Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports最新文献

{"title":"Echoes from the past: Bioarchaeological insights into the burial grounds of Portus Romae","authors":"Flavio De Angelis ,&nbsp;Serena Vaccaro ,&nbsp;Marco Romboni ,&nbsp;Maria Rosa Di Cicco ,&nbsp;Noemi Mantile ,&nbsp;Simona Altieri ,&nbsp;Antonio Mezzogiorno ,&nbsp;Marina Lo Blundo ,&nbsp;Olga Rickards ,&nbsp;Carmine Lubritto ,&nbsp;Paola Francesca Rossi","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104931","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104931","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since its establishment<em>, Portus Romae</em> represented a hub for the trade of goods to and from Rome. Similarly, commercial activities should have pushed the intermingling of people and cultures. However, the political disruption following the starting decline of the Empire led to trade shrinkage, with the silting out of a portion of the basin in the 5th century CE and the building of defensive walls.</div><div>14 burials were discovered in the Antemurale area in the southwestern part of the port zone, around the Late Antique defensive structures. The bioarchaeological data from these burials herein presented contributes to broadening knowledge about the biological and cultural characteristics of people living at the chronological edge of the Roman Empire.</div><div>The osteological analysis showed that main part of the sample pertains to skeletally immature individuals, who were impacted by the harsh lifestyle experienced by the community, whose subsistence strategy was grounded on local and autarchic supply.</div><div>The isotopic characterization of the enamel and the individuals’ genomic makeup suggest that people from Antemurale could be considered more similar to the Italian population of the Imperial Age and Late Antiquity than to the invading groups from Central Europe. Thus, the studied group of individuals were not biologically conditioned by the arrival of foreign armies to the outskirts of Rome in the previous centuries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104931"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147022","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":"Fuelwood harvesting rates from the perspective of early hunter-gatherers on the Cape south coast, South Africa","authors":"M.S. Botha ,&nbsp;J.C. De Vynck ,&nbsp;C.D. Wren","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding fuelwood harvesting and burn characteristics of different plant species can contribute to understanding early hunter-gatherer mobility patterns and heat-requiring practices such was used to produce advanced heat-treated silcrete stone tools (lithics) and cooking food. With the help of modern female foragers, who still collect fuelwood for their own use, we harvested fuelwood within the Cape south coast, South Africa. Experimental fires were then staged to examine the heat-generating properties of 24 different plant species chosen as fuelwood. Burnt and unburnt Limestone fynbos yielded the highest fuelwood return rates and Sand Fynbos and Subtropical Thicket yielded the lowest. There is a range of plant species sufficient to carry fire temperatures (both beneath the sand and within the embers) for the heat-treatment of silcrete (350 °C). For cooking food in an open fire, few species retained an ember temperature above 500 °C for more than an hour – the temperature deemed necessary to cook shellfish and tubers. The size of hunter-gatherer groups would have impacted fuelwood depletion around a central foraging point and combining the heat-treatment of silcrete with cooking food would have maximised foraging expenditure of fuelwood procurement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104960"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147226","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":"Fire and heat, from hearth to charcoal: An experimental approach to temperature in the context of Palaeolithic hearths","authors":"Isabelle Théry-Parisot ,&nbsp;Benjamin Audiard ,&nbsp;Alain Carre ,&nbsp;Vanna-Lisa Coli ,&nbsp;Pauline Garberi ,&nbsp;Anne Lavalette","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104977","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104977","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Whether one is interested in palaeoeconomics or technical aspects of fire use, or in taphonomy, the concept of temperature plays a central role in charcoal analysis. What does the temperature reveal about the function of the hearths? Can prehistoric hearth temperatures be accurately measured a posteriori, and what information could be gleaned from such measurements? Changing scale, what are the effects of fire temperatures on the residues themselves in terms of taphonomy and what are the consequences for the preservation of isotopic and molecular signatures?</div><div>To address these questions, we conducted over two hundred experimental standardised combustions under laboratory conditions. Our results, supported by mathematical data processing, provide insight into the properties of wood combustion, including fragmentation processes. We also explored the challenges of measuring temperatures in both the combustion structures and the charcoal itself.</div><div>Our results show that temperatures in the open-air fireplaces are highly labile, with average temperatures always within the same range regardless of the taxa. We also provide information on the effect of temperature on fragmentation processes but also on the isotopic and molecular signature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104977"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147229","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":"Complexity of proto-elamite administration system: Insights from compositional data from sealings and tablets","authors":"Sepideh Jamshidi Yeganeh ,&nbsp;Parviz Holakooei ,&nbsp;Jebrael Nokandeh ,&nbsp;Sedigheh Piran ,&nbsp;Jacob L. Dahl","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104973","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104973","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates administrative practices during the Proto-Elamite period (3100–2900 BCE) by analysing the compositional data acquired from sealings and clay tablets found in Susa, Malyan, and Tape Yahya using handheld X-ray fluorescence (hXRF). The relative error (RE%) and the expanded uncertainty (<em>U</em>_Δ) accounted for the hXRF quantitative data acquired from six certified reference materials (CRMs) showed the hXRF data was accurate and the standard deviation (σ) of the measurements performed on the CRMs and relative standard deviation (RSD) accounted for the measurements performed on the clay materials