Journal of Archaeological Science最新文献

{"title":"Lead isotope analysis of lead-tin-glaze via on-site portable laser ablation sampling of 17-18th century Delftware (earthenware)","authors":"Paolo D'Imporzano ,&nbsp;Haske M. Reiling ,&nbsp;Stephen Merkel ,&nbsp;Jolanda M. van Iperen ,&nbsp;Isabelle Garachon ,&nbsp;Katrien Keune ,&nbsp;Gareth R. Davies","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the application of portable laser ablation sampling followed by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine lead isotope ratios (LIR) of thirteen 17–18th century Delftware earthenware objects. A method was developed to minimize invasiveness while obtaining sufficient material for accurate isotopic analysis. The method is applicable to all Pb-rich glazes. The white glaze of individual Delftware objects has homogeneous LIR within objects. Seventeen to18^th century Delftware were made with lead derived from English lead deposits. The study shows that is possible to use LIR to characterise later repairs. Finally, the research demonstrates that LIR in Delftware objects are comparable to contemporaneous lead-bearing objects, expanding knowledge on the use and trade of lead and its products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106443"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond formal implements: How expedient bone tools shaped winter survival strategies at Shuidonggou Locality 12","authors":"Shuwen Ma ,&nbsp;Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Xing Gao ,&nbsp;Fuyou Chen ,&nbsp;Huimin Wang ,&nbsp;Shuangquan Zhang ,&nbsp;Luc Doyon","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106431","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106431","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human cultural adaptations in prehistory are typically investigated through lithic and fully shaped bone technologies, leaving out the role of rudimentary bone tools in past technological systems. Yet, these unmodified or partially modified tools can provide essential and reliable evidence for reconstructing past subsistence strategies. Here, we report 46 expedient bone tools found in layers dated to 10,700–10,200 cal BP at Shuidonggou Locality 12 (SDG 12), North China. The majority of these tools derive from <em>Procapra przewalskii</em> femora, with a small proportion sourced from other skeletal elements, such as medium to small size herbivore tibiae, radii and ribs. Qualitative and quantitative use wear comparisons were undertaken between the archaeological tools and experimental replicas used in hide working, meat cutting, poaceae processing, wood working, and tuber digging. Functional attribution was further refined using bootstrap aggregating combined with flexible discriminant analysis (BagFDA), which reduces experimental noise and isolates diagnostic use wear signatures, thus improving the reliability of identifying the tools’ primary functions. Qualitative observations exclude the possibility that the SDG 12 tools were used for meat cutting and digging activities. Quantitative surface texture analysis suggests a primary use for hide working, with occasional plant and wood processing. Thus far, the cultural remains found at SDG 12 documented a diversity of subsistence activities undertaken at the site in preparation for the winter season. Our findings reveal the essential role of expedient bone tools in this complex cultural adaptation. They highlight the relevance of integrating quantitative surface texture analysis with traditional use wear methods to enhance our understanding of human adaptive strategies. Future research should explore the complementarity between fully shaped and expedient tools in relation with climatic fluctuations during the Late Pleistocene to Holocene transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106431"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145575569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bronze Age copper supply in Mediterranean France: first results from lead isotope and chemical analyses of hoarded metalwork","authors":"Thibault Lachenal ,&nbsp;Sandrine Baron ,&nbsp;Cécile Le Carlier de Veslud ,&nbsp;Gaëlle Meynieux ,&nbsp;Charline Dallard ,&nbsp;Xavier Gutherz ,&nbsp;Florent Mazière","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Copper supply networks in southern France are analysed on the basis of a study of five hoards of metal objects dating from the end of the Early Bronze Age (c. 17th-16th BCE) to the end of the Late Bronze Age (c. 9th BCE). A total of 73 inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy elemental analyses were performed and 48 objects belonging to the different groups that could be identified from the elemental compositions were targeted for lead isotope analysis (multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). The results clearly show that the same source was used for the various objects in each hoard, but that copper from different origins was used depending on the period. This reveals evolving supply networks that can be linked to the cultural interactions observed during this period. Towards the end of the Early Bronze Age or the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (c. 17th-16th BCE), axe-ingots were imported into southern France along the Rhone corridor. The origin of the copper from which they are made could potentially be the Vosges massif. On the other hand, one of the major contributions of this study is to have demonstrated the use of copper originating from the Southeastern Alps during a late phase of the Middle Bronze Age and up to the Late Bronze Age (c. 14th-11th BCE). A form of packaging for this Alpine copper was as pick-ingots, and it was probably in this form that it arrived in southern France. This network was interrupted around the 9th century BCE and the populations of southern France returned to the exploitation of local minerals (Cabrières-Péret district). This research highlights the link between trade networks and cultural dynamics, showing that the circulation of raw materials also helps strengthen relations between communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106432"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145609075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the reliability of silicone replicas in the analysis of sickle gloss at the early Neolithic site of Cheikh Hassan (Northern Levant, 11th millennium BP)","authors":"Fiona Pichon ,&nbsp;Juan José Ibáñez Estevez ,&nbsp;Patricia Anderson ,&nbsp;Frédéric Abbès","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past decade, confocal microscopy combined with quantitative texture analysis has opened new possibilities for studying prehistoric tool use. However, a