Archaeological Method & Theory

Monumental roads were constructed during the ninth to thirteenth centuries by the regional society centred on Chaco Canyon in the US Southwest. Here, the authors present new lidar and field documentation of parallel roads at the Gasco Site, which sits within a ritual landscape south of Chaco Canyon. Their findings reveal that the Gasco Road is substantially longer than previously believed and forms alignments between natural springs and towards the winter solstice sunrise over Mount Taylor, a mountain sacred among contemporary Indigenous peoples. These findings highlight the agency of landscapes and skyscapes in structuring ritual practices in ancient societies worldwide.

The practice of cremation is often interpreted as an alternative to inhumation, taking place shortly after an individual’s death. However, cremation could be a final stage in complex mortuary practices, with previous steps that are obscured due to the heating process. This project reports on experimental scoping research on a set of experimentally heated femoral fragments from modern and archaeological collections of the University of Coimbra. Sixteen recent femur samples from eight individuals, as well as five femur samples from an archaeological skeleton from the medieval-modern cemetery found at the Hospital de Santo António (Porto), were included in this research. Samples presented five different conditions: unburnt, and burnt at maximum temperatures of 300 °C, 500 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C. Each sample was prepared to allow observation using binocular transmitted light microscopes with ×10, ×25 and ×40 magnifications. Results indicated that, if burial led to bioerosion, this will r...

Resumen: Partiendo de las premisas de la arqueología del paisaje, se muestra una evolución histórica de Aces, parroquia perteneciente al concejo de Candamu, desde los orígenes conocidos del poblamiento de hábitat castreño hasta la consolidación del ...

Le procedure di rilievo e documentazione adottate presso lo scavo di Vignale sono variate nel corso del tempo, seguendo un processo continuo e articolato di interazione tra le competenze e le esigenze del gruppo di lavoro e le attrezzature disponibili nel panorama più ampio degli strumenti tecnologici e dei programmi informatici applicati all’archeologia. Il progetto Uomini e Cose a Vignale, fin dai primi anni di indagini, è stato caratterizzato dal riservare un’attenzione specifica alla formazione degli studenti, attraverso la messa in comune di competenze tra i componenti del gruppo di ricerca. Gli archeologi più esperti che di volta in volta hanno assunto ruoli di responsabilità in questo ambito hanno lavorato anche sulla formazione dei più giovani, che spesso in seguito li hanno affiancati o hanno preso in mano a loro volta la gestione del processo di documentazione scritta, grafica, fotografica e video. Dal punto di vista operativo, il rilievo a Vignale ha perseguito costantemente l’accuratezza del dato, privilegiando soluzioni operative sostenibili dal punto di vista dei costi e della speditività di realizzazione sul campo e in laboratorio. La composizione del gruppo di lavoro, in cui persone di età ed esperienza professionale diversa hanno lavorato fianco a fianco ha naturalmente portato a sperimentare continuativamente nel corso del tempo molteplici metodi e strumenti.

The burial mounds of the highest Scythian nobility, known as royal kurgans, hold a special significance among the monuments of steppe Scythia. Although there are relatively few of these kurgans, they serve as the primary source for studying the history of the legendary nomadic Scythians who inhabited the Black Sea steppes.
An important aspect of studying Scythian kurgans, alongside examining their funerary structures, is the analysis of kurgan embankments and funeral feasts. Elite Scythian kurgans often feature some sequential burials. This situation necessitates step-by-step reconstructions of the kurgan mounds to understand their connection to the main and secondary burials and the elements of the funerary ritual. However, it is not feasible to conduct such reconstructions for all investigated Scythian noble kurgans, primarily due to the varying research methods employed at different times.
The paper presents detailed reconstructions of the construction of several well-studied elite Scythian kurgans, along with their funerary structures and embankments. It emphasizes the creation of axonometric projections, which effectively illustrate the construction techniques employed in the step-by-step building of the burials, the kurgan embankments, and related elements of the funerary ritual.
These projections not only help visualize the spatial arrangement of the structures but also enable an assessment of the proportions, individual components, and dimensions. Additionally, they provide insights into the level of labor involved in the construction process.
Data on funerary feasts further enrich this information. As an essential aspect of the funeral ritual, these materials allow us to 'revive' the kurgan construction process, quantitatively assess what was consumed during the memorial ceremony, and estimate the number of participants involved.

