Seasons Of Excavation Research Articles

Rhodian Influence at Kalynda during the Hellenistic Period: Analysis of Oil Lamps from Asar Tepe Excavations (Şerefler/Dalaman)

This study delves into the oil lamp fragments recovered during the 2022-2023 excavation season at Kalynda. Despite not being found in their entirety, the current state of these lamps allows for the determination of their forms. Originating from Rhodes in the 3rd century BC during the Hellenistic Period, these oil lamps were encountered in various regions, particularly through maritime trade. Rhodes, a prominent trading center in the 3rd century BC, held a leading position in maritime trade, actively engaging with the Mediterranean, islands, Egypt, and the Levant. The strong presence of Rhodes in maritime trade facilitated the widespread distribution of goods produced on the island to major trade centers across this geographical expanse. The discovery of Rhodian goods, including oil lamps, in Kalynda—a settlement situated between Lycia and Caria—underscores the city's integral role in trade. The political dominance of Rhodes in Lycia and Caria during the Hellenistic Period further contributed to an influx of Rhodian products in regional cities like Kalynda. Beyond the oil lamps, Rhodian influence in the city is notably reflected in amphora handles bearing Rhodian stamps. The lamps discussed in this study not only enrich our understanding of imported common wares in Kalynda but also illuminate the expansive trade network orchestrated by Rhodes during the Hellenistic Period.

Multianalytical approach to the exceptional Late Roman shipwreck of Ses Fontanelles (Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain)

The paper presents the results of an interim analytical approach to the Late Roman shipwreck of Ses Fontanelles recently found in the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The excellent state of preservation of the hull and the cargo, including amphorae with painted inscriptions (tituli picti), and its location in shallow waters offshore of one of the main touristic beaches of the island makes this a unique finding in the Mediterranean. A first season of excavations and study of the cargo triggered an analytical approach to solve some of the problems pose by archaeological research, mainly related to the possible origin of the vessel. The analytical strategy combines petrographic analysis for the study of the provenance of the amphorae, archaeozoology and residue analysis to identify their content, and analysis of the wood and plant remains to understand the use of vegetal resources in shipbuilding and in the stow of the cargo. The results of the combination of the petrographic analysis, the study of the ichthyofauna and the organic residue analysis suggest that the boat probably departed from the area of Cartagena in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, carrying a cargo of fish sauce (liquaminis flos), oil, and wine (probably also some olives preserved in grape derivatives), transported in three main types of amphorae. The analysis of the wood shows, as known in Roman shipbuilding, a clear selection of forest resources. The shipbuilders used pine for longitudinal parts of the hull, while for the small pieces related to the assemblage system (pegged, mortise and tenons) and subjected to a great stress they selected harder woods mainly Cupressaceae, Olea europaea, and Laurus nobilis. In addition, the study reveals that mainly branches of Vitis vinifera, but also other herbaceous plants were used as dunnage protecting the cargo during the journey. The results help to shed some light into different aspects of this unique vessel sunk in Mallorcan waters and contributes to show the benefit of applying archaeological sciences in maritime archaeology.

The Stonehenge bluestones did not come from Waun Mawn in West Wales

This paper examines the hypothesis that Waun Mawn in West Wales provided the bluestone monoliths that were used at Stonehenge. Some archaeologists believe that the site supports the last remains of a giant stone circle or ‘Proto Stonehenge’ which was dismantled and transported to Salisbury Plain around 5000 years ago. It was claimed, after three excavation seasons at Waun Mawn in 2017, 2018 and 2021, that there is firm evidence of some standing stones which were later removed or broken up, but it has still not been demonstrated that there ever was a small stone circle here, let alone a ‘giant’ one. Furthermore, there have been no control studies in the neighbourhood which might demonstrate that the speculative feature has any unique characteristics. There is nothing at Waun Mawn to link this site in any way to Stonehenge, and this is confirmed by recent cited research. No evidence has been brought forward in support of the claim that ‘this was one of the great religious and political centres of Neolithic Britain’. It is concluded that at Waun Mawn and elsewhere in West Wales there has been substantial ‘interpretative inflation’ driven by the desire to demonstrate a Stonehenge connection.

