Significant Archaeological Sites Research Articles

A multidisciplinary scientific investigation of the 1916 Hawthorn Mine Crater, Beaumont Hamel, Somme, Northern France

ABSTRACT Hawthorn Crater is a prominent feature of the former Somme battlefield near Beaumont Hamel, Northern France. It resulted from the detonation of arguably the most famous of nine mines that the British had prepared below German lines on 1 July 1916, as part of the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. However, the crater has not been studied scientifically, as was in private land until recently taken over by the Hawthorn Crater Association. This paper documents three field seasons of multi-disciplinary site investigations. Methods included: remote sensing, drones, ground-based-LiDAR and surface surveys, geophysics and archaeological investigations. Magnetic anomalies were identified as: still-intact German fire pits, barbed wire and equipment, as the crater became the frontline after formation, and Allied shell craters. This study provided a rare opportunity to study a First World War mine crater, and highlighting modern science can assist detection and characterisation of significant archaeological sites.

BRIDGING DIGITAL AND ANALOG DOCUMENTATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ANCIENT PUEBLOAN SITES

Abstract. The Four Corners region, where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet, is the location of one of the most significant archaeological sites in the United States, the Lowry Pueblo in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. This case study examines two aspects of the documentation process for the Lowry Pueblo. First, a collaborative model of multiple stakeholders dedicated to an integrated digital and analog documentation approach. Second, the method for determining how digital and analog techniques were used from site preparation to the final submittal of Historic Architectural Building Survey (HABS) drawings to the Library of Congress. This integrated documentation approach used for the Lowry Pueblo is part of a strategy informed by predicted future human impacts on these rare ancient resources and fulfilling a unique tribal request for minimally impactful management. The approach allows natural erosional processes to continue unabated at less visited remote “backcountry” cultural sites, and for proactive stabilization to occur at heavily visited publicly accessible "front country" areas. The combined documentation methods used allowed for creation of highly detailed models, digital applications, and nuanced, aesthetic HABS drawings of the stunning 1,000-year-old cultural resources. The outcomes contribute to informed decision making for future analysis, stabilization assessment, resource interpretation, archiving, and the dissemination of information for public benefit, while deepening an understanding of the history and people that inhabited the land.

Evolution of Coastal Subarctic Lakes in the Context of Climatic and Geological Changes and Human Occupation (North-Central Labrador, Canada)

Climate fluctuations and landscape evolution, with their associated impacts on northern coastal ecosystems, likely influenced human populations of Nunatsiavut who have inhabited the region for nearly 7000 years. As part of an interdisciplinary research initiative within the Nain Archipelago on the subarctic coast of Labrador, this project sought to reconstruct the postglacial palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental variability of Dog Island and document its impacts on the evolution of lakes located in the vicinity of significant archaeological sites. To address these questions, we analysed physical, geochemical, and biological indicators preserved in sediment cores of two lakes. Results from Oakes Bay West Lake revealed gradual acidification since ca. 4900 cal. yr BP, coherent with terrestrial vegetation development and/or neoglacial cooling, interrupted by periods of milder climatic conditions (ca. 4900–3640 cal. yr BP and ca. 1520 cal. yr BP—present) that favoured large sediment inputs. Evilik Lake revealed the classic sequence of isolation of the basin in three major phases in response to glacio-isostatic rebound. These complementary results allowed for the development of a local palaeoenvironmental framework that contributes to a better understanding of how landscape evolution and climate have influenced human societies through site availability and proximity to marine resources, and how, in turn, they impacted their immediate environment through activities, such as wood harvesting and its associated effects on nutrients and lake sediment inputs.

Fire at the gate of Hazor: A micro-geoarchaeological study of the depositional history of a Bronze Age City gate

