Large Mounds Research Articles

Mineralization of sulfide mound at Wocan-1 hydrothermal field based on geological mapping, mineralogy and sulfur isotope studies, Carlsberg Ridge, Northwest Indian Ocean

The Wocan-1 hydrothermal field is distinct on the occurrence of an active sulfide mound, discovered on an axial volcanic ridge of the slow-spreading Carlsberg Ridge. The size of the mound is comparable to TAG active mound located in off-axis of Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In order to understand its formation and controlling factors, we did field geological mapping, mineralogical and geochemical analysis on the hydrothermal precipitates. Our results show the sulfide mound is ∼ 260 m in diameter and ∼ 50 m in height. The southern area of the mound is enriched in high-temperature Cu-rich sulfides, while the northern area is characterized by moderate-temperature Fe-rich sulfides and a talus of pyrite-anhydrite breccias and sands extending for > 200 m. The pyrite here exhibits recrystallization textures characterized by heavier δ34S compositions when compared to that in the southern area. It is considered that the normal faults extending into the northern area of the mound and the associated mass wasting facilitated the infiltration of seawater, which is responsible for the regional difference in mineralization of the mound. This study contributes to the understanding of the formation and controls of large sulfide mounds on the AVRs at the slow-spreading ridges.

積石木槨墓 出現期의 樣相

The wooden chamber tomb with stone mound, representing the Silla period, is characterized by its high and large burial mounds. Therefore, the emergence of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds signifies the construction of such high and large burial mounds. However, in the early stages, the typical features of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds were not clearly observed, leading to various uncertainties. Currently, the earliest emergence of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds is observed in Coffins No. 3 and 4 in Tomb No. 109 in Hwangnam-dong. However, unlike typical wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds, the wooden chambers in this tomb overlap vertically, and the placement of protective stones around the perimeter of the mound is also indistinct. This paper aims to elucidate the characteristics of the emergence period of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds, starting from these uncertainties. Four tombs dating before and after the emergence of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds were reviewed. As a result, it was observed that despite being tombs close to the highest social hierarchy of their time, they were later overlapped or destroyed by unrelated tombs from subsequent periods. This phenomenon was commonly observed in these tombs but not in wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds that appeared afterward. Additionally, these tombs lacked protective stones and exhibited relatively low burial mounds. Therefore, the reason for overlap or destruction by later tombs can be attributed to the low and flat burial mounds. In conclusion, contrary to previous assumptions, it can be inferred that immediately after the emergence of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds, the burial mounds were low and flat. Subsequently, they evolved to have higher burial mounds along with protective stones. Recently, instances have been confirmed where burial mounds without protective stones were overlapped vertically beneath tombs with protective stones, indicating the characteristics of the emergence period of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds.

The Spacetimes of the Scythian Dead: Rethinking Burial Mounds, Visibility, and Social Action in the Eurasian Iron Age and Beyond

The Eurasian Iron Age Scythians, in all their regional iterations, are known for their lavish burials found in various kinds of tumuli. These tumuli, of varying sizes, are located throughout the Eurasian steppe. Based, at least partially, on the amounts and types of grave goods found within these mounds, the Scythians are usually modeled as militant, patriarchal mobile pastoralists, with rigid social structures. Yet, such interpretations are also due to accounts of Scythian lifeways provided by “classical” societies from the Greeks to the Persians, who saw the Scythians largely as barbarians, much like their neighbors to the north of the Greeks, the “Celts”. Despite recent interrogations of the barbarian trope, and the opportunity to dissect the classic formula of large mounds = elevated status, I contend that many studies on Scythian mortuary practices remain monolithic and under-theorized, especially by Western scholars. Drawing upon different conceptual and methodological frameworks, I present alternative, multi-scalar understandings of Scythian mortuary landscapes. Utilizing a spacetime-oriented, dialogical approach supplemented with geographic information systems, I interrogate how and why various meanings and experiences may have intersected in these protean Scythian landscapes of the dead, rather than reducing them to monolithic symbolic proxies of ideological status.