How do archaeologists come to establish and validate accounts of the past, based on their encounters with its material remains as mediated by fieldwork, collections, and years of study and toil? How do they justify claims they make, and on what grounds do they accept or reject claims made by others? How do they reach good decisions as they investigate, construct, curate, and communicate the archaeological record? What are archaeological facts, and how do they come to be accepted as such? What are the traits of sound archaeological syllogisms? And, more generally, what is archaeological knowledge? Where can we find it, and in which forms does it manifest itself? How can it be captured, represented, and analyzed? How is it communicated, debated, and evaluated? Is there "good" and "bad" archaeological knowledge, and how can we tell them apart? Which factors are at play in knowledgemaking, and in knowing? What are the implications and stakes of archaeological knowledge, and the ways it comes into being? Few archaeologists spend much time reflecting directly on this Pandora's box of vexing questions. Yet many of them, prompted by engaging with the transdisciplinary perspectives in this exciting volume on the use of computational approaches to discourse and argument analysis in archaeology, are central to methodological aspects of archaeological research, and to the acquisition of archaeological expertise. For one thing, competent archaeologists should surely be able to reason on the validity of an archaeological study in their area of expertise, and, beyond that, to produce research findings substantiated by persuasive arguments, supported by reliable evidence, and consonant with accepted knowledge in their field. On the other hand, scholars of archaeological theory, as well as those concerned with policies, decision-making, and interventions related to the preservation of archaeological heritage, its multiple and often conflicting socioeconomic, cultural and symbolic uses, and the future of archaeological work, need also to grapple routinely with questions related to the factors under which archaeological knowledge is produced, the felicity conditions under which archaeological facts can be deemed to be acceptable, and the status, impact, and repercussions of resulting knowledge for contemporary societies. In almost all aspects of archaeological work, researchers and professionals are inevitably entwined in knowledge-laden activities...

Wenn im Titel dieses Beitrags von „Gründerjahren“ die Rede ist, so weist dieser Begriff zunächst einmal darauf hin, dass zentrale Fachinstitutionen der mitteleuropäischen Ur- und Frühgeschichtsforschung in der Zeit um
1900 ihren Ursprung haben. Seinerzeit wurde nicht nur der Grundstein für die späteren Universitätsinstitute in Wien (1899)  und Berlin (1902) gelegt,
parallel dazu konstituierte sich auch der Süd- und Westdeutsche Verband für Altertumsforschung (1901), und in Frankfurt/a. M. wurde mit der
Römisch-Germanischen Kommission (1902) eine erste öffentlich finanzierte Zentralstelle zur Erforschung der frühen heimischen Geschichte ins Leben gerufen.
Eine solch nüchterne Bilanz der Institutionalisierung unseres Faches allein wird dem Begriff „Gründerjahre“ im Titel dieses Beitrags allerdings nicht vollständig gerecht. Vielmehr impliziert dieser Begriff auch die Vorstellung eines bestimmten „Gründergeists“ im Sinne einer Aufbruchstimmung und Fortschrittserwartung. Ziel meiner Ausführungen ist es, diesem „Gründergeist“ unter den am Aufbau des Faches Ur- und Frühgeschichte
beteiligten Hauptakteuren nachzuspüren.
....

Ein Workflow-Tool für archäologische Experimente und Analysen. In diesem Beitrag werden Hintergrund und Design eines Workflow-Tools beschrieben, das bei der Planung und Dokumentation archäologischer Experimente unterstützen soll. Es besteht aus einer benutzerfreundlichen Oberfläche für den Entwurf von Flussdiagrammen und wird für den Einsatz auf Smartphones, Tablets und Desktop-Computern konzipiert. Das Tool wird im Rahmen eines größeren Projekts entwickelt, das auf die Schaffung einer digitalen Infrastruktur abzielt um die gemeinsame Nutzung digitaler Ressourcen durch die Beteiligten aus den verschiedenen Bereichen der Archäologie zu erleichtern. Unser Workflow-Tool strebt an, die Ergebnisse der experimentellen Archäologie einer breiteren archäologischen Gemeinschaft zugänglich zu machen und sie „wissenschaftlicher“ zu gestalten. Es soll auch dazu beitragen, potentielle Fehler zu vermeiden und den Einsatz von Zeit- und/oder Ressourcen bei der Durchführung von Experimenten durch gezieltere Planung zu optimieren.

In the process of establishing the Institute of Archaeology, the
role of Vladimir Petković turned out to be crucial. Starting in the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia and ending in the post-war Federal
People’s Republic of Yugoslavia, the process had a constant
which was contained in the idea and intention to organize and
coordinate archaeological research in Serbia under the umbrella
of a scientific institution. The initiation of the process, regarding
that, lasted a little more than ten years and had several
stages.

