Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105579
Johann Friedrich Tolksdorf , Manfred Woidich , Matthias Blana , Jenny Abura , Gontran Sonet , Simon Mindermann , Samantha Greeves , Eva Kropf , Stefan Hölzl
In the Roman world, as in many other cultures, ivory was perceived as raw material suitable for the carving of prestigious personal items. The types of Roman and Late Antique carved ivory objects that survived as well as their quantity and stylistic range is probably a result of their preservation contexts as well as their appreciation and sometimes ongoing use in later epochs. Regarding ivory combs decorated with bas-relief carvings, only nine specimens are ascribed to the Mediterranean and NW-Europe during Late Antiquity, all exclusively present biblical iconography. Information about their origin, object history and age is usually very limited. The first evidence that hunting scenes were still part of the ivory carving tradition in Late Antiquity is provided by a comb discovered in a mid-6th-century male inhumation burial at Deiningen, Nördlinger Ries. In addition to stylistic and technological comparison, SEM-imaging, ZooMS, ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios were applied to identify the species and possible origin. While size and structure point toward Loxodonta africana as a likely source, poor preservation of the material hindered more refined results by ZooMS or aDNA analyses and consequently a precise triangulation of the source area in combination with the strontium isotope ratios. Besides being a singular piece of craftsmanship, the ivory comb fits into an assumed network of production and distribution that spanned from Northern Africa to the Frankish realm north of the Alps.
{"title":"A double-sided ivory comb with two animal pursuit scenes from a 6th century CE burial at Deiningen, Germany","authors":"Johann Friedrich Tolksdorf , Manfred Woidich , Matthias Blana , Jenny Abura , Gontran Sonet , Simon Mindermann , Samantha Greeves , Eva Kropf , Stefan Hölzl","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Roman world, as in many other cultures, ivory was perceived as raw material suitable for the carving of prestigious personal items. The types of Roman and Late Antique carved ivory objects that survived as well as their quantity and stylistic range is probably a result of their preservation contexts as well as their appreciation and sometimes ongoing use in later epochs. Regarding ivory combs decorated with bas-relief carvings, only nine specimens are ascribed to the Mediterranean and NW-Europe during Late Antiquity, all exclusively present biblical iconography. Information about their origin, object history and age is usually very limited. The first evidence that hunting scenes were still part of the ivory carving tradition in Late Antiquity is provided by a comb discovered in a mid-6th-century male inhumation burial at Deiningen, Nördlinger Ries. In addition to stylistic and technological comparison, SEM-imaging, ZooMS, ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing and <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr isotope ratios were applied to identify the species and possible origin. While size and structure point toward <em>Loxodonta africana</em> as a likely source, poor preservation of the material hindered more refined results by ZooMS or aDNA analyses and consequently a precise triangulation of the source area in combination with the strontium isotope ratios. Besides being a singular piece of craftsmanship, the ivory comb fits into an assumed network of production and distribution that spanned from Northern Africa to the Frankish realm north of the Alps.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105579"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105577
Rafael M. Martínez Sánchez , Agustín López Jiménez , Santiago Guillamón Dávila , Laura Llorente Rodríguez , Arturo Morales Muñiz , Antonio Moreno Rosa , Fernando Quesada Sanz
Prior to the construction and enlargement of the medical consulting room of the Cordoba Provincial Hospital (Spain) an archaeological excavation was required and carried out in 2020. These works affected one specific area along the southern slope of the site of Colina de los Quemados, identified with the Iberian oppidum of Corduba. This was abandoned after the re-foundation of the Roman town, genesis of the current city. The investigation documented successive phases of occupation, starting from the Late Bronze Age (10th-8th century BCE) to the Islamic medieval period. Among the contexts found in an intermediate phase, which contained traces of an industrial area with ovens, streets and other structures of the Iberian Late Iron Age, up to 12 spherical stone balls used in artillery were documented. This evidence, together with some numismatic finds, probably points to a military context, likely related to the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE). A carpal bone from the right forefoot of an elephant, found under a collapse corresponding to this phase, has yielded a radiocarbon dating between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE. This find has important implications for the archaeological and physical evidence of the use of these animals in the Ancient World, which until now has only been supported by documentary and iconographic sources.