Chronology of an Elite Mound of the Yamnaya Culture Boldyrevo IV Burial Ground in the Orenburg Region According to Stratigraphy, Burial Rite and Radiocarbon Dating

The aim of this paper is to publish new radiocarbon dating data for three complexes stratified under one mound (mound No. 1 in the Boldyrevo IV burial ground in the Western Orenburg region), which are distinguished by the unusual nature of the burial in comparison with the known, reference necropolises of the Yamnaya culture. Kurgan 1, one of the largest in the Volga region and the Southern Urals, was investigated in 2019–2020. The early horizon was represented by two small mounds above the burials of children, surrounded by ditches consisting of separate pits. Later, between the mounds for children, a collective burial of five adults took place in a huge burial chamber with a complex design, over which a large mound was built, which also covered both children’s mounds. All the main burials under the early mounds and burial 5 under the large mound represent a single cultural and epochal complex and belong to the Yamnaya culture. According to archaeological and paleo-soil data, the construction of mound 1 occurred systematically over a time interval that is approximately 200 years. Radiocarbon dating showed that the construction of the mound occurred within the calibrated interval of 3200–2600 BC years. The site, apparently, before and during the creation of the mound, was the site of sacred ceremonies and public meetings of many clans of the Yamnaya culture. The induction burial of two women took place at the top of the mound at the end of the Bronze Age.

Are larger termite mounds more resistant to fire? A study of two southern African termites (Isoptera: Termitidae)

AbstractTermites are resistant to fire, a common disturbance in the world's savannas, but most explanations for how termites resist fire are speculative. Some researchers have suggested that the mounds of some termite species can serve as a structural defence against direct fire mortality. Because mound structure is related to thermoregulation, and larger mounds have more stable internal temperatures, larger mounds may confer greater fire resistance. Fire also causes indirect mortality to termites by removing food sources, which may give an advantage to larger mounds as they have superior food provisioning and storage ability. Using natural fires, we measured mound size and colony survival of two southern African termite species (Trinervitermes trinervoides and Amitermes sp.) in plots recently burnt (<4 months after fire), recovering from fire (1–2 years after fire), or unburnt (>3 years after fire). Burn status and mound size were each significant factors in colony survival. Recent fire was associated with the lowest survival, and larger mounds with greater survival. There is some evidence that larger mounds are generally more resistant to fire, especially the long term, indirect effects, but sample sizes were not adequate to confirm this.

Early architecture in Tonga: implications for the development of Polynesian chiefdoms

AbstractDurable architecture is a hallmark of Polynesian chiefdoms, associated with centralised control of residential and agricultural land. Previous work in West Polynesia has indicated a relatively late date for the onset of such construction activity—after AD 1000—suggesting that political development was influenced by events such as post-colonisation migration. The authors report new dating evidence from the excavation of a large earth mound on the island of Tongatapu. Its construction 1500 years ago indicates that, in contrast to previous findings, well-developed chiefdoms and field monuments probably dominated the landscapes of West Polynesia substantially prior to the colonisation of more easterly island nations.

The Properties and Origin of Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth's Large Mounds

We report on a study of the mounds that dominate the appearance of Kuiper Belt Object (486958) Arrokoth's larger lobe, named Wenu. We compare the geological context of these mounds and measure and intercompare their shapes, sizes/orientations, reflectance, and colors. We find the mounds are broadly self-similar in many respects and interpret them as the original building blocks of Arrokoth. It remains unclear why these building blocks are so similar in size—and this represents a new constraint and challenge for solar system formation models. We then discuss the implications of this interpretation.

