ABSTRACT We investigated the possible use of bog iron ores in late prehistoric and early historic times (c. 800 BCE–750 CE) from a landscape-archaeological perspective, using archaeology, soil science, hydrology and geochemistry, connecting data from raised bogs and adjacent dryland areas. Raised bogs were not hostile, but provided food and a place for ritual activities. Little is known, however, on the potential exploitation of iron ores in these landscapes. We compared bog iron ores in the raised bog of the Bourtangermoor (the Netherlands) with ores on the adjoining Drentian plateau, inhabited since prehistoric times as possible sources of iron. We compared bog iron ore mineralogy, its mode of deposition, and the ease of finding and excavating it to settlement locations and archaeological finds related to iron-working remains. Based on secondary evidence, we concluded that only bog iron ores on the Drentian plateau were used, but not the iron deposits associated with the raised bog.

ABSTRACT Villapark, established as a residential area for the Dutch elite in the early twentieth century, has undergone significant transformations reflects the shifted in ways tied to broader political changes across Surakarta. This study examines how local elites appropriated the Villapark landscape as a political instrument to construct and sustain legitimacy from the New Order period to the Reform era. The concept of Palimpsests of Power explains how Villapark functions as a layered space of meanings, where colonial, national, and local symbols are continuously rewritten by ruling regimes. In relation to the palimpsest of power in Villapark, the combination of Peirce’s triadic semiotics, Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power, and Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space, and landscape archaeology provide an integrated framework for reading layered inscriptions of authority. Data were collected through fieldwork included walking sites, and spatial analyses of historical maps and photographs. The findings demonstrate that Villapark became an arena of contestation between colonial heritage and postcolonial authority, where spatial symbols were mobilised to shape new narratives of political legitimacy. Thus, Villapark can be understood as a site in which shifting regimes continuously produce, regulate, and re-signify space as a strategic medium for constructing and sustaining political authority.

ABSTRACT This article interprets the Belemedik–Hacıkırı section of the Baghdad Railway that crosses the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey as a railway construction landscape. While previous scholarship has largely focused on individual engineering structures or the political economy of the railway, the construction corridor has rarely been analysed within the framework of industrial archaeology as an integrated industrial system. Drawing on archival sources, historical photographs and field investigation, the study reconstructs the spatial and organisational structure of the corridor, including tunnels, viaducts, service roads, temporary narrow-gauge systems and the German construction settlement at Belemedik. The analysis demonstrates that the mountainous section functioned as a coordinated production landscape linking engineering solutions, labour organisation and logistical infrastructure. By examining the material remains of railway construction at corridor scale, the article contributes to recent industrial archaeology approaches that interpret infrastructure projects as landscape-scale industrial systems. It concludes by proposing an Industrial Archaeology Route as a framework for the interpretation and conservation of this important railway construction landscape.

This study investigates Early Bronze Age II (2700–2200 BC) settlement patterns in the western Gavkhuni plains of the Iranian Plateau, focusing on human-environment interactions. By analysing the spatial distribution of archaeological sites, we explore how local societies engaged with their natural and social surroundings. The research identifies key factors influencing settlement establishment and interprets behavioural systems through archaeological evidence. The findings suggest a systemic landscape shaped by subsistence strategies, including agriculture, animal husbandry, and industrial activities, offering insight into the socio-environmental dynamics of Early Bronze Age communities in this region.

This article discusses the history of the toponym of Sungai Penuh, a city in the highland of Jambi Province. It was legitimised in 2008, but its toponym has been used for more than 300 years. The use of this toponym is related to its community and could describe the change in its landscape. This research employs a qualitative approach and historical methodology. This research started collecting data through a literature review and a survey. Primary data in this research are manuscripts, colonial archives, and archaeological data. An archaeological landscape perspective is employed to interpret the change of landscape and its relation to the use of toponym. As a result, the toponym of Sungai Penuh was inspired by the natural resource. The traditional system has supported the preservation of this toponym, although it has different meanings for each context. The use of this toponym described the change of landscape from the traditional dusun of Kerinci society to the modern colonial city.

Gawr Tepe and Its Archaeological Landscape: Continuity and Transformation in the Garmian area from the Sasanian Period to the Early Islamic Conquest

