Location Of Archaeological Sites Research Articles

Exploratory Network Reconstruction with Sparse Archaeological Data and XTENT

This contribution discusses methods for reconstructing the links of past physical networks, based on archaeological site locations and mathematical models of few parameters. Networks are ubiquitous features of human culture. They structure the geographical patterning of the archaeological record strongly. But while material evidence of networked social interaction is abundant (e.g. similarities in artefact types and technologies), preserved physical remains of the networks (such as roads) are much rarer, making it difficult, if not impossible, to understand the spatial structure of cultural exchange and diffusion. This raises the intractably complex problem of optimal physical network reconstruction, based solely on the known locations of archaeological finds or sites. We address the tractable subproblem of plausible reconstruction of network links. Using a small sample set of Late Bronze Age settlement sites in and around the Mediterranean, we explore model-based network reconstruction from sparse and legacy archaeological data. A hierarchical model is provided by a network-adapted version of Renfrew and Level’s (1979) classic XTENT formula. We show that a GIS-based implementation, that utilises cost surfaces, offers significantly increased realism and analytical advantages. Our approach represents an alternative (with its specific strengths and weaknesses) to more data-intense and computationally complex approaches, such as agent-based models and simulations. The network reconstruction software used in this study (v.net.models) is available under an open source license.

Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene human settlement and environmental dynamics in the southern Atacama Desert highlands (24.0°S–24.5°S, Northern Chile)

AbstractThe earliest known population of the Atacama Desert coincided with the Central Andean Pluvial Event II (CAPE II), an extensive pluvial event recorded during the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene (13,800–8,500 cal years BP). A large number of archaeological sites from this period have been found along the borders of the Imilac and Punta Negra (24.5°S) high‐altitude basins (ca. 3,000 masl). By combining the results of proxy data obtained from geomorphological, sedimentological, and paleoecological (rodent middens) archives and the spatial location of archaeological sites and radiocarbon series analyses, this paper examines the links between human activities and paleoenvironmental dynamics at different times during CAPE II in the southern Atacama Desert. This is done at a finer spatial and temporal scale than previous studies. The first archaeological sites (ca. 12,000–11,200 cal years BP) are concomitant with increased paleowetland occurrence frequency. An occupational hiatus is recorded between 11,200 and 10,800 cal years BP, synchronous with a drop in precipitation and wetland development. This is followed by a displacement of the archaeological sites toward the south‐east of the Punta Negra Basin and concomitant again with a second peak of wetland development in the area (10,800–10,400 cal years BP) before the final abandonment of the salt flat margins.

Иммерсивные технологии в популяризации археологического наследия Новотроицкого некрополя

Purpose. The modern learning process is impossible to imagine without the involvement of local lore knowledge. The article is devoted to summing up the results of the implementation of the project ‘Science to School’. The article summarizes the experience of integrating the object of archaeological heritage – the Novotroitsky necropolis, into the educational and tourist space of the Talmensky district of the Altai Region. In the process of implementing the project, a set of activities was carried out, including lectures, ‘live lessons’, master classes on the reconstruction of ceramics, clothing, jewelry, a scientific and practical conference, a photo exhibition, an expedition to the excavation sites, and the installation of commemorative signs. Results. The educational and methodological manual ‘Archaeology at School’ prepared within the framework of the project for teachers and students provides a short, illustrated glossary that gives an idea of the appearance and location of various archaeological sites in the Altai territory and educational and methodological developments applicable in the preparation of school research projects on archaeology. It contributes to the expansion of historical and local lore knowledge about the archaeology of the Altai territory and gives them an actual voice in the modern development of the region. In educational activities, the training manual is used as additional literature for the courses ‘Archaeological tourism’, ‘Archaeology of the Altai region’. Alongside the main and additional literature, the educational and methodological manual is recommended for students preparing final qualifying works in pedagogical archaeology. Conclusion. The authors come to the conclusion that a comprehensive museumification of the entire ensemble of the studied site should serve as a full-fledged prospective integration into the tourist space of the Novotroitsky necropolis area. The educational potential of an object of archaeological heritage can be revealed through the use of a meta-subject approach.

