Excavation Units Research Articles

Heavy Metals in Archaeological Soils

AbstractPortable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy is commonly used for testing toxic levels of heavy metals in modern industrial waste sites, and it has seen growing applicability in the context of archaeological survey and soils. In this study, we present the results of our pXRF analysis of surface soils at a historic silver refinery located near Puno, Peru, in the western Lake Titicaca Basin. The results of our analysis identified hazardous levels of antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in excavation soils, necessitating the relocation of planned excavation units and the use of personal protective equipment. This study highlights the advantages of rapid, in situ pXRF analysis of surface soils in contaminated industrial archaeology sites to assess potential harm to human health.

Processos de formação e processos antrópicos no abrigo de Itapeva/SP

O estudo da micromorfologia do solo é uma ferramenta útil para detectar materiais arqueológicos que os arqueólogos não conseguem avistar nas escavações. O objetivo deste artigo é revelar vestígios de ocupação humana a partir de uma análise micromorfológica. Os resultados são derivados da produção de seções delgadas que descrevem materiais de duas áreas diferentes do sitio, denominadas unidades de escavação D18 e G6, referentes às áreas norte e sul, e apontam para a existência de um solo antropogênico com formação de fogueiras. Conclui-se que o sedimento formado é uma mistura de areia, cinza, madeira e argila, que foi depositado em longos períodos e é derivado da ocupação humana e da deposição natural.

Материалы пещеры Цагаан-Агуй из отложений голоценового возраста (по результатам раскопок 2021 года)

Tsagaan Agui Cave, situated in Tsagaan Tsakhir limestone massif in the Gobi Altai Mountains of southern Mongolia, is the one of the rare stratified Holocene archaeological sites known in the Gobi Desert. During 1995-2000 excavation campaigns, cultural material spanning the late Bronze Age through the ethnographic present was recovered. In 2021, an excavation pit (2021/1) was dug in the gallery that joints the cave’s Main and Small Chambers, and an additional sondage (2021/2) was excavated in the Main Chamber itself. Excavation Unit 2021/1 is subdivided into Layers 1, 2, and 3, in which Layers 1 and 2 are attributed to the Holocene, and 3, the lowermost, is likely of Pleistocene age. Birch barkfragments bearing Old Mongolian inscriptions, cylindrical paste beads, and one additional, presumably carnelian, bead were found in Layers 1 and 2. Excavation Unit 2021/1, Layers 1-3, yielded lithic artifacts made of yellow jasper and Devonian flint, typical of the local Paleolithic industry. Only a single transparent chalcedony microblade can be tentatively dated to the Holocene. The suite of Holocene cultural material obtained during the 2021 excavations at Tsagaan Agui requires additional analysis and interpretation and is of particular interest with respect to the reconstruction of late prehistoric trade networks linking arid southern Mongolia with remote regions and the appearance of historical documents in the Gobi Desert. The study of the Holocene layers at Tsagaan Agui Cave is also of timely significance in terms of preserving Mongolian cultural heritage, since the upper layer of the site is being destroyed due to unregulated and unsupervised tourist activity in spite of its relatively remote location.

Atmega Microcontroller 2560 Based Safety System of Monitor Panel and Controller on a Small Excavator

This study aimed to design and build an Atmega Microcontroller 2560 based safety system on a monitor panel and a controller on a small excavator. Atmega 2560 Microcontroller-based alarm technology is the right choice as a solution to prevent theft of monitor panels and controllers on small excavator units, using Passive Infra-Red (PIR) sensor number 1 in the cabin room, PIR sensor number 2 on the battery, and door switch that is between the cabin and the door, if there is theft in the cabin room, then the alarm will be active, if a theft occurs in the battery then the alarm will be active. The alarm indicator system uses a buzzer (horn) unit, and there is additional lighting in the cabin room with a 24V Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp if the alarm is active. Using an alarm, the risk of losing the monitor panel and controller due to theft on the unit can be prevented. The study results showed that the tool could work appropriately according to the standard testing tool, PIR sensors number 1 and 2 could detect movement or radiation so that the alarm would be active for 15 seconds. The door switch was tested by looking at the alarm condition, if the cabin door were closed when it was in the locked position, the alarm would not be active, but if the door was locked and forcibly opened, then the alarm would be active continuously without stopping until the door was closed again.