The City of Hazor is one of the most significant archaeological sites from the biblical period in Israel. Studies on destruction have received much attention in archaeology in recent years. Previous excavations in Hazor have suggested a major conflagration event that destroyed the entire tell site at the end of the Late Bronze Age. The present study re-examines the sedimentary sequence of one of the city’s gates located in Area K by applying a suite of micro-geoarchaeological analyses to understand the stratigraphy previously documented by Yigael Yadin (1972) and later also interpreted by Amnon Ben-Tor et al. (1989); Ben-Tor (1993, 2016); Bechar et al. (2021). In the summer of 2019, 89 bulk sediment samples were taken within squares K5 and K7 in the gate’s passage. This study aimed to understand the archaeological formation processes at the gate and interpret human activities in the Lower City gate of Hazor based on the micro-archaeological record. Laboratory work included Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze sediment samples’ composition and quantify phytoliths, wood ash, and dung spherulite concentrations. The major goals of this study are: a) to study the site formation processes, based on mineralogical assemblages and activity micro-residues, of a Middle Bronze to Late Bronze Age city gate; b) to identify mineralogical- and micro-remains, as indicators for fire and destruction of the gate; c) to identify occupation surfaces within the gate and their associated micro-residues; and d) to re-examine previous interpretations of the history of the gate and Hazor in light of the micro-archaeological record.The results confirmed Yadin’s interpretation of the occupation levels at stratum 3 (MB II-C) and 2 (LB I), but with no evidence for destruction between the strata. Those strata showed typical tell site remains, such as anthropogenic input of ash and phytoliths, indicating more or less continuous urban activity. For Yadin’s stratum 1B gate, we identified the floor, the roof, which was the main element that burnt, overlain by a thick unburnt accumulation of the second floor and final burnt debris atop. Our study also suggested a sequence of events for the fiery destruction of the gate and its collapse. The distribution of phytoliths and wood ash combined with the sediments’ composition proposes a single collapse event caused by fire from within the gate. The minimal anthropogenic record above the destruction horizon indicates possible disuse of the gate area following this major destruction event. The conclusions of this study offer new and direct evidence for the history of the gate at Hazor’s Lower City with continuous activity from the Middle Bronze into the Late Bronze Age, ending with a major and single event of destruction of the site at the end of the Late Bronze Age which was followed by its abandonment.

Provenancing antiquarian museum collections using multi-isotope analysis.

Many of the most significant archaeological sites in Europe were excavated by antiquarians over one hundred years ago. Modern museum collections therefore frequently contain human remains that were recovered during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Here we apply multi-isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr, δ 18O, δ 13C, δ 15N) and 14C dating to evaluate the provenance of human remains within a collection that is thought to have been recovered from one of the most important archaeological sites in Britain. Excavated in 1910, the site of Coldrum in Kent is a megalithic burial monument that may be one of the earliest sites associated with the transition to farming in Britain. The interpretation of this site is therefore key to understanding how agriculture began. Using isotope analysis we show that although the human skeletal collections attributed to Coldrum do contain some of the earliest dated Neolithic human remains in Britain, they also contain the remains of individuals of fifth to seventh centuries AD date. We evaluate subsistence and mobility patterns of early Neolithic populations and provide new information about the origins of those individuals in the collection that date to the fifth to seventh centuries AD. We demonstrate the utility of employing isotope analysis to provide direct and independent information about the provenance of human remains in museum collections.

Objects of Antique and Medieval Cultural Heritage as a resource of the geoecosystems of the Northern Black Sea Coast and of the Black Sea Shelf in the area of the Bug Estuary