key challenge remains in identifying the extent to which different acquisition methods—direct surface measurements versus silicone moulds—influence the textural properties of the original surfaces. This study evaluates whether high-precision polyvinylsiloxane can be reliably used for the identification of plant types harvested with lithic tools during the initial phases of agriculture in Southwest Asia. We compared texture parameters from original surfaces and moulds on eight experimental tools used to cut various plants (domestic, wild and wild cultivated cereals and reeds). Our results show that textures from direct measurements and those from moulds form clearly distinct groups, indicating that the two methods are not interchangeable for harvesting tools. The differences introduced by the moulding process follow a consistent pattern, rather than resulting from random variation. Based on this, we developed a silicone-based experimental model capable of distinguishing between tools used for harvesting different plant types. Applying this model to Pre-Pottery Neolithic glossy tools from Cheikh Hassan confirms a gradual shift from green to ripe cereal harvesting in the Middle Euphrates, in line with findings from neighbouring sites based on direct surface measurements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106446"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145611692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diachronic change in imperial-era waterproof lining technology: Evidence from Pompeii, the Bay of Naples and Rome","authors":"Rory McLennan ,&nbsp;Duncan Keenan-Jones ,&nbsp;Glenys McGowan ,&nbsp;Gianluca Zanzi ,&nbsp;MariaLetizia Buonfiglio","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The monumental water features of ancient Rome and the Bay of Naples represent the largest Imperial-era investment in public hydraulic infrastructure known from the ancient Mediterranean. Underlying and enabling all these works were highly specialised waterproof linings, the composition of which reflect the know-how and intentions of ancient builders. To investigate if and how waterproof lining technology changed through time, and what broader factors motivated their development, 14 mortar specimens dating between the 1st century BCE – 4th century CE were collected from water features found across Pompeii, the Bay of Naples and Rome. Each specimen was analysed using established archaeological and instrumental techniques, including ultra-high resolution mosaic scans of thin sections and polarised light microscopy (PLM). This was paired with a novel use of Micro-X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy (μXFM), which allowed the elemental composition of whole thin sections to be rapidly and accurately visualised and compared. These analyses produced several data sets that were combined to identify clear change in the composition of Imperial-era waterproof linings. These findings were then contextualised to explore how contemporary socio-economic and political factors may have directed technological change in Imperial-era waterproofing technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106433"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Traces we leave behind: The past and future of lithic use-wear analysis","authors":"Danielle A. Macdonald","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The method of use-wear analysis was first published 60 years ago by Semenov in his seminal volume “Prehistoric Technology”. This method was developed just 10 years before the founding of the <em>Journal of Archaeological Science</em>, and since then has grown into a robust field of scientific inquiry. In this paper, I review the historical development and methodological advancements in use-wear analysis, focusing on how the applications of surface metrology and quantitative analysis have changed the field. The integration of surface metrology into our understanding of stone tool function has enabled archaeologists to measure and differentiate microscopic wear patterns to ask new questions about tool function. This paper explores these developments and addresses possible futures for the field, including multiscalar analysis combining edge angles with surface texture, the challenges of post-depositional processes, and the applications of emerging technologies such as AI. Through this paper I advocate for a holistic, multiscalar approach to use-wear analysis using multiple methods and techniques that reconnect tools to the people who used them, encouraging creative, interdisciplinary collaboration to deepen our understanding of past human behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106447"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145731596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A forest of green beads: A machine-learning based framework to determine the geological provenance of prehistoric variscite artifacts","authors":"Daniel Sánchez-Gomez ,&nbsp;José Ángel Garrido-Cordero ,&nbsp;José María Martínez-Blanes ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Villalobos García ,&nbsp;Manuel Edo i Benaiges ,&nbsp;Ana Catarina Sousa ,&nbsp;María Dolores Zambrana Vega ,&nbsp;Ferran Borrell ,&nbsp;Rosa Barroso Bermejo ,&nbsp;Primitiva Bueno Ramírez ,&nbsp;Carlos P. Odriozola","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses critical gaps in the provenance analysis of variscite and related green phosphate minerals, which serve as key tracers of prehistoric socio-economic networks in Late Prehistoric Europe (c. 6000–1200 BC). Despite their significance, existing provenance models are limited by small, unrepresentative datasets, outdated data processing techniques, and a lack of robust validation metrics. These limitations hinder the accurate reconstruction of prehistoric exchange networks and the cultural significance of these materials.</div><div>To overcome these challenges, we present a scalable, data-driven approach that integrates portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) analysis, machine learning (ML), and information theory. We compiled the largest geoarchaeological green phosphate dataset to date (n = 1778), sourced from three major Iberian deposits: Aliste, Encinasola, and the Gavà Mines. Using a supervised Random Forest (RF) model, we classified samples into three geographic source groups based on elemental composition, achieving 95 % accuracy. Key elements such as Ca, As, Ba, V, Sr, Ta, Cu, Cr, Mo, K, Se, Ti, S, and Zn were identified as critical discriminators through feature importance analysis and Shapley values.