Late Bronze Age Settlement Research Articles

The Late Bronze Age settlement and burial ground of Sandyktau (preliminary research results)

The Late Bronze Age settlement and burial ground of Sandyktau (preliminary research results)

The Lake Paravani archive – a contribution to the late Quaternary landscape evolution of the Lesser Caucasus (Georgia)

Lake Paravani, located on the volcanic Javakheti Plateau in the central part of the Lesser Caucasus at 2073 m a.s.l., forms a unique geo‐bio‐archive for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions in this remote region. Based on sediment cores from the southwestern part of the lake we expand the existing palynological and sedimentological records beyond the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). For the first time, it is possible to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment in this part of the Lesser Caucasus back to c. 28 cal. ka BP. Our study shows that until 16 cal. ka BP glacial conditions dominated (Phase I) in the region; there is, however, proof that the lake already existed during the LGM. In the following transitional Phase II from 16 until 6 cal. ka BP, cold and arid conditions with sparse steppe vegetation and a lowered lake level prevailed. Around 10 cal. ka BP, tree pollen started to expand while herbaceous pollen, especially Chenopodiaceae, declined. In Phase III, since 6 cal. ka BP, mixed forest probably represented the Holocene climatic optimum. Fluctuating lake levels indicate shifting climatic conditions. The minor changes of arboreal pollen hin the uppermost part of Phase II may be an indication of human activity. The more humid, vegetation‐rich environment and mild climate around 4.5–2 cal. ka BP correlate with the expansion of the Late Bronze Age settlements in this area (from ~3.5 cal. ka BP/~1.5 ka BC). The proliferation of sites on the plateau, along with even higher‐altitude sites possibly dating to the same period, may indicate that this climate amelioration played an important role in enabling more sustained human occupation. The results extend the record on Lake Paravani by several millennia beyond the LGM and complement the palaeo‐lake reconstructions of the wider region, e.g. at Lake Van (Türkiye) or Lake Sevan (Armenia).

О литейной форме из поселения эпохи бронзы Тарангул в Актюбинском Приуралье

Introduction. In 2021, the Mugodzhar (Mugalzhar) Crew of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology investigated the site of Tarangul and discovered a casting mold ― a rare artifact of utmost interest related to metal production and processing. Goals. The article seeks to describe and analyze the Bronze Age mold from Tarangul located in the Aktobe Cis-Urals, introduce into scholarly circulation some newly obtained scientific data. Results. The implemented analyses include those of natural science (micro-wear and spectral ones) and comparative typology, the latter to yield a classification of castings and their cultural affiliation. The tool mold has two surfaces with negative impressions. The first one was used to cast three sickles, while the second one (once consisted of two pieces) would cast a flat adze. The shapes attest to the mold was used to cast Kundravinskaya-type sickles widespread across the Late Bronze Age Southern Urals, Middle Volga, and Western Siberia. Kundravinskaya-type sickles are associated with the Alakul culture, the Kozhumberdy cultural group being a local variant of the latter in the region under study. The shape of the impression on the reverse side is characteristic of adzes from the Alakul era discovered in western parts of Eurasia’s steppe zone. The study concludes the mold had first consisted of two pieces and been used to cast adzes, and after the other piece was lost or damaged it started being used to cast sickles. The spectral analysis shows the castings were basically made from copper, and detects some traces of alloying. Another finding is that the three mold negatives were used not simultaneously but rather when and as it was necessary. In general, the conducted tests have well reconstructed the manufacturing techniques and stages of use for the mold from the Late Bronze Age settlement of Tarangul in the Aktobe Cis-Urals, and highlighted certain aspects in the study of molds as a specific source on metal production techniques and technologies in prehistory.

