Geoarchaeology-An International Journal最新文献

{"title":"Sycamore Fig Tree Bark Surface Comprises Silicified Cell Walls Overlain by Silicified Mineral Aggregates (Siliceous Aggregates): Implications for Wood Ash Identification","authors":"Steve Weiner","doi":"10.1002/gea.70046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Siliceous aggregates are a minor but diagnostically significant component of wood ash, consisting of allochthonous dust or soil particles embedded in a biogenic silica (opal) matrix. Their formation mechanism and precise origin within wood tissues, however, have remained unclear. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), we show that in the Sycamore Fig (<i>Ficus sycomorus</i>), the outer bark epithelial cells silicify their cell walls. Overlying this layer is a consolidated crust composed of diverse mineral particles cemented within an impure biogenic silica matrix. This crust is compositionally and structurally indistinguishable from the siliceous aggregates previously identified in archeological wood ash. We, therefore, conclude that siliceous aggregates originate on the bark surface, and infer that epithelial cells bind adhering environmental dust into a silicified matrix. Because these aggregates are more resistant to dissolution than calcite pseudomorphs, they provide a durable indicator of wood ash in archeological contexts. This information clarifies the biogenic–allochthonous interplay underlying the formation of siliceous aggregates and strengthens their interpretive value in microarchaeological studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147315458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From Quarries to Urban Construction Sites: Middle-Late Mesozoic Limestones in the Public Architecture of Roman Verona, Italy","authors":"Eliana Bridi,&nbsp;Simone Dilaria,&nbsp;Jacopo Bonetto,&nbsp;Caterina Previato","doi":"10.1002/gea.70045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70045","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Numerous buildings, monuments, and infrastructural works in Verona were constructed during the Roman period using stone, a material abundantly available from quarrying areas located relatively close to the city. Petrographic investigations conducted by Transmitted Polarized Light Optical Microscopy (TPL-OM) and complemented by colorimetric analysis on over 30 samples collected from urban buildings revealed a predominance of Middle-Late Mesozoic (MLM) local limestones, specifically Rosso Ammonitico Veronese (RAV), Maiolica, and Scaglia Rossa. These materials outcrop in the nearby Valpolicella and Valpantena areas, located approximately 20 and 12 km from the city, respectively. The widespread use of these MLM limestones in Verona from the late first century <span>BC</span> is particularly notable, as they were predominantly employed for the monumentalization of the city. These materials were commonly used in large ashlars, paving slabs, and decorative architectural elements. Rosso Ammonitico, in particular, was especially prized for its marble-like appearance, hardness, and durability. MLM limestones gradually replaced the local Eocene calcarenites (Pietra di Avesa, Pietra Galina, and Marne di Priabona) and Miocene calcarenites, as well as the imported Oligocene limestones from Berici Hills and Eastern Lessini (Pietra di Vicenza), which had been used in the earlier phases of Verona's architecture. Although these stones were more easily sourced and workable, they were characterized by lower mechanical performances (e.g., resistance to mechanical compression). The adoption of MLM limestones reflects deliberate construction and economic choices, indicating both a preference for more resistant materials and the city's increasing capacity to invest in costlier resources during the Imperial period. This study investigates the stone extraction and processing cycle of these limestones, aiming to identify their quarrying areas, transportation routes, and architectural applications in Roman-era Verona.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70045","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147269009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoarchaeological Investigation of Early Neolithic Lagoonal Fringe Landscapes in the Netherlands","authors":"Elena Familetto,&nbsp;Kim Cohen,&nbsp;Kim de Wit,&nbsp;Bertil van Os,&nbsp;Wim Hoek,&nbsp;Hans Huisman","doi":"10.1002/gea.70044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70044","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Coastal wetlands have historically been portrayed as too marginal for early crop cultivation during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition due to their dynamic hydrology, low elevation, and poor drainage. However, growing evidence suggests that these environments played a crucial role in the spread of agriculture. We examined buried and submerged channel–levee systems beneath present-day Lake IJssel (the Netherlands) to investigate the spatial and temporal extent to which wetland levees provided suitable grounds for cultivation as rivers functioned while the sea level rose. The study area lies along the lower reaches of the paleo-Vecht River, one of two local rivers crossing the Swifterbant-type area, with key sites located 10–20 km inland. Integrating sedimentary geology, archaeological soil micromorphology, and radiocarbon dating of research cores, we identify buried soil horizons indicating periods of reduced sedimentation and relatively stable, dry conditions conducive to human activity. Micromorphology reveals charred plant material, ceramic fragments, and