Archaeometry Research Articles

The Lviv Archaeological Milieu During World War

The article deals with the scientific and museological activities of Lviv archaeologists during World War I. The focus is on the fate of archaeologists who were forced to serve in the army (Y. Pasternak, V. Hrebeniak); the state of scientific institutions of Lviv, and the living and working conditions of professors and teaching staff of the University of Lviv, as well as museum workers of the city, were analyzed. In addition, it is about stocking and inventorying the museum collections with archaeological finds, and attempts to restore the activities of museum institutions regardless of conditions (National Museum of Jan III Sobieski, Dzieduszycki Museum). The issue of the loss of human lives is not the least. During these years, Lviv archaeology lost a Polish professor of archaeology Karol Hadaczek and his student, the talented Ukrainian archaeologist Volodymyr Hrebeniak. It was found that the War stopped the development of archaeological science in Lviv and pushed it back for some time. Only in the post-War years, was it possible to restore field research, and publishing activities, replenish museum collections, and educate new personnel.

Osnovnye tendencii razvitiya rossijskoj istoriografii arheologii

The purpose of this work is to identify the main areas of research on the history of archaeology in Russia. We have identified such historiographical blocks as the personalities of archaeologists, the history of archaeological institutions, the study of individual periods and the history of archaeological science as a whole. A steady trend in recent years is the appeal of historiographers to archival materials, the expansion of the range of sources, which ultimately requires the formation of a new type of scientist as an archaeologist-historiographer.

Comment on P.W. Hoebe, J.H.M. Peeters, S. Arnoldussen. Parsing prehistoric patterns: Prospects and limitations of a big radiocarbon dataset for understanding the impact of climate on Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic populations in northwest Europe (16–7.5 ka calBP). Journal of archaeological Science: Reports 49 (2023) 103,944

The authors investigate the impact of the Late Glacial and Early Holocene climate fluctuations on hunter-gatherer populations in northwest Europe. Radiocarbon dates are used as a proxy for past human activity. They try to understand the impact of these fluctuations with a dates-as-data approach to a large radiocarbon database.

“Turkish” Tobacco Pipes: History of Study

Introduction. The article is devoted to the history of the study of “Turkish” clay tobacco pipes. It is an actively developing direction in archaeological science. For about fifty years, “Turkish” tobacco pipes have regularly been the subject of research by scientists from various countries. However, the history of their study has not yet become a special subject of research. Methods of research. The study used methods to identify commonalities and differences between individual studies on the problem in question. All the references considered in the publication are arranged in chronological order and reflect the evolution of the researchers’ views; separate lines of research on tobacco pipes are distinguished. Analysis. From the late 1960s to the late 1980s, the foundations were laid for the study of “Turkish” tobacco pipes. The works created during this period are still the basis on which all researchers rely. The next stage in the study of the pipes was in the 1990s. At that time, the data on the dating of the pipes were clarified, special research using natural scientific methods was carried out for the first time, written sources were involved, the historical names of some types of pipes were restored, and the distinguishing features of local copies from the Turkish originals were analyzed. In the 2000’s and 2010’s, the attention of researchers turned to individual problems of studying pipes, such as stamps and ornamentation, images of smoking pipes on works of art, and analysis of written sources on the history of tobacco smoking. In addition, large monographs with detailed catalogs of “Turkish” tobacco pipes were created for the first time. Results. Many issues still remain unresolved in the available literature: only a few of the production centers have been identified, only a small portion of the masters’ marks have been read, and most of the dating covers broad periods and needs to be clarified.