Inside or outside the house? On the spatial organisation of plant-related activities at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Dobbin 27, northern Germany

Abstract In northern Germany, crop diversity was much greater in the Late Bronze Age than in previous periods. To trace this development at a local scale, we conducted an archaeobotanical case study at the site of Dobbin 27, a rural settlement in north-eastern Germany dating to the Late Bronze Age. Charred seeds and fruits were recovered and the spatial distribution of these remains was analysed in order to understand the spatial organisation of plant-related activities at the site, principally plant processing. We discovered that the inhabitants processed cereals outside the house, in open areas of the settlement. Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) were the most common finds in the archaeobotanical samples; small proportions of pulses and wild fruits and nuts were also found. This shows that a wide range of plants was used by the prehistoric community at Dobbin 27. A regional comparison of the plant macro-remains record from Dobbin 27 with that from contemporary sites reveals both differences and similarities in crop choices and other aspects of the plant economy.

Paleogeographic conditions of the Donuzlav Lake formation in the Holocene (Northwestern Crimea)

The article is devoted to the reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions in the Holocene and the influence of anthropogenic factors according to the study of bottom sediments of Lake Donuzlav (Northwestern Crimea). For this purpose, methods of geochemical, granulometric, and spore-pollen analyses of the lake sediments were used. The sediment was sampled using a Russian drill. X-ray spectral fluorescence analysis and calcination loss analysis were conducted to determine the chemical composition of the deposits. The correlation of the paleoclimatic data of sedimentation of lake sediments with the conditions of formation of the cultural layer at the settlement of the late Bronze Age Donuzlav 10 allowed us to establish the living conditions of people. The beginning of sediment formation in the lake Donuzlav belongs to the subboreal period. Changes in the water level in the lake are associated with changes in the climatic factors, mainly changes in climate humidity. At the end of the Subboreal period and the beginning of the Atlantic period, an increase in anthropogenic impact on the watershed is noted. During the same time, late Bronze Age settlements with livestock enclosures developed. Aridization of the climate at the end of the subboreal period led to a decrease in the water level in the lake and an increase in the salinity of the lake.

The use and treatment of freshwater mussels in the Northeastern European lowlands and the Eastern Baltics

Freshwater shells appear repeatedly in animal bone assemblages at Late Bronze Age settlements. This is not only the case in the inland, but also in regions fairly close to the Baltic Sea shore. Significant amounts of freshwater mussels are known especially from Polish and Northeastern German fortified settlements as well as in the Lithuanian lowlands. Several large shell finds from Late Bronze Age fortified settlements in these regions have been published recently, shedding new light on the use of aquatic resources. The majority of the freshwater mussels found belong to the Unio type, whose occurrence is particularly common in contexts of the Lusatian culture. Apparently, these mussels were intentionally selected for certain purposes. However, new excavations in Lithuania show that these selection processes can be observed over a much larger area than previously assumed. This article aims to present a brief overview of freshwater mussel gathering and consumption, analyzing such behavior in a wider context, with a focus on the consumption of mussels by Late Bronze Age communities in specific regions of Northeastern Europe. The significance of mussels as a resource is placed in a larger spatial context based on analogue finds.

남한 청동기시대 하한연대와 초기철기시대

Currently, the lower limit of the Bronze Age is generally believed to be around 300 BC based on the appearance of the three-shaped bronze sword. And the period between 300 and 0 BC, when fine-grained bronze swords and clay pottery coexisted, is classified as the ‘Early Iron Age’. However, this common belief is problematic in that it is highly likely that three-shaped bronze swords appeared before the 5th century BC, that the lower limit of the Songguk-ri culture is around 200 BC, and that circular clay pottery coexists with the culture of the late Bronze Age.
 According to carbon dating, the Songguk-ri culture, the circular clay pottery culture, and the late Bronze Age settlements disappeared around 200 to 150 BC, and the Proto-Three Kingdoms period settlements in the central and western regions appeared around 200 BC. Therefore, the lower age of the Bronze Age and the upper age of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period are around 200 BC, and the name of the period following the Bronze Age, ‘Early Iron Age’, is no longer a valid age name. It is reasonable to call the stage in which fine-shaped bronze swords and circular clay pottery coexisted the late Bronze Age or the late Bronze Age.