This article is a continuation of the author’s series of publications devoted to the study of the resource potential of archaeological artifacts — sites of ancient and medieval heritage as anthropogenic components of modern geoecosystems of the Northern Black Sea coast (GESNBSC) and the nearby Black Sea shelf including the estuaries. These sites are currently partially or fully located in the transitional part of the Black Sea Geoecosystem (BSG) space and associated geoecological subsystems of estuaries, where modern natural aerial, aquatic and geological environmental subsystems interface with each other. The article presents the results of research, characterization and typification of archaeological sites of the cultural heritage of ancient and medieval times, which are located in the space of geoecosystems that were formed in this region. Among them are the underwater archaeological sites dis- covered in the space of ancient coastal and littoral paleogeoecosystems of the Bug Estuary, their connection with the most significant archaeological sites that were once formed as part of geoecosystems of the land. A preliminary reconstruction of the borders of the Bug Estuary in ancient and medieval times is made; there is demonstrated the resource archaeological potential of GESNBSC spaces and the adjacent zone of the Black Sea shelf with estuaries, including the ancient and medieval archaeo- logical sites of cultural heritage, which were created and for some time belonged to the spaces of cer- tain paleo-GESNBSC, but are now located in the space of modern geoecosystem of the Bug Estuary. The article gives a brief description of the already known archaeological, partially submerged sites of ancient and medieval cultural heritage, some other interesting underwater archaeological artifacts, and shows the feasibility of expanding their study with reference to bathymetric and geomorphological features of the boundaries between modern natural BSG environmental subsystems. Such knowledge is important both for solving the issues related to a more profound understanding of the causes and consequences of changes in the paleogeoecological and modern geoecological conditions of the shelf of Azov-Black Sea basin and GESNBSC, predicting their dynamics and directions of development, and for historical and archaeological reconstructions, in particular, to identify new cultural heritage sites. The results of geoarchaeological (that is, a complex of geoecological and archaeological) studies published in the article are important not only for understanding the formation and functioning of transitional geoecosystems with their resources, which include archaeological artifacts as anthropogenic components, but also for the development of public culture, historical memory population and expansion of its historical consciousness. In addition, such knowledge is necessary to consciously and competently address a number of economic problems in the development of communities in the Northern Black Sea region. In particular, to attract investment in the development of coastal and underwater tourism, to predict the impact of many geo-environmental processes inherent in the research region under specific conditions of the search, identification, use and preservation of the historical and archaeological potential of ancient and medieval cultural heritage located in the space of modern GESNBSC and BSG as their components. These anthropogenic components are objective evidence of the impact of natural geo-environ- mental conditions and their dynamics on the peculiarities of life and migration of the region’s inhabitants from ancient times up to the present.

Археологическое наследие на территории Муниципального образования «город Екатеринбург»: общий обзор, итоги инвентаризации 2023 г.

There are almost all types of archaeological monuments (settlements, burial grounds, pictograms, ancient production sites) on the territory of the municipal formation of the city of Ekaterinburg, most of them are represented by settlements located along the banks of watercourses and lakes. The dating of the sites covers a wide range from the Mesolithic to the Late Iron Age. At the same time, no more than 10 % of the sites have been explored. The number of archaeological sites in the Ekaterinburg municipality as of 2023 totals 124 objects (according to the State Security authorities). At 66 objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage, the boundaries of the distribution of the cultural layer are defined, and information about them is included in the Unified Register of Objects of Cultural Heritage of Russia. The remaining sites are in the status of identified objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage. They have yet to be added to the register. This article presents a general overview and characteristics of objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage located within the modern boundaries of the municipal formation of the city of Ekaterinburg. It also considers the results of work to determine the boundaries of the spread of the cultural layer on objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage from 2013 to 2022, necessary for entering information about sites in the state cadaster of real estate, methodology and prospects of work in this direction, as well as the need to define the boundaries of all scientifically significant archaeological heritage sites on the territory of Ekaterinburg.

АРХЕОЛОГИЧЕСКОЕ ИЗУЧЕНИЕ ЮЖНОЙ ЛЕСОСТЕПНОЙ ЗОНЫ ПРАВОБЕРЕЖЬЯ ОМСКОГО ПРИИРТЫШЬЯ: ИСТОРИЯ И СОВРЕМЕННОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ (ВТОРАЯ ПОЛОВИНА ХХ ВЕКА - ВТОРОЕ ДЕСЯТИЛЕТИЕ XXI ВЕКА)

The present article describes the history and shows the main results of archaeological research in the steppe and the southern part of the forest-steppe zone of the right-bank Irtysh area within the administrative borders of the contemporary Omsk region. The article is based on researching archival materials and the results of field surveys in recent years, and the authors assess the present state of known archaeological sites and showcase their importance, taking into account the current level of scientific knowledge concerning the history of the region. The authors note the uneven character of research coverage of the territory in question, and highlight the areas offering promise with regard to location of significant archaeological sites that have not been adequately studied yet. In the conclusion the authors map possible perspectives of archaeological study of the areas in question, based on the analysis of the presented material.