Archaeological Science and Experimental Archaeology Can Inform Sustainable Innovative Craft

This paper provides an example of how combining archaeological analysis of ancient materials with current technological needs can lead to new and innovative products designed to promote sustainability within the heritage craft sector. The project behind this paper, RecRAAFT, promoted activities where potters collaborated with archaeologists to create prototypes of sustainable ceramic objects. Potters applied ancient manufacturing techniques and work practices, following interpreted steps of past production methods. Artisans aimed to produce pieces that appeal to the public while reducing their reliance on the global supply chain, promoting a more sustainable consumer culture. Once these processes were understood, experimentation that incorporated public engagement activities allowed artisans to utilise their experimental craft practice to educate people about sustainable production and consumption. RecRAAFT worked to create synergistic relationships between artisans, researchers, and local communities to inspire sustainable design and to connect the public with their local heritage and each other. The aim is to inspire craft practitioners and the public to make responsible choices about their personal consumption, subsequently supporting a fairer economy and healthy craft working environment while also addressing issues related to the climate crisis and long-term purchasing sustainability.

Molecular Evidence of Structural Changes in Silk Using Unlimited Degradation Mass Spectrometry.

Proteomics has important uses in archeological science because it can distinguish species, reveal the evolution of paleontology, and provide biological evidence of historical events. However, this technique still has full potential in the study of silk aging mechanisms. In this work, we propose a strategy combining unlimited degradation with mass-spectrometry-based proteomics techniques, which interpret protein fragmentation propensity and secondary structure changes by detecting content changes of specific peptide groups in complex proteomes. This approach was employed to study the conformational changes in silk microscopic crystals after heat treatment. Combining conventional mechanics and crystallographic characterization, a thermal aging degradation mechanism model was proposed. At the same time, it explained the interesting problem that the crystallinity remained unchanged, but the mechanical properties decreased significantly. Focusing on the unlimited degradation process, this method will be widely applicable to the study of silk and wool aging processes and regenerated silk fibroin.

The Archaeology of Alchemy and Chemistry: Past, Present, and Ideas for the Future

The materials and practices of chymical procedures have become key sources of information among science historians, opening up channels for cross-disciplinary dialogue. This is especially true with regard to material culture-based disciplines such as archaeology whose bottom-up approach offers significant contributions to the new historiography of science. Parallel to this trend, some archaeological scientists who specialise in reconstructing past technologies have begun to address questions concerning the production and circulation of scientific knowledge, and have focused as well on the contributions of artists/artisans to the development of natural philosophical theories. This essay charts the history of this archaeology of alchemy and chemistry and its development as a sub-discipline of archaeological science. By mapping this history, from an initial period with a focus on metallurgy to current trends, it demonstrates how the archaeology of alchemy and chemistry both mirrors and, at the same time, feeds the broadening scope of the historiography of science. After surveying the most relevant works and highlighting the key contributions that archaeologists have brought to a discourse related to the creation of scientific knowledge, the essay also offers a series of ideas related to materials awaiting comprehensive study that will further strengthen methodological synergies across disciplines.

Comparison of Machine Learning Pixel-Based Classifiers for Detecting Archaeological Ceramics

Recent improvements in low-altitude remote sensors and image processing analysis can be utilised to support archaeological research. Over the last decade, the increased use of remote sensing sensors and their products for archaeological science and cultural heritage studies has been reported in the literature. Therefore, different spatial and spectral analysis datasets have been applied to recognise archaeological remains or map environmental changes over time. Recently, more thorough object detection approaches have been adopted by researchers for the automated detection of surface ceramics. In this study, we applied several supervised machine learning classifiers using red-green-blue (RGB) and multispectral high-resolution drone imageries over a simulated archaeological area to evaluate their performance towards semi-automatic surface ceramic detection. The overall results indicated that low-altitude remote sensing sensors and advanced image processing techniques can be innovative in archaeological research. Nevertheless, the study results also pointed out existing research limitations in the detection of surface ceramics, which affect the detection accuracy. The development of a novel, robust methodology aimed to address the “accuracy paradox” of imbalanced data samples for optimising archaeological surface ceramic detection. At the same time, this study attempted to fill a gap in the literature by blending AI methodologies for non-uniformly distributed classes. Indeed, detecting surface ceramics using RGB or multi-spectral drone imageries should be reconsidered as an ‘imbalanced data distribution’ problem. To address this paradox, novel approaches need to be developed.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE CANAANITE AND SAWIAN CIVILIZATIONS

