Search Results (246)

Over the past decade, the rapid development of geospatial tools has significantly expanded the scope of archaeobotanical research, enabling unprecedented insights into ancient plant domestication, agricultural practices, and human-environment interactions. Within the Chinese context, where rich archaeobotanical records intersect with complex socio-ecological histories, GIS-driven approaches have revealed nuanced patterns of crop dispersal, settlement dynamics, and landscape modification. However, despite these advances, current applications remain largely exploratory, constrained by fragmented datasets and underutilized spatial-statistical methods. This paper argues that a more robust integration of large-scale archaeobotanical datasets with advanced ArcGIS functionalities—such as kernel density estimation, least-cost path analysis, and predictive modelling—is essential to address persistent gaps in the field. By synthesizing case studies from key Chinese Neolithic and Bronze Age sites, we demonstrate how spatial analytics can elucidate (1) spatiotemporal trends in plant use, (2) anthropogenic impacts on vegetation, and (3) the feedback loops between subsistence strategies and landscape evolution. Furthermore, we highlight the challenges of data standardization, scale dependency, and interdisciplinary collaboration in archaeobotanical ArcGIS. Ultimately, this study underscores the imperative for methodological harmonization and computational innovation to unravel the intricate relationships between ancient societies, agroecological systems, and long-term environmental change. Full article

Since the early 19th century, linguists have collected enough linguistic data to draw a remarkably stable Uralic language family tree. However, the traditional Uralic language family tree has two main problems. First, it lacks a reliable chronology because linguistic data can suggest that some languages are closer or farther from each other, but that gives only a relative instead of a precise chronology of the branching events. Second, the extinct Mezhovskaya culture in the Ural region and the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete were not incorporated into the Uralic language family, although recent archaeogenetic and linguistic data indicate that their languages also belonged to the Uralic language family. Some recent studies took an essentially purely archaeogenetic approach to the study of the evolution of the Uralic language family. These purely archaeogenetic studies propose linguistically perplexing solutions. This is the first study of the development of the Uralic language family that fully integrates the archaeogenetic, archaeological and linguistic data and proposes a new chronology of the Uralic language family that avoids the above inconsistencies. The new chronology relies on the best current estimates of the formation of the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups that are found among present Uralic language speakers and in samples from various archaeological sites that are associated with Uralic speakers. The new chronology places the various branching events of the Uralic language family tree much earlier than usual, including the split between Proto-Finno-Permic and Proto-Ugric, which is shown to have taken place in the Mesolithic period. The new proposal makes the Bronze Age Minoan language better fit chronologically as well as linguistically into the Uralic language family. Full article

This work proposes to contribute through an interdisciplinary perspective to the evaluation of paleoeconomic and paleoenvironmental changes during Middle Holocene in Southwestern Transylvania. The study integrates archaeozoological data with phytolith analysis to reconstruct subsistence and vegetation dynamics from the Early Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age at Șoimuș-Teleghi (Hunedoara County, Romania). Animal remains are described in terms of their frequency (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), taphonomic changes, and livestock management (i.e., animal selection by age and sex). Archaeozoological samples are dominated by skeletal remains from domestic mammals (e.g., cattle, sheep/goat, and pig), whose importance varies depending on the cultural level; the skeletal remains of wild mammals are less frequent, mainly belonging to species with large size (e.g., red deer, wild boar, roe deer, aurochs). This study tests whether animal exploitation strategies shifted from ruminant-dominated economies in the Neolithic to greater pig reliance in the Bronze Age, using the Shannon–Weaver diversity index and correspondence analysis. Phytolith analysis of eleven sediment samples from various cultural layers reveals the dominance of Pooideae-type grasses, with both vegetative plant parts and cereal inflorescences as resources. Bioarchaeological data presented in this study reveal a diachronic shift in subsistence practices, reflecting cultural and environmental transformations. Full article