Waterlogged wood remains found in a Late Bronze Age settlement (İnönü Cave) on the Western Black Sea coast of Türkiye

The remains of wooden structures belonging to the Late Bronze Age were unearthed during the excavations carried out in the İnönü Cave, which is located approximately 25 km inside the Ereğli district of Zonguldak, on the western Black Sea coast of Türkiye. Thanks to the special conditions of the cave, the woods that makes up the structures that have survived until today has been examined within the scope of this study. All wood flooring elements examined in this study consist of water-filled wood, except for one example (NNDK-1), which has semi-water-filled properties. In the construction of the wooden floor, one oak species from the white oak group (probably Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) and one pine species from the Sylvestris group (probably Pinus nigra Arnold), Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertner and Acer L. sp. were used. In addition, the most used genus in its construction was oak (Quercus L., section Quercus). The inhabitants of İnönü cave in the Late Bronze Age must have met their wood needs from nearby local resources. Wood anatomical analysis pointed out the occurrence of riverine forests formed by Black alder along the streams and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests formed by Sessile oak, maple, and Black pine in İnönü cave and its vicinity. These, together with others like Fagus orientalis Lipsky, Carpinus betulus L., Carpinus orientalis Mill., Salix alba L., and Populus nigra L., are the genera/species present in the region today.

A bronze “pendant” from the outskirts of Ménfőcsanak (North-West Hungary)

The paper presents a stray find, part of the archaeological record of the Late Bronze Age settlement and cemetery discovered in Győr-Ménfőcsanak-Széles-földek-dűlő. The cast “wheel-shaped pendant” has three close analogies: one from an unknown site in Hungary, another from a depot in Slovakia, and the third from a lakeside settlement in Switzerland. The “pendant” could be assigned to the late Urnfield Culture (Ha B1).

Sentinel-2 imagery analyses for archaeological site detection: an application to Late Bronze Age settlements in Serbian Banat, southern Carpathian Basin

Satellite remote sensing has become a valuable tool in archaeology, allowing the monitoring of existing and discovery of new sites, and to study their surroundings. In an attempt to identify unknown Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites in the Serbian Banat region (southern Carpathian Basin), remote sensing techniques for site detection were applied using Sentinel-2 data. A multi-temporal analysis was performed, and the spectral signatures of soil marks from five known LBA settlements were analysed to determine the best conditions for the identification of archaeological features. Several principal component analyses (PCA), band combinations and vegetation indices were calculated. The vegetation indices results from soil marks at known sites demonstrated the impact of settlement characteristics (compositions, subsurface anomalies) on vegetation growth. Applying this further to identify new sites from the satellite data, one hundred and two possible archaeological locations, ranging from only a few hectares to 100 ha, were identified in Banat and Bačka, to the east and west of the Tisza River. Of the sixty-one possible sites identified in Banat, a sample was visited and their chronology confirmed, proving once again the enormous capabilities of Sentinel-2 data analyses for site detection.

Inside Late Bronze Age Settlements in NE Romania: GIS-Based Surface Characterization of Ashmound Structures Using Airborne Laser Scanning and Aerial Photography Techniques

The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures that present temporal resolution, as well as their characterization based on high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) are modern techniques widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17° to 19.69°) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania.

Long Bones and Antlers for Artifact Production in the Final Late Bronze Age Settlement of Thessaloniki Toumba (Northern Greece, 1210–1040 cal b.c.)

ABSTRACT We present two significant patterns of osseous artifact production during the Final Late Bronze Age at the settlement mound of Thessaloniki Toumba in the northeastern Thermaic Gulf region in northern Greece and compare with data published from the same and neighboring regions. One pattern is the use of long bone fractures for shaping awls. The other is the production of pins from deer antlers. Awl manufacturing is consistent with the practice of the use of broken bones for a variety of tools, which had been common since the Early Bronze Age. The antler pins and some rare, elaborate objects, such as barbed-and-tanged points and horse bits, indicate innovation and interactions across different spatial scales toward the end of the Bronze Age. Research into the manufacturing processes may provide a more detailed understanding of the cultural and technological significance of these artifacts.