Sustainable Reuse of Dark Archaeological Heritage Sites to Promote Ghost Tourism in Egypt: The Case of the Baron Palace

Egypt is one of the few countries with significant archaeological sites in every region. Some of these sites have been identified as dark archaeological sites that have not been used in a long time. The study proposes a strategy for the long-term reuse of these sites through niche tourism, i.e., dark or ghost tourism, which has received little attention from decision-makers or tourism planners. Furthermore, they have received little attention from Egyptian scholars. The current study fills knowledge gaps and contributes to the preservation of archaeological sites through sustainable reuse, ultimately helping Egypt’s sustainable tourism development. Using the case of the Baron Palace, the study investigates the potential for dark and ghost tourism in Egypt, as well as the barriers and development recommendations. To achieve the study’s goal, the research adopted a qualitative approach that relied on in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The discussions revealed that, while Egypt has many types of tourism, both dark and ghost tourism have significant potential and opportunities through the reuse of dark archaeological sites. However, there are numerous impediments to proper implementation. Recommendations were made to overcome these obstacles, achieve positive economic, social, and environmental outcomes, and ensure the long-term viability of archaeological heritage.

Stamp Seals in and out of Georgia

The Article discusses the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age clay seals, mostly stamps which have been discovered on the territory of Georgia and also their analogues. I have started to investigate this issue on my master and on that stage of study I had done catalogue, classification and the research of the given materials. As a PhD dissertation I am planning to finish the study of the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age Georgian Clay seals.As it is seen from the study of the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age Georgian seals in most cases their surface depicts the ornamental motives which were very spread in the other ancient cultures in different periods, but at the same time some of the depictions are local. As it is known societies which had been living on the territory of Georgia had intercultural and trade relations with different cultures, such as Anatolian, Aegean, and Mediterranean, near Eastern and so on. And these relations could be seen on different materials discovered during the archaeological excavations. As I have already mentioned Georgian seals depictions have parallels in different ancient cultures from Europe to Indus valley. Before appearing in Georgia stamp seals had been spread in some other ancient cultures earlier. Probably this type of seals had been entered on the territory of Georgia from these cultures. One of the main goals of my works is to find out from which culture, with which way and when it started to distribute stamp seals on the territory of Georgia. to research this issue, I use some methods. For example: I compare Georgian seals with its analogues and also, I mark the discovery places of its analogues on the map chronologically. This will help me to define the distribution territories of this kind of the seals and its spreading routs, moreover, I will be able to see from which territory were distributed stamp seals on the territory of Georgia. It is true that the seals played a very important role in this period people’s everyday life because they have been found at almost all Georgian significant archaeological sites. unfortunately, there exists many vague facts about Late Bronze-Early Iron Age Georgian archaeology. So, studying this kind of important materials will clear up some of the undefined issues about this period Georgia too. the fact that Georgian seals finds many analogues among the ancient worlds seals grows this artifacts importance, and it is evident that Georgian seals must be studied among the other cultures’ seals.

From the Editors

The editors are pleased to present this issue to our readers. It contains timely information on endangered cultural heritage sites including the latest facts about the use of antiquities to finance terrorism in Syria, a comprehensive architectural study of one of the forgotten churches of southern Syria, a methodical examination of modern graffiti at the splendid site of Jerash in Jordan, and a fascinating Forum section on the Late Bronze Age collapse in the ancient Near East.Presenting new evidence on the continuing destruction, looting, and illicit trading in Syrian antiquities, authors Isber Sabrine, Ristam Abdo, and Neil Brodie extensively document the involvement of Da’esh in these destructive practices. Through interviews with those who have personal knowledge of the pillaging of significant archaeological sites, the authors were able to obtain images of looted objects and, also, Da’esh administrative documents. They were also able to report, in this article, looting at some previously unknown archaeological sites. Providing abundant details about an issue that has received worldwide attention, this article includes very important, heretofore unpublished, information.Rama Al Rabady and Shatha Abu-Khafajah’s case study of the Lubbēn Large Church in southern Syria examines the place of this structure as an aula ecclesiae that represents a transition from secular to sacred church architecture following the earliest Christian house churches. They discuss the aspects of the architecture of the Lubbēn Large Church that add to the representation of divinity in the church in the context of historical, regional, and local conditions. The article also offers many comparisons with other southern Syrian churches in this region called Trachonitis in the New Testament. Lubbēn’s church was built during the height of Byzantine occupation in the region. Referencing the unusual flat roof of the apse, the study concludes that aulae ecclesiae like this one introduced the innovation of “divine light” in Christian churches.In “They Were Here,” Mairna Hussein Mustafa, Ramzi Mahmoud Al-Rousan, and Fadi Abedallah Bala’awi examine modern graffiti exhibited at the ancient city of Jerash for patterns and themes. Using a unique sampling technique, they examine these colorful but jarring scribbles on the ancient features of the city in order to gain insight into graffiti types and the motives of those who created them. Analyses like this one are important for conservation specialists because they address a very common problem at heritage sites. Looking at graffiti from the standpoint of its perpetrators leads the authors to a number of cogent recommendations on how to prevent this form of vandalism in the future.We are particularly enthusiastic about this issue’s Forum section featuring a debate on a significant topic in Near Eastern archaeology—the Late Bronze Age collapse. Noted expert on this topic Eric Cline starts off the dialogue by examining the work he has done on this subject over many years of study and publication, and he reaches some new conclusions. Guy Middleton revisits the archaeological evidence for the collapse while Raphael Greenberg raises and addresses the question of what collapsed in 1177. Norman Yoffee’s contribution problematizes the use of the term “collapse” in the historical context under discussion, and Aren Maeir shines a light on the question of what happened to Late Bronze Age cultures from a “Philistine” vantage point. Louise Hitchcock takes on the multiple meanings of the term “collapse”—to all of which Cline provides a rejoinder at the end of the Forum.Scholars from four different countries contribute to this issue’s Book Reviews section. Atilla Batmaz reviews Wine Jars and Jar Makers of Cyprus: The Ethnoarchaeology of Pitharia, by Gloria London; Marzia Cavriani reviews Byblos in the Late Bronze Age: Interactions between the Levantine and Egyptian Worlds, by Marwan Kilani; Marta Lorenzon reviews The City Gate in Ancient Israel and Her Neighbors: The Form, Function, and Symbolism of the Civic Forum in the Southern Levant, by Daniel A. Frese; and John Peter Oleson reviews Under the Mediterranean I: Studies in Maritime Archaeology, edited by Stella Demesticha and Lucy Blue.

