Chronological Implications Research Articles

Revealing ancient technology: a high-energy X-ray computed tomography examination of a Mesopotamian copper alloy head

Although the origins of lost wax casting extend back into the 5th millennium BCE, it was not until the development of hollow core casting that life-sized metal sculptures could be produced. Based on existing evidence, the earliest adoption of this technique, which involves the inclusion of a clay core within a wax model, occurred in Iraq (Mesopotamia) during the Early Dynastic III period (ca. 2600–2350 BCE). To date, only one hollow core casting from the succeeding Akkadian period (ca. 2350–2150 BCE)—the Sargon Head in the collection of the Iraq Museum—has been studied from a technical point of view. The recent attribution of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Head of a ruler to this formative period of hollow core lost wax casting provided the impetus for its examination by high-energy X-ray computed tomography—the most practical technique for an object that is continuously on display that could image in 3D the interior morphology of this sculpture given the considerable thickness of its metal walls. This scan revealed a markedly different style of production than the Sargon Head. Although further research on early castings is required to determine the chronological implications of the differences observed and to elucidate more generally the early development of hollow casting technology, the scan of the Head of a ruler provides evidence of some of the challenges encountered and problem-solving strategies used in the casting process.

Towards a chronological framework for early Irish carved stone: reassessing the evidence of Latinate inscriptions

The Digital Atlas of Early Irish Carved Stone (DAEICS) seeks to record and map key traits of carved stone monuments of late prehistoric and early medieval date, providing fresh perspectives on stone-carving over the course of a millennium. First, however, the question of chronology must be addressed, so here we reassess the potential of Latinate inscriptions as a dating tool. Rather than a comprehensive treatment of palaeography and language, we focus, first, on the small number of monuments that commemorate historically identifiable individuals and, second, on the chronological implications of the use or non-use of formulae, proposing new termini post quem for different variations. We also show that the appearance of Gilla- compound personal names on inscriptions allows the monuments in question to be dated to after 950 CE. The implications of the inscriptions for the date-ranges of some specific cross-forms are explored, above all with respect to the singularly large collection of carved stone monuments at Clonmacnoise, which we argue was the only site in Ireland where stone-carving was sustained over several centuries. Using the dateable inscriptions, we demonstrate that there was a general increase in the average size of recumbent grave-markers between 600 and 1200 CE, a trend indicative of changing strategies of commemoration that has important implications for the chronology of these monuments, especially those that cannot readily be dated on other criteria. This refined chronology will facilitate further research on the key questions raised by these monuments, including patterns of patronage and resource investment, the varied identities of ecclesiastical communities, and networks of carvers and churches.

Evaluating signal bleaching of Al and Ti–Li centers in fluvio-lacustrine sediments of Datong, North China, and its implications for the volcanic eruption chronology

Assessing the adequate bleaching of quartz Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) signals at the time of deposition is essential for sediment ESR dating. In this study, we focus on the Datong volcanic group is situated in Datong City, Shanxi Province, and is among the most renowned volcanic groups in China. The eruption within the Datong volcanoes during a geological period resulted in extensive high-temperature lava flow that directly overlaid Quaternary lacustrine deposits and subjected the underlying lacustrine layers to high-temperature heating. Thus, an investigation of the field profile in the Yujiazhai area, southeast of the Datong Volcanic Group, shows a novel approach for assessing the bleaching extent of ESR centers. This is accomplished by comparison of the DE values of the Al and the Ti–Li centers in partly-heated layer sample. The result reveals that quartz Al and Ti–Li centers in the lacustrine sediments appear to undergo sufficient bleached during transportation and natural bleaching processes in the study area. Furthermore, this study provides insight into the chronology of volcanic eruption in the Yujiazhai area, estimating an eruption age of approximately 300 ka. This volcanic activity most likely corresponds to the third volcanic activity period in the Datong region.