Dispersed archaeological landscapes are often rich in heritage value but weakly integrated into regional tourism systems. This creates difficulties in visitor orientation, interpretive continuity, and conservation-sensitive tourism planning. In response to this problem, this study examines the Adana–Kozan–Anavarza axis in southern Türkiye and proposes a spatial corridor framework for organising tourism development within a dispersed archaeological landscape. The research integrates spatial accessibility assessment, service-capacity evaluation, field observation, and sequential route design in order to establish a hierarchical gateway–transition–anchor configuration. Anavarza, one of the largest archaeological complexes of Cilicia, represents a monumental urban heritage site and a biocultural landscape situated within a Mediterranean ecological zone historically associated with Pedanius Dioscorides. Although current visitor volumes remain moderate, official statistics indicate a substantial increase in annual entries between 2022 and 2024, reflecting rising destination visibility. This emerging growth trajectory underscores the need for proactive spatial governance mechanisms prior to the onset of congestion and environmental degradation pressures. The findings suggest that Adana can function as a metropolitan gateway, Kozan as an intermediate staging node, and Anavarza as the archaeological anchor within a realistic multi-day visitor sequence. In this configuration, visitor functions are distributed across multiple nodes, while the ecological and archaeological sensitivity of the anchor landscape is more cautiously managed through spatial sequencing. Rather than proposing a predictive model, the study develops and assesses a context-responsive spatial planning framework grounded in accessibility, infrastructural feasibility, and conservation-sensitive visitor distribution. Beyond the local case, the study offers a transferable hierarchical staging logic for corridor-based heritage planning.

Rujm el-Hiri has long been considered one of the most enigmatic archaeological monuments in the Southern Levant. Variously interpreted as a funerary, ceremonial, or astronomical locale, it has been the centre of multiple studies spanning over more than 50 years. While traditionally viewed as an isolated protohistoric monument, our study reveals it as the most elaborate example of a widespread regional tradition of large, circular basalt stone structures. This study presents a comprehensive regional reassessment of these large circular stone structures in the basalt highlands surrounding Rujm el-Hiri, revealing over 30 previously undocumented examples within a 25 km radius. Utilizing high-resolution satellite imagery, geophysical modelling, and spatial analysis, we document a consistent architectural tradition characterized by concentric and radial basalt walls, often associated with dolmens, tumuli, and field systems. These structures exhibit similarities in design and landscape placement, frequently located near seasonal water sources and integrated within broader agro-pastoral land-use networks. Our findings challenge the view of Rujm el-Hiri as an isolated monument, instead situating it within a wider phenomenon of protohistoric monumental architecture in this region. This expanded dataset provides new perspectives on landscape organization and monumentality in the protohistoric southern Levant. The application of remote sensing techniques proves crucial in overcoming previous survey limitations, revealing a complex and interconnected archaeological landscape hitherto underappreciated.

ABSTRACT In October 2022 an extensive archaeological landscape was identified by staff of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre at Pangpang on the east coast of Efate Island in central Vanuatu. It included midden deposits on the banks of the Pangpang River near the sea at Forari Bay where Lapita and Early Erueti‐style pottery sherds were recovered. Later Mangaasi‐style pottery was found nearby and further inland across much of the wider landscape. This is the only location on Efate where the full pottery sequence, and hence 1600 years of occupation dating from first arrival, has been identified in a restricted location. Later survey of former settlements across the valley indicates that the region was heavily populated before European contact. Survey and excavations in 2023 confirmed that the wider Pangpang landscape has the potential for tracking the dynamics of first human arrival and subsequent adaptation in Central Vanuatu over three millennia.

Newly discovered open-air sites along the Dorps River in the arid Karoo (South Africa), a region with uneven archaeological coverage, demonstrate multiple visits to this favoured habitat in the late Holocene Later Stone Age ( c . 3000–2000 BP).

Advances in global satellite-based remote sensing, big data, and machine learning are making large-scale geographic analysis increasingly accessible. Archaeology can benefit from multitemporal and multisensor satellite data even when direct archaeological site and feature detection is not possible by using these data to examine relationships between archaeological, ecological, and climactic variables across vast geographies. With this, archaeologists can ask questions about diverse landscape matrices and how these shaped the flow of past cultural processes. We demonstrate the value of thermal sensor data-common in satellite arrays-by developing an automated routine for analyzing Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor time series data. We fit a harmonic regression to extract amplitude and phase shift values for thousands of inland lakes in Michigan's lower peninsula and computed perimeter-to-area ratios. Treating these thermal data not as absolute equivalents to past conditions but as relative indices, we compared lakes with and without Late Precontact (ca. 1200-1600 CE) burial mounds. Results show lakes with mounds warmed later in the spring, cooled later in the fall, and were more regularly shaped, suggesting Late Precontact communities placed mounds on lakes with specific resource benefits, including extended growing seasons. Considering our findings alongside emerging evidence for widespread precontact Indigenous agriculture in the Great Lakes region, it is important to reconsider maize's subsistence and ceremonial significance. The analytic workflow-leveraging free, global Landsat data in Google Earth Engine-offers a replicable framework for archaeologists worldwide to integrate relative thermal patterns into cultural landscape studies.

