolic background. Nearest neighbour analysis and Kernel analyses were used to identify the distribution pattern of anthropogenically induced modifications. The results indicate that the frequency and distribution of cut marks on human skulls modified into skull cups are unique and are most likely to be the result of meticulous cleaning of skulls. A similar frequency and distribution pattern of modifications was also observed on skulls from Fontbrégoua, possibly related to the collection of skulls as war trophies. No parallels with the treatment of skulls of Homo antecessor at TD6.2 of Gran Dolina were observed. We suggest that the treatment of human skulls for ritualistic purposes therefore results in a consistent pattern of modification.

Species identification of Late Pleistocene bat bones using collagen fingerprinting

AbstractBats form the second most diverse mammalian order (Chiroptera), after rodents, and vary widely in their physiology and ecology. Those species that live in temperate climates are generally insectivorous and nocturnal or crepuscular, sheltering in tree hollows, caves, or buildings during the day. They are potentially valuable ecological indicators, due to their dependence on suitable roosting sites and arthropod food, both of which are commonly affected by human activities. Identification of bats from ancient assemblages that are found in caves could therefore provide useful data for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and show the effect of habitat loss. Here, we apply the recently developed approach of collagen fingerprinting by soft ionisation mass spectrometry to the identification of ancient bat remains in an archaeological assemblage from Pin Hole Cave (Derbyshire, England). Our results show that a simple set of markers can distinguish all seven genera of bats known to be present in either modern or ancient Britain (Myotis, Nyctalus, Pipistrellus, Barbastella, Plecotus, Eptesicus, and Rhinolophus). Further analysis indicates that species‐level determination is possible in some of these taxa, but it would more readily be achieved using the more advanced methods of collagen sequence analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Within our assemblage yielding ~6,800 ancient bone collagen fingerprints, we identified only ~1% that derived from chiropterans, and these were predominantly derived from Myotis (two apparent Brandt's bat fingerprints but the majority indistinguishable between the whiskered, Daubenton's and Natterer's bats), Barbastella (the western barbastelle being the only member of this genus known within Europe), and Rhinolophus (identified as the lesser horsehoe bat R. hipposideros rather than the rare greater horseshoe bat R. ferrumequinum). We infer that the site was likely used by roosting bats throughout the year, and the accumulation of these remains was probably not the result of predator activity. More importantly, the peptide biomarkers provided here could proove valuable in the more systematic analysis of microfaunal remains across many European archaeological and palaeontological sites, preferably those that are collected with well curated stratigraphical information and chronological frameworks.

Phylogeography of the second plague pandemic revealed through analysis of historical Yersinia pestis genomes

The second plague pandemic, caused by Yersinia pestis, devastated Europe and the nearby regions between the 14th and 18th centuries AD. Here we analyse human remains from ten European archaeological sites spanning this period and reconstruct 34 ancient Y. pestis genomes. Our data support an initial entry of the bacterium through eastern Europe, the absence of genetic diversity during the Black Death, and low within-outbreak diversity thereafter. Analysis of post-Black Death genomes shows the diversification of a Y. pestis lineage into multiple genetically distinct clades that may have given rise to more than one disease reservoir in, or close to, Europe. In addition, we show the loss of a genomic region that includes virulence-related genes in strains associated with late stages of the pandemic. The deletion was also identified in genomes connected with the first plague pandemic (541–750 AD), suggesting a comparable evolutionary trajectory of Y. pestis during both events.

The taphonomic characterization of a charcoal production platform. Contribution of an innovative pair of methods: Raman analysis and micromorphology

During the Industrial Revolution and until the 19th century, the fuel used in metallurgy was charcoal. The frequent charcoal-making places identified in European archaeological sites are one of the only direct markers of this activity. Understanding the soil stratigraphy of these locations enables us to characterize the intensity of charcoal production and especially to grasp an insight into the forest management of the studied site during charcoal making. Two types of soil profiles have been observed in Europe. The first presents one or several sterile horizons identifiable with the naked eye, separating charcoal levels. The second, which is the most commonly observed type at European archaeological sites, is characterized by a single charcoal level of variable thickness. For the present study, located in eastern France (Franche-Comté), we propose to characterize the soil profile of a charcoal platform, which looks like the second type observed at the European scale, through the application of an innovative pair of methods: The Raman analysis and micromorphology. The Raman paleothermometer, defined by Deldicque et at. (2016) was adapted to define the temperatures reached in charcoal-making contexts. These measurements agree with the literature and experiments. These temperatures are regularly distributed over the profile, confirming the reuse of the platform. Similarly, the micromorphology of the soil profile reveals clear indicators of reuse, with no evidence of long interruptions in charcoal making.

Assessing the ploughzone: The impact of cultivation on artefact survival and the cost/benefits of topsoil stripping prior to excavation

Thousands of archaeological sites in Europe lie under the ploughzone. Previous studies and experiments have highlighted the impact that arable agriculture has on the preservation of archaeological sites, yet the ploughzone has also been shown in some cases to preserve important information. In this study, the value of the ploughzone was assessed through metal detecting and through sieving of the ploughsoil directly over one of the most productive areas for artefacts at an important early medieval site in Scotland. The purpose of the assessment was to gauge the extent to which removing the topsoil may lead to the loss of important information and to evaluate the extent to which strip-and-map approaches to excavation might contribute to information loss. It is the largest such experiment of its kind in Scotland and the experiment allowed an assessment of the type and condition of artefacts found in excavation compared to that in the ploughsoil. The study showed very few artefacts survived in the topsoil at this site with certain artefact types entirely absent. The study also showed the significant impact that even light ploughing has had on categories of objects such as metalworking moulds. The conclusions are that while cropmarks remain a diminishing resource, strip-and-map allows rapid assessment of these sites and where artefact densities are low this approach is unlikely to lead to loss of significant information.