在建造和扩建科尔多瓦省医院（西班牙）的医疗咨询室之前，需要进行考古发掘，并于2020年进行了考古发掘。这些工程影响了Colina de los Quemados遗址南坡的一个特定区域，该区域被认为是Corduba的伊比利亚罂粟。这是在罗马城镇重建后被遗弃的，这是现在城市的起源。调查记录了从青铜时代晚期（公元前10 -8世纪）到伊斯兰中世纪的连续占领阶段。在中间阶段发现的背景中，有伊比利亚铁器时代晚期的工业区的痕迹，有烤箱、街道和其他结构，有多达12个用于火炮的球形石球被记录下来。这些证据，连同一些钱币的发现，可能指向一个军事背景，可能与第二次布匿战争（公元前218-201年）有关。在与这一阶段相对应的一次坍塌中发现了一头大象右前脚的腕骨，通过放射性碳测定，它的年代在公元前4世纪到3世纪之间。这一发现对古代世界使用这些动物的考古和物理证据具有重要意义，直到现在只有文献和图像来源支持。
{"title":"The elephant in the oppidum. Preliminary analysis of a carpal bone from a Punic context at the archaeological site of Colina de los Quemados (Córdoba, Spain)","authors":"Rafael M. Martínez Sánchez , Agustín López Jiménez , Santiago Guillamón Dávila , Laura Llorente Rodríguez , Arturo Morales Muñiz , Antonio Moreno Rosa , Fernando Quesada Sanz","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prior to the construction and enlargement of the medical consulting room of the Cordoba Provincial Hospital (Spain) an archaeological excavation was required and carried out in 2020. These works affected one specific area along the southern slope of the site of Colina de los Quemados, identified with the Iberian <em>oppidum</em> of <em>Corduba</em>. This was abandoned after the re-foundation of the Roman town, genesis of the current city. The investigation documented successive phases of occupation, starting from the Late Bronze Age (10th-8th century BCE) to the Islamic medieval period. Among the contexts found in an intermediate phase, which contained traces of an industrial area with ovens, streets and other structures of the Iberian Late Iron Age, up to 12 spherical stone balls used in artillery were documented. This evidence, together with some numismatic finds, probably points to a military context, likely related to the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE). A carpal bone from the right forefoot of an elephant, found under a collapse corresponding to this phase, has yielded a radiocarbon dating between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE. This find has important implications for the archaeological and physical evidence of the use of these animals in the Ancient World, which until now has only been supported by documentary and iconographic sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105577"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105574
Mark Altaweel , Andrea Squitieri , Eileen Eckmeier , Eduardo Garzanti , Karen Radner
This study presents the first-ever systematic mineralogical investigation of sands from an archaeological context in Iraq, establishing a methodological precedent for future geoarchaeological investigations in Mesopotamia and studies of ancient architecture more broadly. The sand derives from a deposit underneath the Ishtar Temple at Assur (Ashur; modern Qal’at Sherqat) on the Tigris River, once the political and religious centre of the Assyrian state. Since the earliest layers of the main Assur Temple are inaccessible, this sanctuary is the oldest temple explored through excavation at the site. Thus, data from its early strata are critical for understanding the city’s earliest history. In 2024, coring within the temple cella by the Assur Excavation Project revealed a thick sand layer beneath its foundations, deliberately placed before construction. As no comparable deposits exist locally, the material was sourced explicitly for this purpose. Sand foundations for monumental buildings are known from southern Mesopotamia but are here attested for the first time in the north. Mineralogical analyses indicate that the Ishtar Temple sands mostly consist of epidote-group minerals associated with glaucophane, zoisite, lawsonite sourced from blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks. Their provenance is plausibly from nearby aeolian sand recycled from the Injana Formation and ultimately traceable to the Zagros Mountains, linked to Assur via the Lesser Zab River. Thus, while southern building traditions were adopted, the sand was not imported from the south but sourced in the region and ultimately derived from the eastern Zagros Mountains. Radiocarbon dating from the floor above the sand yielded a date range of 2896–2702 calBC (95.4 % probability), providing new information for the debate surrounding the temple’s foundation and its role within Mesopotamian cultural history. These results significantly inform debates on the origins of Ishtar’s cult at Assur.