У статті розглянуто комплекси, об’єкти та артефакти скіфського часу (в межах V – IV ст. до н. е.), що виявлені  в результаті досліджень городища Коропові Хутори на Харківщині наприкінці ХХ – на початку ХХІ ст. Захисні споруди представлені ґрунтово-дерев’яними фортифікаціями, створеними з урахуванням початкового рельєфу та емпіричних знань щодо якості наявних ґрунтів. Складна історія території пам’ятки зумовила значне перевідкладення культурних шарів. Господарські комплекси цього часу представлені здебільшого господарськими ямами, однією господарською спорудою та «літньою кухнею». Житлові споруди, скоріш за все, були наземні або мало заглибленими. Планіграфічна концентрація господарських споруд дає можливість припустити наявність, принаймні, двох садиб в межах розкопу ХІІІ. Численні фрагменти ліпного посуду супроводжуються індивідуальні знахідки, котрі репрезентують практично всі сфери тогочасної людського життя: знаряддя праці, зброя, кінська збруя, побут та культову діяльність. Все це свідчить, що у скіфський час городище мало постійне населення, котре використовувало довкілля для господарських потреб.
Ключову слова: Лісостепова Скіфія, Дніпровське лісостепове Лівобережжя, Сіверський Донець, городище Коропові Хутори.
Koloda V. V. The materials of the scythian times found in Koropovy Hutory hillfort (2003 – 2005, 2010 years of investigation)
The complexes, objects, and artefacts of the Scythian times (within the period of V-IV cen. BC) are considered in the article; they all were found as a result of the investigations of Koropovy Hutory hillfort in Kharkiv oblast in the end of XX - beg. of XXI cen. Defensive buildings are presented by fortifications made of soil and wood; they were created based on initial terrain and empirical knowledge about the quality of disposable soils. Complicated history of the site territory caused considerable repostponement of cultural layers. Household complexes of that time are represented mostly by household pits, one household building, and "summer kitchen". Residential buildings most likely were terrestrial or little buried. Planigraphic consentration of household buildings makes it possible to assume the presence of at least two farmsteads within the borders of the "excavation XIII". Numerous fragments of molded utensils are accompanied by separate findings that all together represent virtually all spheres of human life of that time:  instruments of labour, weapon, horse harnesses, householding, and cult activity. All this shows that in Scythian times, the hillfort was inhabited by permanent population that used the environment for household needs.
Keywords: forest-steppe Scythia, Dnipro Left Bank forest-steppe, Siverskyi Donets, Koropovy Hutory hillfort.

Researchers have long noted connections between the creation of property in colonial contexts and environmental and ecological transformations. These links are most clear in settler colonial contexts, especially where property formation operated according to logics of 'improvement' that alienated Indigenous peoples from their lands and devalued traditional land use. In this article I present a case study from the Ollantaytambo region of Cusco, Peru to argue that property formation was also an ecological force in Spanish colonial contexts. I draw on political ecology theories of land access to suggest that the creation of the hacienda system of landholding instantiated an ecology of servitude predicated on unequal access to land and the organization of unfree labor. This colonial ecology structured land use and reshaped the local environment in enduring ways.

Failure is a fundamental part of the human condition. While archaeologists readily identify large-scale failures, such as societal collapse and site abandonment, they less frequently consider the smaller failures of everyday life: the burning of a meal or planning errors during construction. Here, the authors argue that evidence for these smaller failures is abundant in the archaeological record but often ignored or omitted in interpretations. Closer examination of such evidence permits a more nuanced understanding both of the mundane and the larger-scale failures of the human past. Excluding failure from the interpretative toolbox obscures the reconstruction of past lives and is tantamount to denying the humanity of past peoples.

Between 2016 and 2019, we visited Holmegaard Glassworks, Denmark, at a time when the factory was discontinued as an active glassworks and before it was converted into a culture-historical museum. In this chapter, we recollect our encounters with things in the former glassworks through our photographic archives, revisiting shared as well as individual experiences. Our exchange of images, depicting things encountered years ago, have led us to discuss the recent favouring of the ‘force’, ‘vibrancy’ and ‘agency’ of objects as the exclusive focus of New Materialisms and related agendas. Complementing these studies, we explore an attitude to things that does not aim in one direction exclusively, and we ask instead how we begin noticing things in the first place, including things that are not privileged with taking effect or being vibrant. Although notions of ‘agency’ and the ‘force’ of things are necessary object-orientations, we argue these concerns must to be supplemented by an attentiveness to the things that only show themselves in passing, or that are sustainable by enduring in the realm of the insignificant and the traceless.

After having finished the excavation in a zone located west of the Step Pyramid and spanning the area between the pyramid enclosure wall and the eastern border of the Dry Moat, the Polish–Egyptian mission started a new project aiming at a complex investigation of the Dry Moat. A geophysical survey of the area and excavations during these two campaigns focused on the east and west rock-hewn walls of the Moat, thus completing earlier research done in this part of the excavation field. A further part of the Upper Necropolis, containing simple burials from the Ptolemaic period, was unearthed and the exploration of the tomb inscribed for Ikhi/Mery and his namesake son was continued. Clearing the facade of the latter led to the discovery of another funerary structure cut in the rock below the general’s tomb. The floor of the upper tomb turned out to be the ceiling of the lower one. Preparations for the exploration of the new structure were made in 2014.

Airborne Laser Scanning (sometimes referred to as lidar) has been described as revolutionary for the understanding and management of cultural landscapes. The ability to create highly accurate three dimensional (3D) models and visualise the topographic features that represent past human interaction with the land surface has undoubtedly changed our view of the world and our approach to heritage management.

The use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) for cultural heritage management across Europe has increased greatly in the first two decades of the 21st century as data have become more widely available. While there is a growing expertise in the implementation of ALS derived visualisations for our discipline, it is clear from our survey of practitioners that this specialism is often represented by only a few experts scattered across a country. Specialist practitioners have facilitated knowledge exchange at training and networking via conferences and events such as the TRAIL (Training and Research in the Archaeological Interpretation of Lidar) meetings. However there have been few opportunities to capture the collective understanding of how to make the most of ALS for cultural heritage management that has developed over the last two decades.

