Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports最新文献

{"title":"Functional exploration of grinding and polishing stones from the Neolithic settlement site of Oldenburg LA77, Northern Germany − evidence from plant microfossil analysis","authors":"Jingping An ,&nbsp;Alexandre Chevalier ,&nbsp;Jan Piet Brozio ,&nbsp;Johannes Müller ,&nbsp;Wiebke Kirleis","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Analyses of plant microfossils retrieved from grinding and polishing stones are shown to constitute a reliable line of evidence to unveil the functions of these stone implements at the site of Oldenburg LA 77. Dating to the Middle Neolithic (3270–2920 BCE), this settlement is one of the earliest villages that are representative of the social shift in northern Germany, from living in isolated farmsteads in the Early Neolithic towards population agglomeration in villages in the Middle Neolithic. Our results paint a complex picture of the use of grinding and polishing stones in daily plant preparation: they were predominantly used to crush and/or grind cereals, but also regularly used to grind wild grass caryopses, tubers, rhizomes, and, to a lesser extent, wild legumes. We see no significant functional differences among the sampled grinding stone tools linked with different stone morphotypes, stone raw materials, as well as stone sizes. Our results also indicate that daily food processing-related grinding stones may have been deliberately chosen, invested with social meaning, eventually became part of ritual activities in the settlement, and thus, may have additional functions beyond economic practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104913"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148093","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":"Parian and Pentelic marble in the pre-Roman Levant. An archaeometric and archaeological study of two sculptures from the National Museum of Damascus (Syria)","authors":"Dagmara Wielgosz-Rondolino","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104917","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104917","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines two rare examples of marble sculptures of pre-Roman date from the Levant, now housed in the National Museum in Damascus (Syria). Although their place of origin and archaeological context are unknown, it seems probable that both were recovered from the Phoenician coast. The sculptures’ uniqueness stems not only from their moment of creation and their material, but in particular also their form and function. To contextualise them against the wider background of marble use in the Persian- and Hellenistic-period Levant, archaeometric investigations were conducted on marble samples removed from the two sculptures. The multi-analytical approach, integrating standard thin section petrography, cathodoluminescence microscopy (CL) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and stable C and O isotope measurements, clearly indicates the island of Paros and Mount Pentelikon in Greece as the origin of the marble used for both pieces. These results further reduce the lacuna in our knowledge regarding marble use in the Levant before the Roman period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104917"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148139","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":"Local isotopic ecology of Eneolithic Moldova: Geomorphology, diet and mobility of prehistoric animals of the Tripolye settlement Gordineşti II − Stînca goală, northern Moldova","authors":"D. Pokutta ,&nbsp;P. Kittel ,&nbsp;D. Okupny ,&nbsp;M. Makohonienko ,&nbsp;Peter Tóth ,&nbsp;T. Zack ,&nbsp;M. Rybicka","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents multidisciplinary analyses of soil cover and archaeological faunal remains from the late Eneolithic fortified settlement of Gordineşti II – Stînca goală in Moldova. Associated with the Tripolye culture, the site dates back to the late 4th millennium BC. Significant cultural and economic shifts characterize this period, marked by a transition from agrarian to pastoral practices, which ultimately led to a gradual decline in sedentary settlements.</div><div>Employing diverse geochemical techniques and isotopic analyses (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, ¹⁴C-dating), the research elucidates the palaeoecological context of the settlement, human-environment relationships and reasons for its decline and abandonment. We examined 25 faunal specimens, both domesticated and wild, providing local isotopic reference values (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr baselines) from surficial deposits and water in the region. The initial carbon and nitrogen isotope values indicate a local isotopic ecology undergoing progressive aridification, particularly in the isotopic signatures of larger herbivores. Additionally, our analysis of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic values from faunal dental materials reveals distinct mobility patterns among certain animal groups, offering new insights into Eneolithic husbandry practices. This research holds considerable significance as it reveals the adaptive strategies of prehistoric communities navigating the critical shift from agriculture to pastoralism, thereby deepening our understanding of the socio-economic transformations that occurred in prehistoric Eastern and Central Europe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104918"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143146976","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":"Hunted or something else? Investigating ‘after-impact’ perforations in prehistoric seal scapulae from Šventoji, Lithuania","authors":"Grzegorz Osipowicz ,&nbsp;Giedrė Piličiauskienė ,&nbsp;Gytis Piličiauskas","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animal scapulae bearing distinct holes (in some cases, even more than one or two) have been found in several European prehistoric sites and have mainly been associated with the hunter-gatherer-fisher communities. The genesis of such holes is usually interpreted unambiguously, i.e. they are considered to be associated with hunting, during which the scapula might have been hit with a point or harpoon. Artefacts of this type have been found in the Subneolithic sites in Šventoji (coastal Lithuania). This study discusses the results of the traceological studies of such scapulae and the experimental programme implemented for their needs. The microscopic analysis of the impact marks of