The planning and construction of ancient dwellings are the most attractive things, as they are considered a picturesque civilization that one can experience. This demonstrates the ancient heritage of these nations who worked and are among the historical origins of the archaeological world. The different stages are basic elements of the study of archaeological science. They give us approximately the true images of the history of ancient cities such as the period and manner of their constitution, as well as those of the materials with which they were built. In this context, a similarity appears in the contribution of the two heritages of the Sao and the canon in many aspects such as cultural and industrial. The work thus appears in both and the researcher encounters certain problems which make them tired of approaching in order to highlight their objective in the context of origins and references. The process of creating cities, temples, forts and walls on the outskirts of everything on the four cardinal points is intended for protection against attacks from external enemies, but the recognition of the Sao and Canonical cities is also that of the existence of small autonomous towns independent of each other; each having its own way of managing itself, without external intervention. The Phoenician peoples discovered trade through their navigation of the oceans in a very ancient era due to the small area of their cultivable land. In the meantime, the Sao people were preoccupied with agriculture and the manufacture of metals and pottery based on fired ceramics and clay without commercializing it. Thus, the Sao people and civilization is called The civilization of pottery (clay). Both civilizations are represented by the mode of burial of their dead in rough pottery jars not showing the facial features in their entirety, but orienting the face towards the sun. Thus, alluding to the power of the sun, they make human sacrifices to repel epidemics and disasters, whether internal or external. This practice shows their belief in resurrection after death, hence the burial of their dead with all the material belonging to and having served the deceased before their death. The Canaanite civilization arrived in Chad from different points; and different palpable evidence proves its existence in certain regions and zones of Chad, particularly Sahelian including those of Abéché, Arada and its surroundings like the effect of embers. The Sao people have mastered the technique of heating metals and the high temperature that lead to the melting of iron, their specialty. The word Sao is of Amharic origin and means “Human”. This people experienced unrest at the time of the ancient empire of 3500-2000 BC, having motivated the people to obtain privileges long reserved for the pharaohs. Likewise, in the middle dynasty of 2000 -1580 B.C., Pharaoh Amen Haout I from the south led wars against the Amalike Arab tribes coming from Asia and expelled them in 1700 B.C. During these invasions and upheavals, the Amalike tribes were able to invade Egypt and establish Dynasties ranging from the XIVth to the XVIIth. Other views revealed that the Egyptians attempted to penetrate deep into the African continent along the Nile to the Fourth Cataract. They would also have diverted access and incursion towards the Lake Chad Basin through the ancient valleys on the left bank of the Nile

Antiquities of Northern Black Sea Region and Bessarabia on Pages of Eparchy Publications in Pre-Soviet Era

The purpose of the publication is to study the informational potential of local church periodicals for modern archaeological science.
 The scientific novelty is in drawing the attention of the archaeological community to non-standard sources of obtaining information for the history of archaeological science and the formation of generalizing information about archaeological sites and finds of material culture.
 Conclusions. It can be stated with certainty that ‘Eparchialnyie Vedomosti’ can serve not only as a source for the history of archaeological science (in terms of the participation of the clergy and church societies in the accumulation of archaeological knowledge), but also as a direct source of information on finds, their location, and nature.
 The entire amount of material related to archeology, presented in the studied collections of the ‘Eparchialnyie Vedomosti’, can be divided into 3 main groups: 1) authoritative orders on the protection of antiquities; 2) reports about church institutions (societies, commissions, museums); 3) analytical reviews on localities and settlements.
 The first group of materials shows the process of involving the clergy in the process of discovering and preserving cultural and archeological sites. The participation of the clergy in the Archaeological Congresses in Kyiv and Odesa is also associated with this group.
 A great number of publications of ‘Eparchialnyie Vedomosti’ are represented by materials on the activities of local church-archaeological societies – reports of the societies, event chronicles and details of some meetings, research materials, etc.
 An important source of historical and local lore information about settlements and their outskirts is historical and statistical analytical reviews, which were regularly published in ‘Eparchialnyie Vedomosti’. One of the sections of such reviews was ‘Archaeological Sites’, where it was necessary to describe ramparts, settlements, burial mounds, caves, pile (lake) structures, dolmens, Stone Age sites (kjoekkenmoeddinger), etc. Many reviews contain interesting material for modern archeology not only in the context of the history of science but also in practical terms, pointing to the places of disappeared sites, found troves, and single finds.