The aim of these guidelines, instigated by the European Archaeological Council (EAC), is to bring together for the first time a reference document that combines the experience of colleagues across Europe.  The guidelines have been designed fully collaboratively by an extensive network of cultural heritage professionals. The foundation was an online survey conducted in 2022 to which more than 100 individuals and organisations from across 30 countries responded, detailing the status quo and their needs and aspirations with respect to integrating ALS data into their work. Using the results of this baseline survey to define the requirements of the wider community, 49 co-authors worked together to design the structure and content of the guidelines, in doing so ensuring their relevance and impact. The development of the guidelines was undertaken entirely online in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023, an approach that has paid dividends in the quality and relevance of the end product by facilitating the input of so many experts from across the continent.

What do hostages from the Carolingian period, monastic dependents in medieval society, ‘boys of the yurt’ in pre-modern Mongolia in the Qing period (1636-1911), military slaves in 15th century Egypt and house slaves in the Ottoman Empire in the early modern period have in common?
All of them spent at least part of their lives in highly asymmetrical relationships of dependency, and some even sought them out voluntarily. However, the nature of these dependency relationships appears to be very diverse in terms of function, options for action and the integration of the dependents into the respective society.
Our aim in this special issue is to explore which methodological approaches can be used to develop a comparative toolkit for the diachronic analysis of said asymmetrical power and dependency relationships in the pre-modern period. To this end, we look at different case studies from deliberately diverse historical contexts. We place a particular focus on the options and resources available to the dependent.
Please find the other papers here: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/plg/zfw/2023/00000024/00000002

Prague, with its historical significance dating back over a millennium, has evolved into the focal point of the Czech state. The city's intricate development has not only resulted in the presence of distinctive archaeological remains, but has also secured its place on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. The meticulous preservation of archaeological contexts, some of which are more than 10m deep, has been a sustained focus of various institutions since the establishment of Czechoslovakia in the early 20th century. Subsequently, the coordination of rescue and preventative archaeology has gained a pivotal role for the Prague Archaeological Commission, which was established in 1969 and has served as an advisory body to the Director of the National Heritage Institute in Prague since 1998. A key figure in the preservation effort was Ladislav Hrdlicka, based at the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. In the 1970s, he established the foundation for systematic documentation by creating the Map of Archaeological Documentation Points (MADB). The information systems derived from the MADB now form the foundation of Prague's archaeological monument conservation. From the 1990s onwards, the city of Prague introduced the Valuable Archaeological Areas (VAP) system, which identifies sites with exceptionally well-preserved archaeological terrain for enhanced protection within the Prague Heritage Reserve. Since 2017, data from MADB and VAP, in conjunction with other archaeological information, has been accessible through the Prague Archaeological portal. The portal was developed as a collaboration of the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences with the National Heritage Institute. It constitutes a component of the archaeological information system of the Czech Republic. The digital integration of previously disparate yet high-quality data sources signifies a transformative shift in the management of Prague's archaeological heritage. Collaborations of the Prague Municipality Council and the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (the latter responsible for the preparation of planning analytical materials) have resulted in a significant reshaping of information flows between stakeholders. This has significantly enhanced the efficacy of decision-making processes for planning and implementation of development projects, making archaeological data an indispensable component of public debate on the city's historic core. Currently, Prague serves as a model for the implementation of comprehensive regulations for the protection of archaeological heritage throughout the Czech Republic, exemplifying a systematic and efficacious approach that can be emulated elsewhere.

Recent research shows that the Neolithization of the South Caucasus occurred in stages. While domesticated plants and animals were introduced rapidly around 6000 BCE, certain cultural elements typical of the Neolithic might have become common later. This study reports the discovery of a stone human figurine from the Damjili Cave, Azerbaijan, which is the first example from a radiocarbon-dated context of the late Mesolithic in the South Caucasus. Its stylistic features considerably differ from those of Neolithic human figurines in the region, providing a valuable reference point for understanding the cultural processes in symbolic aspects during the Mesolithic-Neolithic interface in the South Caucasus.

Historically, falconry was conducted on one stretch of land that reached from Europe and northern Africa in the west to Japan in the east. The oldest reliable evidence is almost 2.000 years old and originates from the Han Dynasty in parts of present-day China. In scholarly literature, two possible areas of origin were highlighted for falconry: the ancient, advanced and urban civilisations of the Near East or the mounted nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. Compelling evidence is missing but the arguments in favour of the steppe are stronger. So far, three aspects have not been properly introduced into the discussion: the actual practice of falconry itself, the broader history of technical achievements and the question of single or multiple invention. From a practical perspective, falconry was easily learnable from nature and could have been invented more than once. This would fit nicely with the history of technical achievements in which multiple invention dominates over single. However, there is one case of falconry transmission that cannot be doubted: the one from Sassanid Persia to Arabia, as is indicated by loanwords in Arabic, not only for the hunting itself but also for its equipment