{"title":"The sand deposit underneath the Ishtar Temple in Assur, Iraq: Origin and implications for the foundation of the goddess’s cult and sanctuary","authors":"Mark Altaweel , Andrea Squitieri , Eileen Eckmeier , Eduardo Garzanti , Karen Radner","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the first-ever systematic mineralogical investigation of sands from an archaeological context in Iraq, establishing a methodological precedent for future geoarchaeological investigations in Mesopotamia and studies of ancient architecture more broadly. The sand derives from a deposit underneath the Ishtar Temple at Assur (Ashur; modern Qal’at Sherqat) on the Tigris River, once the political and religious centre of the Assyrian state. Since the earliest layers of the main Assur Temple are inaccessible, this sanctuary is the oldest temple explored through excavation at the site. Thus, data from its early strata are critical for understanding the city’s earliest history. In 2024, coring within the temple cella by the Assur Excavation Project revealed a thick sand layer beneath its foundations, deliberately placed before construction. As no comparable deposits exist locally, the material was sourced explicitly for this purpose. Sand foundations for monumental buildings are known from southern Mesopotamia but are here attested for the first time in the north. Mineralogical analyses indicate that the Ishtar Temple sands mostly consist of epidote-group minerals associated with glaucophane, zoisite, lawsonite sourced from blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks. Their provenance is plausibly from nearby aeolian sand recycled from the Injana Formation and ultimately traceable to the Zagros Mountains, linked to Assur via the Lesser Zab River. Thus, while southern building traditions were adopted, the sand was not imported from the south but sourced in the region and ultimately derived from the eastern Zagros Mountains. Radiocarbon dating from the floor above the sand yielded a date range of 2896–2702 calBC (95.4 % probability), providing new information for the debate surrounding the temple’s foundation and its role within Mesopotamian cultural history. These results significantly inform debates on the origins of Ishtar’s cult at Assur.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105574"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Early Neolithic communities in the eastern Iberian Peninsula developed integrated agropastoral economies, but the specific dynamics of herd management and their interactions with local ecosystems remain insufficiently understood. The Cova de les Cendres site, located in a Mediterranean karstic environment, offers valuable evidence for examining early herding strategies and their adaption to local ecological conditions. This study focuses on Sector A of Cova de les Centres site, investigating feeding strategies and management practices of domesticates to assess species-specific strategies and resource use and husbandry organization. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses were performed on animal bone collagen and integrated with archaeozoological data. The isotopic results reveal a flexible, species-specific husbandry system. Livestock management integrated grazing, browsing, and agricultural by-products, reflecting adaptative strategies within a stable Mediterranean ecosystem. These results highlight the early integration of animal husbandry in the consolidation of farming economies during the Early Neolithic in the eastern Iberia Peninsula.
伊比利亚半岛东部的新石器时代早期社区发展了综合农牧经济，但对牧群管理的具体动态及其与当地生态系统的相互作用仍然知之甚少。Cova de les Cendres遗址位于地中海岩溶环境中，为研究早期放牧策略及其对当地生态条件的适应提供了有价值的证据。本研究的重点是Cova de les中心的A区，调查驯化家畜的饲养策略和管理实践，以评估特定物种的策略和资源利用和畜牧业组织。对动物骨胶原进行了稳定碳（δ13C）和氮（δ15N）同位素分析，并与考古资料相结合。同位素结果揭示了一个灵活的、特定物种的饲养系统。牲畜管理综合了放牧、浏览和农业副产品，反映了稳定的地中海生态系统内的适应性策略。这些结果突出了伊比利亚半岛东部新石器时代早期畜牧业在农业经济巩固中的早期整合。