Nery Delgado, Pioneer of Archaeological Excavation Methods at the Casa da Moura Cave (Portugal) in 1879–1880

Nery Delgado was a key figure in the development of archaeological methods applied to prehistoric sites in Portugal within European archaeology at the end of the nineteenth century. He was the first in Europe to use a grid in his 1879–1880 excavation at the Casa da Moura cave (Óbidos, Portugal). The grid divided the cave into twenty-eight sectors excavated independently and, in each, all archaeological and bioanthropological finds were documented and marked with labels recording depth and excavation units. The 3D information obtained by Nery Delgado features among late nineteenth-century attempts at recording contextual data, a precursor of archaeological methods of data gathering that are used worldwide today. Nery Delgado was, thus, a pioneer of contemporary archaeological excavation methods.

Perbandingan trajectory tracking pada prototype excavator sistem pneumatic dengan sistem kontrol menggunakan joystick dan smartphone android

Trajectory tracking testing is mostly implemented both on vehicles, mobile robots, flying robots, and excavators to generate a small value of trajectory tracking to effectiveness and efficiency by the tasks and functions of each unit or product. This study aims to compare trajectory tracking on pneumatic excavator units with a manual control system with a joystick and a remote control system using an Android smartphone. Two tracks are used where the first track uses combine straight and radius shapes and the second track combines horizontal and vertical lines that form an angle of 90o. The results showed the use of remote control using an Android smartphone still has a higher trajectory tracking error when compared to manual control with a joystick even though on average the error results obtained are small, so more remote control is needed. Keywords: Pneumatic excavator system, joystick control system, remote control system, error trajectory tracking.

Discussion on tunnel bottom excavation method and lining deformation monitoring scheme of operating tunnel

In order to analyze the degree of disturbance to the lining by the full-width excavation and reinforcement of the tunnel bottom, and determine the length of the excavation unit, and the excavation interval and improve the monitoring measurement plan. Through field observation and numerical simulation comparative analysis and verification, it is determined that the deformation of the lining equals mainly the deformation of the side wall, the influence range of the settlement of the side wall is greater than that of the convergence, the maximum value of the maximum principal stress of the lining is mainly distributed from the side wall of the excavation area to the arch line, the side wall of the excavation area produces shear yield when the length of the excavation unit reaches 5m, and the influence area will cross influence when the excavation interval is less than twice the influence area. Based on the distribution law of lining deformation, principal stress and elastoplastic area, it is recommended that the length of the excavation unit should be less than 5m, the excavation interval should be greater than twice the influence range of the side wall settlement; and the monitoring section should be arranged at the central section of the excavation area, the interval of the monitoring section should be determined according to the location of the excavation unit, the monitoring scope may not extend to the unreinforced section, and the settlement of the side walls should be increased.

Multi Sensor-Based Failure Diagnosis using the Mahalanobis Taguchi System

Heavy equipment in the mining industry is an essential instrument in achieving the company’s production targets. But on the other hand, heavy equipment is complicated and expensive equipment. These problems can be overcome by leasing the equipment to an external agent. In the lease contract between the lessee and lessor, it is discussed about the maintenance strategy of the equipment that will be rented by the lessee. This research presents a real-time monitoring scheme based on multi-sensor data installed on the machine. Case studies from this research were carried out on excavator units in heavy equipment rental companies. The Mahalanobis Taguchi System (MTS) method is used to handle multi-sensor data. Multi-sensor data is grouped into normal condition groups and abnormal condition groups. The variables used to monitor excavator conditions include vibration, pressure and temperature sensors. Based on the results of the calculation of the excavator threshold conditions using the Mahalanobis Distance (MD) measurement technique, the threshold of normal conditions is (-2.137 to 4.121). In contrast, in abnormal accumulator conditions (4, 331 to 39, 458), pump failure (40, 956 to 138, 048), valve failure (2708, 104 to 3404, 187) and the threshold in the condition of the cooler failure is (10736.160 to 11434.151). This research shows that the MD-based CBM scheme produced can detect, identify, and isolate the failure of excavator components under study.