Research Ancient Artifact Identification Methods under Intelligent Perception and Recognition Technology

Over the last two decades, the identification of ancient artifacts has been regarded as one of the most challenging tasks for archaeologists. Chinese people consider these artifacts as symbols of their cultural heritage. The development of technology has helped in the identification of ancient artifacts to a greater extent. The study preferred machine‐learning algorithms to identify the ancient artifacts found throughout China. The major cities of China were selected for the study and classified the cities based on different features like temple, modern city, harbour, battle, and South China. The study used a decision tree algorithm for recognition and gradient boosting for perception aspects. According to the findings of the study, the algorithms produced 98% accuracy and prediction in detecting ancient artifacts in China. The proposed models provide a good indicator for detecting archaeological site locations.

A Gravity Search for Oil and Gas and Groundwater in Egypt Using the Strike Angles Derived from EIGEN 6C4

We correlate the gravity aspects (descriptors), namely the strike angles, derived from a recent gravity field model, with the known oil, gas and groundwater deposits/reservoirs and hypothetical paleolakes with the locations of archaeological sites. This allows us to extrapolate the investigation, by analogy, to unknown regions. The gravity aspects, derived from the EIGEN 6C4 gravity field model, are used, together with EMAG 2 magnetic anomalies and ETOPO 1 topography model, for the investigation of oil, gas and water deposits in Egypt. One of the gravity aspects, s/c strike angle, is significantly combed (oriented in one direction locally) in places where the known deposits exist. However, they are combed also in some other places. This may be used as a guide as to where to seek new and promising deposits. Accounting for the combed strike angles and the relationship between gravity anomalies and height differences, we reconstructed potential paleolakes under thick sand layers in the Great Sand Sea, Western Egypt (our previous work), and between Kharga and Toshka, Southern Egypt (this work), consistent with the known archaeological sites.

Human existence potential in Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum

Archaeological records indicate that many regions in Europe remained unoccupied by hunter-gatherers during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), probably due to the harsh climatic conditions and glacial extent. In the populated regions of southwestern Europe, a new technocomplex, the Solutrean, is known to have emerged among hunter-gatherers but did not reach the regions east of 10°E. To better understand human occupation of Europe during the LGM, Human Existence Potential (HEP) is presented, which expresses the suitability of a region with given environmental conditions for habitation by hunter-gatherers. We estimate the HEP based on archaeological site locations and reconstructed climate/environment data. By geostatistically upscaling archaeological site distributions into Core Areas, we distinguish areas that were likely to have been continuously occupied by hunter-gatherers from areas intermittently occupied. The use of Core Areas in the model improves the description of regions of continuous human presence, removing some of the previously observed mismatches between reconstructions and archaeological records. Using HEP, important anthropological and archaeological questions can be studied. Environmental Human Catchment (EHC) and Best Potential Path (BPP) are applied to quantify an area of HEP attraction and the lowest-cost path between two areas, respectively. With these tools, we characterize the potential connections between the Core Areas, the environmental barriers and possible social and technological interactions. A clear difference in environmental adaptation is found between the populations in western and eastern Europe, with a significant climate barrier preventing the propagation of the Solutrean to eastern Europe.

Ethics and Best Practices for Mapping Archaeological Sites

AbstractArchaeologists are tasked with balancing a call to open data and the need to maintain confidentiality of sensitive archaeological site locations. Low-resolution mapping and data aggregation are the methods most commonly used to hide site locations; however, we understand little of the effectiveness of these practices. Trends in geomasking, obscuring observed geographic points, to anonymize public health data are suggested as a source of methods for sharing archaeological site data. Archaeologists have available to them a number of geomasking methods that balance open data and site security in different ways. Low-resolution mapping at several scales and random direction with fixed radius, random perturbation donut, and Gaussian donut techniques are tested on a set of archaeological site locations. Random perturbation donuts resulted in the best balance between obscuring archaeological locations and conveying observed spatial patterning. Researchers should carefully consider how they convey archaeological location data, as commonly used low-resolution scales may not provide the desired level of obscurity. Researchers should also be explicit as to how and why their methods of site visualization are chosen.