Investigation Architecture and Environmental Planning in Prehistory for Designing an Ecologically Sustainable Tourist Resort

Lepenski Vir is an archaeological site of extraordinary international significance; an area where exceptional culture and specific art, which took place within organized social and religious life, emerged as unique in Central and South-Eastern Europe (6800-5400 BC, according to the date C14). The methods and complexity of the architecture of these buildings, their sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as the treatment of the associated monumental sculptures, clearly define the stages of settlement over a period of at least two thousand years. Today, it is even possible to say that people in those ancient times were even more instructed in the issues of nature and her whimsicality than we are today. Today, the site is in a natural reserve in an extremely picturesque landscape. During the archaeological excavations of the 1960s, seven prehistoric settlements were unearthed, one after the other. These settlements contain the remains of 67 apparently planned dwellings, fireplaces, tools, instruments, and jewellery. The settlements also contain altars and sculptures, carved out of round limestone pieces that are of artistic and aesthetic, as well as ritual and symbolic importance. The paper elaborates on the harmony of architectural style and natural surroundings that has been considered since the earliest times. Its aim is to analyse Lepenski Vir, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, i.e., the technique and the conditions under which it was created. However, as the reality of the subject is quite elusive in today's time, this paper seeks to show the value of the principles on which ancient architecture rests, primarily using natural materials and specific simple forms in design and construction. The reason for this is the inextricable link between man and nature at all times, the very essence of their interconnectedness, as well as the creation of a healthy, aesthetically valuable, and quality living space. Based on these analyses, one specific conceptual solution will be attached, i.e., the proposal of a contemporary interpretation of the ancient Lepenski Vir settlement and houses that can meet the needs of modern man and age, where millennia-old tradition is implemented in contemporary Serbian architecture. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2022-03-01-08 Full Text: PDF

Монетные находки в погребениях XIV в. на территории Сарыарка (Центральный Казахстан)

Excavations of two significant archaeological sites were carried out in 2020 in Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions of Kazakhstan. The mausoleum of Janibek and the mausoleum on Kyzyloba site were examined. Brief descriptions and characteristics of these archaeological sites are given. Only the found Juchid coins are considered in detail in this paper. The analysis of numismatic material showed: 1. the burial in Janibek’s mausoleum contains 13 coins of the 14th century and dates from the first half of the 760s/1360s; 2. the burial in Kyzyloba’s mausoleum contains 4 coins of Khan Uzbek and dates from the second half of the 730s/1330s. The authors compare the coins with similar finds from other graves of the 14th century in Central Kazakhstan. The obtained data indicate a possibly different dynamics and scale of the spread of plague in Saryarka compared to the Volga region. A larger statistics of coin finds in 14th-century burials is required for relevant conclusions.