Metabolomics in archaeological science: A review of their advances and present requirements.

Metabolomics, the study of metabolites (small molecules of <1500 daltons), has been posited as a potential tool to explore the past in a comparable manner to other omics, e.g., genomics or proteomics. Archaeologists have used metabolomic approaches for a decade or so, mainly applied to organic residues adhering to archaeological materials. Because of advances in sensitivity, resolution, and the increased availability of different analytical platforms, combined with the low mass/volume required for analysis, metabolomics is now becoming a more feasible choice in the archaeological sector. Additional approaches, as presented by our group, show the versatility of metabolomics as a source of knowledge about the human past when using human osteoarchaeological remains. There is tremendous potential for metabolomics within archaeology, but further efforts are required to position it as a routine technique.

Archaeological science, globalisation, and local agency: gold in Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe (CE1000–1600) is world famous for outstanding cultural innovations and localised and globalised entanglement with trans-Africa and trans-Indian Ocean exchange. New excavations yielded fragments of over a hundred gold processing vessels comprising reused pottery and purpose-made crucibles from stratified contexts in the Eastern Ridge Ruins and adjacent areas. Selected samples were studied using archaeological, microscopic, and compositional (SEM–EDS) techniques. All ceramics were made of alumina-rich clays and contain minerals common to granite-derived lithologies typical of the area, although it is possible that particularly refractory clays were selected to make crucibles locally. These technical ceramics were used for refining and collecting gold at high temperature, most likely producing not only relatively standardised ingots but also finished objects. The composition of the gold prills set in crucible slag is consistent with that of natural, unalloyed gold, while the variability in silver levels and minor impurities point to heterogeneous sources of the gold. Considering these finds in their multiple site and regional contexts, and together with complementary threads of information from early reports of antiquarians and looters, we argue that local agency and gold consumption were much more significant than generally assumed. The conclusion to the paper is that Great Zimbabwe’s famous participation in local and global exchanges was backed by internally driven but improvisation laden production and consumption occurring in homesteads located throughout its various settlements. We end by raising a word of caution about oversimplified narratives of globalisation and their archaeological expressions (see Supplementary Material S0 for the abstract in Shona).

Indigenous Archaeologies, Shell Heaps, and Climate Change

ABSTRACTIndigenous communities globally are challenged by threats to heritage resources due to residual effects of colonization, outsider encroachment on traditional spaces, and economic and political inequities. The effects of climate change add another dimension to these challenges, not only by altering familiar ecosystems and landscapes but also through the destruction of Indigenous heritage spaces. The University of Maine's Northeast archaeology program supports Indigenous resilience to climate change through community-engaged approaches to archaeological research. Recent shell heap research at the Holmes Point West site in Machiasport, Maine, exemplifies these efforts by blending archaeological science with service through Passamaquoddy language preservation and community engagement. This article discusses the University of Maine's partnership with the Passamaquoddy Nation and reflects on the nexus of Indigenous archaeology, heritage protection, and climate change resilience.