The Analysis of Doosan S500-LCV Excavator Maintenance Planning to Reduce Downtime Using Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Method

PT X is a company engaged in construction field and heavy machinery services. PT X uses excavators as a tool to mine rock sand. In 2018, the company has planned to increase production capacity. The increase of production capacity will be directly related to the operational capability of the unit which must always be maintained. The problem in this study is the occurrence of unit downtime that cannot be predicted and occurs in a relatively long time. The components damage of the excavator causes the unit to be unable to operate to increase production. The maintenance of the Doosan S500-LCV excavator at PT X is currently not optimal because the downtime that occurs in the unit is still relatively high. Standard maintenance procedure of excavator units need to be evaluated in order to minimize the occurrence of downtime so that the unit can be used for maximum production. The method used in this analysis is the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) method with evaluating maintenance carried out and giving the right maintenance suggestion. From the results of the analysis and discussion, the critical components of the S500-LCV excavator in PT X are Bucket, Control Valve, Radiator, Alternator and Hydraulic Breaker. Proposed maintenance based on the RCM method and the consideration of S500-LCV maintenance costs at PT X are bucket with preventive maintenance, control valve with a combination of preventive and corrective maintenance, radiator with preventive maintenance, alternator with a combination of preventive and corrective maintenance and hydraulic breakers with preventive maintenance

Seasonal oyster harvesting recorded in a Late Archaic period shell ring.

The function of Late Archaic period (5000–3000 B.P.) shell rings has been a focus of debate among archaeologists for decades. These rings have been variously interpreted as a product of seasonal feasting/ceremonial gatherings, quotidian food refuse generated by permanent dwellers, or a combination of seasonal and perennial activities. Seasonality of shell rings can be assessed by reconstructing the harvest time of oysters (Crassostrea virginica), the primary faunal component of shell rings. We estimated the timing of oyster harvest at St. Catherines Shell Ring (Georgia, USA) by statistical modeling of size frequency distributions of the impressed odostome (Boonea impressa), a parasitic snail inadvertently gathered by Archaic peoples with its oyster host. The odostome samples from three archaeological excavation units were evaluated against resampling models based on monthly demographic data obtained for present-day populations of Boonea impressa. For all samples, the harvest was unlikely to start earlier than late fall and end later than late spring, indicating that shell deposits at St. Catherines Shell Ring formed seasonally with substantial harvesting activities restricted to non-summer months. For all samples, the resampling models indicated that harvesting activities likely occurred during multiple months. However, these analytical outcomes would also be expected in the case of extensively time-averaged records of short-term, non-summer harvest events. Regardless of the exact harvest duration, the results point to seasonal harvesting and suggest that Archaic populations may have opted out of consuming summer oysters to focus on other resources, avoid unpalatable food, decrease pathogen risks, or ensure sustainable harvesting.

Geophysical and Archaeological Survey in Igbo Oritaa (Iwo), Southwest Nigeria

An integrated geophysical survey was carried out in Igbo Oritaa, a suburb of Iwo town (southwest Nigeria). The study was part of an archaeological investigation initiated by the Iwo community to identify and preserve the town’s ancient sites. The geophysical investigations involved ground magnetic profiling, 1D vertical electrical sounding (VES), and 2D electrical resistivity imaging. The magnetic survey revealed anomalies of dyke-like features (central magnetic low [negative] flanked by low amplitude positive shoulders), linear depressions with prominent negative amplitude magnetic lows, and a moderately high amplitude magnetic anomaly coinciding with an old trench and several anthropogenic mounds. The resistivity survey also indicates the presence of subsurface archaeological features, including ditches and walls. Excavation units were selected based on these geophysical attributes. The excavations uncovered dense deposits of potsherds, animal bones, shells, beads, iron slag fragments, a human premolar, metallic objects, a flute, and an architectural feature, possibly the foundation of a house. The geophysical survey and the test excavations confirm that Igbo Oritaa was an ancient settlement, consistent with the oral traditions. This paper presents the geophysical methods and results, the relationships between geophysical prospecting and test excavations, as well as the implications for community-focused archaeological research design, and site interpretation and preservation.