Non-Invasive Approach to Investigate the Mineralogy and Production Technology of the Mosaic Tesserae from the Roman Domus of Villa San Pancrazio (Taormina, Italy)

The archaeological excavations at Villa San Pancrazio (Taormina, Italy) are bringing to light a vast Roman-Imperial residential quarter featuring luxurious dwellings decorated with wall paintings and mosaic floors, pointing it out as one of the most significant archaeological sites of the city. The polychrome and black and white mosaics recovered date back to the middle Imperial period, during the 2nd century AD. This work deals with the first archaeometric investigations of the materials employed for the tesserae production with the aim of elucidating the mineralogical composition and obtaining analytical evidence that can contribute to extracting information related to their production technology. For that purpose, a non-invasive methodology, based on micro energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF) spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy, was used to characterize a wide selection of stone, ceramic and glass tesserae. Chemometric tools were exploited to manage the large set of elemental data collected on black and white lithic samples, providing essential clues for the subsequent investigations. The results evidenced the employment of natural lithotypes (calcareous sedimentary, dolomitic and volcanic) local and imported, and also artificial materials, such as ceramic made firing magnesium-rich clays, soda-lime-silica glasses made with different opacifying and coloring agents (such as calcium antimoniate, cobalt and copper).

New excavations in the MNK Skull site, and the last appearance of the Oldowan and Homo habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

MNK Skull is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Olduvai Gorge, particularly due to the previous discovery of human fossils referred to in the paper where the Homo habilis taxon was originally defined. An important archaeological assemblage is contained in the same horizon as the hominin fossils, constituting the last evidence of both Homo habilis remains and handaxe-free tool kits in the Olduvai Gorge sequence. Our excavations at the site are the first to be conducted since the original work in the 1960s, and sought to refine the archaeological context wherein the Homo habilis remains were discovered. Chronostratigraphic results place the MNK Skull sequence in Middle Bed II prior to deposition of Tuff IIB. The assemblage was deposited near the shoreline, as Palaeolake Olduvai withdrew into the basinal depocentre, and fossils and stone tools were subjected to significant post-depositional processes. The assemblage was affected by mudflow deposits that buried and preserved the assemblage but also entrained surficial bone and lithic elements into the flow. Rather than an occupation site as originally interpreted, the assemblage is better understood as a background deposit, possibly accumulated on an unconformity surface over a long period of time. The stone tool assemblage is typical of the Oldowan, with no technological elements announcing the appearance of the Acheulean, which is well attested to across the Olduvai sequence in post-Tuff IIB times. Our results highlight that, with an approximate age of circa 1.67 Ma, MNK Skull stands as a key site to understand the late Oldowan and the disappearance of Homo habilis in East Africa.

History of Most Significant Buddhist Archaeological Sites in Gandhāra (Pakistan) Discovered During the 20th Century

History of Most Significant Buddhist Archaeological Sites in Gandhāra (Pakistan) Discovered During the 20th Century

Visitors' experience at Angkor Wat, Cambodia: evidence from sentiment and topic analysis

ABSTRACT Angkor Wat in Cambodia is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also consistently rated as the top Global Landmark by travelers in TripAdvisor. This study employed big data analytics to examine visitor experience via sentiment and topic analysis, given the popularity and volume of visitors annually. The process involved an examination of 32,394 online reviews about Angkor Wat posted between January 2015 and October 2019 on Tripadvisor’s website. The analysis was conducted for reviews with one, two, and three-star ratings, and those with four and five star ratings separately. Results showed highly skewed positive ratings, while similar positive sentiments dominated the reviews. Topic analysis disclosed that sunset and sunrise experience, attraction structure, guided tours, and temple experience were topics attributed mostly to positive sentiments. Conversely, crowding, persistent selling, clothing style, and expenses were illustrated as negative topics. Such insights are useful for managers at Angkor Wat to develop various marketing and management interventions to effectively manage the site and to optimize visitor experiences.