Ханива-лодки в истории развития водного транспорта Японского архипелага периода Кофун

This study considers a special type of archaeological artefacts — boat shaped haniwa, found at the burial complexes of the Kofun period (3rd –7th centuries A.D.) on Japanese archipelago. The settlement of the ancient population in the island territories with mountainous terrain contributed to the use of water transport. At the stage of formation of the political center, water transport became important for operational control and management of remote regions. This aspect of the history of the development of the Japanese archipelago needs a separate consideration, and today it is beginning to be included in the circle of scientific interests of Russian specialists. The development of water transport in the history of Japanese archipelago can be reconstructed of various artefacts, including boat shaped haniwa. In the development of water transport on the territory of the archipelago, on the basis of the methods of construction used, three types of ships are distinguished — dugout boats, semi-structured (block) ships and structure ships. Among semi-structured ships, two subtypes are defined — onesection and two-section. Currently 48 boat shaped haniwa have been found, all of which are of the semistructured (block) type. The sub-types of boat models are distributed roughly evenly. The boat shaped haniwa are models semi-structured (block) vessels and make it possible to reconstruct the construction of small vessels and determine the shipbuilding technology that was widespread during the Kofun period. The boat shaped haniwa are items of funerary equipment and were placed on large chiefdom mounds. They also carried a sacred function, symbolizing the transport for moving the soul of the deceased to the afterlife.

The food culture of the Iron Age nomadic elite from the ‘Valley of the Kings’ in Tuva: radiocarbon dating, stable carbon and nitrogen analysis of the Chinge Tey barrows (Turan-Uyuk Basin, Russia)

Subsistence strategies of Eurasian pastoral populations have been broadly studied in the archaeological literature. The 'Valley of the Kings' in Tuva, Russia, has captivated archaeologists with its remarkable collection of large burial mounds, containing lavishly equipped tombs of nomadic kings, warlords, and aristocracy. These barrows bear witness to the ancestral connections between the deceased leaders, highlighting the alliances among prehistoric nomads in Central Asia. In this research, we present comprehensive radiocarbon dating and δ13C/δ15N isotopic data from the Chinge Tey barrows, which represent the burial sites of 12 high-ranking individuals. The chronological alignment of both Chinge Tey monuments with the Arzhan 1 and Arzhan 2 reference frames sheds light on their historical context. This study delves into intricate aspects of ecological adaptability, pastoral food practices, social hierarchies, and nomadic mortuary rituals. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes indicates potential connections between the barrows in the 'Valley of the Kings' and diverse nomadic cultures, suggesting that dietary habits among neighboring populations may have exhibited significant variation.

Mound architecture and season affect concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O in nests of African fungus‐growing termites

Abstract Termites are a significant natural source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), but quantifying emissions especially from large termite mounds is problematic as they rarely fit in measurement chambers. Predicting fluxes based on internal and atmospheric concentrations could provide an indirect way to assess mound emissions, but developing such models necessitates better understanding of the concentration levels and their variance. We used gas chromatography to measure carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations within nests of two co‐occurring species of fungus‐growing termites in both dry and wet seasons in Kenya, with termite Macrotermes michaelseni building mounds with a closed and Macrotermes subhyalinus with an open ventilation system. Gas concentrations were 3–100 times higher in mounds than the global averages in atmosphere, implying that termite mounds are sources of all three GHGs. Carbon dioxide concentrations were higher in closed than in open mounds. Methane concentrations remained constant in open mounds, whereas closed mounds exhibited considerable variation between nests and across seasons. Concentrations of both CH4 and N2O correlated positively with mound volume during the wet season, whereas interactions with mound size were not observed in CO2 concentrations or during the driest sampling period. These findings underline that among fungus‐growing termites, mound size, ventilation type and precipitation affect nest gas concentrations and with this likely the magnitude of mound GHG emissions. Potential reasons behind the observed relationships are discussed, including differences in population size, biomass of fungus gardens and CH4 oxidation.