New paleofloristic and geochronological U–Pb zircon data in late Paleozoic deposits of the Matzitzi formation in southern Mexico

The fossil flora of the Matzitzi Formation, is a fluvial unit of late Paleozoic age exposed in southern Mexico, has been studied since the last century; however, the discovery of new plant elements during the last decade imposes a reevaluation of two aspects that have always been the subject of debate: the depositional age of the unit and the taxonomy of its paleoflora. The objective of the present work is to report new paleofloral records from two areas of the Matzitzi Formation as well as their chronological implications. The study sites are named Carretera and Coatepec. Nineteen genera and 11 species have been identified in beds from the Carretera site, whereas 23 genera and 16 species in beds from the Coatepec site. The analysis of floral assemblages of both sites shows that they share 49% of taxa. Ovopteris, Lesleya, Lobatopteris, and Trigonocarpus are unique to the Carretera site, while Coatepec is characterized by the presence of cf. Bjuvia, Schizoneura, and Velascophyllum. When analyzing the greatest ranges of the paleoflora awareness for the Carretera site indicates that deposition of these beds took place in a time interval that may span between Pennsylvanian and lower Permian. On the other side, the floral assemblage recovered from the Coatepec site indicates that the hosting beds were deposited in upper Permian time. U–Pb detrital zircon geochronology indicates that the maximum depositional age of the fossiliferous beds at the Carretera and Coatepec sites are of 276 ± 15 Ma and 254 ± 11 Ma, respectively. The integration of the paleontological and geochronological data obtained in this work suggests that the analyzed floral assemblage recovered from the Carretera site is of Kungurian age, whereas the one from the Coatepec site is of Lopingian age. Alternatively, we explore the possibility that deposits that are presently grouped within the Matzitzi Formation could be the vestiges of different fluvial cycles associated with different tectonic settings. Finally, the work on this unit has not finished, since there are still localities where its flora and age are still unknown.

Temple Dedication and Construction Texts of the Ancient Near East with Elapsed Years: Implications for Long Duration Chronologies

Ancient texts dedicating or commemorating temples that can be associated with archaeological remains such as architecture and inscriptions, along with identifiable kings who built or commemorated those temples and the specification of the elapsed number of years from a past event, are known from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant over the span of several centuries. Although the texts originate from differing religious, cultural, and geographic contexts and were recorded on various mediums, the similarity in content, style, and objective indicates a shared tradition and allows the grouping of these texts into a distinctive category. These temple construction and dedication texts document a king or kings involved in the construction, reconstruction, or remembrance of a temple, a deity with whom the temple was connected, the location of the temple, and the specific number of years elapsed between construction or dedication and another significant cultural or religious event. Known examples come from Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Phoenicia, and Israel, spanning the 13th to the 2nd centuries BC, along with a text from ancient Rome that was likely influenced by this practice. Because the kings named are known from various historical documents and inscriptions, archaeological remains related to the temples have often been recovered; since the construction or dedication texts record elapsed years in reference to another event, these texts can be analyzed in regard to their viability as sources for the history and chronology of the ancient Near East in the context of religion and official records of the state. Investigation of these texts alongside king lists and temples reveals that temple construction and dedication texts of the ancient Near East that included mention of elapsed years provide valuable, detailed, and accurate information that can be used to identify the existence of ancient temples in time, corroborate periods of kingship or other important events, and contribute to understanding a method of historical chronology used by the ancients.

Spatial variability of the modern radiocarbon reservoir effect in the high-altitude lake Laguna del Peinado (southern Puna Plateau, Argentina)

Abstract. The high-altitude lakes of the Altiplano–Puna Plateau in the Central Andes commonly have large radiocarbon reservoir effects. This, combined with the general scarcity of terrestrial organic matter, makes obtaining a reliable and accurate chronological model based on radiocarbon ages a challenge. As a result, age–depth models based on radiocarbon dating are often constructed by correcting for the modern reservoir effect, but commonly without consideration of spatial and possible temporal variations of reservoir ages within the lake and across the basin. In order to get a better constraint on the spatial variability of the radiocarbon reservoir effects, we analyse 14C ages of modern terrestrial and aquatic plants from the El Peinado basin in the southern Puna Plateau, which hosts Laguna del Peinado fed by hydrothermal springs. The oldest 14C ages of modern samples (> 18 000 and > 26 000 BP) were found in hot springs discharging into the lake, likely resulting from the input of 14C-depleted carbon from old groundwater and 14C-free magmatic CO2. In the littoral and central part of Laguna del Peinado, 14C ages of modern samples were several thousand years younger (> 13 000 and > 12 000 BP) compared to the inflowing waters as a result of CO2 exchange with the atmosphere. Altogether, our findings reveal a spatial variability of up to 14 000 14C years of the modern reservoir effect between the hot springs and the northern part of the Peinado lake basin. Temporal changes of reservoir effects in sediment records are more difficult to quantify, but 14C ages from a short core from Laguna del Peinado may suggest temporal reservoir age variations of a few thousand years. This study has implications for accurate 14C-based chronologies for palaeoclimate studies in the Altiplano–Puna Plateau and similar settings. Our results highlight the need to consider spatial and likely also temporal variations in the reservoir effects when constructing age–depth models.