Single Context, Metacontext, and High Definition Archaeology: Integrating New Standards of Stratigraphic Excavation and Recording

Recently, new augmented recording techniques have entered archaeological fieldwork. We review a major urban excavation in Ribe, Denmark, which has adopted a systematic use of 3D laser scanning and intensive soil and sediment micromorphological sampling as part of the excavation recording practice. Both methods represent a major advance in field documentation, achieving a higher degree of detail and precision for the recording of archaeological features. We argue that these technologies also challenge the current paradigm of single-context recording, i.e. the separation of layers and features as all-encompassing units of recording. First, 3D digital recording implies that contexts are defined in a more definite way than previously, with less flexibility for recursive revision. Second, micromorphology demonstrates how the strata separated in excavation are only a subset of those created in deposition. We call for a new approach, which takes into consideration the fact that excavation units do not always mirror depositional events, as assumed by single-context theory, and that different kinds of observations may not overlap, as assumed in single-context practice. Instead, interfaces, matrices and assemblages are restored as separate units to record and feed into the interpretation cycle. This may be described as recording metacontext: observations that go across or between contexts. We demonstrate how a systematic metacontext registration can lead to a manageable and more detailed excavation record, more faithful to the archaeologists’ observations.

Średniowieczne kabłączki skroniowe z pozostałościami nitek z Łowicza, woj. łódzkie

-

Penanganan Kolam Sedimentasi Hasil Pencucian Bauksit Di PT. ANTAM Tbk. Tayan

Bauxite ore mining PT.Antam Tbk. located in Tayan Hilir Subdistrict, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan Province is an open pit backfilling system. Besides the bauxite ore extraction, the washing process resulted slurry which is entering the open channel towards the sedimentation pond. This study aims to determine the total discharge of slurry that will enter the sedimentation pond and assess the capacity of existing sedimentation ponds. The results showed that based on the production target of 700,000 tons of Bauxite Washed/year with 60% concretion factor data, the total discharge of water entering the sedimentation pond was 3.54 m3/sec. The slurry from the open channel will go into the sedimentation pond so that the deposition found in Segment I, IV, V, and VI was 409.06 m3/day, 254.59 m3/day, 561.35 m3/day, and 273.90 m3/day respectivelly. Intensive dredging material will be carried out using two Hitachi Zaxis 210 LC Long-Arm Excavator units. The cleaning time needed by Segment I, IV, V, and VI are 10 days, 6 days, 9 days and 5 days, so that the dredging time of Segment I, IV, V, and VI are 82 days, 65 days, 53 days and 62 days respectivelly

ОСНОВНЫЕ ПРИНЦИПЫ РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ РАСКРОЙКИ ЗАПАСОВ ШАХТНЫХ ПОЛЕЙ НА ВЫЕМОЧНЫЕ ЕДИНИЦЫ

ОСНОВНЫЕ ПРИНЦИПЫ РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ РАСКРОЙКИ ЗАПАСОВ ШАХТНЫХ ПОЛЕЙ НА ВЫЕМОЧНЫЕ ЕДИНИЦЫ

Processing considerations and improved interpretation for ground‐penetrating radar imaging of a relict archaeological excavation unit

ABSTRACTA ground‐penetrating radar survey was carried out at The Great Temple Mound (Mound A), Ocmulgee National Monument, Georgia, USA to determine the location of buried archaeological features. Mound A is the largest pre‐historic mound at the site and its function remains unclear. High quality data and sufficient spatial sampling with a 500‐MHz centre frequency antenna facilitated the generation of two‐dimensional profiles and amplitude depth slices. The analyses presented here describe a processing sequence used to improve the image fidelity and the visualization of the remains of a relict archaeological excavation unit. Additionally, we employ depth slice overlay analysis for enhanced visualization of this feature. The results demonstrate a new processing methodology that helps in delineating the lateral extent of the excavation and its evolution. The results also highlight the implementation of a new visualization strategy in GPR surveys aimed towards detecting graves, burial tombs, and other rectilinear or cubic features. We conclude that even with excellent GPR imaging, there may be significant positioning errors in defining the boundaries of buried features.