Bangladesh, a nation-state emerged in 1971 has a long history of fighting against natural forces since the remote antiquities. During 18th-20th centuries the area was part of Bengal, a toponym used by the British. Due to its location, geo-physical features and climate natural challenges like flood, earthquake etc. are common phenomenon in the life of the people living in Bangladesh. Textual records of the last three century have frequent references of such events. But research on the subject centered on the period before the 1800 CE is scant. This paper attempts to analyze those events which may be termed as disaster. We will use the archeological evidences as primary source. In the last six decades, archeologists have unearthed a large volume of information related to the pre-modern past of Bangladesh, which have been published in the form of excavation reports, research articles and book chapters. The archaeological data will be crosschecked with epigraphic, literary and contemporary geological researches to get a cursory view on history of disaster in Bangladesh from the earliest time to c. 1800 CE. To be more focused, we will limit out discussion to the spatial boundary of present day Bangladesh.

Animacije v svetu multimedijskih komunikacij igrajo veliko vlogo. Pregovor pravi, da je ena slika vredna tisoč besed. Eno animacijo pa sestavlja na tisoče slik. Ustvarjamo jih z različnimi nameni, cilj pa je skupni, radi bi nekaj sporočili širšemu občinstvu, pa naj gre za reklamo, zgodbo ali za umetnost. Poznamo več vrst animacij, od gibljivih slik v formatu GIF do kompleksnih 3D-risank. V svojem diplomskem delu se osredotočam na dvodimenzionalno animacijo, kjer opisujem proces animiranja v programih Adobe After Effects CS6 in Adobe Illustrator CS6.Animations play a huge part in the world of multimedia communications. A saying goes: "A picture is worth a thousand words". Well, one animation is made out of thousands of pictures, so you do the math. We create them with different motives, but our goal is the same, we want to deliver a message to a wider audience. Let it be for advertisement, for a story, or for the sake of art. We know different types of animations: from moti...

Obsidian sourcing (or provenancing) is the process by which obsidian artifacts are matched to the geological sources from which the raw material originated. Given that obsidian is a substance that has been used from the emergence of our genus to the 21st century, reconstructing the movement of obsidian artifacts has great relevance to a wide variety of research questions. Matching obsidian artifacts to their origins has been called “one of the success stories of archaeological science” as well as “one of the most productive and successful research programs of archaeological science” (Williams-Thorpe, 1995). Furthermore, it has been labeled as “a microcosm of the development of archaeological science” (Henderson, 2001), reflecting wider trends within archaeology. Identifying an artifact’s source is only a proximate goal: the ultimate aim is to elucidate human behavior in the past. Since its inception during the 1960s, a variety of technological and methodological advances have been incorporated into obsidian sourcing research around the world. The focus here is not an overview of global obsidian sourcing articles. Instead, this paper is organized according to a set of familiar questions: What? When? Who? Where? How? Why? What next? The goal here is to address how obsidian sourcing has been, is now, and can be used to better understand our past, eventually moving from generating data to developing archaeological models and theories.

The newly excavated rockshelter of Yeghegis-1 in Armenia reflects an occupation of five centuries, as attested by radiocarbon dates from ∼ 4100 to 4000 cal BCE in the lowest layer to ∼ 3600-3500 cal BCE at the top. It is a partially collapsed cave in which pastoralists, we hypothesize, wintered with their herds. The stone tool assemblage is predominantly obsidian (92.1%), despite the shelter being > 60 km on foot from the nearest sources. We use obsidian sourcing to investigate two purported trends in the Southern Caucasus during the Chalcolithic Period: (1) occupation of more varied high-altitude environments and (2) more expansive social networks. Our data show both trends were dynamic phenomena. There was a greater balance in use of the nearest pasturelands over time, perhaps linked to risk management and/or resource sustainability. During later occupations, artifacts from distant sources reveal more extensive connections. This increase in connectivity likely played a central role in the shifts in societal complexity that gave rise to widely shared material culture throughout the Armenian Highlands around the start of the Early Bronze Age. In such a model, greater social connectivity becomes a key mechanism for, rather than a product of, the spread of cultural and/or technological innovations. The Chalcolithic Period of the Southern Caucasus (5000-3500 BCE) corresponds to a phase of increased copper production alongside the continued use of lithic technology, chronologically situated between the agricultural settlements of the Neolithic Period and the far-reaching Kura-Araxes material culture "package" of the Early Bronze Age. Despite the relevance of this time period for understanding the development of social complexity across the Southern Caucasus, relatively little is known about these transformations during the Chalcolithic in this region. Sagona 1 notes that, in the 20th century, the Chalcolithic "was an elusive period, characterized by fuzzy concepts, multiple traditions, and an array of patchy evidence weakly glued together by a small number of radiocarbon readings" from Soviet-era excavations. Work of that time, as described by Lyonnet 2 , was "extremely abundant and fundamental but often imprecise" and lacked dates, hindering the potential to make chronological correlations among sites. In contrast, the 21st century has seen a shift toward scientific collaboration between national and international research centers (e.g., the collaborative work that we report here). Collaboration at the Chalcolithic site of Areni-1 Cave, for example, has led to detailed chronological 3 , geoarchaeological 4 , botanical 5 , and faunal 6 results. Recent excavations have yielded a wealth of new data, much of it at odds with

