Prehistoric Sites Research Articles

Indonesian Archaeobotanic Research Development

The application of archaeobotany has been increasing for the last ten years in Indonesia, especially for studying the prehistoric human occupation. Indonesia has incredible biodiversity in flora, and the application of archaeobotanical methods and techniques is essential for understanding people-plant relationships in the past. It is also able to support and complement archaeological results and interpretations developed from analyses of other types of material culture. This paper examines archaeobotanical research in Indonesia through available published literature. The result demonstrates archaeobotanical analyses strengthen and enhance the interpretations of archaeological data and highlight the biases in the application towards prehistoric sites. Our research suggests that more recent archaeological sites have great potential for the application of archaeobotany. This approach needs to be introduced in the early stages of all project planning and research so that suitable recovery methods can be utilized, and adequate time and finances for analyses are factored in. The availability of facilities, infrastructure, and human resources to analyze archaeobotanical data will bring more opportunities for analyses in this field.

Paul Bishop: the early years in Australia and Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Paul Bishop began his undergraduate studies in the School of Earth Sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia at a time when plate tectonics had begun to revolutionize our understanding of landscape evolution. His doctoral research on the late Cenozoic evolution of the upper Lachlan Valley in the Eastern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, required an integrated study of the combined impacts of Cenozoic tectonism, vulcanism and erosion in this region. His research interest in erosion, tectonism and landscape evolution in a variety of global settings persisted until he retired. Another influence early in his undergraduate career was working with a team of archaeologists excavating prehistoric sites in the Ethiopian Rift Valley to unravel late Quaternary environments (including climate) in this tectonically and volcanically active region.

The modern field museums: A link between science and community

Several prehistoric sites have been studied intensively through surveys and excavations by the former National Research Center of Archeology. The extraordinary scientific information of those archaeological sites is barely conveyed to the wide audience. Realizing this situation, the Government of Indonesia, through the Directorate General of Culture (Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology), has established eight site museums for prehistoric sites and nineteen historical and ethnographical museums. The site museums are including: five clusters of Sangiran, three of Semedo, Song Terus, Gua Harimau sites. Although there is no generally accepted tight definition of an archaeological site museum, several characteristics stand out. An archaeological site museum is not just a storehouse for findings made at a particular excavation. It is a place for both research and education. That is why the site museums are realized in accordance with the provisions of a modern museum, not only to apply the modern techniques displayed for the audience, coffee shop and souvenirs, but also other facilities such as storage, laboratories, workshops, audio-visual rooms, seminar rooms, and researchers’ housing. The positive impacts of the construction of modern museums by the Directorate General of Culture is the number of visitors increase dramatically, as shown by Sangiran Museum. The community is immediately close to the museum, and vice versa, the museum is less distant from the community. The museum and the community come closer and closer, and the museum became a link between science and community.