experimentally perforated scapulae created via various osseous and flint points forms the basis for studying the direction and angles in which the Šventoji scapulae could have been perforated. Thus, an alternative hypothesis for the genesis of holes on these artefacts is proposed, i.e. suggesting their connection with meat smoking or roasting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104929"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143146979","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 probable case of a non-union condylar fracture in an individual from Hegra (Madâ’in Sâlih), AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia","authors":"Daniel Franklin ,&nbsp;Lauren Swift ,&nbsp;Ambika Flavel ,&nbsp;Murray K. Marks ,&nbsp;Paul O’Higgins ,&nbsp;Wuyang Shui ,&nbsp;Amin Alshihri","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present communication describes the anthropological assessment of a disassociated mandible (MS 2015 50532_B1) from Hegra Tomb IGN-116.1, dating to approximately the 1st Century CE, within the period of Nabataean occupation. An interesting example of a possible antemortem fracture and associated biomechanical metamorphoses of the mandibular condyle are described; differential diagnoses of the latter morphological observations are duly considered. Oral status, including pathology, is also presented. The mandible was subjected to morphoscopic, microscopic and x-ray examination relative to anthropological profiling (age and sex) and assessment of trauma, pathology and oral health. Morphological and radiological assessment suggests a young adult male status. What is interpreted as an antemortem non-union fracture of the right mandibular condyle presents exuberant bone formation and significant morphological remodelling. A periapical lesion of tooth #35 presents evidence of an associated odontogenic sinus tract; this individual otherwise presents excellent dental health. Condylar fractures are infrequently analysed and/or described in the palaeopathological literature. Further, the present case shows an interesting morphological response to non-consolidation, including likely compensatory biomechanical adaptation. This work highlights the diagnostic potential of incomplete human skeletal remains from a UNESCO site of World Heritage status.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104916"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147428","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":"Leaning on to rise up: From high to low cutting at the origins of cereal agriculture in the near East","authors":"Juan José Ibáñez ,&nbsp;Fiona Pichon ,&nbsp;Niccolò Mazzucco ,&nbsp;Patricia Anderson","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104962","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104962","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Harvesting low, transporting the crops in sheaves, threshing them and using the straw for different activities is a well-documented technical process in traditional agriculture. However, when did this procedure start? We have used confocal microscopy and texture analysis of cereal harvesting gloss in experimental tools to identify textural parameters allowing discriminating tools used to reap near the ground (low) from those used to cut near the ear (high). The classificatory algorithm was applied to an ensemble of 260 sickle elements recovered in different occupation levels of 11 archaeological sites dating from the Natufian, PPNA, PPNB and Pottery Neolithic periods, from 11,000 to 6000 cal BC. We aim to know whether cereals were harvested near the ear or near the ground during the origins of agriculture and how this harvesting behaviour evolved. Our study shows that the transition from high to low harvesting was a long process that took place during the origins of cereal agriculture, from the 11th to the 7th-millennium cal BC. This shift in harvesting techniques was related to the increasing use of straw as a building material, for basketry, for feeding or as a bed for livestock. During the Natufian period, wild cereals in natural stands were reaped in an unripe state near the ear. During the PPNA, wild cereals started to be cultivated, though wild cereals in natural stands were occasionally harvested. High cutting was still dominant during this period, though sometimes cultivated cereals were reaped cutting near the ground. During the PPNB, when the transition from wild to domestic cereals occurred, harvesting was carried out dominantly near the ground, indicating a growing need to use straw. Finally, during the Pottery Neolithic, low cutting was the standard method to harvest cereals. The reaped crops were probably grouped in sheaves and transported to the threshing area, a technical procedure that has persisted up to very recently in the Mediterranean area.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 104962"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148142","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":"Multiproxy analysis of clay sources and pottery sherds to elucidate the provenance of archaeological pottery in the Characato region, Córdoba, Argentina","authors":"Julieta C. Nóbile ,&nbsp;Camila Brizuela ,&nbsp;Gilda Collo ,&nbsp;Andrés Robledo ,&nbsp;Ileana Perassi ,&nbsp;Cecilia Wunderlin ,&nbsp;Julian Mignino ,&nbsp;Sergio Ribeiro Guevara ,&nbsp;Alejandro Germanier ,&nbsp;Sonia Faudone ,&nbsp;Marcelo Rustán ,&nbsp;Andrés Izeta ,&nbsp;Roxana Cattáneo","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104993","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104993","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A multiproxy analysis was conducted to determine the potential clay sources used in the production of archaeological pottery in the Characato region, Córdoba, Argentina. The results reveal that archaeological pottery production in Characato relied heavily on local clay sources rich in granitic inclusions and minimal material processing, reflecting a localized, sustainable approach to pottery manufacturing. Petrographic analysis revealed four distinct fabric groups with a high degree of mineralogical and chemical consistency across the archaeological pottery sherds, supporting the use of local raw material. Geochemical analysis also shows significant correlations between the sherds and the raw clays, suggesting the incorporation of heavy minerals like zircon and ilmenite, consistent with local fluvio-eolian deposits and a REE distribution compatible with loessic and granitic parent material. These