Comprehensive magnetic analysis of the tephras in Middle-Late Pleistocene loess records of Serbia, and implications for tephra identification, correlation and loess chronology

Tephras are highly valuable for achieving precise chronologies and secure correlations for sedimentary sequences. Rock magnetic investigations provide a simple, rapid tool for tephra identification especially for weathered tephra, cryptotephra (hidden tephra), thin and dispersed distal tephra. But so far, the most diagnostic magnetic properties for tephra identification and for differentiation of specific tephras are still uncertain. Three laterally continuous and representative tephras/cryptotephras embedded in Serbian loess deposits provide a rare opportunity to explore application of magnetic approaches in tephrostratigraphy. Systematic rock magnetic and petrographic comparison of tephra and its host loess reveal that the characteristic magnetic mineral of the studied tephras is moderate-Ti titanomagnetite of magmatic origin, with a dominant magnetic grain size of non-interacting single domain (SD) and pseudo-single domain (PSD) state. We identify the most diagnostic magnetic properties for tephra identification in loess and many other sediments. The Curie temperature of titanomagnetite is the most diagnostic property of tephras. A low-temperature alternating current (AC) magnetic susceptibility peak at ∼20–100 K is a sensitive indicator of coarse-grained titanomagnetite. SIRM-χfd and χARM-χfd plots can easily differentiate tephras from loess-paleosol sequences and possibly other pedogenesis-influenced sediments. Furthermore, our results suggest Curie temperatures can be a promising tool of regional tephra correlation. Our magnetic evidence and mineral composition analysis support the same origin of Tephra-L5 as Tephra-L4 from Alban Hills Volcanic District, possibly from the ∼457 ka eruption, which would promote a robust chronostratigraphic model of Danube loess.

Túrkeve-Terehalom in the Eastern Carpathian Basin. Bronze Age multi-stratified site provides high-precision chronology with continental implications

Abstract The multi-stratified site of Túrkeve-Terehalom presents an exceptional opportunity to establish the start and the end of the Middle Bronze Age in the Eastern Carpathian Basin and to refine its inner chronology. The chronological potential of the site rests on the meticulous excavation campaigns over a decade. This potential has been harvested by linking stratified finds, particularly pottery, to narrow, calibrated age-ranges. The result has implications for local chronology while also prompting questions about how to synchronise long-range connectivity with central and northern Europe and the Aegean, as well. The resulting chronological model for Túrkeve-Terehalom firstly challenges prevailing chronological views regarding the life-spans of Bronze Age structures with beaten clay floors, secondly the direction of the wave of destruction and/or abandonment of multi-stratified sites in the Carpathian Basin, and thirdly the continental networking during the Middle Bronze Age.