한평생 한국 신석기 문화를 세계에 알린 사라 넬슨(Sarah M. Nelson) 교수를 추모하며

The news of the passing of Professor Sarah Nelson who had dedicated her life on investigating Korean Neolithic Culture was received on April 27th 2020.
 As a person with a special friendship with her who have walked along the same path for the last 5 decades, her abrupt passing has placed me in a great sorrow. I offer my most sincere condolences on behalf of all members of the Korean Archaeological Society.
 Our first encounter was made at the sandy fields of the prehistoric site at Amsa-dong. Back in 1970, a student working on her doctoral degree at University of Michigan was performing an 1-year on-site survey at the sandy beach near Han-River trying to collect data for her research on Neolithic Culture.
 Right there, our first encounter was made. During those days I was also conducting survey near the sites in Han-River for 1 year funded by Ministry of Education. She seemed like she was also delighted by this unexpected encounter. We gladly agreed some of the collected data from survey to be jointly published. Since then daily survey and data analysis continued and the combined result was published in Journal of Korean Archaeological society under the title, ｢Implications of the Sizes of Comb-pattern Vessels in Han River Sites in Korea｣.
 In 1973, after receiving her doctoral degree with her thesis ｢Chulmun Period Villages on the Han River in Korea, Subsistence and Settlement｣, she started her academic career as a tenure tarck faculty at University of Denver in the state of Colorado. Her published thesis drew attention in relation to whether the theory and methodology of L. Binford on New Archaeology can be applied in regions other than the United States. Back in those days many of archaeological interpretation relied on “diffusion” and those chronology focused research were recognized as main stream archaeology. In 1962, Binford emphasized the irrationalism of the previous researches in his paper ｢Archaeology as Anthropology｣ and released a new theory stating that understanding social aspect is also possible through the study of material culture. The research of professor Nelson on the basin of Han-River caught more attention, for it became the first research on Korean Peninsula to be performed within the framework of New Archaeology.
 Even after that, professor Nelson published the total of 9 books and up to 150 articles on the archaeology of North-Eastern China and Neolithic Korea, establishing her fame as the leader of this field.
 Of her publications, 『The Archaeology of Korea』 (1993)became the foundation for understanding Korean archaeology. In 『Gender in Archaeology: Analyzing Power and Prestige』 she exposed her thoughts on how the matriarchal society in Neolith age transformed into patriarchal society in modern days.
 Back in 1996 at Honolulu, she witnessed an overwhelming moment of the separation of Korean Archaeology from being part of those of China and Japan. Back in 1980, only limited number of Korean Neolithic sites were excavated and none of them were found in Gangwon Province leaving the region as a chronological vacant. In this circumstance, when the news of the excavation at Osan-ri site by Seoul National University delivered to the United States, professor Nelson instantly appeared at site as if she was already their. As the team dug more into the sand dunes surrounded by lakes and sea, more they’d find the house pits left by the dwellers of Osan-ri. Near the hearth, various artifacts including net sinker, fish hook, stone saw, face figurine, were unearthed. With the initial application of water flotation in Korean Archaeology, number of plant remains including acorn and insects’ feces were found.
 With her keen insight and sensitivity from studying theology back in university years, she wrote a novel titled 『Spirit Bird Journey』 based on the inspiration she received from the Osan-ri prehistoric site. With this book, we can “read” her thoughts on matriarchal Neolith society and gender in Archaeology.

The Archaeo-Mineralogy of Tapeh Kelar’s potsherds dated to the Late Chalcolithic, Early Bronze, and Middle Bronze Ages

Potsherds are very important for the archaeological research because they may date a site, reveal clues about art, technology, and subsistence of people. Potteries show the relationships and exchanges between people from different regions. The Kelar Hill (from now on Tapeh Kelar), Kelardasht region, is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the west of Mazandaran, in north-western Iran. Tapeh Kelar contains cultural materials from the Late Chalcolithic in the fourth millennium BC up to the Islamic Age. The Kura-Araxes context is one of the most significant discoveries of this area. Because Kura-Araxes culture originated far from Tapeh Kelar (in the Southern Caucasus), the primary concern of the present study focused on the structure of the potteries of the site in transitional phase from the Late Chalcolithic to Kura-Araxes and on finding the changes or differences. The study also tries to find the answer to the question whether the Kura-Araxes pots emerged due to exotic agents or not. Twenty five pieces of potsherds from the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age periods were studied by petrographic method to compare the mineralogical texture of the Late Chalcolithic and the Middle Bronze Age potsherds with those of Kura-Araxes. Studies show that the pots of Kura-Araxes at this site are local products despite some changes in their texture due to source change; therefore, the idea that Kura-Araxes tradition potteries were first brought by way of exchange or trade and then copied by local potters is negated.

First Data from the Prehistoric Site Complex of Cueva del Arco (Murcia, Spain)

The southern Iberian Peninsula is a key area for understanding the timing and patterns of the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition. Recently, the excavation and study of new sites have provided new insights on this topic. The aim of this paper is to introduce Cueva del Arco, a site complex featuring distinct caves and rock shelters. Cueva del Arco is located at a short distance from the Almadenes gorge (Cieza, Spain) and preserves both Middle and Upper Palaeolithic deposits and assemblages, as well as rock art. Despite being known since the 1990s for its Palaeolithic rock art, systematic fieldwork was never undertaken at the site until recently. We here report the first results of a research programme that includes the systematic excavation of several cavities belonging to the Cueva del Arco complex, focusing on the location and context of the site, its stratigraphy and chronology, and site formation. Research at the site is still ongoing, but preliminary results suggest that the data from Cueva del Arco will provide new clues to the current debate on the transition from Neanderthals to anatomically modern humans in southern Europe.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of prehistoric pottery shards found at Gua Kelew, Nenggiri Valley, Kelantan, Malaysia