showed that the hXRF data are precise enough to have a clear picture about the compositional diversity within the objects under study in terms of major and minor elements. The Proto-Elamite writing system and seal imagery, found across various sites in Iran, played a significant role in administrative control. This research provides new insights into the administrative mechanisms of the Proto-Elamite civilisation and the extent of regional interactions. Results suggest that sealings, used to secure storage and portable objects, were typically made and used locally, with no evidence of inter-regional transport. The chemical analysis of sealings from different trenches within Malyan highlights localised administrative practices. In contrast, the Proto-Elamite tablets seem to be transported between sites, indicating flow of information or goods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104973"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147230","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":"True rate of destruction: Statistical evaluation of the impact of usage of sieves on fragmentation of burned human remains","authors":"Adam Budziszewski","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104976","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104976","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the secondary mechanical fragmentation of cremated human remains during the sieving process, a crucial aspect of bioarchaeological analysis. Originating from methodologies developed in the 1990 s, this practice involves passing cremains through a series of sieves with different mesh sizes (typically &gt; 10 mm, &gt;5 mm, and &gt; 2 mm) to quantify the degree of fragmentation and generate numerical data for further statistical analyses. However, critics argue that this method may exacerbate the degradation of remains, potentially compromising valuable information, such as the original dimensions and the integrity of diagnostic features. These include fragments of cranial and pelvic bones that express sexual dimorphic traits and bone fragments essential for age-at-death assessment or fragments with paleopathological lesions. This study addresses the dearth of quantified data concerning the extent of fragmentation caused by sieving. Using Pearson’s correlation coefficients and generalized linear model, I assessed the secondary fragmentation resulting from sieving. The results confirm that sieving leads to additional fragmentation, irrespective of mesh shape, significantly affecting the total weight of the cremation context and the largest of the fractions separated by sieving (&gt;10 mm). However, the overall weight loss from one or multiple sieving sessions is relatively modest. This is because the apparent reduction in weight is not solely due to the loss of osteological material but also to the redistribution of fragments into smaller size fractions. While sieving does contribute to fragmentation, it provides valuable insights into how cremains are affected by various taphonomic and cultural processes. To minimize data loss, the study recommends establishing methodological standards that include visual inspection and the selective exclusion of fragile fragments prior to sieving, thereby reducing secondary destruction of the cremains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104976"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147430","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":"Animal resources in experimental archaeology: A reflection on standards and ethics","authors":"Teresa E. Steele ,&nbsp;Giulia Gallo ,&nbsp;Naomi L. Martisius","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Experimental, actualistic, and replicative studies are foundational for facilitating interpretations of faunal remains. However, these studies are often limited by uncontrollable factors, such as the variation inherent in bone as a product of living individuals and the ways animals are handled after their death. Bone varies with each species and element, the sex and age of the individuals, and the conditions in which it is retained. Because of the challenges of acquiring modern bone samples, zooarchaeologists are often limited by this variation and sample size in their studies. Transparency through mindfully and honestly presenting research design, sampling, and original data will facilitate the interpretation of results and the development of new projects. Furthermore, the remains that zooarchaeologists study, whether modern or ancient, were once living animals within dynamic communities and ecosystems, and they should be respected as such. This includes respecting descendant communities’ potential relationships with these animals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104901"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147431","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":"Characterizing the earliest black and turquoise wares in 12th Century Persia","authors":"Ali Aarab ,&nbsp;Ali Shojaee-Esfahani ,&nbsp;Siwen Xu ,&nbsp;Yimin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black and turquoise wares were widely produced during the Ilkhanid dynasty (1256–1335 CE), Iran. These ceramics are believed to have first emerged in Persia in the 12th Century, prior to Mongol domination of the Iranian Plateau. Compared with the more common black and turquoise wares of the Ilkhanid period, the earlier ones are rare. This study investigates the technological evolution of these ceramics from the early 12th Century to the Ilkhanid period. Two pieces from the earlier era and ten from the latter, excavated at the Jahan-Nama site in Isfahan, were analyzed. ED-XRF and SEM-EDS techniques were used for compositional and microstructural analysis. The results show that early 12th Century wares had semi-opaque lead-alkaline turquoise glazes, and black decorations were created using manganese and iron. The quartz-based bodies had carved decorations with black in-glaze designs. By the 13th/14th Century, turquoise glazes became transparent and alkaline, and black decorations were painted with chromium particles using an underglaze technique. In addition, no ceramics with carved quartz-based bodies were found in the 13th/14th Century CE. These changes are linked to sociopolitical transformations on the Iranian Plateau.