Given the importance of the Levant in understanding the origins and dispersals of modern humans, there has been great interest in archaeological evidence to support population movements between the Levant and adjacent regions. The link, if any, between the Aurignacian tradition across Europe and the "Levantine Aurignacian" is a particular focus. Ksar Akil in Lebanon not only is one of the most deeply stratified Levantine sites but also has the longest record of Upper Paleolithic behaviors, so it is a benchmark to which developments in the Levant are often compared. Schmidt and Zimmermann ( ) recently proposed that the European Aurignacian tradition might best be understood in terms of connectivity, as evidenced by long-distance lithic transfers that can act as a proxy for mobility and social networks. Here we document a previously unreported obsidian burin from Ksar Akil. Portable X-ray fluorescence reveals that it matches a source ≥700 km away on foot in central Turkey. Two recent dating programs have calculated ages of ~41-38 and ~39-37 ka cal BP for its layer, which also included an obsidian flake and immediately precedes the Levantine Aurignacian at the site. The obsidian artifacts from Ksar Akil are roughly contemporaneous obsidian from Yabroud Rockshelter II in Syria and Shanidar Cave in Iraq. Such instances of long-distance obsidian transport imply that connectivity might have risen ahead of the Levantine and Zagros Aurignacian. Unfortunately, due to the limited chronological resolution of older excavations at these sites, only at Ksar Akil can we have confidence that the layer containing obsidian artifacts immediately precedes the earliest Levantine Aurignacian sensu stricto layer. Given the apparent rarity of obsidian in the Levant, this region will benefit from endeavors to nondestructively source other toolstone materials as a means to create datasets similar to those recently used to model cultural areas of the European Aurignacian.

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) instruments have gained considerable attention within the archaeological community. Few other recent instrumental developments have generated such debate. Much of this debate, which is dominated by scepticism over analytical performance, has occurred in informal settings. Rather than judge the use of pXRF based on unpublished work and conference banter, we conducted an extensive literature review of peer-reviewed research that used this technology. Our focus is developing an understanding of how, where, and why pXRF is being used in archaeology. What interests us most are research designs into which only pXRF could be integrated and the new research approaches these instruments may facilitate. Trends that emerged from the literature are surprising. For example, only 43% of the archaeological "pXRF" papers actually involve handheld instruments. In addition, more than four-fifths of handheld pXRF in archaeology is apparently conducted in laboratory contexts. Only 3% has been conducted in a fieldhouse or on-site laboratory, and 15% at an excavation, on a survey, or inside a historic structure. Here we argue that, while the technical capability to analyse archaeological materials using portable instruments may exist, it is not necessarily true the methodological and theoretical frameworks are in place to allow such activities to be archaeologically successful and significant. Because handheld pXRF is uniquely suited to in situ analysis, we expect the first changes in methodological and theoretical approaches will involve space, context, and related frameworks.

This book, now in its Korean translation, rejects the idea of time as if it were a distinct causal agent pushing everything forward. Instead, we argue, it is objects that produce time by creating an asymmetry of times before and after the appearance of that object.

Linear earthworks of a monumental character are an enigmatic part of the British landscape. Research in Britain suggests that such features range in date from the early 1st millennium BC to the Early Middle Ages. While the  roles of these monuments in past societies cannot be understated, they remain a relatively under-researched phenomenon. This article introduces the Leverhulme Trust-funded ‘Monumentality and Landscape: Linear Earthworks in Britain’ project, which aims to provide a comparative study of linear earthworks focusing on those dating to the Iron Age and early medieval period. This contribution reviews our approach and shares preliminary results from the project’s first year, identifying wider implications for the study of linear earthworks.

This is a commentary on contemporary archaeological practice as seen from the perspective of a re-reading of Pat Vinnicombe's 1971 landmark volume, the People of the Eland, and a series of papers published in a commemorative re-issue of that book. It covers 3 related topics: culture, history & chronology, and archaeology as a social practice.

A dominant view in economic anthropology is that farmers must overcome decreasing marginal returns in the process of intensification. However, it is difficult to reconcile this view with the emergence of urban systems, which require substantial increases in labor productivity to support a growing non-farming population. This quandary is starkly posed by the rise of Angkor (Cambodia, 9th–fourteenth centuries CE), one of the most extensive preindustrial cities yet documented through archaeology. Here, we leverage extensive documentation of the Greater Angkor Region to illustrate how the social and spatial organization of agricultural production contributed to its food system. First, we find evidence for supra-household-level organization that generated increasing returns to farming labor. Second, we find spatial patterns which indicate that land-use choices took transportation costs to the urban core into account. These patterns suggest agricultural production at Angkor was organized ...