Fatimid Dinar Dated 364 A.H. Discovered in Qurh Site, Al Ula Governorate, Saudi Arabia

In Excavation Season XIV in 2017 at Qurh by the Department of Archaeology, College of Tourism and Archaeology, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, a rare gold dinar was found, minted in Egypt in 364 A.H. (975 A.D.) by Al-Mu‘izz li-Din Allah. The dinar was discovered in square C17, area 3, Qurh (Almabiat) site. It was numbered 27 in the archaeological registry. Square C17 is an architectural extension of the excavation squares C18, C19, C20, D17, D18, D19, and D20. The dinar is the first discovered gold coin in the excavation seasons that began in 2005 at the site. The findings of Qurh are varied in terms of material, manufacturing technology, and provenance. Thus, they include local and imported artifacts. Examining the gold dinar showed a thick layer of dust and calcifications on the surface. The present study tackles the scientific method of examining the gold dinar, diagnosis of deterioration products and causes, stages of restoration and conservation, and analysis of the inscriptions on the reverse and obverse after restoration.

Archaeo-Material Study of the Cuneiform Tablet from Tel Beth-Shemesh

The Fifth Haverford excavation season at Tel Beth-Shemesh (Ain Shams) in 1933 revealed a fractured tablet bearing a cuneiform inscription dating to the Late Bronze Age. Considered to be the earliest alphabetic cuneiform text uncovered in the Canaanite arena outside of Ugarit, this tablet quickly became the focus of many studies. Later readings suggested that this was the earliest example of a South Semitic Alphabetical sequence. Through petrographic material analysis, the present study examines the possible location of production of the tablet and discusses the implications with regard to the object’s function and cultural context.

Second Preliminary Report on the Town of Kom Ombo (2019-2021)

This article presents the results of five seasons of excavation and study at the townsite of Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt. The work, carried out by the Cairo branch of the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI), has concentrated on remains of the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period. From the latter, an exceptionally well-preserved building containing numerous round silos, perhaps for grain, and a further building to its south provide evidence for large-scale administrative organisation. To the north lay a cemetery dating from the Old Kingdom into the First Intermediate Period, which overlay occupation levels dating from the later 2nd into the earlier 5th Dynasty. Artefacts associated with these structures—pottery, stamped sealings including examples with royal names, and stone tools—are discussed. Finally, results from cleaning surface features of Roman and later date at the south end of the Kom Ombo tell are described.

Nahal Zahal, an Early PPNB Site in the Northern Negev: A Preliminary Report on the First Excavation Season

Abstract. The site of Nahal Zahal is located in Ramat Hovav (northern Negev). A salvage excavation carried out in March 2020 revealed an Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B occupation (EPPNB; ca. 8600–8150 cal. BC), including at least one large, round structure with adjoining cells and installations, as well as a rich lithic assemblage. EPPNB evidence from the Negev is limited, including small hunter-gatherer occupations in and around the Negev Highlands (i.e., Abu Salem and Nahal Boqer) and campsites in the western Negev (i.e., Nahal Lavan 109). No radiometric dates are currently available for this phase in the region, and chronology is based on typological seriation. The excavations at Nahal Zahal provide invaluable information regarding EPPNB settlement and subsistence strategies. Exceptional preservation of organic material provides a unique opportunity to radiometrically date the occupation at the site and the EPPNB of the Negev in general.

Prehistoric Stone Ornaments from Phromtin Tai, Central Thailand: New Perspectives on Workshop Traditions through the Study of Drilling Methods

abstract: The multi-component site of Phromtin Tai, Thailand is notable for its long occupation from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 700–500 b.c.e.) through early historic periods (ca. c.e. 500–900). Multiple field seasons of excavation in burial and habitation areas at the site have recovered a large number of glass and stone beads. Here we present the study of 57 stone beads from the site using qualitative and quantitative methods that demonstrate the presence of multiple stone ornament workshop traditions. Examination of perforations from beads and pendants made from regionally available raw materials of marble, nephrite, serpentine, and other undetermined stone have identified the use of metal drills with abrasives and diamond drills. These drilling techniques along with the distinctive shapes of some finely made beads, as well as the reworking of older broken beads suggests the presence of different scales and organization of local production in Southeast Asia. The different shapes and production processes of carnelian and banded agate beads also may represent various workshop traditions. Some of these latter beads may have originated in South Asia, while others may have been made in different regions of Southeast Asia. This study demonstrates that careful examination of ornament production techniques, and especially bead perforation technology, can be used to identify the presence of different workshop traditions allowing for more fine-grained consideration of inter- and intra-regional bead exchange networks in Southeast Asia. The presence of many semi-precious stone beads of different materials and having morphologically and technologically distinct features at Phromtin Tai demonstrate the active consumption of the beads by social elites at the site. These diversified and exotic status markers represent an intensification and acceleration of the economy and social complexity at Phromtin Tai.

Animal Use Strategies in the Longshan Mountain Region of Northern China during the First Millennium BC: A Zooarchaeological Analysis of Yucun.