Gua Kelew is one of the newly discovered caves by archaeological researchers in Malaysia. This cave has the potential to become one of Malaysia’s prehistoric sites from the findings from site surveys and archaeological excavations. Among the artifacts that were found are stone tools, earthenware, ceramics, snail shells, cave paintings and animal bones. The discovered earthenwares were analyzed for their mineral content in order to determine whether they were made locally around the cave or brought from elsewhere. The outcome of this analysis is vital as the data would provide proof that the community living in the cave or the surrounding area had its own technology for manufacturing the earthenwares. However, if the earthenwares were brought from elsewhere, it is believed that trade or the exchange of goods between communities living inland and near the coast had occurred. Composition of the earthenware samples was obtained by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis for mineral content and also X-Ray Flouresence (XRF) analysis for major, minor and trace elements. Findings from the XRD analysis show that the mineral content in the earthenware samples are quartz, calcite and anorthoclase, while the XRF analysis shows a high content of silica and aluminium. The analysis also discovered that all of the earthenwares found in Gua Kelew used the same raw materials obtained from the same area. Based on the graph plot analysis, the data exhibits differences in the elements between the earthenware samples and the surrounding area’s clay samples. Hence, it is suggested that the earthenwares found in Gua Kelew were not produced in the Hulu Kelantan area. This also indicates that the earthenwares may have been brought from another location to the area through trade deal between the local and foreign communities.

A multi-technique approach to characterization: the Sant Martí de Tous chert as a prehistoric resource for the NE of the Iberian Peninsula

The Sant Genís Formation is located in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula (Catalonia, Spain) and is dated to the Priabonian (upper Eocene), being part of the evaporitic formations of the margin of the Ebro Basin. It is formed by a succession of sandy lutites, occasional limestone layers, marls, and local stratified gypsum and cherts, including the Sant Martí de Tous chert. The Sant Martí de Tous chert type is confirmed by its abundance at specific locations within the territory (NE Iberian Peninsula). This is an important raw material procurement area, as evidenced by the presence of this chert in the main prehistoric sites of the region (e.g., Abric Romaní) and the constant discovery of new sites in the area around the Sant Genís Formation, especially from the Neolithic period onwards (e.g., Cal Sitjo, La Guinardera Nord workshop). All these features, together with the great heterogeneity of the Cenozoic evaporitic cherts, prompted us to carry out a multi-proxy characterization for obtaining a valid criterion by which to identify this chert in the archaeological record. This very heterogeneity hampers the macroscopic characterization of archaeological cherts (e.g., at Abric Romaní), but through petrographic analysis we have been able to identify their origins and, albeit to a lesser extent, their lithostratigraphic unit of provenance within the formation. The complementary mineralogical and geochemical techniques applied in this study show that, although it is difficult to establish an exact origin, through intensive sampling and criteria such as the differential presence of Fe and Ca, some differences among the siliceous varieties within a formation can be detected.

Culturable and unculturable potential heterotrophic microbiological threats to the oldest pyramids of the Memphis necropolis, Egypt.

A large percentage of the world's tangible cultural heritage is made from stone; thus, it deteriorates due to physical, chemical, and/or biological factors. The current study explored the microbial community inhabiting two prehistoric sites with high cultural value in the Memphis necropolis of Egypt (Djoser and Lahun Pyramids) using amplicon-based metabarcoding and culture-dependent isolation methods. Samples were examined by epifluorescent microscopy for biological signs before environmental DNA extraction and in vitro cultivation. The metabarcoding analysis identified 644 bacterial species (452 genera) using the 16S rRNA and 204 fungal species (146 genera) using ITS. In comparison with the isolation approach, an additional 28 bacterial species (13 genera) and 34 fungal species (20 genera) were identified. A total of 19 bacterial and 16 fungal species were exclusively culture-dependent, while 92 bacterial and 122 fungal species were culture-independent. The most abundant stone-inhabiting bacteria in the current study were Blastococcus aggregatus, Blastococcus saxobsidens, and Blastococcus sp., among others. The most abundant rock-inhabiting fungi were Knufia karalitana and Pseudotaeniolina globosa, besides abundant unknown Sporormiaceae species. Based on previous reports, microorganisms associated with biodeterioration were detected on color-altered sites at both pyramids. These microorganisms are potentially dangerous as physical and chemical deterioration factors and require proper conservation plans from a microbiological perspective.