Four millennia of geomorphic change and human settlement in the lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin, Mexico

The lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin contains one of the richest biodiversity landscapes of the Maya region. Our research is based on (1) an integrative literature review of the geomorphological and archaeological papers published about the lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin and (2) topographic analysis of digital elevation models using a geographical information system to explore the relationship between past human settlement and landscape accessibility along the coastal plain of Tabasco. This work provides a new synthesis of previous research and proposes new models for the geomorphic evolution of the lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin in the context of four millennia of human land use and settlement. For the evolution of the strand-plain of the Usumacinta and Grijalva rivers, there are two published geochronological models that provide different chronologies. We discuss here how both geochronological models encompass Pre-Columbian human settlement in the delta. Interestingly, we notice that one of them overlaps a possible high-magnitude flood event (or events) that drove large geomorphic change around 750 CE (1200 BP), with implications for settlement patterns and chronology. Based on topographical analysis of the eastern-distal sector of the Usumacinta–Grijalva delta, we propose a new model for the evolution of this area with implications for the human occupation during the Mesoamerican Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic on the delta. As one of the main conclusions, we propose that the Pom–Atasta water bodies predate much of the Usumacinta–Grijalva delta and the most recent phase of delta building overlays the original lagoon barriers, resulting in a geomorphic setting more attractive to local human occupation after the Terminal Classic period. According to one of the geochronological models of the delta, this dates to ca. 900 CE, preceding the establishment of nearby settlements such as Atasta.

Chronological implications of changes in the accumulation rate of long marine cores from the continental shelf, southeastern Korea

Chronological implications of changes in the accumulation rate of long marine cores from the continental shelf, southeastern Korea

Evidences of the Blake and Iceland Basin magnetic excursions in southeastern Iberia and chronological implications for the Padul sedimentary record

Evidences of the Blake and Iceland Basin magnetic excursions in southeastern Iberia and chronological implications for the Padul sedimentary record

Why is art disappearing? Problems with the preservation of prehistoric rock art on the north shore of the Strait of Gibraltar

The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the areas with the highest concentration of sites with prehistoric graphic expressions in the Iberian Peninsula. The region stands out both by the number of sites, over 400 rock shelters, and by their typological and chronological implications, with paintings dating from at least the early Upper Paleolithic to the latest stages of prehistory. However, recent decades have witnessed the generalized and accelerated deterioration of these paintings, which, in many instances, has led to them disappear altogether. This article analyzes the natural and anthropic factors that, in one way or another, contribute to the degradation of a rock art phenomenon on the verge of extinction.

Detrital glass in a Bering Sea sediment core yields a ca. 160 ka Marine Isotope Stage 6 age for Old Crow tephra

Abstract For decades, the Old Crow tephra has been a prominent stratigraphic marker for the onset of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e, the last interglaciation, in subarctic northwest North America. However, new zircon U-Pb dates for the tephra suggest that the tephra was deposited ca. 207 ka during MIS 7, with wide-ranging implications for chronologies of glaciation, paleoclimate, relict permafrost, and phylogeography. We analyzed ~1900 detrital glass shards from 28 samples collected at Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1345 in the Bering Sea, which has a well-constrained age model from benthic foraminiferal δ18O. Except for one possibly contaminant shard dated at 165 ka, Old Crow tephra was absent from all samples spanning 220–160 ka. Old Crow tephra appeared abruptly at 157 ka, comprising >40% of detrital shards between 157 and 142 ka. This abrupt increase in the concentration of detrital Old Crow tephra, its absence in earlier intervals, and its presence at low concentrations in all samples between 134 and 15 ka collectively indicate that the tephra was deposited during the middle of MIS 6 with a likely age of 159 ± 8 ka. As a result, the late Quaternary chronostratigraphic framework for unglaciated northwest North America remains intact, and the timing of key events in the region (e.g., bison entry into North America; interglacial paleoclimate; permafrost history; the penultimate glaciation) does not require wholesale revision.

Microstructural changes and Pb mobility during the zircon to reidite transformation: Implications for planetary impact chronology