Enhanced carbon storage in semi-arid soils through termite activity

Termites are keystone species in natural ecosystems and their role in the C cycle is potentially substantial but poorly understood. Large (20–40 m) mounds (heuweltjies) of the harvester termite Microhodotermes viator occupy up to a quarter of the semi-arid west coast region of South Africa but their C storage potential is unknown. This study determined the organic and inorganic C fractions, C stocks, and their correlation with each other, depth, and biogenic features in these mounds. Trenches (30–60 m) were excavated through 3 mounds: Buffels River (m.a.p < 100 mm), Klawer (m.a.p 100–200 mm) and Piketberg (m.a.p 300–400 mm) and grid sampled. Mound soils had significantly higher soil organic carbon (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC) than surrounding soils. Total C was strongly correlated (ρ > 0.9; p < 0.001) with SIC in the arid mounds and SOC (ρ > 0.75; p < 0.001) in the higher rainfall mound. There was no consistent relationship between SOC and SIC distributions throughout the mounds, which is likely related to solubility-linked translocations of carbonates. For all mounds, SOC was highest in topsoils with a second clear peak in subsoils (>1 m) that was associated with biogenic features, termite channels and burrows. Subsoils contributed substantially (36–41 %) to the total C stock. Total C stocks for the intermediate rainfall mound (Klawer) were estimated at 14.6 tons per mound, with 1.1 tons SOC. In this region, mounds occupy 27 % of the total area but contribute 44 % of the total SOC stock to a depth of 80 cm. This highlights the disproportionate contribution termite mounds make to carbon stocks of these semi-arid environments and demonstrates the importance of deep (<1 m) soil carbon for C modelling. Termite activity needs to be recognized as a major contributor to C stock variability both laterally and at depth and accounted for in land-use change (CO2-LULUCF) models.

Sucrose-mediated formation and adhesion strength of Streptococcus mutans biofilms on titanium

Biofilms consist of bacterial cells surrounded by a matrix of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which protects the colony from many countermeasures, including antibiotic treatments. Growth and formation of bacterial biofilms are affected by nutrients available in the environment. In the oral cavity, the presence of sucrose affects the growth of Streptococcus mutans that produce acids that erode enamel and form dental caries. Biofilm formation on dental implants commonly leads to severe infections and can restrict osseointegration necessary for the implant to be successful. This work determines the effect of sucrose concentration on biofilm EPS formation and adhesion of Streptococcus mutans, a common oral colonizer, to titanium substrates simulating common dental implants. Biofilm formation and profiles are visualized at high magnification with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Large mounds and complex structures consisting of bacterial cells and EPS can be seen in biofilms at sucrose concentrations that are favorable for biofilm growth. The laser spallation technique is used to apply stress wave loading to the biofilm, causing the biofilm to delaminate at a critical tensile stress threshold. The critical tensile stress threshold is the adhesion strength. Because laser spallation applies the stress loading to the rear of the substrate, bulk adhesion properties of the biofilm can be determined despite the heterogenous composition and low cohesion strength of the biofilm. Statistical analysis reveals that adhesion strength of biofilms initially increase with increasing sucrose concentration and then decrease as sucrose concentration continues to increase. The adhesion strength of bacterial biofilms to the substrate in this study is compared to the adhesion of osteoblast-like cells to the same substrates published previously. When sucrose is present in the biofilm growth environment, S. mutans adhesion is higher than that of the osteoblast-like cells. Results of this study suggest sucrose-mediated S. mutans biofilms may outcompete osteoblasts in terms of adhesion during osseointegration, which could explain higher rates of peri-implant disease associated with high sugar diets. Further studies demonstrating adhesion differentials between biofilms and cells including co-cultures are needed and motivated by the present work.