A Phase I Cultural Resource Survey for the Proposed Six Mile Boat Ramp Expansion Project (Texas Antiquities Permit #9155)

Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., personnel completed a records review and cultural resource survey for the proposed expansion of the existing Six Mile Boat Ramp in Sabine County, Texas. This work was performed to assist the Sabine River Authority of Texas in complying with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665, 16 U.S.C. 470h-2) as an applicant for a Section 404 Clean Water Act Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the provisions of the Texas Administrative Code regarding archaeological resources on public lands. The Texas Administrative Code requires review of projects on state-owned lands by the Texas Antiquities Commission. The Sabine River Authority of Texas is considered a political subdivision of the State of Texas, and therefore it has a responsibility to provide the Texas Antiquities Commission an opportunity to review projects that may affect potential or designated archaeological sites. This project was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit (No. 9155). All work was performed pursuant to the guidelines published by the Council of Texas Archeologists and adopted by the Texas Historical Commission, and this report was prepared following the short report format in the Guidelines for Cultural Resource Management Reports published by the Council of Texas Archeologists. The current proposed project includes the expansion of the Six Mile Boat Ramp on the Toledo Bend Reservoir in Sabine County, Texas. The proposed development includes the addition of a handicap-accessible floating boat ramp, the clearing of approximately 0.4 ha (1.0 acre) of trees, the construction of a parking area, the addition of a vault toilet, the addition of two tables on concrete platforms, and the clearing of trees along the shoreline to provide an enhanced scenic view. In order to provide some flexibility in siting these facilities, the direct and visual areas of potential effect for this project were within a polygon adhering on its southern and western boundaries to the property line, and roughly buffered to the north and east by the existing shoreline of the Toledo Bend Reservoir. It is estimated that the area of potential effect for this project measures 1.2 ha (3.0 acres), of which approximately 0.9 ha (2.2 acres) could be surveyed, excluding paved surfaces. The records review for this project was conducted on October 18, 2019, prior to the commencement of the field survey, to identify cultural resources or cultural resource investigations previously documented within the area. This file search utilized online files maintained by the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory at the University of Texas. Additionally, historic maps were examined to identify the locations of any potential historic archaeological sites. The records review indicated that one previously documented site, 41SB58, was located within approximately 50 m (164 ft) to the north of the proposed project area. Additionally, one historic structure was depicted within the project area on historic mapping. Fieldwork was conducted on November 19, 2019, and was completed in 11.5 person hours. The project area was systematically investigated by pedestrian survey and screened shovel tests spaced at a 30 m (98 ft) interval on pedestrian transects spaced at 30 m. The fieldwork for this project resulted in one newly recorded isolated find that is not eligible for designation as a Texas State Archeological Landmark or for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Based on the findings of this work, it is recommended that the project area be considered cleared from a cultural resource perspective.

Методический семинар «Сохранение объектов археологического наследия Российский Азии: результаты и тенденции»

Purpose. In modern society, issues of preserving cultural heritage are of constant relevance. This is due to the ongoing struggle for the realization of the interests of a large number of agents. The participants in this process are executive authorities, academic institutions, commercial organizations and economic entities. The interests of each agent are in their own plane whose extreme points intersect with the planes of other agents. Consequently, all parties involved in preserving cultural heritage have points of convergence of their interests. In order to arrange preservation of cultural heritage as a common project, it is necessary to develop communication at the points of convergence of the interests. For this purpose, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of SB RAS conducted a methodological seminar on March 4–5, 2019, that brought together archaeologists from Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East. The workshop was attended by representatives of institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences and executive authorities, as well as practicing archaeologists and experts. The extensive geography of the participants and the opportunity to communicate “at the same table” allowed us to openly discuss topical issues. Results. The main topics of discussion were changes in the federal legislation related to the preservation of cultural heritage. The main issue here is enormous complexity of its adequate and full application at the local level. However, in some cases, efforts of regional executive bodies help to solve these problems quite effectively. The other side of the issue is preparation of proposals for a change in the regulatory documents governing such areas of the economy as forestry and subsoil use. The issue of systematizing information on cultural heritage sites, which is currently accumulated in various institutions, has acquired particular relevance. This is due to its colossal scale and increased interest in the results of analytical studies of the laws addressing spatial location of archaeological sites. Conclusion. The outcome of the seminar was its resolution presented in this paper. The paragraphs of the resolution reflect the main conclusions and proposed solutions that were agreed by various specialists during the general discussion. This event, as a platform for communication, is extremely important for establishing a common position of the scientific archaeological community.