The alternative mitigation program that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established in 2008 to address impacts to the archaeological resources in the Permian Basin of southeastern New Mexico, now one of the most active of the nation's oil and gas energy fields, has supported more than $10 million in field research programs and is poised to be able to fund about $1 million in field research annually for the foreseeable future. The financial success of the program is mirrored by the program's outstanding contributions to our understanding of the Permian Basin's long and complex history of human occupation. Surprisingly, although other public lands under the auspices of the BLM are seeing similar rates of energy development, the critical elements of this program have not been picked up elsewhere in the BLM. The Permian Basin program appears doomed to be an example of a “one-off” alternative mitigation solution. The factors barring more widespread adoption include the eb...

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The article deals with the history of the study of medieval Kasimov – the capital of the Qasim Khanate (mid XV – late XVII centuries). The stages of archaeological study are highlighted. The results of archaeological studies in 2008–2023 are presented. The continuity of development of medieval settlements from the Kasimov archaeological complex (Zemlyanoy Strug ancient settlement, Dorofeevo Polye settlement of the IX–XIII centuries) to Gorodets Meshchyorsky (XIII – first half of the XV century) and the Khan's capital is traced. The location of Gorodets Meshchyorsky (XIII – first half of XV century) is connected with the area of Stariy Posad, later the capital of Qasim Khanate known also as Khan-Kirman, Kasimov (XIII – first half of XVI century) is located here. Results of research of Afghan Muhammed Sultan are given, as well as on Stary Posad Tatar cemetery were revealed the remains of Arslan Khan’s mausoleum. Some historical areas of the medieval city were localized, the areas of the Staromeshcherskiy Gorodishche and the residence of baskak Musin were identified. The results of studies of the Khan Mosque and Shah Ali Khan’s mausoleum are presented. The analysis of cartographic material and data of field research made it possible to localize the location of the Khan's palace. The beginning of the formation of the cultural layer was established - not earlier than the middle of the XVI century in the area of Tatarskaya Gora and Tatar Sloboda. Archaeologically determined the time of formation of the medieval city historical core and the stages of development of territories. Prospects of further researches are given.

Klifovi u mekim stijenama vrlo su dinamičan okoliš koji se neprestano erodira i mijenja te je zbog sve većeg iskorištavanja u turističke i graditeljske svrhe važno pratiti eroziju klifova i uočiti moguće zone hazarda. S razvitkom tehnologije pojavile su se nove metode u izradi modela pri čemu se olakšavaju brojne analize klifova, a jedna od njih izrada je 3D modela metodom digitalne fotogrametrije. Metodom SfM-MVS fotogrametrije moguće je stvoriti digitalne modele reljefa klifa te utvrditi geomorfološke promjene na njima. U ovom radu prikazana je izrada 3D modela klifa na Duilovu koji je nastao u mekim stijenama, konkretnije u flišu. Predstavljeni su najbitniji koraci za izradu takve vrste modela te su objašnjeni najčešći problemi koji se mogu pojaviti pri izradi. Završni rezultat modeliranja klifa na Duilovu u ovom seminarskom radu je digitalni površinski model (DSM).Cliffs developed in soft rocks are a very dynamic environment that is constantly eroding and changing. Due to the in...

Osmanlı Devletinin hâkim olduğu topraklar hemen hemen her dönem Batılı gezginlerin dikkatini çekti. Türk topraklarına çeşitli amaçlarla gelen gezginler, gezdikleri yerlerde gördükleri ve ilgilerini çeken birçok şeyi kaleme aldılar. Gezileri sırasında özellikle Türk toplumunun önemli unsurlarından birisi olan Yörük veya Türkmen olarak adlandırılan konargöçerler ile ilgili gözlemlerini de kayda geçirdiler. Bunların kışlak, yaylak ve güzlek arasında mevsim farkına bağlı olarak sürdürdükleri hareketli yapıları nedeni ile oturdukları çadırlar ve diğer mesken türlerini bazen ayrıntılı bir şekilde bazen de genel olarak ele aldılar. Çadırların donanım, kurulum ve iç mekân özelliklerine değindiler. Bu çadırlardan, karaçadır ismini sıkça verirlerken topak ev, alaçık, huğ ve diğer mesken türlerinin adlarından bahsetmediler ancak çoğunlukla şeklen tanıtıp çeşitli özellikleri veya genel görünümlerini betimlediler. Gözlemler sonucunda gezginler, var olan ortamı çoğu zaman olduğu gibi anlatmaya çalıştılar ancak romantik bir bakış açısı sergileyenler yanında zaman zaman oryantalist bakış açısından kurtulamayanlar da oldu. Gezginler, verdikleri bilgiler ile çadır türleri ve kullanılan meskenlerin çeşitliliğinden bahsedip bunların yöre ve bölge dağılımını ortaya koydukları gibi hem farklı çadır türlerinin, hem de çadırlar ile birlikte farklı meskenlerin aynı ortamda kullanıldığını gözler önüne serdiler.