An arrowhead made of meteoritic iron from the late Bronze Age settlement of Mörigen, Switzerland and its possible source

A search for artefacts made of meteoritic iron has been performed in archaeological collections in the greater area of the Lake of Biel, Switzerland. A single object made of meteoritic iron has been identified, an arrowhead with a mass of 2.9 g found in the 19th Century in the late Bronze Age (900–800 BCE) lake dwelling of Mörigen, Switzerland. The meteoritic origin is definitely proven by combining methods extended and newly applied to an archaeological artefact. Elemental composition (7.10–8.28 wt% Ni, 0.58–0.86 wt% Co, ∼300 ppm Ge), primary mineralogy consisting of the associated Ni-poor and Ni-rich iron phases kamacite (6.7 wt% Ni) and taenite (33.3 wt% Ni), and the presence of cosmogenic 26Al (1.7−0.4+0.5 dpm/kg). The Ni-rich composition below the oxidized crust and the marked difference to meteorites from the nearby (4–8 km) Twannberg iron meteorite strewn field is confirmed by muon induced X-ray emission spectrometry (8.28 wt% Ni). The Ni-Ge-concentrations are consistent with IAB iron meteorites, but not with the Twannberg meteorite (4.5 wt% Ni, 49 ppm Ge). The measured activity of 26Al indicates derivation from an iron meteorite with a large (2 t minimum) pre-atmospheric mass. The flat arrowhead shows a laminated texture most likely representing a deformed Widmanstätten pattern, grinding marks on the surface and remnants of wood-tar. Among just three large European IAB iron meteorites with fitting chemical composition, the Kaalijarv meteorite (Estonia) is the most likely source because this large crater-forming fall event happened at ∼1500 years BC during the Bronze Age and produced many small fragments. The discovery and subsequent transport/trade of such small iron fragments appears much more likely than in case of buried large meteorite masses. Additional artefacts of the same origin may be present in archaeological collections.

Cremated animal remains and shattered pottery. Rare ritual deposits from the Middle to Late Bronze Age at Aalst – Siesegemkouter (Belgium)

Abstract Archaeological research at Aalst – Siesegemkouter revealed several pits within a Middle to Late Bronze Age settlement. Most of them hardly contained any artefacts, but one exception showed a structured stratigraphy with an abundance of finds, including a large amount of shattered pottery, charcoal and calcined animal bone. The study of this assemblage, and comparison with two other pits showing similarities, provides strong indications of a closing deposit or another type of ‘site maintenance practice’. In the Low Countries, comparable contexts generally date from the Iron Age, suggesting that the finds from Aalst – Siesegemkouter represent early forerunners of this ritual practice. On top of this early date, the large volume of cremated animal bone represents an almost unique characteristic for which, until now, parallels from the Metal Ages have hardly been found, even on a Northwestern European scale. In general, the role played by organic remains in ritual contexts from these periods and regions is poorly understood, often due to bad preservation conditions or the lack of a multidisciplinary approach.

Состав сплава металлических предметов из раскопок поселения позднего бронзового века Багай 1 в Северо-Западном Крыму

The Late Bronze Age settlement Bagai 1 is located on the left bank of the Bagai ravine, which flows into one of the largest lakes in the Crimea, Sasyk-Sivash, near the city of Yevpatoria. In the northern part of the settlement, excavations were carried out by the expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in connection with the construction of the Yevpatoria branch of the Tavrida highway. The article examines the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis of the alloy composition of metal finds from the excavations. It turned out that all studied items of the Late Bronze Age were made of tin bronze, in which the corresponding ligature is from 2 to 20 %. The only exception is a miniature chisel, in which there is no tin, and in addition to copper, more than 8 % of iron was found. Other prescription components (arsenic, antimony, lead) are also found in several items, but in very small concentrations (up to 2 %). The use of tin bronze in items of the Late Bronze Age is a distinctive feature of the Central European tradition and allows us to attribute the alloys of the items studied to the Carpatho-Transylvanian metallurgical province.

