Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports最新文献

{"title":"Mesolithic plant processing unveiled: Multiscale use-wear analysis of the ground stone tools from Vlasac (Serbia)","authors":"Andrea Zupancich ,&nbsp;Emanuela Cristiani ,&nbsp;Marialetizia Carra ,&nbsp;Dragana Antonović ,&nbsp;Dušan Borić","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104907","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104907","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants and plant-based foods played a crucial role in human evolution, and the interaction between plants and humans is a highly debated topic in archaeology. Ground stone tools are considered particularly valuable evidence due to their direct involvement in various plant processing tasks. This paper investigates the use of sandstone ground stone tools coming from the site of Vlasac in the Danube Gorges region, used in plant processing tasks, providing clues about the exploitation of vegetal resources during the Mesolithic of the region. Applying a novel approach based on the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including optical microscopy, 3D surface texture analysis, and spatial analysis, we explore the use of ground stone tools in plant processing at the site. Our results highlight the existence of a specific plant-food processing technology in the area of the Danube Gorges during the eight millennium cal BC, alongside the familiarity of these Mesolithic foragers with the consumption of wild plants, long before the introduction of agriculture in this region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104907"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The preliminary analysis of the decorated bricks in the chamber of the Northern Wei Jing Ling site in Luoyang","authors":"Shuanglin Zhou ,&nbsp;Yushen He ,&nbsp;Yanhong Li ,&nbsp;Bohan Wang ,&nbsp;Rui Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104949","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Northern Wei dynasty is a significant period of multi-ethnic integration in Chinese history. Studies on the construction styles and materials of the Northern Wei dynasty tombs could be crucial to researching mausoleum system development in ancient China. Decorated bricks found in the Northern Wei Jing Ling site were analysed by multiple analysis methods. Petrographic analysis, SEM-EDS and XRD were used to investigate inorganic compounds and the mineral structure. The main chemical component of the brick is quartz. Meanwhile, the high carbon content indicates that the black pigment applied in the brick coating may be carbon black. Raman spectroscopy also confirmed the presence of carbon black. FTIR suggested the possible presence of organic binders, which were further identified by amino acid analysis. Egg was identified as the most likely binder in the black coating, while a slight amount of animal glue may also be an additive in the binder.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104949"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the origins of the sogdians: Evidence of genetic admixture between ancient central and East Asians","authors":"Jiashuo Zhang ,&nbsp;Yongdi Wang ,&nbsp;Naifan Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiawei Li ,&nbsp;Youyang Qu ,&nbsp;Cunshi Zhu ,&nbsp;Fan Zhang ,&nbsp;Dawei Cai ,&nbsp;Chao Ning","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Silk Road, an ancient trade route connecting China with the West, facilitated the exchanges of goods, ideas, and cultural practices among diverse civilizations. The Sogdians were prominent merchants along the Silk Road, renowned for their roles as traders, artisans, and entertainers. They migrated to China, forming enduring communities that produced multiple generations of descendants. Despite their historical importance, primary written records detailing the origins of the Sogdians and their interactions with local populations are limited. In this study, we generated genome-wide data for two ancient individuals from a joint burial (M1401) in the Guyuan cemetery dating to the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). To our knowledge, this represents the first ancient genomic data obtained from the Sogdian population. Our results reveal that the female individual exhibits local ancestry, while the male carries both local ancestry and additional genetic components linked to the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC) in Central Asia. This was introduced into the local gene pool approximately 18 generations ago. Combining historical, archaeological, and genetic analyses, we conclude that the two individuals were likely husband and wife. Our findings suggest that Sogdians, who initially traveled to China for trade, settled, intermarried with local populations, and played a significant role as intermediaries in Silk Road commerce. This study highlights the importance of Sogdiana at the end of the first millennium BCE in fostering connections between the Hellenistic world and the Qin/Han dynasties, emphasizing early Sogdian identity traits that preceded their later prominence as key merchants of the Silk Road.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104957"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Middle Paleolithic bone industry in Central Asia, first evidence from Obi-Rakhmat Grotto (Uzbekistan)","authors":"Malvina Baumann ,&nbsp;Evgeny Girya ,&nbsp;Laurent Crépin ,&nbsp;Marie-Anne Julien ,&nbsp;William Rendu ,&nbsp;Bahtivor Saifullaev ,&nbsp;Andrei Krivoshapkin","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of bone tools in contexts predating the Upper Paleolithic of <em>Homo sapiens</em> in Eurasia is no longer subject to debate. However, the recent evidence highlighting significant Neanderthal bone industries demonstrates that this phenomenon has been largely underestimated. A re-evaluation of each assemblage through a systematic search for bone artifacts is now a necessary prerequisite for accurately assessing the nature and variability of bone production over time and across past humanities. Such an approach should precede any attempt at a broader understanding of the mechanisms underlying their emergence and development. With this in mind, we initiated an investigation in