Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports最新文献

{"title":"Freshwater turtles and mesolithic human subsistence: Taxonomic and taphonomic study of the assemblages from El Collado (Oliva, Eastern Iberian Peninsula)","authors":"Raquel Moya ,&nbsp;Alfred Sanchis ,&nbsp;Javier Fernández-López de Pablo","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105234","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105234","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the first comprehensive taxonomic and taphonomic analysis of chelonid remains from the Mesolithic site of El Collado (Oliva, Valencia), one of the most significant archaeological sites on the Iberian Peninsula. This unprecedented assemblage, derived from previously unpublished collections, provides critical insights into the subsistence strategies and environmental adaptations of Mesolithic communities during the Early Holocene. Through detailed examination, two key Iberian species, <em>Emys orbicularis</em> and <em>Mauremys leprosa</em>, have been identified, offering new taxonomic evidence on the distribution of these taxa in the region. The study also documents anthropogenic modifications, including fire marks, suggesting that chelonids were a significant food resource, thus contributing to a broader understanding of human-environment interactions in prehistoric contexts. The findings underscore the importance of small prey exploitation in Mesolithic subsistence strategies, offering valuable paleoenvironmental and paleoeconomic insights. This work enhances our understanding of resource use and cultural practices in Mesolithic societies, emphasizing the role of local fauna in their adaptation to postglacial environmental changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105234"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144203879","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":"Archaeometric study of a unique medieval golden ring with a reddish-purple sapphire (corundum) gemstone from the Zvolen Castle, Slovakia","authors":"Noémi Beljak Pažinová ,&nbsp;Ján Beljak ,&nbsp;Peter Bačík ,&nbsp;Stanislava Milovská ,&nbsp;Bronislava Lalinská-Voleková ,&nbsp;Ján Štubňa","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The article focuses on the archaeometric analysis of a medieval corundum ring from the Zvolen Castle in Central Slovakia, disclosing the valuable gemstone’s origin and its use, cutting, and grinding. The ring, which is of high quality and rare in medieval jewels, was found at today’s Pustý hrad (Deserted) Castle above the city of Zvolen. The prominent Hungarian High Medieval royal castle was built in the late 12th century and served as the administrative centre of the Zvolen County. The 18-karat golden ring, dating from circa 1300, holds a reddish-purple sapphire gemstone with an estimated weight of about 2.00 ct. The corundum was identified using standard gemological procedures, Raman spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy, and microscopic inspection. It did not corroborate heat treatment indicators. An EDXRF examination for trace elements (Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ga) helped to identify the sapphire’s possible origin. The results indicate that Sri Lanka is the most likely place of origin. The ring’s discovery highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in understanding medieval gemstone trade routes and usage. Such rings were far more than decorative items. The addition of engraved animals on the ring shoulders indicates the influence of medieval iconography and beastly imagery. The wearers used them as symbols of their wealth and societal status and as a spiritual safeguard.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144203880","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":"Spatio-temporal distribution and consumption of local earthenwares from 19th-20th century Amedeka, Southeastern Ghana","authors":"R.Dela Kuma ,&nbsp;Brandi L. MacDonald","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we present preliminary results of a combined typological analysis, ethnographic data, and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) of local earthenware from the later 19th-century site of Amedeka in southeastern Ghana. This preliminary geochemical study is the first study done on local earthenware from the site, and the goal is to examine geochemical variation within the Amedeka assemblage to determine if distinctive compositional groups could be identified and linked to possible areas of production within and beyond the region. Furthermore, we compared the data to previously characterized ceramic data from elsewhere in Ghana, reported by Ann Stahl and colleagues, in order to understand the scale of ceramic raw material procurement practices in Amedeka within the broader contexts of the late 19th and 20th centuries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105248"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195182","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":"PlantBi(bli)oArch: An open access archaeobotanical bibliographic database for the Central and Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East","authors":"Panagiotis Koullouros,&nbsp;Mahmoud Mardini,&nbsp;Evi Margaritis,&nbsp;Efthymia Nikita","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents PlantBi(bli)oArch, an open access database that provides bibliographic information for archaeobotanical studies in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, a region characterized by multifaceted human-environment relationships across millennia. PlantBi(bli)oArch complements prior online bibliographic databases created by our team but focused on human osteoarchaeological studies. Like these earlier initiatives, PlantBi(bli)oArch was created because a lot of the archaeobotanical research in the region has been published as grey literature and this limits its visibility by international scholars. PlantBi(bli)oArch’s creation aims at making relevant research more easily findable, enhancing its use in comparative studies and broader <em>meta</em>-analyses. This paper presents the functionalities of this resource, as well as key trends in archaeobotanical studies emanating from the 2,238 publications currently included in this database. By making this initiative more broadly known through this paper, we invite scholars to contribute to its further