{"title":"Herding the Early Neolithic: Isotopic evidence for first husbandry management strategies at Cova de les Cendres site (Alacant, Spain)","authors":"Vanessa Navarrete , Pilar Escribá , Oreto García-Puchol , Joan Bernabeu Aubán","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Early Neolithic communities in the eastern Iberian Peninsula developed integrated agropastoral economies, but the specific dynamics of herd management and their interactions with local ecosystems remain insufficiently understood. The Cova de les Cendres site, located in a Mediterranean karstic environment, offers valuable evidence for examining early herding strategies and their adaption to local ecological conditions. This study focuses on Sector A of Cova de les Centres site, investigating feeding strategies and management practices of domesticates to assess species-specific strategies and resource use and husbandry organization. Stable carbon (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and nitrogen (δ<sup>15</sup>N) isotope analyses were performed on animal bone collagen and integrated with archaeozoological data. The isotopic results reveal a flexible, species-specific husbandry system. Livestock management integrated grazing, browsing, and agricultural by-products, reflecting adaptative strategies within a stable Mediterranean ecosystem. These results highlight the early integration of animal husbandry in the consolidation of farming economies during the Early Neolithic in the eastern Iberia Peninsula.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105580"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105573
Linda Melo , António Faustino Carvalho , Ana Maria Silva , Marta Diaz-Zorita Bonilla , Carlos Ferreira
Discovered in 2014, Fonte dos Cântaros 5 is a Mesolithic burial in a pit dated to the mid-7th millennium BC. The individual is an adult, deposited in the right lateral decubitus position, with a west–east orientation. It was found in inner Alentejo (southern Portugal), thus contrasting with the known human geography of the period, centred in coastal and estuarine areas. The isotope analysis of the collagen (δ13C = -20,0‰, δ15N = 11,8‰) reveals the consumption of a terrestrial diet based on C3 plants and animal protein. Mobility analysis (87Sr/86Sr) shows that this buried individual is local and, so far, the first one recorded for the Mesolithic period in the region. These results constitute an important contribution to the understanding of Mesolithic settlement systems in southwestern Iberia, since this Mesolithic burial is the only one recorded for this period in this inner region.
Fonte dos cantaros 5于2014年被发现，它是一个中石器时代的墓穴，可以追溯到公元前7千年中期。个体为成人，卧位为右侧卧位，朝西向东。它是在内阿连特茹（葡萄牙南部）发现的，因此与当时已知的以沿海和河口地区为中心的人类地理形成鲜明对比。胶原蛋白的同位素分析（δ13C = -20,0‰，δ15N = 11,8‰）表明其以C3植物和动物蛋白为主要食源。流动性分析（87Sr/86Sr）表明，这具被埋葬的个体是当地的，也是该地区迄今为止第一个记录的中石器时代个体。这些结果对了解伊比利亚西南部的中石器时代定居系统做出了重要贡献，因为这个中石器时代的墓葬是这个内陆地区这一时期唯一有记录的墓葬。
{"title":"Fonte dos Cântaros 5 (Beja): An inland Mesolithic burial in southern Portugal","authors":"Linda Melo , António Faustino Carvalho , Ana Maria Silva , Marta Diaz-Zorita Bonilla , Carlos Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Discovered in 2014, Fonte dos Cântaros 5 is a Mesolithic burial in a pit dated to the mid-7th millennium BC. The individual is an adult, deposited in the right lateral decubitus position, with a west–east orientation. It was found in inner Alentejo (southern Portugal), thus contrasting with the known human geography of the period, centred in coastal and estuarine areas. The isotope analysis of the collagen (<em>δ</em><sup>13</sup>C = -20,0‰, <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N = 11,8‰) reveals the consumption of a terrestrial diet based on C<sub>3</sub> plants and animal protein. Mobility analysis (<sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr) shows that this buried individual is local and, so far, the first one recorded for the Mesolithic period in the region. These results constitute an important contribution to the understanding of Mesolithic settlement systems in southwestern Iberia, since this Mesolithic burial is the only one recorded for this period in this inner region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105573"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105563
Ceri Shipton , Freddie Foulds , Aaron Rawlinson , Nick Ashton , Mathieu Leroyer , Mark White
Flake scar patterning indicates Acheulean knappers were attempting to make thin, symmetrical handaxes with regular edges. In this study we quantify these elements of handaxe form and test the variation between the first two waves of Acheulean occupation in Britain. The results show a marked contrast between these groups in thinness, symmetry, and edge regularity. Handaxes from sites such as Fordwich dated to > 0.56 Ma are crude, whereas those from sites including Boxgrove dated to ∼0.48 Ma are highly refined. This contrast in biface skill outcomes seems to have been facilitated by the use of soft-hammers and platform preparation, both of which are evident at Boxgrove. Furthermore, it suggests an increase in hominin motor control around half a million years ago that may have implications for the emergence of speech.
