Search Results (74)

This article critically considers sample multigenerational oral traditions of Numic-speaking communities known as the Nüümü (Northern Paiute), Nuwu (Southern Paiute), and Newe (Western Shoshone), written down over the last 151 years. Utilizing the GOAT! phenomenological method to compare the onto-epistemologies of Numic peoples with a wide range of data from (G)eology, (O)ral traditions, (A)rchaeology and (A)nthropology, and (T)raditional knowledge, the author analyzed 824 multigenerational ancestral teachings. These descriptions encode multigenerational memories of potential geological, climatic, and ecological observations and interpretations of multiple locations and earth processes throughout the Numic Aboriginal homelands within California and the Great Basin. Through this layered and comparative analysis, the author identified potential convergences of oral traditions, ethnography, ethnohistory, rock art, and geological processes in the regions of California, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau, indicative of large-scale earth changes, cognized by Numic Indigenous communities as earth birthing events, occurring during the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene to Middle and Late Holocene, including the Late Dry Period, Medieval Climatic Anomaly, and Little Ice Age. Full article

This essay explores themes in monk–underworld stories from the early medieval to Song periods, shedding light on evolving monastic–lay relations. These tales typically follow an individual who visits the afterlife and returns to share their experience. Monks frequently appear in these narratives, revealing shifting perceptions of the clergy. In earlier stories, monks often serve as underworld guardians or bodhisattvas, but by the Song period they are more commonly depicted as recipients of punishment, often for neglecting their obligations to lay patrons. This shift suggests that Song society increasingly viewed monks through a commercial lens, expecting them to provide specific services. However, these underworld tales do not indicate a decline in respect for the clergy. A broader look at Song literature confirms that monks remained highly regarded, despite changing expectations of their role within society. Full article

A series (n = 22) of glasses from the site Kapucinski vrt (garden of the Capuchin monastery, 5th–17th c. CE) in Koper (Capodistria), a port town in the northern Adriatic, was measured using a combined PIXE and PIGE method. Koper has been continuously populated since the late Roman period, with a rich medieval history, thus offering an opportunity to study Early Medieval glass. Stemmed goblet fragments, in the original publication dated between the 6th–9th centuries CE, and several other vessel types (beakers and flasks or bottles and lamps) were selected for analysis. The measurements were expected to show the trends in glass production and consumption from Late Antiquity until the Middle Ages, notably the transition between natron to plant ash glass and the supply of fresh glass. Among the set of 22 glass vessel fragments, both natron and plant ash glass were identified. For finer classification, we relied on a newly developed method of Euclidean distances with respect to major concentrations. Natron glass of the types Foy 2.1 (9 examples), Magby (2 examples), and Levantine I (Apollonia; 2 examples) was found. Two glasses remain undetermined but testify to an Egyptian origin. Most natron glasses show signs of recycling. Among the three unrecycled glasses (about 20% of the whole set), there are two examples of Levantine glass and a Magby glass lamp; this may indicate a modest supply of fresh glass during the period. Plant ash glass may be attributed to the Early or High Middle Ages, exploiting the purified alkalis of the Levantine coasts (known as alume catino in later Venetian glassmaking), and the admixture of impurities in the siliceous sands suggests the circulation and consumption of glass that was produced and traded in the eastern Mediterranean since the 10th century CE. Full article

This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating geoarchaeology, geomorphology, archaeometry, and palynology to analyze settlement patterns and land use in the surroundings of Capua (southern Italy) during the medieval transition. Borehole sampling and stratigraphic studies indicate significant landscape transformations due to human activity, particularly deforestation and agricultural expansion. Radiocarbon dating confirms settlement activity from antiquity through the early medieval period. Results suggest that Capua’s elevated position provided natural flood protection, influencing its continuous habitation. Pollen analysis reveals a shift from forested landscapes to open pastures, indicating intensive land use. Future research will focus on refining the chronology and archeological context of this transition, further clarifying Capua’s historical and environmental development. Full article

