Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Bevel-ended bone artefacts from Pulli, Estonia: Early Mesolithic debarking tools?","authors":"Grzegorz Osipowicz,&nbsp;Lembi Lõugas,&nbsp;Heidi Luik","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02187-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02187-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper reports the results of the first attempt of traceological studies (technological and functional) of bone products from the unique Early Mesolithic site of Pulli, Estonia. The analysis covered a group of specific tools made primarily from elk’s metapodial bones, referred to as Pulli-type bevel-ended tools. Through microscopic studies, the complete biography of these artefacts was reconstructed, considering all stages of their production and the phases of use and abandonment. Use-wear analysis and studies in the field of experimental archaeology allowed the interpretation of the function of these products, which can be perceived as specialised tools for obtaining bark (debarking). The results of the conducted studies were compared with those of singular technological and functional studies on similar early Holocene bone tools from European contexts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Red princess of the Silk Road - the first-and-only known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity from the Iron Age Western Regions (202BCE − 8CE)","authors":"Sen You,&nbsp;Meng Ren,&nbsp;Li Sun,&nbsp;Anqi Wang,&nbsp;Long Wang,&nbsp;Quanchao Zhang,&nbsp;Qian Wang","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02188-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02188-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cinnabar is a valuable mineral resource that has been mined and utilized by ancient people around the world. It has been used for burials, paintings, and alchemy, reflecting its close associations with religion, decoration, and medicine. In this study, we report an archaeological sample of teeth painted with red pigment discovered at the Shengjindian site (2,200–2,050 BP) located in the historic Western Regions, now Xinjiang, China. The red pigment and binder on the surface of the teeth were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The results indicated that the red pigment on the teeth was cinnabar, which was attached to the surface of the teeth using a proteinaceous binder. This is the first-and-only known case of cinnabar used as red pigment to stain teeth in antiquity and throughout the world. Though it is an isolated archaeological discovery, this “Red Princess of the Silk Road” provides new insights into the use of cinnabar in ancient people. This study signifies the importance of the color red in daily and spiritual life, and also reflects the exchange and communication of resources and culture, enriching the knowledge of the Silk Road.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143481237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preservation and conservation of Chinese fragile silk banners with pioneer spirit: new silk mesh reinforcement","authors":"Jiaojiao Liu,&nbsp;Ran Chen,&nbsp;Zhi Luo,&nbsp;Jing Cao,&nbsp;Qingmeng Xu,&nbsp;Junchang Yang","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02185-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02185-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study focuses on the conservation of two decayed and damaged silk banners from the Da Chen Island reclamation period in the 1960s. As significant carriers of China’s revolutionary spirit, the preservation and restoration of these banners are crucial for inheriting and promoting China’s revolutionary culture. The work initially employed non-destructive or minimally invasive characterization methods, including infrared spectroscopy, SEM and EDX spectroscopy, to analyze the banner samples and silk reference samples to determine the material and textile characteristics of the banners. Subsequently, based on the characterization results, an optimized restoration process was developed, which included flattening, cleaning, deacidification, decontamination, precise splicing, silk mesh reinforcement, hole filling, and complementary color. Finally, to ensure long-term preservation and display, a special storage box with fireproof, insect-proof, mold-proof, and acid-proof functions was prepared for the banners. Research results indicate that the banners achieved good restoration results after restoration using the silk mesh reinforcement, providing effective protection for their long-term preservation and display. Our work not only provides scientific evidence and technical support for the rescue and restoration of these precious banner artifacts, but also serves as an important reference for the conservation and restoration of other similar fragile silk textile artifacts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143481238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selection of raw material through the history of pottery production in Istria (Croatia): social implications of paste variability","authors":"Andreja Kudelić,&nbsp;Natali Neral","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02182-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02182-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the pottery production traditions of Istria, a historically significant region on the northern Adriatic, known for its continuous ceramic practices from prehistoric times through the 20th century. The research focuses on the variability in clay selection and paste-processing techniques at four sites in eastern Istria—Rakalj, Old Rakalj, Šiljar, and Saint Theodore—spanning different historical periods, from the Early Bronze Age to the Late Medieval period, including traditional pottery practices of the 20th century. By applying a multi-analytical approach (optical microscopy, XRPD, ICP-ES, and ICP-MS), the study aims to assess the extent to which pottery raw material choices were influenced