{"title":"Pronounced increase in biface knapping skill half a million years ago in Britain","authors":"Ceri Shipton , Freddie Foulds , Aaron Rawlinson , Nick Ashton , Mathieu Leroyer , Mark White","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flake scar patterning indicates Acheulean knappers were attempting to make thin, symmetrical handaxes with regular edges. In this study we quantify these elements of handaxe form and test the variation between the first two waves of Acheulean occupation in Britain. The results show a marked contrast between these groups in thinness, symmetry, and edge regularity. Handaxes from sites such as Fordwich dated to > 0.56 Ma are crude, whereas those from sites including Boxgrove dated to ∼0.48 Ma are highly refined. This contrast in biface skill outcomes seems to have been facilitated by the use of soft-hammers and platform preparation, both of which are evident at Boxgrove. Furthermore, it suggests an increase in hominin motor control around half a million years ago that may have implications for the emergence of speech.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105563"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105569
Paige Paulsen , Carolin Ferwerda , Joseph W. Lehner , Michael J. Harrower , Amir Zaribaf , Petra Creamer , Jesse Casana
This paper presents thermal imagery of Raki 2, a large Iron Age copper production site near Yanqul, Oman. The site, composed of massive amounts of copper slag, exhibits rectilinear architecture built of stone and slag that is not fully visible at the surface. A far more complete architectural layout of the site is revealed using thermal imagery due to the variable thermal emissivity of anthropogenic features like walls that visibly contrast against surrounding sediments. The settlement is unwalled, composed of clusters of densely organized small spaces, isolated structures, and several large, enclosed spaces, variably organized over the intact extent of a gravel terrace. This view of the layout of an entire Iron Age settlement adds to examples known from previous survey and excavation. Raki 2′s architectural organization is more heterogenous than previously documented sites, lacks an enclosure wall, and appears to include additional domestic structures, not merely copper producing installations. This helps us understand the built environment of large-scale copper production during a peak of sociopolitical complexity during the Iron Age.
{"title":"Drone-based thermal imaging of subsurface architecture: methodological insights and discoveries at Iron Age Raki (Oman)","authors":"Paige Paulsen , Carolin Ferwerda , Joseph W. Lehner , Michael J. Harrower , Amir Zaribaf , Petra Creamer , Jesse Casana","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents thermal imagery of Raki 2, a large Iron Age copper production site near Yanqul, Oman. The site, composed of massive amounts of copper slag, exhibits rectilinear architecture built of stone and slag that is not fully visible at the surface. A far more complete architectural layout of the site is revealed using thermal imagery due to the variable thermal emissivity of anthropogenic features like walls that visibly contrast against surrounding sediments. The settlement is unwalled, composed of clusters of densely organized small spaces, isolated structures, and several large, enclosed spaces, variably organized over the intact extent of a gravel terrace. This view of the layout of an entire Iron Age settlement adds to examples known from previous survey and excavation. Raki 2′s architectural organization is more heterogenous than previously documented sites, lacks an enclosure wall, and appears to include additional domestic structures, not merely copper producing installations. This helps us understand the built environment of large-scale copper production during a peak of sociopolitical complexity during the Iron Age.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105569"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105568
Andrea M. Zurek-Ost , Emma J. Bonthorne , Angie L. Mordant , Laura E. Herring
Estimation of osteological sex from the skeleton is important in both paleodemographic reconstructions and forensic casework. While the most frequently employed sex estimation methods are based on the morphology of the pelvis and the cranium, these elements do not always preserve well in archaeological contexts. Recent research has demonstrated that mass spectrometry can be used for sex estimation by relying on detection of amelogenin, an enamel-forming protein encoded for both X and Y chromosomes, which give rise to sexually dimorphic peptide sequences. Because enamel is a highly mineralized material, it is generally resistant to degradation and is a viable and minimally destructive option for sex estimation when utilizing peptide signatures.
We compared a mass spectrometry-based peptidomics approach to traditional osteological sex estimates in 42 individuals from the Silo of Charlemagne ossuary (Navarre, Spain), a highly commingled and large-scale archaeological assemblage. Using sex-specific peptides, we developed a novel scoring approach and defined a “proteome score” based on multiple metrics. High agreement between the “proteome score” and osteological sex estimate was observed, with 100% agreement when skeletal traits from both the skull and pelvis were considered. These results demonstrate that peptidomics can provide reliable, minimally destructive sex estimates even in highly taphonomically altered and commingled assemblages.