Between objects of science and lived lives. The legal liminality of old human remains in museums and research

ABSTRACT Collections of old human remains in museums are currently under increased scrutiny and pressure. On the one hand they are problematised from a post-colonial and human rights point of view as the material remains of historic and ongoing structural violence connected to scientific knowledge production. On the other, new methods in archaeological science have led to increasing demand for destructive sampling. Without guidance and support by laws and formal standardised professional guidelines, museums may find themselves squeezed from two opposing sides. Based on an analysis of laws and professional guidelines, and a large-scale survey of the practical handling of old human remains in Swedish museums, this article argues that the lack of a shared professional process that recognises the complexity of old human remains as both objects of science and lived lives, risks undermining the role of museums in their relationship to both the public and the research community.

Mapping the intellectual and conceptual structure of research on CoDa in the ‘Social Sciences’ scientific domain. A bibliometric overview

This article presents a bibliometric analysis and a mapping of the intellectual and conceptual structure of the research conducted on ‘Compositional Data’ (CoDa) in Social Sciences. Since the publication of John Aitchison's seminal documents on compositional data in 1982 and 1986, the scientific production of papers using compositional data methods in Social Sciences has increased exponentially in several fields. The purpose of this paper focuses on multiple categories of Social Sciences and offers a comprehensive approach through bibliometrics methods, of the application of CoDa since 1988. Using various bibliometric techniques of productivity and graphic mapping, this document determines the evolution that research in compositional data has experienced, the most relevant journals and the research topics that have been addressed in different fields of research, among other issues. The findings reveal that the publication of papers applying compositional data has increased exponentially over the last 30 years, highlighting the contributions that have been made by the fields of ‘geosciences’, ‘geography’ and ‘geology’, ‘health’ and ‘environmental science’ to this development. The Journal of Geochemical Exploration, the Journal of Archaeological Science, Archaeometry, the Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health are the main journals that have contributed to this development. Among other contributions of this work, we can highlight that it offers the intellectual, social, and conceptual structure of the research over a long period of time, gathering the growing literature of research progress on CoDa in Social Sciences.

Planetary geoarchaeology as a new frontier in archaeological science: Evaluating site formation processes on Earth's Moon

AbstractOn October 4, 1957, Homo sapiens crossed a new threshold of technological innovation after constructing an artifact capable of entering Low Earth Orbit and effectively paving the way for a future of space exploration. This artifact was Sputnik 1, launched by the Soviet space program which triggered the “space race” of the mid‐20th century. Over the past 65 years, we have continued to explore and populate our solar system with rockets and spacecraft including satellites, probes, landers, and rovers. This expansion into our solar system has left traces of our presence on several planets including the Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Venus along with Earth's Moon, Titan, and several galaxy travelers in the form of asteroids and comets. Today, we have entered the realm of a new privatized and global space race, effectively a “new space race” or “new Space Age.” As we expand our material footprint into new extraterrestrial environments, there is a growing need to understand the types of unique site formation processes capable of altering, destroying, or preserving this rapidly increasing archaeological record known as space heritage. Such understandings are germane to the subdiscipline of geoarchaeology, that part of archaeology dedicated to studying the interaction between humans, cultural heritage, and environmental systems from a geoscience perspective. Closely aligned and partially overlapping with the subdisciplines of space archaeology, archaeological science, and planetary geology, we introduce a new subfield we call planetary geoarchaeology to open discussion about how geoarchaeologists can play a role in addressing current and future issues surrounding the preservation and management of space heritage. To demonstrate the potential of the subdiscipline, we focus on the current archaeological record of the Moon, describe lunar site formation processes, and discuss the implications for the current and future preservation of space heritage in the lunar setting. Planetary geoarchaeology can be applied to practically every type of extraterrestrial environment, provided humans have left behind a measurable record. We hope this paper will spur more research studying human–environment interaction in space.