The first millennium BC saw the expansion of the Western Zhou dynasty in its northwestern frontier, alongside the rise and development of the Qin State in the Longshan Mountain region of northern China. Exploring the subsistence practices of these communities is crucial to gaining a better understanding of the social, cultural, and political landscape in this region at the time. While much of the research to date has focused on the Qin people, the subsistence practices of the Zhou people remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed animal remains from Yucun, a large settlement site associated with the Zhou people, located to the east of the Longshan Mountain. These animal remains were recovered in the excavation seasons of 2018-2020. Our results show that pigs, dogs, cattle, caprines, and horses, which were the major domestic animals at Yucun, accounted for over 90.8% of the animal remains examined in terms of the number of identified specimens (NISP) and 72.8% in terms of the minimum number of individuals (MNI), with cattle and caprines playing dominant roles. In terms of the taxonomic composition and the mortality profiles of pigs, caprines, and cattle, Yucun shared similarities with Maojiaping and Xishan, two contemporaneous Qin cultural sites located to the west of the Longshan Mountain, and differ from other farming societies in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River valley. Considering the cultural attributes and topographic conditions of these various sites, these findings imply that environmental conditions may have played a more significant role than cultural factors in shaping the animal-related subsistence practices in northern China during the first millennium BC.

Prehistoric Stone Ornaments from Phromtin Tai, Central Thailand: New Perspectives on Workshop Traditions through the Study of Drilling Methods

The multi-component site of Phromtin Tai, Thailand is notable for its long occupation from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 700 - 500 B.C.E.) through early historic periods (ca. C.E. 500 - 900). Multiple field seasons of excavation in burial and habitation areas at the site have recovered a large number of glass and stone beads. Here we present the study of 57 stone beads from the site using qualitative and quantitative methods that demonstrate the presence of multiple stone ornament workshop traditions. Examination of perforations from beads and pendants made from regionally available raw materials of marble, nephrite, serpentine, and other undetermined stone have identified the use of metal drills with abrasives and diamond drills. These drilling techniques along with the distinctive shapes of some finely made beads, as well as the reworking of older broken beads suggests the presence of different scales and organization of local production in Southeast Asia. The different shapes and production processes of carnelian and banded agate beads also may represent various workshop traditions. Some of these latter beads may have originated in South Asia, while others may have been made in different regions of Southeast Asia. This study demonstrates that careful examination of ornament production techniques, and especially bead perforation technology, can be used to identify the presence of different workshop traditions allowing for more fine-grained consideration of inter- and intra-regional bead exchange networks in Southeast Asia. The presence of many semi-precious stone beads of different materials and having morphologically and technologically distinct features at Phromtin Tai demonstrate the active consumption of the beads by social elites at the site. These diversified and exotic status markers represent an intensification and acceleration of the economy and social complexity at Phromtin Tai. KEYWORDS: stone beads, bead drilling, bead production, Central Thailand, Iron Age.

The New Swedish Cyprus Expedition (The Söderberg Expedition): Excavations at Hala Sultan Tekke autumn 2021 and spring 2022. Preliminary results

In 2021 and 2022, the 13th and 14th seasons of excavations at the Late Bronze Age site of Hala Sultan Tekke were carried out in Area A, and as a result of these investigations numerous tombs were found. These tombs were threatened by farming. Four magnetic anomalies, indicated in the 2017 survey magnetometer map, were investigated. They represent three tombs, L198, TT, and UU, and the probable Offering Pit SS-S. The minimum number of individuals (MNI) in Pit Tomb L198, which contains only secondary burials, is six. They are associated with 21 ceramic vessels of which a few were imported from Anatolia. Chamber Tomb TT was completely excavated and contained a minimum of 25 individuals and 78 objects. Among these are 47 ceramic vessels of which a few are from the Mycenaean sphere of culture. Other mortuary gifts are various objects of metal, faience, carnelian, haematite, and rock crystal in addition to three scarabs. The incompletely excavated large (Chamber?) Tomb UU contained, so far, a minimum of 19 individuals and 140 objects. They comprise 124 ceramic vessels including numerous Late Helladic, Late Minoan, and Anatolian pottery. Other finds are bronze and gold jewellery, the latter including a diadem, and a duck-shaped ivory box from the same context as Egyptian-imported vessels of calcite. None of the tombs and the offering pit, which can all be roughly dated to the 14th century BC, were looted. The special arrangements of the human bones in Chamber Tomb TT and the multitude of imported materials in Tomb UU offer additional insights into complex Late Cypriot mortuary practices and the far-reaching interregional connections of the urban élites of Hala Sultan Tekke.