disturbed soil aggregates comparable to tilled fields at Swifterbant settlements. Radiocarbon dating places these features between ca. 4500 and 4200 <span>BC</span>, coinciding with upstream occupation. These findings add to growing evidence of widespread, sustained land use in these wetland environments and highlight the value of micromorphology in detecting subtle traces of human activity in landscape-scale studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70044","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146154598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reconstructing the Classical and Post-Classical Agricultural Landscape of the Udhruh Qanat in Wādī al-Fiqai, Southern Jordan","authors":"Marcel R. Hoosbeek,&nbsp;Ángel Velasco Sánchez,&nbsp;Roeland Emaus,&nbsp;Fawzi Abudanah,&nbsp;Mark J. Driessen","doi":"10.1002/gea.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The cities of Petra and Udhruh were administrative and cultural centers in southern Jordan from Nabataean through Roman and Byzantine times into the early Islamic periods (first century <span>BCE</span> to eighth century <span>CE</span>). These communities built water harvesting systems to be able to survive in this arid environment. Water harvesting was either based on the use of runoff, so-called “green water”, or on subterranean collection of streamflow and groundwater and subsequent distribution, so-called “blue water”. Archeological research in the Udhruh region and the nearby Wādī al-Fiqai revealed an elaborate qanat system, including subsurface water-harvesting, subsurface and covered surface distribution channels, large reservoirs, and irrigated fields. Some fields were very likely irrigated because of a direct connection to a water reservoir, but for many others, it is less obvious. In order to assess the extent of the agricultural production area, it was necessary to gain insight into the historic land use of the Wādī al-Fiqai area. An earlier study revealed soils of enwalled fields associated with a water reservoir to have relatively low soil electrical conductivity (EC) values as compared to non-irrigated soils in comparable landscape positions. Here, we propose that pedogenic carbonates (CO₃²⁻) may also serve as a proxy to identify prolonged irrigation, that is, carbonate-rich water may enrich soils in secondary carbonate, whereas low-carbonate water may deplete them. Landforms and soils were described and sampled along seven transects at Wādī al-Fiqai downstream from the remnants of two water reservoirs of, respectively, the northern and southern irrigation systems. Based on landform and surface processes, four classes were distinguished: (1) eroded, (2) recently covered with alluvium, (3) hilly or undulating, and (4) nearly level surfaces. Soils were sampled either “full-depth” or at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depth. For full-depth soil profiles, variability in Bk horizon depth in soils on nearly level surfaces suggests differential depletion of pedogenic carbonate, with irrigated fields displaying greater depths. Moreover, for all soils, EC was observed to be the best proxy for past irrigation. Based on transect analysis, fields of the northern and southern irrigation systems had significantly lower EC values than non-irrigated, nearly level, undulating, and hilly landforms. Based on these soil analyses, we estimate that the northern and southern irrigation systems supported up to 28 and 26 ha, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70039","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146083391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Return to Chalosse Cherts: An Integrated Approach Based on Field Survey, Petrography and Geochemical Analysis to Understand a Palaeolithic Tracer","authors":"Alejandro Prieto,&nbsp;Julien Le Guirriec,&nbsp;Aitor Calvo,&nbsp;Jonás Alcaina,&nbsp;Marta Sánchez de la Torre","doi":"10.1002/gea.70042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70042","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Pyrenees have been considered a natural barrier for prehistoric populations. However, in recent years, Palaeolithic research has established connections between the two sides through the analysis of cherts. Among others, the presence of Chalosse cherts in sites on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees has proven the mobility of objects and people from the northern to the southern slope. Nevertheless, this evidence must be reinforced, and the mobility circuits must be clarified. To answer these questions and also to formulate new hypotheses that allow a deeper understanding of past human subsistence practices, we revisited the cherts from the Chalosse region. To do so, we applied a geoarchaeological approach that puts together the analysis of geological cartography through GIS, field survey, in situ descriptions of strata, non-destructive and destructive petrography, and portable geochemistry (LIBS and X-ray fluorescence). This led us to identify the most significant and promising procurement areas, characterise their cherts, and determine the chemical signature of the most relevant chert-bearing formations. This information is relevant not only to assess the importance of Chalosse cherts as long-distance tracers but also to deepen our understanding of human adaptive practices to procure, manage, and transport these cherts throughout the Palaeolithic.