Three-dimensional seismic architecture of an Upper Cretaceous volcanic complex and associated carbonate systems; Taylor Group, Elaine field, South Texas, USA

The seismic architecture of a tuff-dominated volcanic complex and the associated carbonate systems in the Upper Cretaceous Taylor Group (Anacacho Limestone) Elaine field in South Texas was examined using a three-dimensional seismic dataset. The investigation demonstrates that the combination of traditional seismic lithofacies analysis and seismic sedimentology allows the visualization and interpretation of volcanic elements and penecontemporaneous carbonate lithofacies at the scale of tens of meters. A wireline-log based, rock-physics model was analyzed and calibrated using core samples, which link volcanic and carbonate lithofacies to 90°-phase seismic amplitude events. Seismic-velocity effects permit the identification of subtle volcanic lithofacies changes such as low-velocity tuff bodies or high-velocity basalt intrusions. Also, frequency fusion expands seismic visualization of thick lithofacies bodies (e.g., basaltic dykes) to the 100-m range and seismic facies analysis helps understand interrelationships between the components in and adjacent to the volcanic body. Horizontal seismic slices reveal seismic geomorphology at multiple stages of volcanic activity. This investigation reveals three major seismic facies systems (1) a magma-feeder (i.e., plumbing) intrusive system beneath the volcano, including deep faults, dykes and sills, and remnant radial/concentric fault systems; (2) a large (4000–5000 m diameter) volcanic complex consisting of a deep crater (300-m negative feature below the paleo-sea floor), a large mound (200-m positive feature above the paleo-sea floor), multiple secondary craters filled predominantly with tuffs and less common lava flows; and (3) penecontemporaneous carbonate systems including fringing and mound-top shoals and reefs, lagoon and debris fan aprons at the base of the volcanic mounds. The fringing and mound top carbonate systems were probably in water depths less than 20 m whereas for the fan-apron carbonates, water depths are estimated to be about 140–200 m. These carbonate bodies can form hydrocarbon reservoirs.

아라가야의 高塚과 그 體系

The start of the Ara-Gaya the ancient tomb with a gigantic mound and System began in the mid-5th century, which is now Tomb No. 4 at Marisan Tombs(末伊山古墳群). The Ara-Gaya of the ancient tomb with a gigantic mound and System begins when the tomb ritual is changed to a stone tomb, and at the same time, the tomb ritual is changed. The biggest change in the burial ritual is the implementation of the Sacrificial burial(殉葬), and it inherits the structure of the large wooden chamber tombs from the previous period, but the pattern of the burial site changes. The transition period of civil engineering technology has not been confirmed in the construction of the ancient tomb with a gigantic mound, and it shows a relatively complete form from the time of its appearance. In addition, it shows a flexible appearance by applying a suitable civil engineering method according to the topography. It is confirmed that the same civil engineering method is applied to large civil engineering structures such as Saturn, fortress, embankment, and large buildings in the same province. Through this, it can be inferred that Ara-Gaya’s advanced civil engineering technology and its management and operation system were well equipped. The Ara-Gaya of the ancient tomb with a gigantic mound and System starts at the top of the fourth ridge of the Marisan Tombs and continues to the ninth ridge. Type A-1 is arranged at regular intervals on the top of the main ridge and the ridge of the branch ridge, and type A-2 and 3 are arranged as tombs attached to the periphery. The tomb of a large mound is in the middle of the 5th century. It was intensively contrasted in a relatively short time of about 70 years until the beginning of the 6th century. At the same time, considering the construction of large-scale mound tombs of type A on each ridge, it is believed that when the hills of Marisan Tombs were built as Scope of the Royal Tomb, the right of burial was not unified construction of royalty(多系列王權). On the other hand, from the stage of moving the the scope of a royal tomb to the Namnunoe Tombs(南門外古墳群) at the same time as turning into the ancient tomb with a gigantic mound and System, it is possible to get a glimpse of the establishment of a specific series of kingship(一元的 王權系列).