by broader technological and social dynamics in the region. The findings indicate that pottery production was largely shaped by environmental factors, with a clear preference for locally sourced materials, such as terra rossa, and specific tempers, including calcite and grog. While the use of local resources predominated, evidence of non-local clays suggests active trade networks, particularly during the Bronze Age. Variations in material use across different periods reflect shifts in technological traditions and broader social changes, although core practices—such as the use of calcite as a temper—persisted over millennia. These results highlight the resilience of traditional pottery practices in Istria and offer insights into the region’s socio-cultural homogenity amid shifting historical contexts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143455648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Did early medieval people living around the Venetian Lagoon heavily rely on fish? A re-interpretation of the isotopic data published by Battistel et al. (2024)","authors":"Marcello A. Mannino","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02179-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02179-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143455672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mineral beads of the formative period (3500 − 1000 BP) in the atacama desert: an archeometrical and regional approach","authors":"Marcela Sepúlveda,&nbsp;Benjamín Ballester,&nbsp;José Cárcamo-Vega,&nbsp;Sebastián Gutiérrez,&nbsp;Francisco Gallardo","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02184-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02184-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Lapidary and bead production were two of the main related and direct practices of ancient mining activity that developed in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Despite acknowledging the richness of mineralogy in the region and macroscopically observing a great diversity of beads in terms of color, few studies have addressed their physical-chemical characterization to specify and accurately identify the nature of the minerals used for their production. This work synthesizes all previous analytical studies of mineral beads in the Atacama Desert and Northwestern Argentina, two closely related regions with demonstrated cultural interactions. Afterward, we precise the mineralogy of a large set of beads from archaeological contexts associated with the Formative Period (3500 − 1000 cal. BP) from different localities in the north of Chile. We described 132 mineral beads of various colors (blue, green, white, black, and ochre) and used, for the first time, Raman spectroscopy as a non-destructive technique to precise the mineralogy of 84 of them. Based on the physical-chemical characterization and spatial distribution from five different localities of the region, we confirm the wide variety of minerals used in their production and their importance in the economic interactions occurring during the Formative Period.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143438703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Innovative approach to the verification of the alleged pregnancy and cancer in the Warsaw mummy: international case study with extended research","authors":"Kamila Braulińska,&nbsp;Fabio Cavalli,&nbsp;Mislav Čavka,&nbsp;Fabrice Dedouit,&nbsp;Patrick Eppenberger,&nbsp;Dorota Ignatowicz-Woźniakowska,&nbsp;Łukasz Kownacki,&nbsp;Maria Kurpik,&nbsp;Robert D. Loynes,&nbsp;Andrew Nelson,&nbsp;Stephanie Panzer,&nbsp;Sahar Saleem,&nbsp;Katherine Van Schaik,&nbsp;Albert Zink","doi":"10.1007/s12520-024-02145-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-024-02145-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The collective international case study of a mummy presented in this paper is to our knowledge the first of its kind. At its core is an independent reassessment, by acknowledged professionals, of radiological material from a mummified woman (now in Warsaw) who had been claimed to have been pregnant and suffering from a neoplastic condition. Despite two studies dismissing these claims on scientific grounds, both the pregnancy and the cancer theories were repeated and sustained, overwhelming any opposing opinions in the matter. A media sensation only contributed to this. Using a cloud-based platform, the participants reexamined the original radiological data, responding to a survey questionnaire prepared for the purpose. Their independent responses consistently upheld the absence of any indications of either a fetus or cancer in the subject of study. The joint case study also provided opportunity for additional individual analysis of the last points raised by the authors of the pregnancy theory, which were dismissed as well. However, efforts at a comprehensive explanation of the pelvic contents, involving identification of the inserted material, did not prove conclusive and will be continued. Addressing issues of responsible science, a part of this study atypically concerns the role of popular media, which in this particular case affected even the scientific approach, not to mention public reception. The study is another strong call for an interdisciplinary approach in bioarchaeology, particularly in mummy studies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143446373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scientific investigation of the 20th century bronze bell in Asyut, Egypt: insight into materials, chemical composition and preservation status","authors":"Niazy Mostafa Mohamed,&nbsp;Mohammed Samir Elmetwaly","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02167-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02167-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research presents an historical background and an analytical and study of a bell dating back to the 20th century, currently located at Al Salam Modern School, an ancient school, formerly