Surface organic coatings (SOCs) composed of drying oils, resins, and bitumen were commonly applied to small Renaissance bronze sculptures to enhance their visual and physical properties, producing dark, lustrous surfaces that were both esthetic and protective. Yet, the identification of these coatings remains challenging due to aging, conservation interventions, and the damage caused by physical sampling. This study presents a reproducible, non-destructive protocol for characterizing SOCs on metal substrates using external reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ER-FTIR) and fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). Twenty-seven reference coating mock-ups of linseed oil, walnut oil, mastic resin, pine resin, and bitumen were stoved onto bronze coupons and artificially aged. Spectra were analyzed across the visible/near-infrared (VIS-NIR) (~400–1000 nm), short-wave-infrared (SWIR) (~1000–2500 nm), and mid-infrared (MIR) (~2.5–25 µm) ranges, with key diagnostic features identified for each component and blend, including primary absorptions, combination bands, and overtones. ER-FTIR proved highly effective in detecting oil–resin mixtures and later wax coatings through characteristic bands in the MIR, while FORS, enhanced by first-derivative processing, successfully differentiated triterpenoid and diterpenoid resins and identified multi-component SOCs in the SWIR region. The reference spectral database generated in this study is intended to serve as a comparative tool for future non-invasive analysis of organic coatings on metal surfaces and to demonstrate that ER-FTIR and FORS, used in tandem, offer a practical and scalable framework for the non-destructive identification of SOCs. Full article

In recent decades, the concept of a so-called Dark Age in ancient Sudan at the beginning of the first millennium BCE has been called into question within the field of Nubian archaeology. This is primarily due to new archaeological findings at urban sites such as Tombos and Amara West, as well as new theoretical approaches developed during the postcolonial turn. This study aims to show that new remote sensing, surveys and excavations in the Attab to Ferka region of Sudan have also revealed important evidence of continued occupation after the end of Egypt’s colonial rule over Nubia. In particular, studies of settlement patterns and ceramics enrich our understanding of people’s lives during the period between 1070 and 750 BCE and allow us to expand on dynamic processes, local forms of resilience and innovation. This new understanding of the persistence of communities after the fall of colonial Nubia under Egyptian rule facilitates a more nuanced interpretation of the evolution of the Napatan Empire, thereby challenging the conventional concept of secondary states. The Attab to Ferka case study demonstrates that previously marginalised regions and communities are significant contributors to cultural dynamics and achievements during the first millennium BCE in Sudan. Full article

In recent years, evidence of gold mining during the Roman period has been found by archaeologists in the Cerdanya region (Girona, Catalonia). In this region, Les Guilleteres d’All has been described as a mining complex because of the erosive features observed in the landscape; surveys have identified hydraulic mining opencast structures named chantier-cirques and chantier-ravins. The latter are smaller, but both require a water reservoir, specifically a water retention facility, to supply water flow. One of these buried water reservoirs has been excavated, revealing an enlarged area with a dam constructed from stone blocks. Two pottery sherds were found within the sediment layers deposited on the bottom of the reservoir—one dated to the 1st–2nd c. AD and the other to the Bronze Age—indicating that the reservoir was filled during historical times and the nearby presence of settlements from these periods. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating was performed on two waterlain sediment layers deposited at the bottom deposited at the reservoir. The obtained ages, dating to 2nd–4th c. AD, correspond to the final phase or abandonment of mining activities. Hence, these ages provide the first evidence of mining activities in Les Guilleteres during Roman times. Full article

The interest of human groups in fossil collecting from the Middle Pleistocene onwards has recently been highlighted. Among the taxa identified at several archaeological sites, a particular group of molluscs stands out: the scaphopods. This paper provides an exhaustive review of scaphopod (Mollusca, Scaphopoda) fossils recovered from archaeological sites in southern Iberia, particularly two sites: Cueva del Hoyo de la Mina and El Tesoro, both in the province of Málaga (southern Spain). The importance of using fossils of this mollusc from the Magdalenian to the Neolithic period has been confirmed at these sites. While the Iberian Peninsula is home to a rich diversity of scaphopod species, with 24 species belonging to nine genera during the Neogene period alone, our analysis reveals that only two species, Paradentalium inaequale and Paradentalium sexangulum, were chosen for symbolic purposes. Additionally, we provide a synthesis of the presence of these species and this group in other Iberian sites. A total of 258 scaphopods were found at eight Iberian archaeological sites ranging from the Solutrean to the Bronze Age. We also discuss some of their cultural connotations. The fossil scaphopod species have been reviewed and compared with palaeontological collections from southern Iberia. Full article