Cereals from the Late Bronze Age Fortified Settlement of Tállya-Óvár

This paper aims to present new archaeobotanical data from the Late Bronze Age settlement of Tállya-Óvár in the North Hungarian Mountains. Upon investigating the area around a bronze hoard found earlier, the floor of a building was unearthed, and 16 archaeobotanical samples were taken. The interpretation of the botanical finds was difficult due to a low to medium density of remains and the judgement sampling method. This paper focuses mainly on cereal remains, attempting to interpret them by comparing them with the record of contemporary sites in Hungary and placing them in a broader European context. The samples from Tállya-Óvár were dominated by spelt, barley, and millet. In general, the archaeobotanical assemblage fits the hypotheses concerning Late Bronze Age agriculture. These results are important because no archaeobotanical data have yet been published from high-altitude fortified settlements in the North Hungarian Mountains.

Special Ceramic Figurines from the Late Bronze Age Settlement of Baks-Temetőpart

A planned excavation was conducted at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Baks-Temetőpart (Csongrád–Csanád County, Hungary) in 2007 by Gábor V. Szabó with archaeologists and students of the Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Archaeological Sciences (Budapest). A previously known but unexcavated, rather large, and intensive settlement was researched during the short campaign. More than 4,000 ceramic objects were discovered in different pits, with 71 special ceramic objects among them. This article evaluates these anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, wagon- and wheel models, sun discs, and miniature vessels that can give us some insight into the beliefs and ways of artistic expression of the classical Gáva pottery style community of Baks-Temetőpart.

The ritual context of pottery deposits from the Late Bronze Age settlement at Wrocław Widawa in southwestern Poland

In this paper, I survey archaeological evidence for deliberate deposits mostly containing ceramic vessels but also stones and animal bones. They were discovered at a Late Bronze Age settlement, dated to the 9th-8th centuries, situated in the northern part of the contemporary city of Wrocław in southwestern Poland. Their stratigraphical contexts indicate that their deposition took place at the very end of the use of the site, i.e. after the accumulation of the thick occupational layers. Based on the fine preservation of the vessels and their distribution, I argue that they are remains of practices performed in a common settlement area, resulting in the deposition of used ceramics. I also refer to a broad concept of the notion of ‘pottery deposits’ and compare the presented evidence with similar finds from other sites with a similar chronology.

A Red Lustrous Wheel-Made Spindle Bottle with an Egyptian Hieroglyphic Inscription in the Egypt Centre, Swansea University, Wales

A Red Lustrous Wheel-made Ware, a ceramic product from the second half of the second millennium BC, has turned up in Late Bronze Age settlements and cemeteries in Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Cyprus, with occasional specimens also found in the Aegean. Its places of origin and manufacture have not yet been conclusively determined, though they were almost certainly located around the north-eastern corner of the Mediterranean, with Cilicia being the most favoured candidate. The commonest type is the spindle bottle, of which a specimen in the Egypt Centre of Swansea University in Wales, exceptionally, has an Egyptian hieroglyphic inscription down one side of the body. The bottle has no provenance, but circumstantial evidence favours a findspot in Egypt, probably a tomb. Disappointingly, the inscription tells us nothing about the place the vessel was made at or its contents but indicates that the text was added much later than the bottle’s production.

Building identities : breaks and continuity in construction practices at the Late Bronze Age settlement of the Serraglio on Kos.

Building identities : breaks and continuity in construction practices at the Late Bronze Age settlement of the Serraglio on Kos.