development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105227"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195186","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":"The arsenical copper smelting tradition of the Vera Basin (Southeast Iberia): New insight from Santa Bárbara and Zájara","authors":"M. Murillo-Barroso ,&nbsp;J. Montes-Landa ,&nbsp;D. Pérez-L’Huillier ,&nbsp;M.D. Camalich Massieu ,&nbsp;D. Martín Socas ,&nbsp;M. Martinón-Torres","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The early chronology, important archaeological settlements, and extensive archaeometallurgical remains make the Vera Basin in Southeast Iberia a fundamental area to understand the development of metallurgy. Here we present the analyses of a set of technical ceramics, slag and copper ores from Santa Bárbara (Huércal-Overa, Spain) and Zájara (Cuevas del Almanzora, Spain) Chalcolithic sites (3100-2250 cal. BC) using pXRF, OM, SEM-EDS, and XRD. Technological characterisation and contextual information are integrated with previous work conducted in nearby sites, such as Almazaraque (Cuevas del Almanzora), Las Pilas (Mojácar) and Los Millares (Santa Fe de Mondújar), offering a detailed characterisation of the Vera Basin technological tradition.</div><div>This technological tradition is characterised by the production of arsenical copper (up to 6 % As) using carbonates, mixed Cu-As minerals, and occasional sulfidic ores from a variety of mines, predominantly Pinar de Bédar and Cerro Minado. The metallurgical operations occurred within the domestic sphere, using simple set ups that yielded good-enough but not optimum efficiency. Copper extraction likely entailed a two-step process, in which metal was first smelted, and the resulting metal prills were subsequently re-melted to produce a bigger mass for casting. This is supported by the characterisation of two types of open crucibles linked to smelting and melting activities, respectively. Both types were made of unusually refractory clays but have morphological features adjusted to their specific functions. (An extended summary of results in Spanish is available as <span><span>Supplementary Material</span></span>.)</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195187","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":"More than one way to perform archaeometric analyses on pottery. Case studies from prehistoric to Bronze Age Sudan","authors":"Giulia D’Ercole ,&nbsp;Julia Budka ,&nbsp;Elena A.A. Garcea","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105232","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105232","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sudanese archaeology boasts a long-standing tradition of studying pottery technology, including through archaeometric analyses. In the early 1970s, several international and Sudanese scholars conducted the first petrographic and geochemical studies on Sudanese Mesolithic and Neolithic ceramic assemblages. More or less contemporaneously, the first attempt to classify ancient Egyptian ceramic fabrics was organised into the ‘Vienna system’ which became the backbone for the classification of clays and fabrics based on certain physical and technological properties. Building on such past studies, current archaeometric approaches to Sudanese pottery commonly integrate a wide range of organic (e.g., ORA) and inorganic (e.g., OM, XRF, iNAA) analyses to reconstruct the <em>chaîne opératoire</em> of the ceramic assemblages, local traditions, and ceramic ecologies, considering both the natural and anthropological spheres. The following paper compares different archaeometric studies from key contexts of Sudanese archaeology. The selected case studies range chronologically from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. In particular, we demonstrate that shared standard research methods allow for the successful comparison of ceramic assemblages from different chronological and geographic contexts, despite varying sampling strategies, analytical techniques, archaeological challenges, and research objectives. All of which can be calibrated based on the specific ceramic assemblage, site chronology, as well as the topographical and cultural landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105232"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195183","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":"How long were alignments of heating stones hearths used during the Early Iron Age in Western Europe? Evidence of a long chronology by archaeomagnetic dating at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume (Southern France)","authors":"G. Hervé ,&nbsp;M. Marmara ,&nbsp;A. Chauvin ,&nbsp;C. Vaschalde ,&nbsp;E. Martin-Kobierzyki ,&nbsp;B. Brossier ,&nbsp;F. Demory","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alignments of heating stones hearths are common in Southeast France and in Switzerland at the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. Because of the plateau effect on the radiocarbon calibration curve, the hypothesis that the structures were in use almost synchronously within an alignment is still debated. For archaeomagnetic dating purposes, we studied eight heating stones hearths, six of them organized in two parallel alignments, from the site Clos de Roques – Route de Barjols in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in Southern France. Archaeodirections were determined after thermal and alternating field demagnetizations and archaeointensities using the Thellier-Thellier protocol with corrections for the anisotropy and cooling rate effects. The large difference between average archaeodirections (more than 20° in declination) clearly demonstrate that the last use of the structures was not contemporaneous, bearing in mind that no archaeological evidence of multiple uses was found. The archaeomagnetic dates were obtained with the local prediction of declination, inclination and intensity by the European geomagnetic model SCHA.DIF.4k. They range between the end of the 8th century BCE and the end of the 5th century BCE with a ∼ 150 years precision at 95 % of confidence for most structures. These results confirm the occupation of the site at the Early Iron Age given by other dating methods but imply a longer use than the one around 625–575 BCE suggested by the typochronology of ceramic artefacts. The different archaeomagnetic dates obtained within the alignments show that the alignments of hearths were not established over a short period as previously thought but over a couple centuries, highlighting the important and still poorly understood role of these fired structures in the area.