This volume, with the same title as the Conference, Varia Archaeologica (III). Archaeological Sites and Landscapes in the Romanian Space, contains 18 high-quality studies, written in Romanian and English, covering a wide range of topics related to the past of human communities from prehistoric to medieval and modern times. As far as can be seen, the authors' contributions represent the results of recent scientific research in a vast area between the Tisza and Dniester rivers, fresh information that was disseminated for the first time at the annual conference organized by the Institute of Archaeology in Iasi, through the three editors of the present volume. Thus, the works included in this volume refer to the fortified settlements belonging to the Cucutenian communities of northern Moldavia, from Cobani-Pe Stâncuță, to the various aspects of spiritual life and the issue of funerary spaces, the social organization of the Neolithic / Eneolithic populations, such as those of Pecica, Arad County, as well as to the evolution of human communities attributed to the Bronze Age in the area of the Subcarpathians of Moldavia and, in particular, in the Cracău-Bistrița depression. Modern approaches can also be found in establishing the chronology of the defensive systems of the Getic fortifications, such as those of Horodca Mica, as well as aspects related to food culture, in particular, the use of kitchen utensils in the communities of the Poienești-Lucașeuca culture of Roșiori-Tarina Veche. An important group of texts relates to the Roman and Sarmatian periods and deals with various aspects of daily life and initiation rites, as well as the circulation of money in various areas of Barbaricum and the province of Scythia. A last group of studies analyses various aspects of spiritual life in Transylvania at the end of the 10th century, the typology of medieval and modern harnesses from the Caransebeș area or the evolution of urban life in medieval and modern Moldavia, especially in the city of Iași.

Large-scale and global explanatory models for past, current, and future human behaviour are currently the focus of all the natural sciences and humanities. But to which extent do such models enable the theoretical and methodological discourse that explains the complexity of human patterns in different geographic and ecological set-ups? Such an effort incorporates principles of geography, ecology, and archaeology, as well as attempts for model parameterisation and adaptation. Building on local behaviour with global implications, this paper explores fundamental parameters of environmental connectivity and ecological functionalities in archaeological and ecological research. As a consequence, I hypothesise a Divergence Problem in archaeological and particularly in socioenvironmental models-a mismatch between archaeological data complexity, environmental explanatory variables, and simplicity of the resulting model. Theoretically, the adjustment of global models to regional contextualisation can be achieved by introducing a correction coefficient, hereafter referred to as Glocalization Coefficient, which could allow for the comparison between regional environmental driving factors and individual human activity spheres.

To understand the connectivity in human–landscape ecosystems, a multidirectional concept of landscape transformation, sociocultural development, and human response cycles needs to be considered. In this context, societal decision-making is controlled by the ecosystem’s functionality; the human perception, experience, memory, and tradition; and the individual configuration of landscape components: a conceptual framework that is herein referred to as landscape affordances. In contrast to defining environmental components as passive resources, the concept of landscape affordances entails dynamic and processual feedbacks of an individual and the environment in the moment of mutual interaction—thus actively integrating human ingenuity in the production of landscapes, biological processes, and sociocultural patterns. This article contextualizes the concepts of landscape affordances and functional ecosystem connectivity to evaluate human behavioural patterning and the production of landsca...

The post-Roman centuries led to deep changes for peasant communities in the countryside. The past ten years of research on Portuguese inland territories has yielded new insights into this previously elusive period. This paper focuses mainly on archaeological data gathered from Castelo de Vide, a territory of Alto Alentejo (Central Portugal). Our findings combine evidence from different research methods and scales of assessment. These include field-surveys, spatial analysis, excavations, material culture, and radiocarbon dating, along with a critical review of grey literature from previous works in the region. Looking into the contexts of individual settlements allows us to explore social construction and detect patterns for broader socio-economical practices, which will be the focus of this paper.

Valorizzazione degli spazi ed impianti presenti nel Mulino del Pero a Brenna (Sovicille, Siena, Italy) e immediate vicinanze (due mulini e due turbine) e loro rifunzionalizzazione ad uso museale/didattico/produttivo di una/due macina/e ed idroelettrico per la produzione di e.e. da fonti rinnovabili (F.E.R.).

Preliminary thoughts on a phenomenological approach to the human boday, starting from the idea that the human body is central to all spheres of human society and activity, as all social interaction is body-based, going beyond the representational character of bodies in archaeological and anthropological studies.

Archaeological and bioarchaeological studies have revolutionised our knowledge of the European Bronze Age and have enabled us to go far beyond the antiquarian approaches which dominated central European archaeology especially up to the 2000s. Now, we can trace mobility, biological relatedness and the exchange of goods and ideas in fascinating new ways. However, this also raises the question of whether these new scientific insights may also force us to rethink the way we narrate the past. Before the advent of the latest approaches in bioarchaeology, Postmodern Archaeology had long raised this question. However, the new scientific data was not perceived as a chance but rather as a threat by many scholars. In my contribution, I want to bridge postmodern approaches, e.g. the archaeology of the senses and reflections on how to narrate the past, with the latest scientific datasets – in particular our present-day knowledge about the enormous scale of especially female mobility during the central European Early Bronze Age and the role of transregional marital practices in this context.