Studies of ancient Israelite religion have long assumed that texts played some role in its public expression. This role is often reconstructed using depictions in the Hebrew Bible and ritual texts from neighboring regions or the Bronze Age Levant. However, no such ritual texts have been uncovered in the Iron Age Levant. Nevertheless, an analysis of architecturally embedded texts alongside their associated assemblages makes it possible to reconstruct ancient Levantine ritual practices and the roles of texts within them. As components of built environments, texts drew attention to particular areas, directing traffic along particular routes and halting it at waypoints. Texts of various genres occasionally prescribe specific ritual actions to carry out at these waypoints. Even texts lacking prescriptions were often accompanied by iconography depicting ritual practices or functional artifacts implying them. Analyzing architectural, textual, iconographic, and artifactual evidence together allows us to reconstruct ritual sequences performed in ancient built environments. This article demonstrates this method using case studies derived from four Iron Age Levantine sites: Karatepe, Karkemish, Kuntillet ʿAjrud, and Deir ʿAlla. Full article

This paper examines the exploitation of marine molluscs in the Western Isles of Scotland, from the Bronze Age to Norse periods (2500 BCE–1266 CE). Through analysis of shell assemblages from thirteen archaeological sites, we investigate changing shellfish exploitation practices across time and space. We consider whether these variations reflect cultural preferences, local availability and environments, or evidence of unsustainable harvesting practices. The research examines not only dietary contributions but also explores potential non-food uses of shells, as well as providing insights into coastal environment exploitation. While limpets (Patella spp.) remained consistently important throughout much of prehistory, there was a notable shift toward periwinkles (Littorina littorea), beginning in the Late Iron Age and continuing into the Norse period. This transition appears to reflect a combination of cultural preferences and local ecological availability rather than simple resource depletion. The study highlights the value of standardised methodological approaches to shell analysis and the importance of considering individual and community agency in the interpretation of zooarchaeological assemblages. Full article

Archaeological investigations of ancient climate change have become an important focus for many researchers. A number of studies have focused on scientific techniques to identify the intricate details of the event, and the subsequent impact of these climatic changes on the ecological landscape. These more scientifically oriented studies have allowed the present authors to investigate a more subtle impact on the landscape: trade disruption during ancient climate crises viewed from the rural settlement of Çadır Höyük on the north central Anatolian plateau. The ebb and flow of trade networks in the past can be tied to many external sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors that may have had little to do with the air outside. We investigate here whether climate change was a significant factor that interfered with trade networks during three periods: The 4th millennium BCE Late Chalcolithic (the 5.2 ka climatic event); the late 2nd millennium BCE (3.2 ka climatic event); and the Medieval Warm Period from the 10th to the 13th century CE. This study presents the evidence for regular, and sometimes robust, trade or provision of goods and resources prior to these three climate events, and the disruption or dissolution of these during the height of each climate crisis, particularly in the earlier two periods; in the last period, climate variability was only one of many factors affecting trade networks on the plateau. We profile how the residents of ancient Çadır Höyük managed these intermittent “empty shelves” and filled in gaps using local resources and ingenuity. Full article

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, has triggered multiple pandemics throughout human history, yet its long-term evolutionary patterns and reservoir dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we present a global phylogenomic analysis of ancient and modern Y. pestis strains spanning from the Neolithic and Bronze Age to the present day. We show that pandemic-causing lineages did not arise from a single ancestral strain but instead emerged independently along deep branches of the Y. pestis phylogeny. Pandemic-associated Y. pestis strains were recovered exclusively from human remains and display clear local temporal divergence, indicating evolution driven by human transmission during outbreaks. These findings support the hypothesis that plague emergence is driven by complex, regionally rooted reservoirs, with recurrent spillovers into human populations across millennia. Our work highlights the need to view plague not as a series of isolated outbreaks but as a long-standing zoonotic threat shaped by deep evolutionary history, host ecology, and human societal structures. Full article

The present study highlights how the Canaanite Amarna Letters offer unique insight into Canaanite literary culture in the Late Bronze Age. The letters represent the diplomatic acumen of scribes writing letters for local elites that were sent to the Egyptian court in the mid-fourteenth century BCE. Yet they also preserve the earliest evidence of Canaanite literary forms and compositional practices. The letters include memorized formulae and expressions, word pairs, poetic devices, and the use of repetition to frame poetic units, which are common in the practices of later first-millennium scribes working in this same region, including those who wrote the Hebrew Bible. The letters also offer insight into the ways that the scribes combined memorized units into new narrative contexts. Such features added literary texture to the letters, but also contributed to their rhetorical aims. While some poetic passages in the letters may be novel compositions, there is also evidence that literary forms and expressions were integral to Canaanite scribal education by the Amarna period. The Canaanite Letters therefore set an important precedent for literary creation, and for the scribes’ bricolage practices in the process of creating new diplomatic letters. Full article