This article presents a case study that demonstrates the potential research value of metal-detected finds—when responsibly reported and properly contextualized—for advancing archaeological knowledge. Focusing on the prehistoric hoard from Cocoșești (southern Romania), accidentally discovered by a metal detectorist searching for pigeon leg rings, this study emphasizes that, despite the absence of a clear stratigraphic context, a careful analysis of the artefacts themselves—copper weapons and gold ornaments—can yield essential insights into broader patterns of past material culture. In the Romanian archaeological landscape, where isolated finds recovered through metal detecting are often strongly devalued for reasons unrelated to their scientific merit, the outcomes of this investigation have enabled the partial reconstruction of an event that took place over four millennia ago. The article outlines a methodological workflow for examining such finds, along with a theoretical framework for their conceptual integration into the wider archaeological record. As such, the research not only documents a Bronze Age hoard but also advocates for a paradigm shift in how archaeology engages with the realities of contemporary discoveries. It promotes the development of constructive relationships between professional archaeologists and the metal-detecting community—interactions that are essential for reducing illegal and irresponsible detecting practices.

The Beteng Sari Archaeological Site in East Lampung represents a socio-historical landscape shaped by long-term cultural interaction within the civilizational networks of the Indonesian archipelago. It is concluded that Betengng Sari as a space of cultural interaction and dynamic local identity formation, moving beyond the predominantly descriptive approaches of previous research. Employing a qualitative historical case study design, the research is based on field observations, in-depth interviews, and the analysis of archaeological remains and written sources. The main findings indicate that the configuration of earthen fortifications and ditches, the distribution of domestic artifacts, the presence of Chinese ceramics, metal objects, ancient coins, and a cosmologically oriented burial complex demonstrate Beteng Sari’s integration into regional trade networks and cultural mobility. The coexistence of megalithic traditions, Hindu–Buddhist influences, early Islamic remains, and imported material culture reveals a layered process of acculturation characterized by continuity and adaptation rather than cultural replacement. It is concluded that Beteng Sari functioned as an interregional node of interaction in which local agency played a crucial role in shaping spatial organization, social practices, and collective memory, thereby framing local identity in East Lampung as a contextual and non-essentialist historical construction, with theoretical implications for studies of cultural interaction and landscape archaeology.

Narendrapur village in Bhadrak district, Odisha, represents a significant yet understudied node in the sacred and archaeological landscape of eastern India. While Odisha is renowned for monumental temple centres such as Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konark, Narendrapur exemplifies the importance of rural religious sites in sustaining regional traditions. The village preserves a dense concentration of Śiva liṅgas, laterite shrines, sculptural fragments, and a displaced inscribed lintel datable to the 10th century CE. Stylistic and palaeographic evidence situates the early phase of the site within the Bhauma-Kara and Somavaṃśī periods, while later additions reflect Gaṅga-Gajapati and zamindari patronage. The epigraphic reference to Śrī-Yameśvara-bhaṭṭārakāyaḥ and Kapila indicates links with organized Pāśupata-Śaiva ascetic networks, connecting Narendrapur to wider transregional religious currents. Iconographic remains, including Gaṇeśa, Varāhī, and Saptamātṛkā images, demonstrate a Śākta-Śaiva synthesis and possible tantric affiliations. Oral traditions further highlight maritime associations through the nearby Dhamra port and the cult of Pattana Maṅgalā, suggesting integration into Odisha’s Indian Ocean trade networks. By combining archaeological survey, art-historical analysis, epigraphy, and ethnographic insights, this study foregrounds Narendrapur as a microcosm of Odishan religious pluralism, where ecology, polity, ritual practice, and community memory intersect across centuries.

This study presents a methodological framework for early-stage archaeological landscape interpretation using light detection and ranging sensors (LiDAR) mounted to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). By integrating high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs), topographic measurements, k-means clustering, and field validation, the approach moves beyond traditional LiDAR applications for feature detection and towards a usage in preliminary classification and interpretation. Applied to the Euganean Hills in northeastern Italy, a geochemically diverse volcanic region with an extensive history of stone material procurement, this method enabled the identification of 89 potential quarry features, of which 84.9 % of surveyed features were validated as quarries or anthropogenic cuts. Analysis of the region's quarry morphologies and distribution produced several distinct quarry groupings suggestive of phases of exploitation and two case study sites ideal for future provenance research on Euganean volcanic breccias, whose use in Roman construction is known but whose sourced quarries have yet to be identified. Clustering analysis of spatial and morphometric variables indicated the heterogeneity of quarries in the region, differentiated modern and premodern sites, and provided statistical support for the grouping of quarries. These findings demonstrate the interpretive potential of UAV LiDAR in contexts where manned airborne laser scanning (ALS) data is insufficient for confident archaeological analysis and where comprehensive archaeological surveys are impeded by terrain. Beyond this regional case study, the framework offers a high-resolution, cost-effective workflow applicable to rugged, forested landscapes where rapid interpretation of anthropogenic features is needed to inform broader research design like geoarchaeological research or excavation strategies.