Rethinking the German Tokens Uncovered in Amasya, Harşena Fortress and Maidens’ Palace Excavations

Amasya, Harşena Fortress which rises from the banks of Yeşilırmak is comprised of three parts. From top to bottom, Harşena Fortress which is also called the upper fortress, the area in front of the rock-cut King Tombs which was called the Maidens’ Palace at the middle and the area called the Lower Palace, today’s Hatuniye District, at the bottom. The 2009-2010 excavations were done in an area north of Harşena Fortress’ cannon tower; excavation seasons of 2011-2013 were done in the area, front of the Royal Tombs in Maidens’ Palace area; excavations of 2017-2019 in Harşena Fortress were done in the area named as the Mosque Area, located at the entrance of the castle, South of the Watchtower. Coin-like tokens which were known from the ancient-time have been utilized for many different reasons. Coins are metallic money which were minted by the political authority, that were used in the trade and had economic value. When the Roman numerical system has been abandoned for the Arabic numerals the usage of tokens for calculation in Europe has also been abandoned. After 16th century tokens were utilized as some type of medal. City of Nuremberg in Germany had been the main producer of tokens. After 17th century tokens got smaller and turned into the game chips. To this day 8 German tokens were uncovered in the excavations in Amasya, Harşena Fortress and Maidens’ Palace. Amasya had always been a trade hub in the Ottoman period. The silk produced in the city had also been a developing trade endeavor in XIX century Amasya. The Germans who settled in the Amasya in this period made contributions to the silk production in the city. Especially this trade with the Germans can explain the German tokens found in the Amasya Fortress.

The prehistory of Jebel Moya, Sudan: results from the first three seasons of excavations – CORRIGENDUM

The prehistory of Jebel Moya, Sudan: results from the first three seasons of excavations – CORRIGENDUM

The prehistory of Jebel Moya, Sudan: results from the first three seasons of excavations

AbstractThis paper outlines the ways in which the project is addressing the colonial legacy of Henry Wellcome as well as presenting the data from the first three field seasons at Jebel Moya, south-central Sudan. These data have substantially revised our chronological and socio-economic understanding of the site. Our excavations, initiated in 2017 and continued in 2019 and 2022, show a longer, more continuous occupation of the site than has been previously recognised. The faunal and botanical remains have implications for the spread of early domesticates in the eastern Sahel and for climate changes, and raise issues of resilience. There is confirmed human burial activity from at least the third millennium BC onwards, while the pottery continues to yield information about the variety of decoration and, for the final Assemblage 3, data on its usage. Overall, the continued importance of the site for the eastern Sahel is re-emphasised.

New chronology of the deposits from the inner chambers of the Guanyindong cave, southwestern China

Guanyindong Cave is one of most important Palaeolithic sites in southwestern China, due to its presence of the earliest Levallois artifacts in East Asia, which was dated to two discrete periods at ∼160–170 thousand years ago (ka) and ∼70–80 ka, respectively, based on optical dating of the artifact-bearing sediments from the west entrance of the cave (Hu, et al., 2019a). There were five excavation pits at Guanyindong during the initial excavation seasons in 1960s, all of which have yielded abundant stone artifacts and fauna fossils. However, in contrast to the excavation pits at the west entrance whose chronology and lithic industry were intensively studied, the chronological frameworks of the excavation pits inside the cave chambers have not been established. Here we report optical dating results of sediment samples taken from two of the pits inside the cave (Profiles 2A and 3). We established Bayesian age models for the two profiles based on our new optical ages and the U-series ages obtained in previous studies. Our results indicate that the group B deposits in the main chambers of the cave accumulated between ∼200 ka and ∼100 ka. The chronology of the deposits from the inner chambers, together with those from the west entrance, provided a new age constraint for the Levallois artifacts from the site and suggested that hominins occupied the cave from ∼180 ka to ∼80 ka, spanning a full glacial and interglacial period (from MIS 6 to MIS 5).

AMS, HISTORICAL, AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATING OF OPONICE CASTLE

ABSTRACT The fifth season of excavations of Oponice Castle in 2020 was located in the lower castle’s courtyard. The research led to discovery of an original clay floor being heavily burned with charred plank and a rectangular stone-brick construction. The construction has collapsed upper part with a fallen low brick arch. The whole area was covered with numerous stove tiles and one clay mold for the production of stove tiles. The construction was identified as a pottery kiln dated to the second half of the 16th until the first half of the 17th century AD by the findings from excavated layer identified to the kiln destruction. Also, written sources mention a large fire in 1645 which destroyed the castle. The aim of this article is to use different methods of dating and refine the chronology of the context through microarchaeology and Bayesian modeling. For these purposes different types of samples were collected. The sampling focused on site formation process determination of pottery kiln use and the way of its destruction. Applying Bayesian analysis improved overall dating, through modeled time interval of the three individual sequences and helped recreated historical events during the period, when the calibration curve fluctuates.