Spatial modeling of archaeological site locations based on summed probability distributions and hot-spot analyses: A case study from the Three Kingdoms Period, Korea

Archaeologists typically use radiocarbon ages to date human activities on archaeological sites. However, radiocarbon ages can also serve as independent proxies for human demographic patterns through space and time. Spatial modeling of archaeological data often involves taking diachronic datasets and developing synchronic views of the distribution of cultural patterns. Here, we evaluate spatial dynamics of human activity areas assayed by radiocarbon ages in the Baekje Kingdom of Korea before and after the invasion of Koguryeo, which is historically documented as occurring in AD 475. The statistical techniques used in this research apply spatial autocorrelations on archaeological sites with weighted attributes from summed probability distributions (SPDs) to evaluate regional scale diachronic changes from radiocarbon datasets. Ripley's K analysis shows an increasing tendency toward clustering of weighted SPD attributes from sites after AD 325. The Getis-Ord Gi* statistic shows the changing hot spots of Baekje settlement shift prior and concurrent to the establishment of a military zone in northern Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The settlement systems realign from clusters in the north and south of the province to clusters in the southeast with avoidance of the north.

An Islandscape IFD: Using the Ideal Free Distribution to Predict Pre-Columbian Settlements from Grenada to St. Vincent, Eastern Caribbean

ABSTRACT This study employs an ideal free distribution (IFD) model to conduct a fine-grained analysis of environmental factors affecting the pre-Columbian colonisation sequence and settlement patterning in the southern Lesser Antilles of the Eastern Caribbean. We compiled a database of all known archaeological site locations and associated chronological data from St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada, and vetted this dataset for accuracy. We then performed multivariate statistical analysis of the vetted site data and 24 environmental variables hypothesised to influence settlement habitat quality, including soil attributes, proximity to freshwater/stream beds, structure and sizes of marine environments, and net primary productivity (NPP) layers. Iterative testing and refinement of the model allowed for the creation of a predictive map of pre-Columbian archaeological sites over time. Results indicate proximity to freshwater wetlands, NPP, and reef size were important variables influencing habitat choice. Additionally, latitude (distance from the equator) was also a significant variable, indicating support for a proposed colonisation of the southern Lesser Antilles that began in the northern Caribbean, rather than the south. Lastly, we provide a site inventory and map of predicted site locations that can aid in the management of threatened archaeological resources within the study region.

Re-Discovering Ancient Landscapes: Archaeological Survey of Mound Features from Historical Maps in Northwest India and Implications for Investigating the Large-Scale Distribution of Cultural Heritage Sites in South Asia

Incomplete datasets curtail the ability of archaeologists to investigate ancient landscapes, and there are archaeological sites whose locations remain unknown in many parts of the world. To address this problem, we need additional sources of site location data. While remote sensing data can often be used to address this challenge, it is enhanced when integrated with the spatial data found in old and sometimes forgotten sources. The Survey of India 1” to 1-mile maps from the early twentieth century are one such dataset. These maps documented the location of many cultural heritage sites throughout South Asia, including the locations of numerous mound features. An initial study georeferenced a sample of these maps covering northwest India and extracted the location of many potential archaeological sites—historical map mound features. Although numerous historical map mound features were recorded, it was unknown whether these locations corresponded to extant archaeological sites. This article presents the results of archaeological surveys that visited the locations of a sample of these historical map mound features. These surveys revealed which features are associated with extant archaeological sites, which were other kinds of landscape features, and which may represent archaeological mounds that have been destroyed since the maps were completed nearly a century ago. Their results suggest that there remain many unreported cultural heritage sites on the plains of northwest India and the mound features recorded on these maps best correlate with older archaeological sites. They also highlight other possible changes in the large-scale and long-term distribution of settlements in the region. The article concludes that northwest India has witnessed profound changes in its ancient settlement landscapes, creating in a long-term sequence of landscapes that link the past to the present and create a foundation for future research and preservation initiatives.