Central Asia, a key region for Middle Paleolithic human settlements, where the potential for bone artifacts has remained weakly tested until now. Here, we present the preliminary results from Obi-Rakhmat (Uzbekistan). Dated to 90–40 ka BP, it is one of the few multilayered sites in the region to have yielded human remains. The original composition of the set of bone artifacts, which reflects that of the lithic assemblage, confirms our expectations and opens new avenues for research on this emerging topic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104961"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coloured glass bracelets from Middle Byzantine (11th–12th century CE) Morava and Braničevo (Serbia)","authors":"Roman Balvanović ,&nbsp;Žiga Šmit ,&nbsp;Milica Marić Stojanović ,&nbsp;Dragana Spasić-Đurić ,&nbsp;Teodora Branković","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forty-one samples, primarily glass bracelets, from the 11th–12th century Byzantine towns of Morava and Braničevo in Serbia were analyzed using simultaneous PIXE/PIGE. The analysis identified three types of flux: natron, plant ash, and evaporitic mineral soda. The natron glass exhibited Levantine characteristics, but extensive recycling obscured its specific group classification. Plant ash glass displayed typical compositional traits of Levantine plant ash glasses, with most samples showing evidence of recycling with natron glass. Evaporitic mineral soda glasses were traced to two distinct sources, differentiated by their boron and strontium concentrations, likely Anatolian. The evaporitic mineral soda turquoise bracelets from Braničevo resemble bracelets from Ḥiṣn al-Tīnāt in eastern Anatolia, which were produced using alkali flux derived from thermal spring evaporites. Black natron bracelets were colored with high iron concentrations. Black glasses produced from plant ash, mixed plant ash, and evaporitic mineral soda were coloured with lower iron levels in a reduced furnace atmosphere. Cobalt-blue bracelets were colored with a CoCu-type cobalt colorant, appearing in two variants: one with high zinc content, similar to the cobalt-zinc colorant found in contemporary Islamic plant ash glasses, and another with low zinc content, derived from a different cobalt ore. The diversity of raw materials sources highlights the complexity and vibrancy of Byzantine glass trade networks during the 11th–12th centuries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104950"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On the relationship between sound, acoustics, and San rock art: An archaeoacoustic study at twenty-seven sites in the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains (South Africa)","authors":"Neemias Santos Da Rosa ,&nbsp;Lidia Alvarez-Morales ,&nbsp;Diego Moreno-Iglesias ,&nbsp;Ghilraen Laue ,&nbsp;Margarita Díaz-Andreu","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past two decades, scholars have proposed the existence of a strong relationship between sound, acoustics, and the production of San rock art in certain places. However, this intriguing hypothesis had never been tested through the systematic application of a rigorous method to a substantial sample of sites. In this paper, we present an unprecedented archaeoacoustic study conducted at 27 shelters with San paintings located in the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains (South Africa). The results obtained through the use of the impulse response (IR) method indicate that such a relationship should not be considered a pattern, but a circumstantial occurrence identified only in specific parts of the South African territory. Drawing on these data, we suggest that in our study area, the choice of sites to be painted may have been predominantly influenced by ontological beliefs concerning how the San perceived the shelters and the surrounding landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104900"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143146807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pigmented supports in the upper Palaeolithic: Unravelling origins and intentionality on red-pigmented support at the Lagar Velho rock shelter (Portugal)","authors":"Joan Daura ,&nbsp;Marcos García-Diez ,&nbsp;Montserrat Sanz ,&nbsp;Tariq Jawhari ,&nbsp;Ana Maria Costa ,&nbsp;Ana Cristina Araújo","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ochre, a natural pigment, has been a significant element in prehistoric cultures, particularly during the Palaeolithic, with various applications in artistic, ritual, and domestic contexts. This paper focuses on the red-pigmented support found at the Lagar Velho rock shelter (Portugal) and seeks to elucidate its origin, the processes behind its pigmentation, and its intentionality. The limestone support was found in proximity to the Lapedo child burial, dated to the Gravettian, prompting an investigation into its role and the nature of its pigmentation. Detailed analysis, including visual examination, digital image enhancement, microscopic observation, and Raman spectroscopy, revealed that the pigmentation primarily consists of haematite. The sequence of events leading to the pigmentation on the limestone support involves sediment accumulation, surface abrasion, and finally, the application of red colour. The “barcode”-like design on the support likely resulted from unintentional rubbing or contact with red pigment previously deposited in the shelter, potentially associated with the nearby burial. The analyses carried out on this finding suggest that the red colouration was not a result of deliberate artistic or symbolic behaviour but rather a passive process, either natural or anthropic, linked to the block’s movement and its interaction with deposited red pigment.