known as the American College in Asyut, Egypt, which was established during the period between 1901 and 1909. The bell consists of metal parts (Bowl, Yoke, Standards, Clapper, Clevis Bolt, Toller, and Bearing) and wooden parts (Base or Frame and Wheel). These components were studied and analyzed using microscopic examination, Portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Visual and microscopic examination revealed the presence of corrosion products on the surface of the bell and its metal parts, bird droppings, embrittlement of the wood structure, fiber breakage, and accumulation of dust. The bell’s wooden parts were identified as oak using a light microscope. The body of the bell itself was analyzed using p-XRF and EDX, which revealed that the alloy used for its making is mainly composed of copper and tin, known as tin-bronze alloy. XRD analysis was used to identify the corrosion products on the surface of the bronze bell as well as the corrosion products of the parts made of iron. The results revealed that the corrosion products formed on the bell surface are Nantokite, Paratacamite, Atacamite, Brochantite, Antlerite, Cassiterite and Gypsum, while the rust products on the iron parts are Magnetite, Hematite, Goethite, Akaganeite, Lepidocrocite and Gypsum. FTIR analysis of the wooden parts of the bell showed the embrittlement and the decomposition of hemicellulose and lignin. This analysis also showed that the paints used in painting the wooden parts is a local paint known as ARTEX (Pachin). </p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12520-025-02167-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143431013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"On bootstrapping, data overfitting and crocodiles: an additional comment to McPherron et al. (2022)","authors":"Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo,&nbsp;Enrique Baquedano","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02183-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02183-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Quaternary hominin-carnivore interactions is taphonomically reconstructed best through the use of bone surface modifications (BSM). This study examines redundancy in an experimental dataset of potentially similar BSM created by crocodile tooth-marking, sedimentary trampling and stone tool cut marking (Domínguez-Rodrigo and Baquedano in Sci Rep 8:5786, 2018). The original analysis of this experimental set, aiming to confidently classify the three types of BSM, was criticized by some authors (McPherron et al. in J Hum Evol 164:103071, 2022) insinuating that the analysis was flawed by a potential methodological overfitting caused by the improper use of bootstrap. A subsequent response to that critique (Abellán et al. in Geobios Memoire Special. 72–73, 12–21, 2022) showed that there was no difference in the results between using the raw data and the bootstrapped data. It was argued that structural co-variance and redundancy of the categorical dataset was responsible for the highly accurate models; however, this was never empirically demonstrated. Here, we show how the original experimental dataset is saturated with redundancy. Our analysis revealed that, out of 633 cases, only 116 were unique (18.3%) in the complete dataset, 45 unique cases (7.1%) in the intrinsic variable dataset, and just four unique cases (0.63%) in the three-variable dataset (accounting for most of the sample variance). Redundancy, therefore, ranged from 81.7% to over 99%. Machine learning analysis using Random Forest (RF) and C5.0 algorithms on the datasets demonstrated high accuracy with the raw data (90-98%). Proper bootstrapping yielded nearly identical accuracy (88-98%), while improper bootstrapping slightly reduced accuracy (86-98%) and introduced some degree of underfitting. This underscores that the potential biasing effects of bootstrapping differ between numerical and categorical datasets, especially on those with low dimensionality and low cardinality, in situations of feature interdependence and covariance. A complementary approach, consisting of an iterative data partitioning method through train-test resampling reproduced the results derived from the bootstrapped samples. The understanding of these methodological processes is essential to an adequate application of these experimental models to the fossil record.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12520-025-02183-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Solving the puzzle of neanderthal occupations: a reassessment of temporal indicators of occupation duration","authors":"Valentina Lubrano,&nbsp;Anna Rufà,&nbsp;Ruth Blasco,&nbsp;Florent Rivals,&nbsp;Jordi Rosell","doi":"10.1007/s12520-025-02163-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12520-025-02163-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The identification of the duration of Neanderthal occupations is a tricky topic by the palimpsest nature of archaeological assemblages. This study explores the challenges associated with distinguishing between long and short-term occupations, using qualitative and quantitative data from relevant archaeological sites in the Late Middle Palaeolithic in Spain and south-eastern France. We highlight the proposed occupation models and their specific characteristics, considering the heterogeneity of archaeological evidence and the limitations of current methodologies. The article offers a reassessment of the topic, critically analysing the current indicators used to determine the duration of Neanderthal occupations. Furthermore, we discuss the complexity in defining the concepts of short and long-term occupation, emphasising the need for a multidisciplinary approach to fully understand the complexity of the practices of the Late Neanderthals. </p></div>","PeriodicalId":8214,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12520-025-02163-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143423019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}