Geostatistical analysis of historical contingency and land use footprints in the prehistoric settlement dynamics of the South Carolina Piedmont, North America

We present a high-resolution geostatistical analysis of prehistoric archaeological site locations and land use footprints for the South Carolina Piedmont of North America using archaeological survey data, multivariate logistic regression techniques, and fuzzy set theory. Our analysis uses archaeological site locations and generalizations about prehistoric economic systems to quantitatively model land use footprints and to test hypotheses derived from the archaeology of human-environment interactions. Specifically, we test the differential influence of landscape suitability and historical contingency as factors differentially influencing site location in immediate and delayed return economies. Our results highlight temporal variability in the influence of material factors (landforms and the residuum of previous occupations) on the selection of settlement and land use locations over the long term. We argue that our results indicate high potential for land use legacies beginning with the introduction of ceramic technologies. These landscape legacies were likely positive for human populations in that they improved the quality of ecosystems services and the reliability of provisioning.

The landscape indication of archaeological sites in the environs of the Ortolyk River (Altai)

The paper concentrates on the analysis of the landscape location of archaeological sites in the Ortolyk river valley. The studied region is located in the South-Eastern Altai between Kurai and North-Chuisky ridges, north-west of the Kurai village. The location scheme of archaeological sites and the landscape map were created for the historical archaeological and landscape analysis conducted in the format of ArcGIS 10.1. GIS-cartography archaeological sites in the field was carried out with the help of GPS navigator. During the field study the coordinates of 174 archaeological sites were determined, conceivably 78% of which belong to the Scythian period, 5% to the Turkic period, 17% - dating difficult. The majority of the monuments are stone burial mounds, memorial structures, balbals, etc. The archaeological sites were found at altitudes of 1590 to 1710 meters. Landscape maps are based on the field research, a digital elevation model (DEM), high-resolution satellite images, geomorphological maps (scale 1:200,000) and maps of quaternary sediments (scale 1:200,000) and topographic maps (scale 1:50000). The largest area, 42%, is covered with low gradient slopes (3° to 10°) mountain ranges of southern exposure, composed of ancient lake deposits and diluvial deposits with wormwood-low-bunchgrass steppes, low-bunchgrass steppes, sometimes feather grass-low- bunchgrass-wormwood steppes on the chestnut soil. GIS-cartography of the archaeological sites shows that for their construction ancient people purposefully chose level surfaces or gentle slopes with open dry steppe landscapes (wormwood-low-bunchgrass steppe and low-bunchgrass steppe). These landscapes were good grazing lands in the Scythian and Turkic periods. Now, the local population uses them for grazing of the livestock: cows, horses, sheep, and goats. The visibility of the snowy mountaintops played an important role in the selection of the location for construction sites. In the studied area, the panorama of North-Chuisky ridge with its snow-capped peaks is clearly visible.

Remote-sensing data-based Archaeological Predictive Model (APM) for archaeological site mapping in desert area, South Morocco

Morocco hosts numerous archaeological sites, some of which are part of the UNESCO world heritage. Many of these sites, especially funerary mounds also called tumuli, or rock engravings and ceramics, are located in remote areas with limited access, particularly in the Saharan Morocco desert. We developed a remote sensing and GIS model to identify areas with high potential for hosting archaeological sites in the Awserd region of southern Morocco. A field campaign in a “reference site” zone of 21km2 has revealed 233 archaeological sites. Here we use satellite images and Digital Elevation Models to examine with various techniques (spatial analysis, statistical techniques, and fuzzy logic functions) the relations between the distribution of the archaeological sites and geo-environmental variables such as ground geology, topographic elevation and slope, orientation (aspect), and distance to water sources. We derive empirical relations that reveal that the distribution of archaeological sites depends on the above geo-environmental variables. We then use the empirical relations to anticipate the potential locations of archaeological sites in a region of 980km2 enclosing the reference site area. The model proves capable of predicting 582 sites in the larger region. Subsequent field observations there confirmed that about 80% of the model anticipations were correct. Our Archaeological Predictive Model (APM) can be scaled to larger areas and varied geographic settings, and hence can be a useful guide for archeological studies in desert regions.