</div><div>In summary, the study underscores the importance of a comprehensive and well-grounded approach in examining pigmented supports in Palaeolithic contexts. It demonstrates that understanding the nature and origin of pigmentation involves not only analysing patterns but also considering the specific context and processes that led to its deposition. The examination of the Lagar Velho limestone support serves as an example of how taphonomic processes can influence the appearance of colouration in non-artistic contexts, challenging conventional interpretations of such finds in the European Upper Palaeolithic framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104924"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When smoke is in the air: An experimental approach to characterise fuel emissions on past humans dwellings","authors":"A. Robledo ,&nbsp;A. Burguet-Coca ,&nbsp;M. Berihuete-Azorín ,&nbsp;S. Bianco ,&nbsp;J. Pallarès ,&nbsp;S. Cito ,&nbsp;B. Garay-Palacios ,&nbsp;E. Allué","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104944","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104944","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fire, since it became a feature of daily life, had a great significance for humans in the past. When reconstructing fire use and maintenance it is important to know what kinds of fuels were being used as energetic resources and how these were managed. We present the first results of a project that aims to investigate how important was the use of fire and how was the awareness or knowledge about the health effects on people. The objective is to study wellbeing (health and habitability) in prehistoric communities from Palaeolithic occupations in Iberian Península. Our research focuses on the identification of patterns that could refer to the decision making regarding the type of dwelling, as well as the size, ventilation, location of hearths and type of fuel used. Fire experiments were made in the cave Cova Manena (Tarragona, Spain) and in open air locations: Paleolítico Vivo and CAREX (Burgos, Spain) and Molí del Salt (Tarragona, Spain) archaeological site surroundings. The main fuel used was <em>Pinus sylvestris</em> in order to evaluate fuel management and combustion practices. In the experiments we have registered meteorological conditions, hearth temperatures, radiative heat and fine particles emissions using different tools. Results showed smoke emissions and hearth temperature are related to firewood state (dry, semi-decayed and decayed) and environmental conditions (rain, wind direction and speed). This has allowed us to monitor several data in order to analyse air quality as well as habitability conditions in the different dwelling scenarios regarding health and wellbeing of the prehistoric communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104944"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary reconstruction of domestic mammals in the Keriya Valley (Xinjiang, China) during the Bronze and Iron Ages using stable isotope analysis of animal hair","authors":"Clara Azémard ,&nbsp;Sebastien Lepetz ,&nbsp;Corinne Debaine-Francfort ,&nbsp;Idriss Abduressul ,&nbsp;Denis Fiorillo ,&nbsp;Séverine Zirah ,&nbsp;Antoine Zazzo","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104920","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104920","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Textiles can provide a wealth of information about the practices of ancient cultures. Here we present the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses of a large corpus of well-preserved animal fibres from two Bronze and Iron Age sites in the Keriya Valley (Xinjiang, NW China), an area which lies at the crossroads of exchange and circulation of goods, practices and culture in Eurasia. Our aim is to reconstruct the diets of domesticated herbivores (goat, sheep, cattle, camel) found at these sites in order to shed light on pastoral practices. Caprines and cattle relied heavily on C₃ plants with a δ¹³C mean ratio of −19.8 ± 1.5 ‰ and −20.3 ± 1.8 ‰ respectively, in accordance with other studies in Xinjiang. Occasional consumption of C₄ plants is also observed in caprines. These variations may be due to herd mobility and/or seasonal availability of local vegetation or textile trade. Two Iron Age individuals (a camel and a bovid) show a high C₄ plants intake. This diet is highly unusual in this context and specific herding practices with millet feeding could be considered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104920"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reflectance transformation imaging at a microscopic level: A new device and method for collaborative research on artifact use-wear analysis","authors":"Jerome Robitaille","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper outlines the technical foundation and operational principles of Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) technology, emphasizing its pivotal role in archaeological artifact analysis and documentation. It reflects on RTI studies to demonstrate its significant impact in providing detailed multi-directional insights, particularly in use-wear analysis. A comparative assessment of images captured through different techniques reveals that Microscopic-RTI delivers exceptionally comprehensive information, markedly enhancing the visual representation of active tool surfaces. These findings accentuate the substantial value of Microscopic-RTI in research and documentation for use-wear analysis, affirming its effectiveness as an integral and complementary tool alongside other imaging technologies.</div><div>This study demonstrates that RTI can successfully examine features at a microscopic level. Specifically, it evaluates various microscopy-scale photography methods, focusing on the ‘highlight’ method (H-RTI) for documenting sub-millimetre details, such as those examined in use-wear analysis. The study investigates the implementation of Microscopic-RTI, a novel RTI method that utilizes a microscope, for the exaination and documentation of archaeological and experimental use-wear on stone tools. This technique enables the capture of fine surface details that may not be identifiable through ordinary photography and microscopy.</div><div>Given the prohibiting cost of an RTI dome, this study proposes the cost-effective make-shift construction of a simile dome and reviews how it functions along with appropriate RTI programs for documentation of use-wear, hoping to propel the subdiscipline of use-wear analysis to more accurate and objective documentation and interpretation of use-wear which can be widely shared and used.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104914"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}