Correction Notice

Ewonus, P. A. (2017). Assessing internal household relationships and site use: Zooarchaeological evidence from Dionisio Point, Galiano Island, Canada. North American Archaeologist, 38(4), 349–393. DOI: 10.1177/0197693117727392 In this article, which was published in volume 38, issue 4 of North American Archaeologist, the following corrections have been identified by the author: Abstract, line 7: The word “consisted” should be “comprised”. Figure 2: The image file layer containing the four archaeological sites referenced in this figure has been moved to underlay the base map layer. The revised figure is provided below. Page 357, line 3: The closing parenthesis should appear after “8.0mm” in the following sentence: “Examination of their data (Grier et al., 2013: 548–550) reveals that approximately half of this difference between salmon vertebra size in their overall sample (38.1%≥8.0 mm) and successful aDNA species identification (62.7%≥8.0 mm) is due to sampling that may be non-random (of the 149 vertebrae sampled for aDNA analysis with transverse diameter values presented in Grier et al. (2013), 75 (50.3%)≥8.0 mm).” Headings appearing on pages 363, 366, and page 367 are tertiary (H3), not primary headings (H1). Page 369, final line: “Comprised” was erroneously changed to “consisted”. The correct sentence should be: “Six other units, comprised of two that contain a major hearth (144N/116E, 147N/124E), … mammal remains.” Table 2: The fish taxon row title “ Theragra chalcogramma” was moved to page 362 in the table, while the specific data for this entry remains as the final row of the table page 361. Table 3: “Carnivora”, “Cetacea”, “Rodentia”, and “Miscellaneous” should be bolded headings. Table 4: “Anseriformes” (at top) should be bolded. Table 5: “Echinoidea” (at top) should be bolded. Page 376: In the following final sentence “remain” should read “remains”: “Of the fish elements recovered, only those from an individual 5 cm level in 10 excavation units were used in the assessment of horizontal faunal distributions (NISP = 3294, NSP = 6945). Mammal (NISP = 1451) and bird (NISP = 646) remain from all levels associated with the House 1 occupation, recovered in 6.4mm screens from 12 units, were examined for horizontal patterns (Frederick, 2012).” Page 381: The heading “Departure bay” should be “Departure Bay”. Pages 381, 384: Headings “Departure Bay”, “Tsawwassen VI, VII, and VIII”, and “Site comparison” should be tertiary headings (H3). Page 387, line 7: An unnecessary comma was inserted following the word Research in this final line of the Acknowledgments section. Page 393, Author biography: Inserting “the” before “Cambridge University” and “Vancouver Island University” was in error.

Saint-Trivier/Chabet el Houidga (Mascara, Algérie) : nouvel éclairage sur un faciès méconnu du début de l’Holocène : le Columnatien