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 105241"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195185","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":"Fishing and the Church: Ichthyoarchaeological analyses of the visigothic settlement of Aiguafreda de Dalt site (Catalonia, Spain, 7th c.)","authors":"Arnau Brosa-Planella ,&nbsp;Arnau Garcia-Molsosa ,&nbsp;Abel Gallego-Valle ,&nbsp;Judit Ciurana Prast ,&nbsp;Jaume Oliver-Bruy ,&nbsp;Santiago Riera Mora ,&nbsp;Maria Saña Seguí ,&nbsp;Arturo Morales Muñiz","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the post-Roman centuries, a new political, social and cultural order emerged in the Western Mediterranean. As part of this process, fisheries underwent significant changes, which laid the foundation for the subsequent development of medieval fisheries in the region. However, fishing activities during the Visigothic Kingdom (5th-8th centuries) in the Iberian Peninsula remain underexplored, especially in comparison to other areas such as Italy. This paper presents an analysis of the ichthyoarchaeological assemblage from the 7th-century site of Aiguafreda de Dalt (Catalonia, Spain), one of the first comprehensive studies of a fish assemblage from this period in the region. The results suggest that ecclesiastical elites played a key role in shaping fishing practices in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula and the existence of a small-scale system for transporting fresh fish inland. The study also reveals a continuity in fish consumption practices from the Roman period into the Visigothic era.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 105215"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144177890","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":"A “shell-midden” dated to the Middle Ages in Northern Spain: The church of San Juan Bautista in Colindres","authors":"Esteban Álvarez-Fernández ,&nbsp;Rafael Bolado Del Castillo ,&nbsp;Mª Teresa Aparicio ,&nbsp;Ángel Borja ,&nbsp;Marián Cueto ,&nbsp;Enrique Gutiérrez Cuenca ,&nbsp;José Ángel Hierro Gárate ,&nbsp;Jesús F. Jordá Pardo ,&nbsp;Laura Llorente Rodríguez ,&nbsp;Alberto Marchán-Fernández ,&nbsp;Paloma Uzquiano ,&nbsp;Miriam Cubas","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bioarchaeological evidence of subsistence strategies during the Middle Ages is scarce in the Cantabrian region (Northern Spain). In the excavations carried out at the church of San Juan Bautista in Colindres (Cantabria), a ‘shell-middeń composed almost exclusively of archaeozoological and anthracological remains was documented, and then dated between the second part of the 12th century and the beginning of the 15th century CE. The animal remains belong mainly to invertebrates, with the marine bivalve <em>Cerastoderma</em> sp. (cockle) being the most abundant taxon. The acidic pH of the sediment, however, has meant that vertebrate remains are scarce and of very small size, with the documentation of freshwater fish teeth (Cyprinidae) standing out. The anthracological data indicate the use of various types of wood as fuel (including fruit trees), which points to an anthropised landscape. This accumulation of remains has been interpreted as a waste tip resulting from the daily activities (shellfishing, fishing, plant cultivation) of the people who lived around the church. Finally, the importance of this type of resource in the Cantabrian region and nearby areas during the Early Middle Ages is assessed, taking into account both the bioarchaeological information and the scarce historical data available.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 105223"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144185683","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":"Characterization of clay deposits in the Ceyhan Plain (Eastern Cilicia, Turkey): Integrated petrographic, mineralogical, geochemical, and geospatial analysis for provenance studies of ancient ceramics","authors":"Sinem Hacıosmanoğlu ,&nbsp;Mustafa Kibaroğlu ,&nbsp;Hatice Ünal Ercan ,&nbsp;Joachim Opitz","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the results of a comprehensive multi-analytical investigations of clay deposits from the Ceyhan Plain in Eastern Cilicia, Southern Turkey, aimed at establishing a robust framework for provenance studies of ancient ceramics in the region. A total of 52 clay samples were systematically collected and analyzed using optical microscopy for petrography (OM), X-Ray powder diffraction for mineral phase analysis (XRPD), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for geochemical (LA-ICP-MS), and geographic information systems for Geospatial Analysis (GIS) to examine the compositional characteristics and define reference clay groups for archaeometric research. Briquette samples were prepared from the collected clay to facilitate direct geochemical and petrographic comparisons with archaeological ceramics and clay-based artifacts.</div><div>The results demonstrate that the clay deposits are predominantly calcareous, with contribution from mafic rocks and minor input from ultramafic sources. The compositional diversity is primarily shaped by sedimentation processes associated with the Ceyhan River, while smaller drainage systems influence localized variations. Four distinct clay reference groups were identified: the Ceyhan River Clay Group, İmamoğlu-Kozan Clay Group, Kadirli-Savrun Clay group, and Osmaniye-Ilıksu Clay Group. These groups serve as reference materials for comparative studies of ancient ceramics enabling deeper insights into local ceramic production strategies and exchange networks within the Eastern Cilicia Plain and its surroundings. They also serve as essential materials for provenance analyses of ceramics and other clay-based artifacts in broader regional contexts, including the Mediterranean, Anatolia, and the Levant.</div><div>The study further underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and the integration of excavation data with landscape and systematic raw material analysis to achieve a more nuanced understanding of ancient production strategies and resource management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 105240"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144185700","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}