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70042","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is It the Floor or Isn't It the Floor? How to Interpret the Homogeneous Infill of a Prehistoric House?","authors":"L. Lisá,&nbsp;M. Janovský,&nbsp;I. Čižmář,&nbsp;H. Grison","doi":"10.1002/gea.70043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70043","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The floors of sunken houses can provide important insights into how these spaces were used and into the processes that shaped them, thereby contributing to broader interpretation at an archaeological site. When the floors are homogeneous, and the palimpsest of individual occupational horizons is difficult to distinguish, a combination of analytical methods is required. The infill of the La Tène sunken house at Němčice, Czech Republic, was analysed using a combination of sedimentology, micromorphology, geochemical analyses and frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility. The sediment is interpreted as an organic-rich, homogeneous and bioturbated former floor. Its uniform character likely resulted from moisture, the availability of suitable elements for microfauna and the absence of regular maintenance. Homogenisation processes probably took place during the occupation of the house. Occasional precipitation percolating through the roof increased moisture in the sediment, while the low light conditions inside the house prevented vegetation from growing. Based on our data, we suggest that the NE quadrant served as a storage area and that the entrance to the house was located on the SW side. Interpretation of special use depends strongly on the sampling strategy applied to the floor. They must always consider the geological substrate and its topographical position in the landscape, local climatic conditions and the formation processes associated with both the use and abandonment of the floor.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146007287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salinity Transition in the Ostia Lagoon During the Roman Period: Assessing the Feasibility of Salt Exploitation","authors":"Cécile Vittori,&nbsp;Pierre Carbonel,&nbsp;Ilaria Mazzini,&nbsp;Ferréol Salomon,&nbsp;Jean-Philippe Goiran,&nbsp;Simona Pannuzi,&nbsp;Jorge Cocquyt,&nbsp;Camille Gonçalves,&nbsp;Carlo Rosa,&nbsp;Laurent Schmitt","doi":"10.1002/gea.70038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70038","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study examines long-term salinity changes in the Ostia Lagoon between the 4th century cal <span>BC</span> and the 6th century cal <span>AD</span>, with emphasis on their implications for ancient salt production. Although Ostia's foundation is closely linked to the control of salt resources in the Tiber Delta, direct archaeological evidence of Roman-period saltworks is scarce. To address this gap, this study combines micropalaeontological analysis of ostracod assemblages with a morphometric study of sieve pore features in <i>Cyprideis torosa</i> (Jones, 1850). This approach enables reconstruction of short-term palaeosalinity dynamics. Core LOA–1 documents a transition from peatland to euryhaline lagoon between the 8th–6th and the 4th–3rd centuries cal <span>BC</span>, followed by repeated high-salinity episodes. A notable peak coincides with the establishment of the Roman Castrum, suggesting favourable conditions for salt concentration. After the mid-4th century cal <span>BC</span>, salinity peaks decreased, possibly reducing the lagoon's potential for saltworks and fostering greater reliance on the Maccarese saltworks. In the northern lagoon sector, hyperhaline conditions during the Roman period remain uncertain because of chronological gaps and the lack of sieve pore analysis. Overall, the results demonstrate both the potential and limitations of ostracod analysis as a palaeosalinity proxy and refine understanding of salt exploitation in the Tiber Delta. This study provides valuable insights into the long-term socio-environmental dynamics of the Mediterranean coastal wetlands, contributing to the advancement of geoarchaeological research on ancient salt production through salterns and its influence on human settlement patterns and economic practices.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145964280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Soil Erosion Paradox Re-Examined: Alluviation and Land Use History in a Small British Lowland River Catchment in the Late Holocene","authors":"Ben Pears,&nbsp;Emily Forster,&nbsp;Sam Hudson,&nbsp;Jayne Carroll,&nbsp;Richard Jones,&nbsp;Antony G. Brown","doi":"10.1002/gea.70041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70041","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Modern studies show that soil erosion results in a loss of ecosystem function, particularly fertility, and is a cause of declining agricultural yields. However, despite the well-attested high rates of soil erosion across Roman and medieval Europe there appears to have been little or no soil-associated decline in agricultural production—the soil erosion paradox. Small low-slope erodible lowland catchments offer the opportunity to examine this question when sufficient historical information is available. Here, we show that, since its disconnection from the main River Severn (UK) floodplain in the mid-Holocene, the small Hatfield Brook catchment experienced high rates of soil erosion and alluviation (~2 mm year⁻¹) associated with extensive catchment-bound open-field system agrarianism. Scientific and historical data both indicate increases in activity during the early medieval and medieval periods, associated with landscape control by the Bishopric of Worcester (BoW). Agricultural expansion by the church from the late 11th to mid-13th centuries <span>AD</span> extended