Могильник сабатиновской культуры в кургане 3 группы «Рыбхоз» у с. Глиное на левобережье Нижнего Днестра

The papers addresses the graves of the Sabatinovka time, discovered in barrow 3 of the “Rybkhoz” group near Glinoe village, Slobodzeya district, located in the basin of the Krasnaya river on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. In total, 13 burials of the Late Bronze Sabatinovka culture were recorded in the mound, which were sunk into the large mound of a Yamnaya (Pit Graves) cultural and historical community, 12 of them concentrating in a compact group in the southern sector of the mound. Burial 96 is of the greatest interest, accompanied by a deep bowl with an S-shaped profile, combining features of the Komarov and Berezhnovka-Maevka Timber-grave culture. All burials were dated by radiocarbon dating. The Sabatinovka cemetery in barrow Glinoe/Rybkhoz 3 can be dated within 1620—1535 BC according to the combined radiocarbon date, which is quite consistent with the supposed dating of the vessel from grave 96.

Locations of Ancient Fords on the Sula River

It is known that from ancient times rivers were not only a source of water and certain types of food, but also significant obstacles for overland travel. This especially applies toto the second-order watercourses, the length of which reached hundreds of kilometers, making it simply impossible to bypass them, including the right tributary of the Dnipro River — the Sula. Therefore, usually the most convenient places were chosen to overcome the water obstacle, which had optimal conditions, namely the width and depth of the channel, the speed of the current, the convenience of the coastline, etc. Usually there were not many of them and they functioned for a considerable period of time. In the article the issue of finding important elements of land communication of the Left-bank forest-steppe, namely crossings and fords across the Sula River, which could have existed in the Early Iron Age, was considered. Using the analysis of later cartographic materials, the locations of such important infrastructure elements of the 19th century as ferry crossings, which were usually located in the most favourable sections of the coastline and existed for quite a long time, were identified. Also, the names of settlements were taken into account, in which the answer could be found in the search for fords through the Sula. The analysis of later historical events that took place in the region helped a lot in solving the issue of finding fords and crossings, because, as mentioned above, there were few convenient places and they were usually used for thousands of years. In the paper four places on the Sula River that could have been used by the ancient population as fords and crossings, namely: Pishchanyi ford on the upper reaches of Sula and Basivka, Hlynsk and “Horoshynskyi portage” in the Sula basin. The locations on the right bank of both fortified settlements and large burial mounds of the Early Iron Age demonstrate a certain regularity that suggests the presence of crossing-points. We argue that the approach to these crossing-points was also marked on the left bank with mounds of 3—4 m height. So, the Sula River example shows the perspective of the direction of research of ancient communication routes, namely the search for places of ancient crossings and fords with the help of local historical literature, cartographic materials and analysis of later historical events that took place in the region.

중서부지역 주구토광묘의 전개양상과 지역성

In this study, the ‘pit tomb with ditch’ built around them in midwestern regions were collectively referred to as ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’, and tried to understand the development and characteristics of ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’ in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period.&#x0D; First of all, 15 types were derived by combining the elements of burial facility, mound, ditches, and burial type. which were judged to be the components showing the characteristics of the ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’. And based on the artifacts that show remarkable changes over time, the creation period of the ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’ was divided into three periods, and the appearance, development and regionality of the ‘Jugutogwangmyo’ were examined.&#x0D; As a result, the ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’ in the mid-western region was a tomb that appeared due to the introduction of a new burial concept of creating a large mound and had the essential characteristics of wooden coffin, mound, and ditches, It was confirmed that it appeared in the mid-western region in the mid-2nd century AD.&#x0D; Since then, The spread of ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’ throughout the Midwest region saw the adoption of new burial facilities such as partitioned wooden coffins, detached wooden coffins, and wooden chambers. Horizontal expansion aspects, such as the joint expansion of ditches or joint burials, and vertical expansion aspects, such as multi-burial burials within mounds, also appeared. These factors differed according to each region and regional center. The burial artifacts were largely divided into two parts: the inland areas and the west coast area, but burial artifacts with regional characteristics were also identified for each regional center.&#x0D; Through this, the background of the establishment and development of the central and western regions ‘Jugu-Togwangmyo’ can be largely attributed to the influx of cultural and human resources through the major transportation routes of the inland areas and coastal area. It can also be seen that selective cultural adoption occurred through a sort of choice by accepting specific artifacts based on the circumstance of each regional center.&#x0D; This shows that the society in the central and western regions during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period was very dynamic, and the regional centers identified here can also be related to the location of Mahan's small state.