The importance of stable isotope analysis in the science of archaeology

The importance of stable isotope analysis in the science of archaeology

Новые данные о технологии изготовления кузнечной продукции сельских поселений Золотой Орды по результатам металлографических анализов изделий с селищ Багаевское и Широкий Буерак

The article introduces into scientific circulation the results of metallographic studies of the technology of blacksmithing products originating from excavations and casual finds from Bagaevka and Shiroky Buerak, the Golden Horde settlements of the Lower Volga region. In historiography, there is a shortage of studies of iron processing technology of the Golden Horde population from the Lower and Middle Volga regions. This article is intended to partially fill the existing research gap based on the results of archaeo-metallographic studies conducted in the archaeological laboratory of the Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University. In the study, the authors use the archaeo-metallography method, developed by B.A. Kolchin, and currently widely applied in Russian archaeological science. As a result, it was established that simple bloom iron, raw irregularly carburized steel and specially prepared high-carbon steel were the main raw materials for blacksmithing products of the Bagaevka and Shiroky Buerak settlements. In the arsenal of forging products of the Bagaevka settlement, 86.8% of technological operations belong to group I (simple technologies without the use of a structural joint by forging welding of bloom iron and high-carbon steel, without copper soldering) and 13.2% belong to group II (wares with a structural joint by forging welding of bloom iron and steel with copper soldering). 58% of the metallographically studied wares were made of bloom iron and raw irregularly carburized steel. 29% of the items were forged technologically in order to obtain high-quality products. 15.8% of the products were made of all-steel work pieces, 10.5% produced from package work pieces. Cementation technology was recorded in 2.6% of the items. End welding and forging from two-lane iron-steel work pieces, which amounted to 5.3% each, were identified in the technological schemes related to the technological group II. In general, the revealed technological features of the blacksmith products of the Bagaevka collection are characteristic of the iron processing in the Middle Volga region in the Golden Horde period.

Human Archaeological Dentin as Source of Polar and Less Polar Metabolites for Untargeted Metabolomic Research: The Case of Yersinia pestis.

Metabolomic approaches, such as in clinical applications of living individuals, have shown potential use for solving questions regarding the past when applied to archaeological material. Here, we study for the first time the potential of this Omic approach as applied to metabolites extracted from archaeological human dentin. Dentin obtained from micro sampling the dental pulp of teeth of victims and non-victims of Yersinia pestis (plague) from a 6th century Cambridgeshire site are used to evaluate the potential use of such unique material for untargeted metabolomic studies on disease state through liquid chromatography hyphenated to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Results show that small molecules of both likely endogenous and exogenous sources are preserved for a range of polar and less polar/apolar metabolites in archaeological dentin; however, untargeted metabolomic profiles show no clear differentiation between healthy and infected individuals in the small sample analysed (n = 20). This study discusses the potential of dentin as a source of small molecules for metabolomic assays and highlights: (1) the need for follow up research to optimise sampling protocols, (2) the requirements of studies with larger sample numbers and (3) the necessity of more databases to amplify the positive results achievable with this Omic technique in the archaeological sciences.

Micro-computed tomography for the identification and characterization of archaeological lime bark

In the Neolithic pile-dwelling settlements of southwestern Germany, bark played a prominent role in the production of technical textiles. So far, the inner bark (phloem) of the lime tree (genus Tilia) could be detected most frequently. Microscopic examination of anatomical features can determine the taxon, requiring manipulation of samples and archaeological objects. In this study, micro-computed tomography (µCT) was reviewed as a method for determining the woody taxon and obtaining additional information from the inner bark. To this end, modern bark samples from different tree organs of lime were first analysed using both µCT and transmitted light microscopy. Both methods were able to detect all characteristic anatomical features in the phloem and identify the genus. With analysis based on µCT data, further anatomical information can be obtained. For example, the shape of the phloem rays in the bast strips can provide information on the position within the bark and on the original organ diameter. These results obtained on modern material were verified on four samples from archaeological objects. Based on µCT, all samples could be clearly identified as lime and in two cases conclusions could also be drawn about the raw material. This approach could lead to new results and interpretations in archaeological sciences.