Abstract Impact events modify and leave behind a complex history of rock metamorphism on terrestrial planets. Evidence for an impact event may be recorded in physical changes to minerals, such as mineral deformation and formation of high P-T polymorphs, but also in the form of chemical fingerprints, such as enhanced elemental diffusion and isotopic mixing. Here we explore laboratory shock-induced physical and chemical changes to zircon and feldspar, the former of which is of interest because its trace elements abundances and isotope ratios are used extensively in geochemistry and geochronology. To this end, a granular mixture of Bishop Tuff sanidine and Kuehl Lake zircon, both with well characterized Pb isotope compositions, was prepared and then shocked via a flat plate accelerator. The peak pressure of the experiment, as calculated by the impedance matching method, was ~24 GPa although a broader range of P-T conditions is anticipated due to starting sample porosity. Unshocked and shocked materials were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and Raman spectroscopy. These methods show that the starting zircon material had abundant metamict regions, and the conversion of the feldspar to glass in the post-shock material. Analyses of the shocked product also yielded multiple occurrences of the high-pressure ZrSiO4 polymorph reidite, with some domains up to 300 μm across. The possibility of U-Pb system disturbance was evaluated via laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The isotopic data reveal that disturbance of the U-Pb geochronometer in the reidite was minimal (<2% for the main U-Pb geochronometers). To better constrain the P-T conditions during the shock experiment, we complement impedance matching pressure calculations with iSALE2D impact simulations. The simulated results yield a range of P-T conditions experienced during the experiment and show that much of the sample may have reached >30 GPa, which is consistent with formation of reidite. In the recovered shocked material, we identified lamellae of reidite, some of which interlock with zircon lamellae. Reidite {112} twins were identified, which we interpret to have formed to reduce stress between the crystal structure of the host zircon and reidite. These two findings support the interpretation that shear transformation enabled the transition of zircon to reidite. The size and presence of reidite found here indicate that this phase is probably common in impact-shocked crustal rocks that experienced ~25 to ~35 GPa, especially when the target material has porosity. Additionally, shock loading of the zircon and transformation to reidite at these pressures in porous materials is unlikely to significantly disturb the U-Pb system in zircon and that the reidite inherits the primary U and Pb elemental and isotopic ratios from the zircon.

Deep‐water delivery model of Ruppia seeds to a nearshore/terrestrial setting and its chronological implications for Late Pleistocene footprints, Tularosa Basin, New Mexico

AbstractRuppia cirrhosa (Ruppia) seed layers have been used to constrain the age of footprints along the eastern shoreline of Paleolake Otero in southern New Mexico to around 21,000–23,000 calibrated years before the present. However, there remain two unresolved questions that can affect the reliability of the age(s) of the footprints. First, what is the nature of the geological context of the seed layers? Second, did the hard‐water effect impact the accuracy of the radiocarbon dates? It has been argued that the dated Ruppia plants grew in situ in a very shallow, freshwater‐infused system that minimized the hard‐water effect. Many of these Ruppia seed layers contain ball‐like aggregations made of Ruppia plant materials. We provide new evidence that these balls and seed layers were introduced to the discovery site by high wind seiche events during Late Pleistocene thunderstorms. In our proposed site formation model, the Ruppia plants and seeds originated in deeper water settings outside the site, thus it is very likely that the hard‐water effect has impacted the accuracy of the radiocarbon dates. As such, the radiocarbon assays of Ruppia seeds previously used to date the prehistoric footprints along Paleolake Otero could be thousands of years too old.

The Effects of Terrain Properties Upon the Small Crater Population Distribution at Giordano Bruno: Implications for Lunar Chronology.

The distribution of impact craters on the ejecta of Giordano Bruno, a recent (<10 Ma) 22‐km diameter crater within the lunar highlands, exhibits substantial variations. We surveyed craters D ≥ 10 m across a 1,323 km2 area of Giordano Bruno's ejecta and compared the distribution of craters with variations in thermophysical properties derived from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner instrument. We used Diviner‐derived rock abundance and nighttime regolith temperatures along with thermal model‐predicted surface temperatures for a diversity of terrains to identify and isolate areas of the ejecta based on thermophysical properties such as bulk density and thermal conductivity. We found that thermophysical properties of the ejecta vary considerably both laterally and vertically, and consistently differ from typical regolith, indicating the presence of higher thermal inertia materials. Crater‐size frequencies are significantly lower in areas with terrain properties exhibiting higher: rock abundance, nighttime temperatures, and/or modeled thermal inertia. This discrepancy in crater distribution increases for craters smaller than ∼25 m. These thermophysical variations indicate changes in the mechanical properties of the target materials. We suggest that these variations—specifically, terrain‐dependent crater scaling variations and impactor‐scale heterogeneities in material properties such as the presence or absence of large boulders—may influence crater diameters or inhibit crater production altogether in Giordano Bruno's ejecta; furthermore, these factors are size‐dependent.