Résumé : C’est à la fin des années 1950, durant la guerre d’indépendance algérienne, que Georges Simonnet entreprit plusieurs sondages, sous forme de tranchées, sur le gisement de Saint-Trivier, à Mascara (Algérie). Le site se présente sous la forme d’une accumulation de vestiges d’occupations préhistoriques plus ou moins cendreux et de niveaux coquillers, en bordure d’un ravin abrupt l’ayant partiellement entaillé. Les sondages réalisés ont livré de nombreux vestiges de silex taillés, d’ossements animaux et de gastéropodes, ainsi que plusieurs aménagements, fosses et foyers. Issues d’une zone géographique à l’écart de l’essentiel des gisements algériens connus pour le début de l’Holocène, ces données s’avèrent particulièrement précieuses. La restitution du déroulé des opérations de terrain, des choix méthodologiques et l’examen des documents photographiques permettent de replacer les vestiges archéologiques au sein d’une stratigraphie de plus d’un mètre, scandée de plusieurs occupations distinctes. Adossée à plusieurs datations radiocarbone, l’analyse de l’évolution des industries lithiques et osseuses suggère que l’occupation principale se rapporte à un faciès particulier de l’Épipaléolithique méditerranéen d’Afrique du Nord : le Columnatien. Individualisé dans les années 1970, celui-ci n’était pour l’heure documenté que par deux gisements : Columnata et le site du Cubitus. Ces nouvelles données permettent d’apporter un éclairage inédit sur ce faciès particulier, daté du 8e millénaire avant notre ère, en Algérie occidentale.

Преднамеренная фрагментация пластин как специфический прием в технологии начального верхнего палеолита стоянки Кара-бом (Горный Алтай, Россия)

Purpose. Recent investigations have highlighted an Asian variant of the so-called Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) broadly comparable in age and material culture to techno-complexes further to the west, but also showing distinct derived features. Several principal common technological features characterize the IUP in East Asia. The main targeted products of flaking were medium or large blades, the latter sometimes of very significant size, and the number of bladelets is also large. Primary flaking is characterized by alternate bidirectional reduction of cores in which spalls, alternately detached from opposing platforms along the long axis of the core, determined the shape of targeted blank: pointed blades. Reduced cores were prismatic, sub-prismatic and flat. Burin-core reduction for bladelet and small blade production was the specific knapping technology employed in the IUP of southern Siberia and Central Asia. Here, we describe and provide corroborating evidence for another distinct technological method employed in the Initial Upper Paleolithic – intentional fragmentation (IF). The most effective means of understanding knapping technology are refitting studies of archaeological collections. This article examines several examples of refitted fragmented cores and blades, as well as debitage as the by-product of blank breakage. Results. Our refitting study includes assemblages from all excavation units and partially divided, relatively homogenous raw material types, representing a diachronic assemblage of Middle and Upper Paleolithic materials, even in very disturbed excavation areas. The present study illustrates the best examples of directional reduction associated with core preparation and tool blank production because of the lack of statistical information for some Upper Paleolithic assemblages from this site. We reconstructed the process of intentional fragmentation for burin-cores and a few large and medium blades. Often, blank breakage produced butterfly-like debitage. Pieces of fragmented blades could have been used as tools. Typical attributes of IF consistently appearing on two transverse edges of blanks and present in the assemblage of artifacts prove the anthropogenic character of these flaking traces. Conclusions. It is probable that intentional fragmentation was used in the Initial Upper Paleolithic assemblage at Kara-Bom because of the influences of mobility and transportation of stone raw material by local settlers. They transported a significant proportion of raw material from primary chert outcrops situated 4–5 km from the Kara-Bom site.

Optimalisasi Pekerjaan Pemindahan Tanah Pada Proyek Embung Begawan Kota Tarakan Dengan Model Antrian

The Embung Bengawan Project in Tarakan City has several jobs requiring heavy equipment including mechanical soil removal activities. Activity of mechanical soil movement is a series in work of loading and transportation equipment. In order to achieve optimal mechanical soil removal targets, it is necessary to know the performance of the machine during the mechanical soil removal process. The optimization of production is the way to obtain production that is in accordance with optimal conditions of mechanical devices. This paper discusses the optimization of dump truck queue time and the number of dump trucks. Performance calculation tool using the method of production capacity of the tool, and calculate the optimal queue using the Queue Model method. Calculation using queuing model method obtained by result of time required by 3 excavator unit and with combined amount of dump truck will give result of cost equal to Rp 48,097,711 / day, and dump truck waiting time in queue to 1 minute. Then the optimal time is obtained by operating 3 units of excavators with a cost difference of Rp 3,572,826 / day from the real condition of the field that operates 2 excavator units