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104928"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148062","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":"Evaluating a dentin exposure proxy for wear rates estimations on mesolithic and neolithic populations from the near East and the Iberian Peninsula: A comparative analysis","authors":"Susana Carrascal ,&nbsp;Ferran Estebaranz-Sánchez ,&nbsp;Albert E. Dyowe-Roig ,&nbsp;Shiyu Yang ,&nbsp;Claudia Umbelino ,&nbsp;Bérénice Chamel ,&nbsp;Miquel Molist ,&nbsp;María Eulàlia Subirà ,&nbsp;Alejandro Pérez-Pérez ,&nbsp;Laura M. Martínez","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104936","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104936","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A new statistical proxy of analyzing dentin exposure rates of molar teeth, proposed as a reliable indicator for inter-population comparisons, was tested in relation to dietary habits and socioeconomic practices in ancient human populations from Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the Near East and the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) with distinct patterns of food production and ecological constraints. The comparisons of wear rates among groups provided distinct regressions models consistent with previous dietary hypotheses, independently from the age distribution of specimens within the samples. We found clear trends in wear rates among time-periods and socioeconomic practices. Dentine exposure rates between molar eruption ages showed higher values for the Mesolithic, mainly hunter-gatherer populations than the Neolithic, agriculturalist ones. The modern and contemporary samples showed the lowest wear rates, while the Natufian specimens showed dentin exposure rates more closely resembling the posterior Neolithic than the contemporaneous Mesolithic samples from the same geographical area. Overall, the 3D dentin exposure rates proxy allowed the comparison of archaeological, scarcely represented samples, offering clear insights into hypotheses testing in relation to dietary habits, lifestyle shifts through time, or ecological constraints in the transition from a predominantly hunting and gathering lifestyle to a settled, agriculture-based Neolithic society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104936"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148065","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":"Combined approach to the analysis of human cremated remains: Uncovering new aspects of rituals and funerary practices in the Iron Age Golasecca Celtic Civilisation (Northwestern Italy, 9th-4th century BCE)","authors":"Omar Larentis ,&nbsp;Barbara Grassi ,&nbsp;Ilaria Gorini","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104934","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104934","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The analysis of archaeological cremations is a lengthy and complex process, primarily aimed at determining the biological profile of the individuals and reconstructing the funerary rituals practiced by the community. This goal is both ambitious and intricate, as cremated remains result from a series of actions and variables often unverifiable through the sole analysis of the archaeological record. Certain aspects can be inferred from qualitative characteristics of the burned bones, such as colour, which is often linked to the combustion temperature achieved. Other aspects can be deduced from quantitative data, such as the number of fragments and their weight. This study combines both approaches, employing qualitative criteria for the anatomical recognition of fragments and quantitative data regarding their weight. The research is driven by a specific question: Did the Golasecca Celtic Civilisation, like surrounding regions, place particular emphasis on the skull? Through the anthropological analysis of all the available Italian cremations (<em>n</em> 323) and the statistical analysis of the acquired data, this study addresses this question, revealing aspects otherwise invisible through exclusive qualitative or quantitative analysis. Additionally, the study considers the spatial analysis of the remains within ossuaries, hypothesizing the presence of a specific order in the deposition of skeletal parts within urns. This combination of methods has allowed for a deeper understanding of the ritual practices in the Golasecca culture, offering new perspectives on the management and significance of cremated remains. The comparison with contemporary Italian anthropological and archaeological data, as well as information available for the transalpine Celts, has further enabled the identification of this phenomenon within the broader context of Iron Age Europe, allowing us to hypothesize that the Golasecca Celtic Civilization performed rituals with a particular focus on the skulls of their deceased.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104934"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148070","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":"Scientific study of late Neolithic post-firing painted pottery from Dawenkou culture at Jiaojia site, in China","authors":"Rongwei Bian ,&nbsp;Jingyi Shen ,&nbsp;Hao Wu ,&nbsp;Yunpeng Wang ,&nbsp;Zhongming Tang ,&nbsp;Fen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104964","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104964","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the late Neolithic period, post-firing painted pottery witnessed a gradual transformation becoming an exclusively sought-after item by high-ranking social groups in China, symbolizing wealth or social status. With inter-regional cultural exchanges intensifying, post-firing painted pottery, originally popular in the Songze culture, extended to other regions. A route for post-firing painted pottery was established between the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, encompassing the Songze, Dawenkou, Taosi and Shimao cultures. The Dawenkou culture played a significant role, serving as an intermediate link, as is evident. From recent excavations at the Jiaojia site, the earliest known urban settlement in Dawenkou culture, which yielded a significant volume of post-firing painted pottery. This paper presents a scientific and technical analysis of the body and pigments of post-firing painted pottery at the site. The study demonstrated that the clay used for making the ceramic body came from fusible clay available in the vicinity; red ochre was used for red pigmentation, yellow ochre for yellow, green earth for green, while the mineral for the white pigment was likely a mixture of lime white or chalk with shell white. The findings indicate that the mineral composition of the diverse pigment types at the Jiaojia and Shimao sites was relatively similar. Notably, both sites employed the rare green earth pigment, providing compelling scientific and technological evidence of a close association between the post-firing painted pottery in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104964"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148072","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}