{"title":"A comparison of osteological and mass spectrometry-based sex estimation methods: investigations from a commingled assemblage in Northern Iberia","authors":"Andrea M. Zurek-Ost , Emma J. Bonthorne , Angie L. Mordant , Laura E. Herring","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Estimation of osteological sex from the skeleton is important in both paleodemographic reconstructions and forensic casework. While the most frequently employed sex estimation methods are based on the morphology of the pelvis and the cranium, these elements do not always preserve well in archaeological contexts. Recent research has demonstrated that mass spectrometry can be used for sex estimation by relying on detection of amelogenin, an enamel-forming protein encoded for both X and Y chromosomes, which give rise to sexually dimorphic peptide sequences. Because enamel is a highly mineralized material, it is generally resistant to degradation and is a viable and minimally destructive option for sex estimation when utilizing peptide signatures.</div><div>We compared a mass spectrometry-based peptidomics approach to traditional osteological sex estimates in 42 individuals from the Silo of Charlemagne ossuary (Navarre, Spain), a highly commingled and large-scale archaeological assemblage. Using sex-specific peptides, we developed a novel scoring approach and defined a “proteome score” based on multiple metrics. High agreement between the “proteome score” and osteological sex estimate was observed, with 100% agreement when skeletal traits from both the skull and pelvis were considered. These results demonstrate that peptidomics can provide reliable, minimally destructive sex estimates even in highly taphonomically altered and commingled assemblages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105568"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105570
Dries Vergouwen , A. Sarris , S. Vervust , R. Vandam
This study investigates the hypothesis that Nea Paphos, the Roman capital of Cyprus, had a highly accessible harbour because it was readily visible from the sea. For seafarers navigating without modern instruments, prominent landmarks and harbour infrastructure needed to be clearly visible and easily recognizable. Using viewshed analysis in QGIS, we assess the visibility of key natural and built features from a maritime perspective. Landmarks were selected based on their prominence and likelihood of being part of ancient sailors’ mental maps, while potential lighthouse locations were derived from existing literature, excavation results, and a comparative study of harbour infrastructure — such as lighthouses — in other Roman coastal cities. We model visibility from these landmarks and candidate lighthouse sites, and we estimate functional tower heights. The results provide new insights into the visibility of Roman Nea Paphos from the sea and suggest plausible lighthouse locations and heights within the ancient city.
{"title":"New insights on the seascape and a possible lighthouse in Nea Paphos, Cyprus, during the Roman period","authors":"Dries Vergouwen , A. Sarris , S. Vervust , R. Vandam","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the hypothesis that Nea Paphos, the Roman capital of Cyprus, had a highly accessible harbour because it was readily visible from the sea. For seafarers navigating without modern instruments, prominent landmarks and harbour infrastructure needed to be clearly visible and easily recognizable. Using viewshed analysis in QGIS, we assess the visibility of key natural and built features from a maritime perspective. Landmarks were selected based on their prominence and likelihood of being part of ancient sailors’ mental maps, while potential lighthouse locations were derived from existing literature, excavation results, and a comparative study of harbour infrastructure — such as lighthouses — in other Roman coastal cities. We model visibility from these landmarks and candidate lighthouse sites, and we estimate functional tower heights. The results provide new insights into the visibility of Roman Nea Paphos from the sea and suggest plausible lighthouse locations and heights within the ancient city.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105570"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105565
K. Deenadayalan , Pradnya Mohite , B.V. Lakshmi , S.P. Anand , R. Sivanantham , A.P. Dimri