The interdisciplinary study of Daoism and literature can be broadly categorized into three main approaches: analyzing literary works as sources of Daoist material, examining Daoist scriptures as literary texts, and exploring the influence of Daoist beliefs on writers. This paper proposes a new perspective that complements these existing frameworks: by examining Daoist scriptures, we can better assess whether certain literary expressions or rhetorical devices were innovative or simply widespread conventions among writers of a particular period. Using the works of Lu Xiujing 陸修靜 (406–477 CE) as a case study, this paper builds on Haun Saussy’s argument that the use of “fragrance” as a rhetorical device to modify virtue—often surprising to modern scholars—was, in fact, a familiar trope for ancient Chinese writers. However, the paper critiques Saussy’s reliance on the works of the famous poet Qu Yuan 屈原 (c. 342–278 BCE) as evidence. Unlike Qu Yuan, who was primarily a literary figure, Lu Xiujing, as a Daoist scholar, frequently employed metaphors related to smell and taste to express abstract moral or doctrinal concepts. For Lu and his contemporaries, such expressions were not regarded as remarkable literary techniques but rather as conventional modes of discourse. This suggests that, at least in early medieval China, such rhetorical usage among writers was not seen as novel but as commonplace. Full article

Between the 5th and 8th centuries AD, several (semi-)nomadic populations invaded ancient Tokharistan (Central Asia), introducing political, socio-economic and cultural changes that also affected pottery production. The study of ceramic materials thereby represents a useful tool for shedding light on the transformations related to such historical events. Unfortunately, no systematic research on ceramics from this region and this period has been conducted to date, and the information available mostly concerns the formal characteristics and imprecise relative chronologies. Aiming to contribute to the knowledge of Early Medieval pottery production in the territory north of the Amu Darya, we present a preliminary investigation on tableware and common wares recovered in the settlements of Khosijat Tepe, Shurob Kurgan, Balalyk Tepe and Dabil Kurgan. This paper provides new data on the vessels’ morphological/stylistic characteristics and relative chronologies, allowing their contextualisation and categorisation. In order to explore the manufacturing processes and their provenance (production areas), a multidisciplinary approach that combines WD-XRF, powder XRD and thin-section optical microscopy was carried out, allowing us to determine the chemical, mineralogical and petrographic compositions, respectively. The results suggest that most vessels consist of local/regional products. The choice and processing of the raw materials are broadly similar. However, slight variations are observed among the ceramics from distinct sites, related to the procurement of clayey sediments from different sources. Although a certain degree of morphological and technological continuity regarding the preceding Kushano-Sasanian pottery tradition is attested for some functional categories, new shapes and decorations appear, confirming the introduction of new practices in the region. Full article

This article explores the historical and contemporary evolution of turbat al-ḥusayn, the sacred soil of Karbala, as a central element in shaping Shīʿī identity and ritual practices. From the early Islamic centuries, turbat al-ḥusayn has served not only as a symbol of healing and blessing but also as a key component of Shīʿī collective memory. The paper examines the development of turbat rituals across three significant periods: pre-Safavid, post-Safavid, and post-revolutionary Iran. During the pre-Safavid period, including the medieval Islamic centuries, the sanctification of turbat evolved through the efforts of Shīʿī Imams such as al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq, who integrated it into the theological framework of wilāyah (guardianship) and Shīʿī ritual practices. This period also witnessed the gradual codification of its ritualistic and medicinal uses in foundational Shīʿī texts. During the Safavid era, turbat became institutionalized as a marker of Shīʿī identity, with its economic significance expanding through the production of prayer tablets and rosaries. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, turbat was reinterpreted as a symbol of martyrdom and resistance, aligning with revolutionary ideologies and narratives that paralleled the sacrifices of Karbala with contemporary struggles. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new dimensions to turbat’s role, with its promotion as a medicinal remedy by religious figures, despite lacking historical precedent in traditional Shīʿī teachings. These developments illustrate how turbat al-ḥusayn continues to be dynamically recontextualized in response to modern challenges. The study concludes that turbat al-ḥusayn transcends its ritualistic and spiritual origins, serving as a flexible and enduring symbol of Shīʿī identity. Its evolving interpretations underscore the interplay between tradition and modernity, highlighting its ongoing relevance in both devotional life and socio-political discourse. Full article