findings provide new insights into the technological practices of past societies in the Southern Pampean Hills, indicating a low level of mobility and localized production strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 104993"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159561","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":"Investigating the firing temperature of Late Chalcolithic ceramics from archaeological sites of the Adhaim-Sirwan Basin, Iraqi Kurdistan using FTIR","authors":"Michael P. Lewis","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the firing temperatures of pottery from the Late Chalcolithic period (mid-late 4th millennium BCE) in the Adhaim-Sirwan Basin, located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This region of northeastern Mesopotamia is rapidly emerging as one of key importance to our understanding of the complex interactions between local communities and people associated with the incoming Uruk Phenomenon during this period. Using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), one of the largest investigations of its kind in southwest Asia, the research analyses pottery samples excavated from three sites—Gird-i Shamlu, Gurga Chiya, and Kani Shaie. This investigation presents archaeometric data relating to the firing temperature, allowing new insights into the ceramic production process. Results reveal the stabilisation of pottery firing temperatures and a predominance of relatively low-temperature firings (largely within 500–600 °C), likely for slow firings which coincide with the appearance of the Uruk Phenomenon in the region. These results contribute to our understanding of 4th millennium craft production in Mesopotamia by suggesting a highly controlled approach and greater mastery of pyrotechnological techniques of the firing process by skilled potting communities, which the author argues suggests the emergence of nascent craft specialisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 105005"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159614","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":"Technological and compositional variation in pink and white pastes from a coffin set of the late Third Intermediate Period (Thebes, ca. 680–664 BCE)","authors":"Caterina Zaggia ,&nbsp;Marcos Martinón-Torres ,&nbsp;Matthew Collins ,&nbsp;Julie Dawson ,&nbsp;Helen Strudwick","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ancient Egyptian artefacts often feature an intriguing assortment of plaster-like materials. These range from authentic plasters, derived from heated lime and gypsum, to mud, calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate-based pastes bound with organic media and sometimes integrated with clay minerals and plant fibres. Although architectural plaster use in ancient Egypt has received some attention, a gap remains in the analysis and precise characterisation of the materials applied to objects. Understanding their composition can shed light on technological changes, provide contextual insights and support provenance studies. A minimally invasive approach was applied to the two coffins of Pakepu (intermediate and inner), a funerary ensemble from Thebes dating back to about 680–664 BCE, and to a group of coffin fragments from the same area and period, employed as a comparison group. The inner coffin of Pakepu and the fragments all exhibit a complex surface layering reminiscent of cartonnage. This is in contrast to the much simpler surface construction seen on the intermediate coffin. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed to characterise the inorganic constituents. Ground, unheated calcite was detected in all the pastes, but differences in micromorphology and the distribution of minor elements (particularly Mg and Fe) in the Pakepu inner and intermediate coffin, and in the fragments, point to the involvement of different workshops, geological sources and manufacturing protocols in the production of these materials. (For a summary in Arabic, see <strong>Online Resource</strong>)</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 105019"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159613","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":"Changing funerary rituals for juveniles at Cortijo Nuevo and Cortijo Coracho, Lucena, Cordoba, Spain, during Late Antiquity","authors":"Ricardo Ortega-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Coraima Gutiérrez Durán ,&nbsp;Daniel Botella Ortega","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104995","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.104995","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Funerary spaces undoubtedly serve as significant markers for comprehending a society’s beliefs, its standard of living, and its social structure. Each society possesses inherent rituals or a series of ceremonies to commemorate the passing of its members, typically rooted in and shaped by its own cultural traditions. This remained consistent even in ancient times.</div><div>The transition of beliefs and funeral practices in the Western Roman Empire to those characteristics of the so-called ’barbarian tribes’ following the Empire’s collapse marks a pivotal moment in history. In this study, we will explore the evolution of funeral customs during this era in the town of Lucena, drawing from research conducted at the Archaeological Museum, with a particular focus on juvenile individuals.</div><div>The site of Cortijo Nuevo, dating back to the 1st − 4 th century CE, was uncovered during an emergency excavation. Alongside structures for public use, a section of a necropolis was unearthed, containing 25 inhumations of both children and adults. Conversely, the necropolis found at ’Cortijo Coracho’ is associated with a basilica and spans from the 4th to the 8th centuries CE, as determined by burial practices. In this instance, we are examining 297 less elaborate inhumations, with no specific graves designated for children.</div><div>We observe a noticeable shift in the structures from elaborate burials designed specifically for children to more modest ones, where multiple children are interred within adult graves. This transition underscores a pivotal aspect in comprehending the changes across both historical periods, as evidenced by their material culture, particularly in the context of funerary rituals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 104995"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159696","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}