Archaeomagnetism is a scientific discipline that studies the interaction between magnetic minerals in archaeological artifacts and the Earth’s magnetic field. Researchers can reconstruct past geomagnetic field variations on ancient timescales by combining archaeomagnetic analysis with archaeological excavation. This study focused on well-fired archaeological pottery from Alagankulam and Keeladi archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu, India. A ground-based magnetometer survey was conducted at the Keeladi archaeological site, utilizing a non-invasive technique that enabled us to identify and delineate several archaeological structures, as well as locate ancient artifacts from the burial site, which aided in the archaeological excavation. Fifty-three artifacts underwent detailed rock-magnetic and archaeointensity analysis. Initial magnetic susceptibility, isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves, and inter-magnetic ratios confirmed the presence of low-coercivity magnetite in fine-grain sizes. Thermomagnetic analysis and reversible high-temperature susceptibility curves indicated that the artifacts predominantly possess fine-grained magnetic particles, which carry stable thermoremanent magnetization (TRM). Stable TRM implies that the samples are suitable for archaeomagnetic intensity investigations. Archaeointensity was estimated using Coe’s modified Thellier method, and the data were evaluated using Thellier GUI software. Anisotropy of thermoremanent magnetization (ATRM) and cooling rate corrections, along with strict selection and quality control criteria, ensured the high quality of archaeointensity calculations. The corrected data revealed mean archaeointensity values of 43.8 ± 3.2 μT for Alagankulam and 46.6 ± 3.6 μT for Keeladi. Archaeomagnetic dating was conducted on Alagankulam’s mean site intensity values using the ArchaeoPyDating, exploiting four global geomagnetic field models: SHA.DIF.14k, SHAWQ-IronAge, BIGMUD14k.1 and ArchKalmag14k curves. Using a bootstrap resampling method, we obtained an optimal age for Alagankulam of 227.3 ± 10 BCE, which coincides with the Sangam period in Tamil Nadu, a significant cultural and historical era in the region. The mean archaeointensity value from Keeladi is a new addition to the database, as it was obtained from well-dated samples. This study aims to enhance our understanding of past geomagnetic field variations in India by providing new, high-quality archaeointensity results. However, further research is needed to collect more high-quality reference data to enhance the accuracy and precision of geomagnetic field models in South Asia.
{"title":"Archaeointensity study of Indian artifacts: Understanding geomagnetic field variation","authors":"K. Deenadayalan , Pradnya Mohite , B.V. Lakshmi , S.P. Anand , R. Sivanantham , A.P. Dimri","doi":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Archaeomagnetism is a scientific discipline that studies the interaction between magnetic minerals in archaeological artifacts and the Earth’s magnetic field. Researchers can reconstruct past geomagnetic field variations on ancient timescales by combining archaeomagnetic analysis with archaeological excavation. This study focused on well-fired archaeological pottery from Alagankulam and Keeladi archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu, India. A ground-based magnetometer survey was conducted at the Keeladi archaeological site, utilizing a non-invasive technique that enabled us to identify and delineate several archaeological structures, as well as locate ancient artifacts from the burial site, which aided in the archaeological excavation. Fifty-three artifacts underwent detailed rock-magnetic and archaeointensity analysis. Initial magnetic susceptibility, isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves, and inter-magnetic ratios confirmed the presence of low-coercivity magnetite in fine-grain sizes. Thermomagnetic analysis and reversible high-temperature susceptibility curves indicated that the artifacts predominantly possess fine-grained magnetic particles, which carry stable thermoremanent magnetization (TRM). Stable TRM implies that the samples are suitable for archaeomagnetic intensity investigations. Archaeointensity was estimated using Coe’s modified Thellier method, and the data were evaluated using Thellier GUI software. Anisotropy of thermoremanent magnetization (ATRM) and cooling rate corrections, along with strict selection and quality control criteria, ensured the high quality of archaeointensity calculations. The corrected data revealed mean archaeointensity values of 43.8 ± 3.2 μT for Alagankulam and 46.6 ± 3.6 μT for Keeladi. Archaeomagnetic dating was conducted on Alagankulam’s mean site intensity values using the ArchaeoPyDating, exploiting four global geomagnetic field models: SHA.DIF.14k, SHAWQ-IronAge, BIGMUD14k.1 and ArchKalmag14k curves. Using a bootstrap resampling method, we obtained an optimal age for Alagankulam of 227.3 ± 10 BCE, which coincides with the Sangam period in Tamil Nadu, a significant cultural and historical era in the region. The mean archaeointensity value from Keeladi is a new addition to the database, as it was obtained from well-dated samples. This study aims to enhance our understanding of past geomagnetic field variations in India by providing new, high-quality archaeointensity results. However, further research is needed to collect more high-quality reference data to enhance the accuracy and precision of geomagnetic field models in South Asia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48150,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science-Reports","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 105565"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145938900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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