Late Weichselian–Holocene valley development of the Elbe valley near Dresden – linking sedimentation, soil formation and archaeology

Abstract. Valley infills are essential for understanding changes in hydrology and landscape. Anthropogenic activities are proven by prehistoric settlement remains, which mark distinct sediments and soils as usable land during certain time periods. In 2009 and 2018/19, excavations by the Saxonian Archaeological Heritage Office were conducted in the Elbe valley between Meißen and Dresden, preceding the construction of two natural gas pipelines. As a result, two important multicultural prehistoric sites were discovered on the Lower Weichselian Terrace (LWT) in different sediments and on varying stratigraphic levels. During this study sediments and soils at the excavation sites and throughout the pipe trench have been documented. Micromorphological, sedimentological and geochemical investigations and analyses of archaeobotanical and archaeological finds, complemented by 14C and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, enabled deciphering the structure of sediments and soils. Two major sites were the focus. At the Clieben site, an early Neolithic settlement and former topsoil, developed in a Weichselian valley loam above gravels and sands, are covered by younger overbank fines. At the Brockwitz site, shallow incision channels in the LWT were filled with clayey overbank fines during the Preboreal. An overprinting humic soil horizon was later anthropogenically overprinted during the early and middle Neolithic period. An omnipresent layer of Subboreal or younger overbank fines, covering the majority of the LWT in combination with the spatially confined Preboreal overbank fines, mirrors the ever-growing risk of flooding in a formerly attractive settlement area.

Fossil footprints at the late Lower Paleolithic site of Schöningen (Germany): A new line of research to reconstruct animal and hominin paleoecology

The ca. 300 ka Paleolithic sites of Schöningen in northern Germany yielded a number of localities with archeological and paleontological remains representing a rich paleoenvironmental record of the late Middle Pleistocene in northern Europe. An important line of research focused on the ichnology of two localities: Schöningen 13 I-Fs2 and Schöningen 13 II-2 Untere Berme. Here we present the first detailed study of these fossil footprints, which provides insights on Schöningen's paleoenvironment and a snapshot of the mammals once living in the area. Herds of elephants and other species of herbivores congregated along the muddy shores of a paleolake during birch, pine and grass-rich woodland phases. In addition, three potential hominin footprints, probably belonging to a late Homo heidelbergensis, are recorded at Schöningen 13 II-2 Untere Berme. This confirms the complementary potential of ichnology in reconstructing a reliable picture of prehistoric sites.

Dendroarchaeology at Lake Ohrid: 5th and 2nd millennia BCE tree-ring chronologies from the waterlogged site of Ploča Mičov Grad, North Macedonia

On the prehistoric site of Ploča Mičov Grad (Ohrid, North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid a total of 799 wooden elements were recorded from a systematically excavated area of nearly 100 square metres. Most of them are pile remains made of round wood with diameters up to almost 40 cm. A comprehensive dendrochronological analysis allows the construction of numerous well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for different species. High agreements between the chronologies prove that oak, pine, juniper, ash and hop-hornbeam can be crossdated. The chronologies are dated by means of radiocarbon dates and modelling using wiggle matching. An intensive settlement phase is attested for the middle of the 5th millennium BCE. Further phases follow towards the end of the 5th millennium BCE and in the 2nd millennium around 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE. Furthermore, the exact, relative felling dates allow first insights into the minimum duration of the settlement phases, which lie between 17 and 87 years. The multi-centennial chronologies presented in this study can be used as a first robust dating basis for future research in the numerous not yet dated prehistoric lake shore settlements of the region with excellently preserved wooden remains.