The possibility of collecting new archaeological elements useful in reconstructing the dynamics of population, production and commercial activities in the Bronze Age at the edge of the central-southern Venice Lagoon was provided between 2023 and 2024 thanks to an intervention of rescue archaeology planned during some water restoration works in the Giare–Mira area. Three small excavations revealed, approximately one meter below the current surface and covered by alluvial sediments, a rather complex palimpsest dated to the late Recent and the early Final Bronze Age. Three large circular pits containing exclusively purified grey/blue clay and very rare inclusions of vegetable fibres, and many large, fired clay vessels’ bases, walls and rims clustered in concentrated assemblages and random deposits point to potential on-site production. Two pyro-technological structures, one characterised by a sub-circular combustion chamber and a long inlet channel/praefurnium, and the second one with a sub-rectangular shape with arched niches along its southern side, complete the exceptional context here discovered. To analyse the relationship between the site and the natural sedimentary succession and to evaluate the possible extension of this site, three electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and low-frequency electromagnetic (FDEM) measurements were collected. Several manual core drillings associated with remote sensing integrated the geophysical data in the analysis of the geomorphological evolution of this area, clearly related to different phases of fluvial activity, in a framework of continuous relative sea level rise. The typology and chronology of the archaeological structures and materials, currently undergoing further analyses, support the interpretation of the site as a late Recent/early Final Bronze Age productive site. Geophysical and geomorphological data provide information on the palaeoenvironmental setting, suggesting that the site was located on a fine-grained, stable alluvial plain at a distance of a few kilometres from the lagoon shore to the south-east and the course of the Brenta River to the north. The archaeological site was buried by fine-grained floodplain deposits attributed to the Brenta River. The good preservation of the archaeological structures buried by fluvial sediments suggests that the site was abandoned soon before sedimentation started. Full article

Palaeoecological investigations connected with extensive pre-bog, stone walls, and field systems at Kilmore, Dingle peninsula, Ireland, are presented. The main pollen profile, KLM I, spans the last 4000 years. When the record opened, pine (Pinus sylvestris) was already a minor tree, oak (probably Quercus petraea) was the main tall-canopy tree, and birch and alder were dominant locally. Substantial farming is recorded between ca. 1530 and 600 BCE (Bronze Age) when the stone walls were likely constructed. From ca. 560 CE onwards, intensive farming was conducted for much of the time. A largely treeless landscape emerged in the late twelfth century CE. Fine-spatial reconstructions of landscape and vegetation dynamics, including the timing of blanket bog initiation, are made. Post-glacial change in the western Dingle peninsula, based on published Holocene lake profiles and drawing on the new information presented here, is discussed. Reported are (a) fossil spores of the filmy ferns Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, H. wilsonii, and Trichomanes speciosum; (b) the first fossil pollen record for Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) in the Dingle peninsula (540 CE); and (c) the first published records for Fagopyrum fossil pollen in Ireland, indicating that buckwheat was grown at Kilmore in the late eighteenth/early nineteenth centuries. Full article

This research presents a methodological approach combining UAV-LiDAR technology and SfM photogrammetry for the comprehensive documentation and analysis of O Corro dos Mouros, a Bronze-to-Iron Age archaeological site in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The study evaluates both the capabilities and limitations of this integrated approach, focusing on a recently identified Roda-type structure, characterised by circular stone architecture and funerary-ritual functionality, dating between the 15th and 3rd centuries BC. The methodology combines RTK-corrected LiDAR (150 pts/m², ±5 cm accuracy) with 20.4 MP RGB imaging, overcoming vegetation cover while capturing surface details. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed methodology compared to public LiDAR (1 m resolution), offering more detailed and precise microtopographic data of the circular structure. The approach successfully addresses three key challenges: (1) dense vegetation penetration, (2) multi-phase stratigraphic documentation, and (3) non-invasive monitoring of sensitive sites. The centimetre-accurate 3D models (publicly available via Sketchfab) provide both research-grade data for analysing construction phases and contextual relationships with nearby rock art/megaliths, and engaging visualisations for heritage interpretation. This work establishes a replicable technical framework optimised for high-resolution archaeological documentation, with direct applicability to similar ritual landscapes (hillforts, burial mounds) across the region. Full article