further into lower valley slopes and alluviated flatlands, tilled using the heavy plough, and catchment hinterlands were further cleared of woodland via assarting, all leading to greater soil erosion. After <span>AD</span> 1250, the power and influence of the Bishopric of Worcester declined with arable cultivation and a move towards pastoralism leading to a reduction in soil erosion, increased slope stability and floodplain deposition. This suggests that in the low-relief erodible lowlands of Europe <i>one</i> solution to the erosion paradox is that most of the sediment generated by open-field cultivation was trapped in the basin and created new, flat, and highly productive agricultural land producing both a sustainable farming system and a non-linearity in the relationship between population and soil erosion. Further modelling-based research is needed though to identify the relative role of the manipulation of fertility through manuring and new land-creation.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70041","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145904793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoarchaeological Perspectives on Stelae Production Throughout the Bronze Age: Provenance, Material Properties and Rock Selection at Zebros (Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal)","authors":"Rafael Ferreiro Mählmann,&nbsp;Ralph Araque Gonzalez,&nbsp;Dirk Scheuvens,&nbsp;Pedro Baptista,&nbsp;Francisco Henriques","doi":"10.1002/gea.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p>At Monte dos Zebros (Idanha-a-Nova, Central Portugal), the discovery of three stelae—two Iberian Late Bronze Age stelae and one fragment of an Early/Middle Bronze Age anthropomorphic stela—represents a rare case of rock art monuments from different chronologies coexisting in the same place within a broader archaeological landscape, which includes numerous burial mounds. Although not unique, it is also among the few known instances where meta-sedimentary rocks were used for such monuments. Previously, no definitive lithological classification had been established, though macroscopic assessments suggested materials such as greywacke or granite. This study confirms that the stelae are made of meta-arkose, a subordinate rock type in the region. Surrounding stelae are predominantly crafted from magmatic or metamorphic rocks, highlighting a distinct selection process at Zebros. Four sedimentological mapping methods, not commonly associated with archaeological research, enabled a palaeogeographic reconstruction for c. 1000 <span>BC</span>, facilitating a highly selective sampling strategy. The findings indicate that the raw materials were sourced from two outcrops near the site, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of lithological properties and landscape dynamics. The stelae makers leveraged natural processes, such as differential fluvial erosion, to extract the most competent slabs with ease. The meta-arkoses show optimal workability, and structurally isotropic specimens were deliberately chosen for carving, underscoring a sophisticated understanding of material behaviour and practical utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145891700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoarchaeology in the Absence of Layers: Large-Scale Sampling From an Iron Age Urban Context in the Southern Levant","authors":"Martin P. Janovský,&nbsp;Sabina Millerová,&nbsp;Chris McKinny,&nbsp;Oren Ackermann,&nbsp;Lenka Lisá,&nbsp;Jan Fišer,&nbsp;Tziona Ben-Gedalya,&nbsp;Daniel Imas,&nbsp;Cynthianne Spiteri,&nbsp;Polina Nikolskaia,&nbsp;Itzick Shai","doi":"10.1002/gea.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the impact of erosion and postdepositional processes is essential for reconstructing site formation in ancient tells. At Tel¹ Burna, a multiperiod stratified site in the Shephelah region of central Israel, we integrate portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), portable optically stimulated luminescence (pOSL), and organic residue analysis (ORA). Our aim is to assess how postdepositional processes shaped the archaeological record in Tel Burna, Israel. The results demonstrate that elemental patterns—particularly phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K)—can reveal occupation surfaces and destruction layers not visible macroscopically. High Ca corresponds to chalk-based floors, elevated K to degraded mudbrick architecture, and enriched P to domestic activity or burning. A fire-related destruction horizon in Stratum IV is suggested by the presence of high P in the decomposed mudbrick destruction layer, elevated K in both this layer and the underlying intact mudbrick, low Ca, strong luminescence signals, and the near absence of lipids, suggesting thermal alteration of architectural materials. pOSL photon counts increase with depth and provide strong support for the stratigraphic integrity of the profile. Spatial variability, including the absence of Stratum III in downslope areas, highlights differential preservation across the site. Comparative data from regional soils reinforce the interpretation that carbonate-rich, alkaline soils tend to retain P but allow greater K mobility. The study highlights how the integration of pXRF, pOSL, and biomolecular analysis can improve stratigraphic resolution in complex or eroded contexts, offering a rapid, non-destructive toolkit for rescue archaeology and for identifying buried destruction events and mudbrick constructions in the southern Levant.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.70035","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}