Red and Black Paints on Prehistoric Pottery of the Southern Russian Far East: An Archaeometric Study

This paper considers the results of an examination of painted pottery from prehistoric sites of the Prmor’ye region (Southern Russian Far East) in the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan basin. Red-painted and black-painted ceramic wares occur here only in the remains of the Yankovskaya archaeological culture dated to the 1st mil. BCE. Red painting appears as a colored surface coating, and black painting is represented by very simple drawn patterns. Until recently painting decorations have not been intentionally studied. The objects of our investigation are a small series of red-painted and black-painted ceramic fragments originated from archaeological sites. The methods of optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, and Raman spectroscopy were applied to the study of research materials. As a result, the data on characteristics of texture and composition of red and black paints were obtained. Both were determined to be pre-firing paints. Red paint is a clayish substance mixed with natural ochre pigment containing the hematite coloring agent. Black paint is carbon-based. Black carbon and burnt bone are recognized as colorants. The presented materials are new evidence of pottery paint technologies in prehistoric Eurasia.

Prehistoric Iron Bloomery Debris on a Small Island in Lake Aisetas (Eastern Lithuania)

Abstract The archaeological discoveries of metallurgical waste in Lithuania have established that metallurgical activities were commonly connected to settlements. However, recent investigations suggest that even in the case of small-scale production on a homestead industry level, small isolated smelting bloomeries could have existed outside settlements. The work presented in this article introduces the material acquired from the newly discovered prehistoric site on a small island in Lake Aisetas in Eastern Lithuania. The data was acquired through surface and soil sampling surveys, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and small-scale excavations. Metallurgical waste weighing 150 kg was collected without additional evidence to facilitate archaeological interpretation of the finds and their origins. This article aims to characterise the metallurgical waste and deduce the nature of the activity and processes that produced these by-products on the island. Through an exploration of recovery circumstances and a macroscopic examination as well as composition and microstructure analysis of the metallurgical waste, this study intends to answer the following questions: what constitutes the metallurgical waste found on the island; what conclusions can be drawn regarding the ironworking techniques, production scope, and chronology; and how favourable was the studied area for early iron production?

Keeper of Buryat Identity: The Phenomenon of Dashi Namdakov

The article examines the work of the famous Russian sculptor and architect Dashi Namdakov. It is suggested that the origins of his talent lie in the depths of Buryat traditional art. The roots of Buryat art date back to the Paleolithic era, which is confirmed by the images of female figurines that were found by A. P. Okladnikov during the excavations of the prehistoric sites of the Baikal region. On the small sculptures made of mammoth bone, the lines of the face are finely worked out and the faces are framed in hair in the form of rays and snakes. Hats and clothes in these figurines are decorated with animal elements, which are considered to denote the native archaic culture which later appeared in a shamanic worldview. The basis of ancient art was syncretic and synthesized religious cult and myths. Later on ancient art, beliefs and ideas about the universe were incorporated in the cult images of the Buryat Mongols and today are communicated in a combination of archaic beliefs and esotery. This peculiarity of Buryat art leaves an original and unique imprint on modern art culture. Visitors of Dashi Namdakov's exhibitions get the feeling of an amazing connection between modernity and mythological antiquity. The article includes a short interview with the master jeweler Dashi Namdakov, in which he speaks about his work, about its origins and his future expectations.

The paleolandscape evolution of the southwestern coast of Sardinia (Italy) and its impact on Mesolithic settlements

ABSTRACT We present a geomorphological map of the southwestern coast of Sardinia encompassing inland and offshore areas of the S’Omu e S’Orku Mesolithic site. The submerged area was documented by high-resolution multibeam bathymetry combined with Side-Scan Sonar data. The emerged coastal area was surveyed using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Remote Sensing and field surveys. The inland landforms were shaped by coastal, fluvial, and gravity-induced processes. Most of the submerged landforms appear be modeled in subaerial conditions during sea-level lowstands, and then sealed by the rising sea level. The coastal evolution has been characterized by the rapid cliff retreat facilitated intense linear erosion of watercourses, by debris flows, rockfalls and toppling. Geomorphological evidences of cliff retreat due to landslide was supported by a simplified analytic hydraulic model of the wave-cliff interaction. These processes and the sea level rise canceled any possible Mesolithic settlement along the coast. The survival of the S’Omu e S’Orku site is only due to a protected morphological position and to the distance from the Early Holocene coastline. The dearth of coastal Early Holocene prehistoric sites is likely the outcome of the presented coastal dynamics.

Impacts of soil erosion and climate change on the built heritage of the Pambamarca Fortress Complex in northern Ecuador.