Predictive modeling for archaeological site locations: Comparing logistic regression and maximal entropy in north Israel and north-east China

Archaeological predictive modeling is a tool that helps assess the likelihood of archaeological sites being present at different locations in the landscape. Such models are used for research purposes, as an analytical tool to better explain settlement patterns and past human behavior. They are also an important tool for the preservation of archaeological sites, as they can help planners avoid areas where sites are likely to exist. In this study we compare two methods of predictive modeling for archaeological site locations using two independent case studies. The more commonly used method of logistic regression is compared with a newer method of maximal entropy (MaxEnt). We examine the effectiveness of both models on two independent datasets collected from the Upper Galilee (northern Israel) and the Fuxin area (northeast China). While both methods have proven useful, in both cases the MaxEnt models produced much better results, which were much more efficient, than those of the logistic regression.

Ancient settlement dynamics and predictive archaeological models for the Metapontum coastal area in Basilicata, southern Italy: from geomorphological survey to spatial analysis

In the ancient territory of the Greek settlement of Metaponto and its Chora (Ionian sector of Basilicata, southern Italy) geomorphological mapping, GIS-supported statistics, and landform topographic features were investigated and combined to extract settlement rules and site dynamics. Analyses of environmental dynamics as well as of spatial and temporal settlement evolution were carried through an integrated approach that, starting from a detailed geomorphological analysis, tried to extract the spatial relationships between archaeological site locations and landform/landscape features. Spatial analysis was used to investigate the relationships between environmental parameters and archaeological sites. The advantages to develop a predictive model using Archeological Spatial Evaluation (ASE) analysis lay in the possibility to deeply study the relationships between man and the environment. In the present study, the analysis was carried out in a pioneering way in the ~400 km2 Metaponto territory in order to robustly validate - in the aftermath data - human and territorial dynamics. A model describing interactions between sites and parameters such as elevation, slope, aspect, landforms, land use, and distances from rivers was constructed. Sensibility maps were produced, which will help archaeologists to know how many and which are the parameters increasing the probability to find new archaeological sites as well as how the main geomorphological features of the study area, contextualized within the most likely paleoclimate scenario, affect ancient site arrangement though time. The preferential occupation of mid-altitude marine terraces, and the consequence spreading of agriculture on these territories, is likely due to the existence of well-developed soil profiles on them. Clearly colonists recognized that on these landform units there were the better conditions for the development of massive agricultural practices: since the SP age (4,1 to 2,0 Kyr B.P.) the settlers expands inland looking for most fertile territories as well as for areas sufficiently protected (being far away from the coast). The increase in farmhouses on the top of marine terraces from the FC up to EC-EE periods and the modifications of settlement distribution (gradual abandonment of alluvial) in the Metaponto area is likely related to the acceleration of alluvial processes. The progressive decrease of human occupation during the Hellenistic up to the Roman Age is clearly consequence of the Roman conquest. However, a role played by the increase in flooding occurrence in the coastal plain/floodplains of the main rivers in triggering the abandonment of these territories and marking the beginning of the decadent phases should not be neglected. Productive areas (locally associated to farmhouses) are preferential set along the fluvial incisions (sometime associated to farmhouses), thus implying that productive area setting is strongly linked to the presence of rivers, and of their lower rank tributaries, both as an intrinsic need of manufacturing and to facilitate the spreading of products. From the Classical to the Hellenistic Age until the Roman Age, Necropolis are spread in the entire area, from marine terraces to alluvial plain. On the other hand, Sacred areas - which appearance is recorded starting from the Colony Foundation Age - exhibits a settlement continuity in the study area starting from this time up to the entire Roman period, and the sacred areas setting is strictly associated to the category of Settlement.