Calibrating the Russøya excursion in Svalbard, Norway, and implications for Neoproterozoic chronology

Abstract The Tonian–Ediacaran Hecla Hoek succession of Svalbard, Norway, represents one of the most complete and well-preserved Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions worldwide. With diverse fossil assemblages, an extensive carbonate δ13C record, and sedimentary evidence for two distinct Cryogenian glaciations, this succession will continue to yield insights into the Neoproterozoic Earth system; however, at present there are no direct radiometric age constraints for these strata. We present two new Re-Os ages and initial Os isotope data that constrain the timing of Neoproterozoic glaciation in Svalbard, providing further support for two globally synchronous Cryogenian glaciations and insight into pre- and post-snowball global weathering conditions. An age from the Russøya Member (Elbobreen Formation) facilitates correlation of the negative carbon isotope excursion recorded therein with the pre-glacial “Islay” excursion of the Callison Lake Formation of northwestern Canada and the Didikama and Matheos Formations of Ethiopia. We propose that this globally synchronous ca. 735 Ma carbon isotope excursion be referred to as the Russøya excursion with northeastern Svalbard as the type locality. This new age provides an opportunity to construct a time-calibrated geological framework in Svalbard to assess connections between biogeochemical cycling, evolutionary innovations within the eukaryotes, and the most extreme climatic changes in Earth history.

Early Greek Catapults and ‘First-Generation Artillery Towers’

This article is intended to offer a discussion on the origins of the catapult in the Greek world. The discussion focusses on one problematic point, non-torsion artillery and its distribution. There are good reasons to think that such early catapults remained a kind of experimental weapon; it is only after the invention of torsion artillery, i. e. after the middle of the fourth century BC, that the catapult became a common weapon, widespread throughout the Greek world. As a result, the study calls into question the typology of artillery towers defined by Ober and its chronological implications.

Panopticon, Inc.: Jeremy Bentham, contract management, and (neo)liberal penality

This essay revisits Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon, perhaps the foundational figure of the study of the prison, to recover a dimension of the project wholly omitted in Michel Foucault’s canonical reading in Discipline and Punish. Nowhere does Foucault mention Bentham’s insistence that the prison be run by a private contractor. With Bentham's penal theory characteristically derived from his account of human psychology, the contract and private profit are essential to the functioning of the Panopticon, because they align the jailer's duty with their self-interest. Bentham built profit and market imperatives into the fabric of the Panopticon, always envisioned as a place of economic production. The contract-Panopticon and its political economy are vital antecedents to the neoliberal penality theorized by Loïc Wacquant and Bernard E. Harcourt, even as they problematize the statism inherited from Foucault and the chronological implications of the prefix “neo.” Bentham was only the theorist of a marketization of governance pervasive in his own time and ever since, raising the question of whether punishment has ever been a purely state function.

Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain): New Insights About the Early Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula

New excavations carried out at Cova de les Malladetes confirm and improve previous information on the archaeological sequence of this site. A total of 29 new dates allow to specify the chronology of the Aurignacian (levels XIVA–XII) and Gravettian (levels XI–VII). Furthermore, concerning the results obtained during the 1970 excavation, three new levels were identified: level XIVB, which represents a short temporal human occupation hiatus, and levels XV and XVI with some hearths and anthropic evidence, although the lithic material does not permit a cultural attribution. This paper presents data obtained from the analysis of archaeobotanical, micro- and macrofaunal assemblages and lithic and osseous industry. Results are relevant concerning the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental characterisation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic, as well as for assessing the human occupation patterns during the Gravettian and Aurignacian. Moreover, we evaluate the chronological implications of the basal levels (XIVB, XV and XVI), drawing attention to the absence of an important temporal gap between this phase and the start of the Early Upper Palaeolithic at the site. Finally, our new data extend the information provided by other sites in the Spanish Mediterranean region, allowing a more defined characterisation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic, especially regarding the Evolved Aurignacian chronology and its techno-typological structure, with the presence of Roc-de-Combe subtype Dufour bladelets.