The historic town of Masouleh in Gilan Province, northern Iran, represents a distinctive cultural landscape shaped by the interaction between human settlement and rich natural resources, especially iron ore. This study investigates the geological, archaeological, and historical evidence for iron mining and metallurgy in the Masouleh region and evaluates their role in the town’s socioeconomic development. New fieldwork and laboratory analyses have identified over thirty metallurgical sites within the Masouleh valley and its highland surroundings, yielding slag, tuyères, and fragments of furnace walls that attest to a long tradition of iron smelting. XRF analyses of slag and ores indicate the use of high-grade hematite and magnetite ores, reduced in both bloomery and charcoal-fueled blast furnaces. Comparison with ethnographic and historical records from Qarādāgh and Mazandaran provides insights into the operation of multi-chamber smelting installations at sites such as Kohne Masouleh and Siyapesia. From the Safavid to Qajar periods (16th to early 20th centuries CE), iron extraction, smelting, and blacksmithing underpinned the economy of Masouleh, supplying iron products to regional markets and the royal arsenal. These findings demonstrate that iron metallurgy was central to the technological and economic identity of Masouleh and highlight the need for further interdisciplinary studies combining geology, archaeo- metallurgy, and landscape archaeology to reconstruct the region’s industrial past.

THIS PAPER PRESENTS THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE, high-resolution archaeological survey using ground penetrating radar to explore turf house settlements in Iceland. Twelve surveys were undertaken on sites across the island including at Keldur Farm where the radar located previously unidentified house platforms. This complex of buildings is located 80 m south of the current farmstead, and in close proximity to the Hekla volcano, buried beneath windblown sediment and volcanic ash. It is possible that these remains relate to a monastery, which is thought to have been founded by Jón Loftsson on his farm in the Middle ages. In addition to extrapolating an important phase in Keldur’s historic development, the results from this study highlight the value of high-resolution geophysical methods in identifying and characterising previously unknown aspects of Iceland’s archaeological landscape.

Community perceptions of archaeological landscapes among Pan (Kofyar) hilltop communities on the Jos Plateau, central Nigeria

ABSTRACT This article advocates for the urgent development of a centralised digital and context-based heritage inventory system in Ghana. Drawing on Ghana’s rich archaeological landscape, the article identifies threats posed by unregulated urban expansion, mining, and inadequate legal protections. Using GIS-based analysis to visualise the spatial distribution and vulnerability of heritage sites in Ghana, the study reveals patterns of destruction and potential risk zones. It reviews international case studies and theoretical discussions around heritage documentation, emphasising the ethical, political, and practical implications of inventory-making. The discussion situates Ghana within a broader comparative framework, considering models from other countries while highlighting postcolonial and local governance challenges unique to West Africa. The paper recommends a phased, selective inventory grounded in ethical practices, participatory heritage principles, and sustainable policy frameworks. By doing so, Ghana can build an inventory system that balances accessibility, security, and cultural relevance, enabling both preservation and responsible development.

This study re-evaluates the historical identity of Hamchang Gonyŏng Gaya (古寧加耶) by systematically integrating archaeological evidence from the Obongsan burial cluster, documentary records, and local toponymic traditions. Despite long-standing assumptions that Hamchang lacked a substantive Gaya presence, recent investigations challenge this view. Since the initiation of the “Gaya History Restoration Project” in 2017, more than 600 tumuli have been identified across Obongsan; however, formal excavations have been limited to the Sinhŭng-ri and Ian-ri clusters. Field surveys conducted along the Obongsan ridgeline reveal a characteristic Gaya mortuary pattern—large mounded tombs arranged linearly at the crest and dense concentrations of medium- to small-sized graves extending down its slopes. Although diagnostic Gaya artifacts have not yet been recovered, this absence is plausibly attributable to repeated looting and the extremely limited scope of excavation rather than the nonexistence of Gaya activity. A critical review of textual sources further reinforces the likelihood of a Gonyŏng Gaya affiliation. The Samguk sagi identifies Hamchang as “originally the state of Gonyŏng Gaya,” while the Samguk yusa explicitly lists Gonyŏng Gaya within its five-Gaya framework. Medieval gazetteers from the Koryŏ and Chosŏn periods consistently preserve the toponym “Gonyŏng (古寧),” and a stele attributed to the founding king of Gonyŏng Gaya was reportedly discovered in 1592. Together, these records indicate a continuous recognition of Hamchang as the historical center of Gonyŏng Gaya. By correlating the archaeological landscape with enduring textual and toponymic traditions, this study argues that the historical position of Hamchang Gonyŏng Gaya deserves substantive reassessment. As a foundational step toward reconstructing the overlooked inland Gaya sphere, the paper calls for comprehensive excavation, refined chronological analysis, and critical re-examination of written sources in future research.