This study examines the historiography of early Islam by assessing the reliability of Qurʾānic exegeses as sources documenting the early history of Islam and the biography of the Prophet Muḥammad in Mecca. Focusing on Qurʾānic exegetical practices from late antiquity to the medieval period, this article argues that there is a significant discontinuity in how Qurʾānic exegeses align with the historical context of the Qur’an, especially in relation to Meccan sūras such as Q 107. Significantly, this challenges the continuity of tradition, the fundamental concept upon which the “Islamic sciences” are based. This discontinuity is herein revealed through a historical–critical analysis of the exegesis of Q 107:4 that demonstrates how Qurʾānic exegetical practices have reinterpreted and reshaped early Islamic history in response to the pressures of new identity formation and made Qurʾānic exegeses more reflective of the social and political contexts of the exegetes than of the historical milieu of the Qurʾān itself. This analysis contributes to the ongoing discussion of the role exegesis played in reshaping the history of Islam. Indeed, it emphasises the importance of critically evaluating these sources in order to uncover a more nuanced historical narrative of early Islam. Full article

This study reconstructs the recent history of Therasia by examining the interplay between traditional settlements and the island’s natural and agricultural landscape. Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates spatial and architectural analysis, historical records, and NDVI-based vegetation mapping, this research highlights the significant impact of agrarian structures like dry-stone walls and terraces on the environment. The unique dry-stone wall and terrace system is shown to have been crucial for both spatial organization and the survival of Therasia’s inhabitants. This study also addresses the challenges of dating these structures, employing a relative dating methodology to establish a timeline of habitation from the late medieval period to the present. This research reconstructs the island’s recent history, from early seasonal settlements to the eventual decline of rural architecture in the 20th century. The findings indicate that settlement patterns were closely linked to environmental and geomorphological factors, with the evolution of these sites driven by agricultural practices and broader socio-economic changes. This research not only reconstructs Therasia’s past, but also proposes a novel methodological framework combining remote sensing with traditional historical analysis, offering new insights into the relationship between human settlements and the environment in the Aegean region. Full article

Most studies of the religio-racial constellation begin with the medieval taxonomy of Christians, ‘Jews’, ‘pagans’ and ‘heretics’. Some scholars examine how this medieval taxonomy functioned as a system of dehumanization in the Middle Ages; others are more interested in how it has been adopted and adapted in modern racist taxonomies; and still others examine how religious images continue to influence the way non-white, non-European, non-Christian, and non-secular bodies are seen and treated today. What is lacking in the literature to date is an in-depth examination of how this fourfold taxonomy came to be. To understand how modern racialized taxonomies incorporated the earlier “religious” categories—a question that is beyond the scope of this article—we also need to better understand the genealogy of these religious categories, their scope, and their implication in processes of unequal power distribution. To that end, we must address the following questions: Where did the distinction between true and false religion come from; how did the figure of the pagan emerge; what about the Jews as anti-Christian? Rather than focusing on contemporary expressions of religio-racialization, or directing our attention to modern or even late medieval expressions of the religio-racial constellation, this article turns to the period of early Christianity when Christian apologists created the key religionized taxonomies that would shape the way Christians imagined, related to, and, in a later stage of history, governed Christianity’s others: the Jews, the heretics, and the pagans. Full article

The present study, which is part of a wider inter-disciplinary research project on Medieval Rome funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, focuses on the archaeometric characterisation of glass tesserae from the apse mosaic of the church of S. Agnese fuori le mura, dated to the 7th century AD and never analysed until now. The main aims of the study are the identification of chemical compositions of glassy matrices and colouring/opacifying techniques by means of the combination of micro-textural, chemical, and mineralogical data. In S. Agnese tesserae, the results show the presence of glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments, typical of both Roman and Late Antique/Early Medieval periods. The technological features identified (in particular, glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments) allow us to discriminate not only new-production tesserae, i.e., those probably produced in the 7th century for the realisation of the S. Agnese mosaic, but also those obtained from recycling or re-using previous glass. This testifies to a quite complex “puzzle”, unusual in other glass mosaics from the same city and coeval with S. Agnese, supporting further the potentiality of archaeometric studies on glass to uncover the technical and socio-cultural knowledge that underpins its manufacturing, use, re-use, and recycling in the Early Medieval Rome. Full article