Reimagining the Development of Downtown Cahokia Using Remote Sensing Visualizations from the Western Edge of the Grand Plaza

The distribution of mounds, plazas, and defensive palisades associated with Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (CMSHS) defines the core urban environment of Eastern North America’s first American Indian city. The large mounds surrounding Cahokia’s centrally located Grand Plaza, including the palisades that enclose them, are referred to as Downtown Cahokia. In this portion of the site, archaeologists have identified material culture (e.g., ceramics), earthen fills to level the plaza, and several earthen mound constructions. These findings suggest an occupational history for the area that occurred over the 9th–14th centuries CE, with the emergence of plaza delineation and earthwork construction beginning in the early 11th century CE. In sum, Downtown Cahokia and its Grand Plaza are considered by archaeologists to be a vibrant space characterized by ongoing American Indian transformations to an early metropolitan landscape. We conducted magnetometer and electromagnetic induction surveys at the western edge of the Grand Plaza. When compared with the LiDAR-derived visualizations we generated from this portion of the site, our aerial and terrestrial remote sensing data offered new information on the nature and sequence of monument construction in Downtown Cahokia, as well as architectural changes in domestic and special-use structures. These multi-scalar and complementary remote sensing datasets allowed us, without excavating, to trace important sequences of change in Downtown Cahokia’s history.

TREE-RING-RADIOCARBON DATING PARAFFIN-CONSERVED CHARCOAL AT THE MISSISSIPPIAN CENTER OF KINCAID, ILLINOIS, USA

ABSTRACTArchival charcoal tree-ring segments from the Mississippian center of Kincaid Mounds provide chronometric information for the history of this important site. However, charcoal recovered from Kincaid was originally treated with a paraffin consolidant, a once common practice in American archaeology. This paper presents data on the efficacy of a solvent pretreatment protocol and new wiggle-matched 14C dates from the largest mound (Mound 10) at Kincaid. FTIR and 14C analysis on known-age charcoal intentionally contaminated with paraffin, as well as archaeological material, show that a chloroform pretreatment is effective at removing paraffin contamination. Wiggle-matched cutting dates from the final construction episodes on Mound 10 at Kincaid, indicate that the mound was used in the late 1300s with the construction of a unique structure on the apex occurring around 1390. This study demonstrates the potential for museum collections of archaeological charcoal to contribute high-resolution chronological information despite past conservation practices that complicate 14C dating.

Macrotermes natalensis termite colonies in seasonally flooded savannas

In seasonally inundated landscapes of southern central Africa very large termite mounds of Macrotermes natalensis offer a refuge for flood-intolerant trees during the flood season. In the matrix landscape surrounding these islands the seasonally waterlogged and then anaerobic soil conditions and the browsing by megaherbivores during the dry season allow for grass and herbaceous vegetation only. During the rainy season each termitarium forms an isolated island which due to its relative dryness allows survival of the trees and the associated fauna. During the dry season the termites try to establish new colonies with new mounds. However, the successful formation of new termitaria islands seems to be a rare event. In this case study from Dundumwezi in the Kafue National Park, Zambia, we provide a description of the termitaria islands and their vegetation. Furthermore, we analyse spatial patterns of termite mound islands in the surroundings of Kafue National Park und Bangweulu Plains / Kasanka National Park based on remote sensing imagery. Our results confirm that competition among colonies of large termitaria in homogeneous habitats causes very regular spatial patterns.