Preliminary description of a late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna prior to the extinction of Gigantopithecus blacki from the Yixiantian Cave, Guangxi ZAR, South China.

In recent years, nearly 20 cave sites with rich assemblages of mammalian fossils have been found and excavated in the Chongzuo area, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Their ages are distributed throughout the entire Pleistocene Epoch. These discoveries have greatly facilitated our understanding of the evolution of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna and the environmental context of human evolution in southern China. Here, we present a preliminary report on a diverse late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna from the Yixiantian Cave in southern China, which is a typical representative of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna (sensu lato). The fossil mammals are represented by isolated dental remains only. In 2010 and 2011, two seasons of systematic excavations at the Yixiantian Cave yielded a total of 4,958 identifiable mammalian teeth. They were identified as belonging to 37 species and 6 orders of mammals. In addition, the tooth type of all the teeth representing each species was also determined where possible. A single fragmentary molar was identified as belonging to Gigantopithecus blacki, indicating that its population had declined sharply at this time and was on the brink of extinction. Description of the Yixiantian fauna will not only help better characterize the composition of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna during the late Middle Pleistocene, but also clarify our understanding of the paleoenvironmental context at a time just prior to the extinction of G. blacki.

GOING TO SEE THE NYMPHS: LANDSCAPE AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AT THE ZAR TRYPA CAVE (MOUNT OSSA, THESSALY)

This paper focuses on the little-known but important cave-sanctuary of Zar Trypa on Mount Ossa (modern Kissavos) in north-eastern Thessaly. In 1910, research conducted at the site uncovered remains of votives from the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, including a group of eight inscriptions dedicated to the Nymphs. Despite this remarkable epigraphic assemblage, the site was not investigated beyond a single excavation season and today is largely unknown. Consequently, the Zar Trypa cave and its finds have never featured prominently in the discussion of Thessalian religion or of Greek ‘natural’ sanctuaries. Combining archival studies, on-site observations and GIS-based methods of landscape archaeology, this paper sets out to re-assess the surviving archaeological evidence from the Zar Trypa cave, to examine the spatial setting of ritual activity at the site, and to place the cave in the context of Mount Ossa's natural environment and ancient settlement pattern. Drawing on the methodological framework of ‘lived religion’, this assessment not only contributes towards our understanding of ancient religious experiences at the Zar Trypa cave, but also addresses broader questions such as the significance and meaning of ‘sacred travel’ in pre-Christian antiquity.

A Review of Nemrik Culture Following Findings in the Southeast Area at Boncuklu Tarla during the 2020 Excavation Season

Boncuklu Tarla, located in the upper Tigris Valley, has been inhabited continuously from the Proto-Neolithic until the end of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic. This uninterrupted sequence is not the result of a constant mounding process, but can be seen as the presence of a single occupation layer in large areas during different periods. One of these single-layered areas is located in the southeastern part of the settlement and is dated to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA). The finds unearthed during excavations in this section, in particular the architecture and chipped stones, display similar characteristics to Nemrik Culture, which is thought to be unique to the East Jezirah. These similarities are visible in the architecture and in regular find assemblages. This study considers newly recovered data from southeastern Boncuklu Tarla in regard to their apparent rapport with Nemrik Culture, as well as to outline different cultural aspects of the upper Mesopotamian PPNA.

A unique Silandos medallion of Faustina II from Blaundos in Lydia

AbstractDuring the 2019 archaeological excavation season in Blaundos, a Roman-period bronze medallion was found within a wall of a Byzantine-period structure on the main street. It is a medallion struck by the Lydian city of Silandos, bearing the bust of Faustina II on the obverse and Marcus Aurelius clasping hands with Lucius Verus on the reverse. A literature search revealed that it is a rare and unpublished specimen. NeitherRPC, the largest database of Roman Provincial Coinage, nor auction databases record any example of it. The iconography, combining the portrait of the empress with a depiction of the co-emperors of the period, does not point to any specific event or incident. The reverse die was, however, used for another medallion struck later by Silandos. This paper aims to introduce, interpret, and discuss this unique Lydian medallion from the 2nd c. CE.