The materiality of forced labour: settlement waste of communities at WWII mining plant and PoW camp in Rolava (North-West Bohemia)

ABSTRACT The paper deals with archaeological, osteological and archaeobotanical analysis of the artefacts and ecofacts obtained by excavation in waste landfills from the Second World War. The settlement waste was produced by three communities with different social status, which were connected with the Rolava mining and processing plant in the Ore Mountains in western Bohemia. The plant was built to supply the war industry of the Third Reich with non-ferrous metals, especially tin, and after World War II it was abandoned and turned into a complex archaeological site. The communities settled here included German civilian specialists, but also prisoners of war performing forced labour from the ranks of members of the Allied armies and the Red Army. The interdisciplinary analysis of the settlement waste has brought numerous new insights into one of the most significant modern archaeological sites in Central Europe and everyday life in the context of the largest war conflict in human history.

Geochemical and petrographic assessment of clay outcrops and archaeological ceramics from the pre-hispanic site of Aguas Buenas (cal 400–1250 CE), Central Nicaragua

This research characterizes and reconstructs clay procurement and production practices through the integration of in-situ portable XRF and petrographic analysis on ancient ceramics and clay materials recovered from the Mayales river subbasin (central Nicaragua). A particular choice for this study was the largest and arguably most significant archaeological site in the area, Aguas Buenas (cal 400–1250 CE), a pre-Hispanic indigenous agglomeration consisting of 371 human-made mounds of various shapes arranged in geometric patterns. Microanalytical approaches were applied to reconstruct the use of raw mineral resources in the production of ubiquitous pottery materials found at this site and in its immediate surroundings. The resulting compositional analysis produced geochemical and mineralogical data allowing for the characterisation of distinct, geologically-based compositional groups throughout the valley, improving on the limited geological data resolution previously available. The integrated microscopic and compositional analysis (through p-XRF) of archaeological pottery materials and raw clay samples, generates a number of hypotheses and insights about the nature of the Aguas Buenas site, and its role as a shared space amongst groups living in the Mayales river Subbasin. Additionally, this study provides a solid research framework of investigation that can be employed for more detailed and extensive future studies on pre-Hispanic human occupation in this research area or elsewhere.

Пам’ятки археології села Ульвівок і його околиць у дослідженнях львівських вчених

The old village of Ulvivok, located above the Bug River in Sokal district, Lviv region, is extremely rich with archaeological sites. Relief, favourable for living, fertile soils, large river have contributed to appearing of human settlements on this area since ancient times. This fact is witnessed by finds of numerous archaeological artifacts near Ulvivok and discovery of significant archaeological sites – cemeteries and settlements, which have an interesting history of research since the late XIX century and till nowadays, associated with many famous Lviv scientists. An important role in the preservation and study of local archaeological finds was played by Dzieduszycki Museum. The first references to finds from Ulvivok and the surrounding villages – Horodylovychi, Stargorod, Skomorokhy and Telyazh – are found at the works of local historian B. Sokalski and geologist A. Lomnitcki, published in 1899. J. Nykorovych – the owner of the village and amateur archaeologist contributed noticeably preservation and research of sites during XIX – beginning of XX century. The first extensive exploration in Ulvivok in 1923 was conducted by archaeologist and local historian, guardian of the prehistoric monuments of Lviv district B. Janusz, who discovered a tomb of Globular Amphorae culture and part of the burials of the most famous archaeological sites near Ulvivok – inhumation cemetery from the end of Bronze Age of “Ulvivok-Rovantsi type”. The same cemetery was investigated in 1931 by archaeologist T. Sulimirski, who published the results of excavations. Local archaeological finds were studied by famous Ukrainian archaeologist J. Pasternak, J. Bryk, K. Żurowski, J. Dąmbrowski, I. Sveshnikov, L. Krushelnytska. Nowadays, the exploration work was conducted by N. Wojceschuk, surveys in Ulvivok, Horodylovychi, Stargorod and excavation of Early Iron Age site were carried out by D. Pavliv. At least 14 archaeological sites (8 settlements and 6 cemeteries) and about 100 individual finds have been found on the territory of the village and surrounding area. This territory on the western part of Ukraine is extremely rich with archaeological sites of almost all epochs. It is witnessed by the great historical importance of this region and requires continuation of professional archaeological examinations and protective actions for the preservation of archaeological heritage. Key words: Ulvivok, archaeological site, Lviv scientists, Globular Amphorae culture, burial complex of Ulvivok-Rovantsi type.