</div><div>The model was validated against an external dataset of 571 beads from 15 archaeological sites across Iberia and France. Results revealed that Aliste and the Gavà Mines played a more significant role in prehistoric variscite exchange than previously assumed, challenging the traditional emphasis on Encinasola as a primary source. Notably, French materials were predominantly linked to Aliste, suggesting an overland distribution network rather than maritime connections. The compositional complexity of the Gavà Mines was reflected in high uncertainty in the Catalan sites, highlighting the need for subclass distinctions in future iterations.</div><div>Our findings underscore the importance of integrating chemical and mineralogical variability into provenance studies. By quantifying uncertainty and employing probabilistic frameworks, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of prehistoric exchange networks. The methodological advancements presented here—combining expanded datasets, advanced ML techniques, and rigorous performance evaluation—set a new standard for provenance analysis in archaeology. This approach not only refines our understanding of variscite distribution but also offers a scalable framework for studying other archaeologically significant materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106428"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145529513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rolling through time: Scarab remains reveal 4,000 years of coastal pastoralism and biodiversity dynamics in western France","authors":"Lisa Richelmi ,&nbsp;Jean-Bernard Huchet ,&nbsp;Frédéric Santos ,&nbsp;Florence Verdin","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Erosion along the French Atlantic coastline is revealing unrecorded archaeological sites, while the shoreline retreat threatens this fragile heritage with irreversible loss. In waterlogged, anoxic sediments, insect remains are preserved in exceptional condition, enabling reconstruction of past human activities through archaeoentomological analysis. A diverse assemblage of dung beetles provides robust evidence of livestock farming from the Neolithic to Antiquity, revealing spatial and temporal variation in grazing intensity. High proportions of dung-associated species in a Middle Neolithic well indicate substantial herds as early as 5500 years ago. This provides the first evidence of coastal livestock farming in Neolithic France, illuminating a tipping point in the history of humankind. In other contexts, lower proportions imply limited grazing, potentially constrained by saline water sources. The diversity and dominance of aquatic and riparian taxa reflect a water-rich environment used for animal watering, while abundant pasture-associated taxa indicate an open landscape favorable to agropastoral practices. Comparisons between fossil and modern entomofaunas from the Gironde region reveal biodiversity shifts shaped by climatic change and human influence over millennia. These multi-millennial bioarchaeological archives offer unique insights into the deep history of biodiversity dynamics and inform debates on ecological change and evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106442"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reassessing the role of Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans) in Rapa Nui (Easter Island) deforestation: Faunal evidence and ecological modeling","authors":"Terry L. Hunt ,&nbsp;Carl P. Lipo","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106388","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106388","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of introduced Polynesian rats (<em>Rattus exulans</em>) in the deforestation of Rapa Nui remains a contentious issue. Several critics, including Mieth and Bork (2010), argue that rats played a negligible role compared to human impacts. We address the role of rats through three lines of evidence: (1) a response to rats-are-negligible arguments, including problematic continental analogies and misunderstandings of seed predation impacts; (2) analysis of rat remains from Anakena excavations (1986–2005) showing that rats decreased over time, contradicting claims they served as a “fallback food” following resource depletion; and (3) ecological modeling demonstrating that introduced rats could reach populations of 11.2 million within 47 years, with 95 % seed predation sufficient to prevent palm regeneration. Our integrated evidence supports rats as a keystone invasive species that, through synergistic interactions with human forest clearing, drove one of the most complete ecological transformations documented in human history. These findings challenge narratives of simple anthropogenic “ecocide” and highlight the critical role of invasive species in island environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106388"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145290005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Network analysis of jade artifacts in Liangzhu: Exploring the relationships between Liangzhu Ancient City, Fuquanshan, and Sidun","authors":"Jianxuan Hong,&nbsp;Shengqian Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Liangzhu culture, a pivotal prehistoric archaeological culture in the Taihu Basin, offers critical insights into the origins of Chinese civilization. A thorough understanding of the relationships between three central sites—Liangzhu Ancient City(良渚古城), Fuquanshan(福泉山), and Sidun(寺墩)—is essential for deepening our comprehension of the evolution of social organization within Liangzhu. Renowned for its jade culture, Liangzhu's jade artifacts, including their types and combinations, constitute key features of the civilization's material culture. This study presents an innovative approach by utilizing jade artifacts as a conduit to establish three distinct networks: a network of within Liangzhu society, a network of jade artifacts symbolizing power and status, and a jade <em>cong</em> (琮) network. These networks provide novel perspectives on the interrelations among the three sites. The findings reveal that Liangzhu society did not remain under the dominance of a single central power, but instead underwent a shift from a centralized to a multi-centered structure. Liangzhu Ancient City dominated the early phases, while Fuquanshan began to emerge as a central node in the third phase, and Sidun exhibited distinct local features in the fourth phase. The jade <em>cong</em> network elucidates a stepwise shift in political power—from the early dominance of the Liangzhu Ancient City, to the emergence of Fuquanshan in the later phases, and the subsequent prominence of Sidun.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106398"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145365039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}