The significance of birds in the medieval human diet has been greatly explored in Europe. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of data from Croatia. Avian remains dated to the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods from five archaeological sites in continental Croatia underwent skeletal and taxonomic analysis. Age groups were determined and sex identification was conducted using visual and X-ray diagnostics. Chicken bone measurements were taken, and the logarithmic size index (LSI) technique was performed. Statistical analysis was applied to explore differences between sites. A total of 694 avian remains were studied, revealing 10 species/genera. Avian remains ranged from 8.88% to 20.32% across sites, with the highest percentage found at the urban site BAN. Hens outnumbered cockerels across all sites, with adult chickens prevailing over immature and subadult ones. Chicken sizes were generally consistent across sites, except for castle MIL, where a larger breed was identified. Cockerels tended to be larger than hens, except for one small-sized spurred specimen. To conclude, bird exploitation complemented the use of other animals in diets. Chickens were vital for eggs and meat, with monasteries excelling in bird husbandry over castles. Inhabitants of urban areas mainly consumed bird meat. Castles showed high status through game and imported birds. The aim of this article was to fill in the gap of information regarding the exploitation and consumption of birds at Croatian sites during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods. Full article

Studying the evolution of seed morphology and, in turn, the evolution of cultivars across time and space is of fundamental importance to agriculture and archaeology. The identification of ancient and modern grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars is essential for understanding the historical evolution of grape cultivation. Grape seed morphology provides valuable information to explore the evolution of grape cultivars over time and space. The main aim of our study was to build a comprehensive regional database of grape seed morphological traits from modern and archaeological wine cultivars and wild grape species. We aimed to identify which seeds of modern grape cultivars exhibited morphological similarities to archaeological cultivars. This study focused on fifteen distinct modern types of seeds and two archaeological samples from the Byzantine-to-Early Medieval period. We acquired digital images of seeds using a flatbed scanner. For each sample, 100 seeds were randomly selected, and morphometric data on each seed were gathered using ImageJ. Differences among the seed cultivars were investigated using linear discriminant analysis. Archaeological seeds were found to be more similar to cultivated V. vinifera cultivars rather than V. sylvestris populations. Among the cultivated cultivars, Sangiovese and Tosta antica resulted to be cultivars most similar cultivars to the archaeological ones. The morphometric analysis of grape seeds proved to be a valuable resource for investigating the evolution of vine cultivars throughout history. Combining image analysis techniques with genetic data will open new perspectives for studying the origins of and variations in grape cultivars, contributing to the conservation and enhancement of viticultural heritage. Full article

The Middle Ages and Early Modern periods saw the interpretation of reality through symbols, connecting the natural world to the divine using symbolic thinking and images. The idea of a correspondence between the human and universal macrocosm was prominent in various fields such as medicine, philosophy, and religion. Symbolism played a crucial role in approaching divine matters, with symbols serving as a means of direct presence and embodiment. Plato’s influence on Neoplatonist and Hermetic thinkers emphasized the role of dreams and eidola (images) for interpreting the divine. Contemplation of art and nature was an epistemological tool, seeking hidden cosmic harmony and understanding. Christianity embraced worshiping images as representations of the divine, granting believers a way to understand religious concepts. Icons were considered mirrors reflecting the spiritual and divine aspects. The medieval concept of speculum books as mirrors containing all knowledge offered instructional and subjective insights on various subjects. Speculum humanae salvationis illuminated books demonstrated the interplay between the Old and New Testaments, influencing artists like Rogier van der Weyden. Full article

This article presents the results of research that focused on the nutrition and related health issues of medieval and early modern dogs found in the territory of present-day Lithuania. In this study, we present bone collagen carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope ratios for seventy-five dogs recovered from seven sites which were dated back to the between the 12th and 18th C AD. In addition, by studying the remains of almost 200 dogs, we were able to estimate changes in the sizes and morphotypes of canines across over 600 years. On the basis of stable isotope and historical data, as well as the osteometric analysis, we discuss the dietary patterns of different sizes and types of dogs from the sites related to different social strata and time periods. The results of our study demonstrate that the size, type, diet, and health of canines from different time periods and sociocultural environments varied. Overall, carbon isotopic signals indicate that dogs’ diets were based on C₃ plant environment foods (cereals and animals), while freshwater fish was more important for some individuals in coastal Klaipėda/Memelburg Castle. The stable isotope analysis supported the historical records, indicating that cereals were highly important in the diet of elite dogs. Meanwhile, urban dogs had a different nutrition. In the Middle Ages, the consumption of plant-based foods was likely higher compared to the early modern period. Our study also revealed that the diets of dogs did not correlate with individual size. Compared to pigs, dogs had a higher intake of animal foods in their diet. In general, the nutrition of the studied canines was similar to that of the rural human population of the same period. Full article