Complex studies of the territory of the Berezovoslobodsky archaeological complex on the Lower Sukhona

The following paper deals with complex studies of the compact location of archaeological sites, including various sites and settlements in the key area of Beryozovaya Slobodka in the Lower Sukhona basin (eastern part of the Vologda region). In the course of landscape studies, the geomorphology of the site was refined, the confinement of the different parking places to various relief elements and the priority factors of ancient settlement preferences were determined. Landscape studies of the ancient population life support zone showed that relatively safe location and provision of the ancient population by various economic lands and natural resources were determined by the complexity and high diversity of the landscape structure formed at the junction of the valley-slope complexes of the Sukhona and the Uftyuga flowing into the Sukhona. Geochemical studies of alluvial-soil sediments in the multi-layered settlement of Berezovaya Slobodka II-III, containing cultural layers from the era of the final Paleolithic to the early Iron Age, made it possible to characterize the climatic conditions for the formation of cultural horizons, to estimate the periods of ancient anthropogenic influence and draw conclusions about the character of the reservoir and the periods of the river terraces formation.

Connection of the Late Paleolithic archaeological sites of the Chuya depression with geological evidence of existence of the Late Pleistocene ice-dammed lakes

The complexity of the age dating of the Pleistocene ice-dammed paleolakes in the Altai Mountains is a reason why geologists consider the Early Paleolithic archaeological sites as an independent age marker for dating geological objects. However, in order to use these sites for paleogeographic reconstructions, their locations, the character of stratification, and the age of stone artifacts need to be comprehensively studied. We investigate 20 Late Paleolithic archaeological sites discovered in the Chuya depression of the Russian Altai (Altai Mountains) with the aim of their possible use for reconstructions of the period of development of the Kurai–Chuya glacio-limnosystem in the Late Neopleistocene. The results of our investigation show that it is improper to use the Paleolithic archaeological sites for the dating of the existence period and the draining time of ice-dammed lakes of the Chuya Depression in the modern period of their study owing to a lack of quantitative age estimates, a wide age range of possible existence of these sites, possible redeposition of the majority of artifacts, and their surface occurrence. It is established that all stratified sites where cultural layers are expected to be dated in the future lie above the uppermost and well-expressed paleolake level (2100 m a.s.l.). Accordingly, there are no grounds to determine the existence time of shallower paleolakes. Since the whole stone material collected below the level of 2100 m a.s.l. is represented by surface finds, it is problematic to use these artifacts for absolute geochronology. The Late Paleolithic Bigdon and Chechketerek sites are of great interest for paleogeographic reconstructions of ice-dammed lakes. The use of iceberg rafting products as cores is evidence that these sites appeared after the draining of a paleolake (2000 m a.s.l.). At this time, the location of these archaeological sites on the slope of the Chuya Depression allows one to assume the existence of a large lake as deep as 250 m synchronously with the above paleolake or later. The location of the lowermost archaeological sites is evidence that a paleolake could have existed at an altitude below 1770 m a.s.l. in the Late Neopleistocene–Early Holocene. The absolute geochronology of the archaeological sites (cultural layers in multilayered sites, split surfaces on dropstones, etc.) can be useful for further reconstructions of the existence time, depths, and a number of ice-dammed lakes in the Kurai–Chuya system of depressions.

Protected Places: A Survey of Laws on Archaeological Site and Cave Location Confidentiality and Their Potential Impact on Library Reference Policies and Services

Librarians who work with maps and other forms of spatial information are often asked for information about the location of a place. These questions can range from the location of a village or farm where an ancestor lived to more cryptic questions, such as the location of the Garden of Eden based on its Biblical description. Most librarians will attempt to answer locational questions by directing users to resources such as gazetteers, atlases, maps, and plat books. However, the locations of archaeological sites and caves are protected by federal and state laws. This article provides a summary of federal and state laws protecting archaeological sites and caves, the reasons for the laws, issues to consider when asked for locations of archaeological sites and caves, and additionally, suggests a policy for dealing with users requesting information about archaeological sites and caves.