The Pambamarca fortress complex in northern Ecuador is a cultural and built heritage with 18 prehispanic fortresses known as Pucaras. They are mostly located on the ridge of the Pambamarca volcano, which is severely affected by erosion. In this research, we implemented a multiscale methodology to identify sheet, rill and gully erosion in the context of climate change for the prehistoric sites. In a first phase, we coupled the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and four CMIP6 climate models to evaluate and prioritize which Pucaras are prone to sheet and rill erosion, after comparing historical and future climate scenarios. Then, we conducted field visits to collect geophotos and soil samples for validation purposes, as well as drone flight campaigns to derive high resolution digital elevation models and identify gully erosion with the stream power index. Our erosion maps achieved an overall accuracy of 0.75 when compared with geophotos and correlated positively with soil samples sand fraction. The Pucaras evaluated with the historical climate scenario obtained erosion rates ranging between 0 and 20 ton*ha-1*yr-1. These rates also varied from -15.7% to 39.1% for four future climate change models that reported extreme conditions. In addition, after identifying and overflying six Pucaras that showed the highest erosion rates in the future climate models, we mapped their gully-prone areas that represented between 0.9% and 3.2% of their analyzed areas. The proposed methodology allowed us to observe how the design of the Pucaras and their concentric terraces have managed to reduce gully erosion, but also to notice the pressures they suffer due to their susceptibility to erosion, anthropic pressures and climate change. To address this, we suggest management strategies to guide the protection of this cultural and built heritage landscapes.

Human remains in the Ardines karstic massif: Tito Bustillo and La Lloseta caves (Asturias, Spain)

Several important prehistoric sites are placed in the Ardines karstic massif (Ribadesella, Asturias, Northern Spain), highlighting Tito Bustillo and La Lloseta caves, where different human remains have been found. In the so-called XI area of Tito Bustillo cave, a buried skeleton was found (Tito Bustillo 1), dating to the eighth millennium cal BC and assigned to an adult male, with remarkable skeletal robusticity. Furthermore, near the original entrance of Tito Bustillo cave, several isolated postcranial human remains (Tito Bustillo 2) possibly from a destroyed Neolithic burial have been identified. In another site, La Lloseta cave, near the entrance to the lower gallery, an isolated incomplete skull was discovered. Several of the presumed skull bone fragments were dated to the twelfth-millennium cal BC. To verify its antiquity a cranium sample has been directly dated with a result corresponding to the eighteen-millennium cal BC. Most of the individual's neurocranium is preserved, filled with cemented breccia and sediment. We present a detailed bioanthropological study of the fossils from both caves, including Computed Tomography performed on Tito Bustillo 1 and La Lloseta. The studied fossils provide new information about the dwellers of the Sella Valley from the end of the Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic and Neolithic.

Historical Reviews and Reflections on Prehistoric Site Museums in China

Historical Reviews and Reflections on Prehistoric Site Museums in China

Investigation of red substances applied to chank shell beads from prehistoric site of Qulong in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, China

“Applying red” is a common phenomenon observed in Chinese archaeological sites, with the red pigments having been identified as red ochre or cinnabar if ever been scientifically analyzed. However, this is not the case for Tibet. Although a relatively large number of red-painted artifacts have been recovered in Tibet dating from the Neolithic Period to the Tubo Dynasty, little effort has been made on the pigment composition. Recently, nearly one hundred red substances covered shell beads made of the scared chank (Turbinella pyrum), a large conch from the Indian Ocean, were unearthed from the Qulong site (c. 800–500 BC) in the Ngari plateau, western Tibet. This shell beads assemblage represents the largest and most concentrated group of chank shell beads recovered in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding regions. It provides a crucial clue for exploring the local “applying red” tradition. In this study, eight shell beads excavated from the Qulong site were examined by the Portable Energy-dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (pXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), and Laser Raman spectroscopy. The results are as follows: 1) the coloring agent of all red pigments on the shell bead is iron oxide, i.e., red ocher; 2) bone powder that has not been heated to high temperatures (above 600°C) and proteinaceous binders were added to the paint on the outer surface of sample QSM1-11a, but the thin layer on its interior surface was without bone powder; 3) bone powder was not added to the red residues on samples other than QSM1-11a, QSM1-13b, and QSM2-12. This research may reveal the complexity and diversity of the red substances applied to shell beads from Qulong, and shed light on our understanding of human practices and local customs in the Tibetan plateau and the surrounding areas in prehistoric times.