Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106484
Roxanne Lebenzon , Nir Dick , Natalie D. Munro , Leore Grosman
As staple tools in zooarchaeological research, morphometric analyses have contributed substantially to foundational research themes such as taxonomy, paleoenvironmental reconstruction and animal domestication. Thus, as the field of archaeology transforms with the rapid advancement of computational techniques, new methods that analyze the complete 3D model, herein called Complete Model Analysis (CMA), hold great promise for zooarchaeology. By extracting and analyzing the complete 3D mesh in a fully automated manner, CMA offers an accurate, repeatable and nuanced approach to bone shape analysis. However, until now, CMA has not been integrated into zooarchaeology due to the complexity and irregularity of some bone shapes which are incompatible with the existing automatic positioning methods that provide the essential first step in CMA analysis. Here, we address this challenge by introducing a three-step procedure that can automatically position any 3D mesh. This breakthrough enables the application of all existing CMA analytical protocols to faunal material. Additionally, we present a global contour tool that automatically generates geometric profiles to calculate assemblage variance. We demonstrate the applicability and utility of these two tools by exploring sex-related variability in a collection of modern mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella) skeletons. Ultimately, this paper opens the door to the development of new CMA analyses in zooarchaeology, including by machine learning.
作为动物考古研究的主要工具，形态计量学分析对动物分类学、古环境重建和动物驯化等基础研究主题做出了重大贡献。因此，随着计算技术的快速发展，考古学领域发生了变化，分析完整3D模型的新方法，这里称为完整模型分析（complete model Analysis， CMA），为动物考古学带来了巨大的希望。通过以全自动的方式提取和分析完整的3D网格，CMA为骨骼形状分析提供了准确、可重复和细致入微的方法。然而，到目前为止，由于一些骨骼形状的复杂性和不规则性，与现有的自动定位方法不兼容，CMA还没有被整合到动物考古学中，而自动定位方法是CMA分析必不可少的第一步。在这里，我们通过介绍一个可以自动定位任何3D网格的三步程序来解决这一挑战。这一突破使所有现有的CMA分析方案能够应用于动物材料。此外，我们提出了一个全局轮廓工具，自动生成几何轮廓来计算装配方差。我们通过探索现代山瞪羚（Gazella Gazella）骨骼的性别相关变异性来证明这两种工具的适用性和实用性。最终，本文为动物考古学中新的CMA分析的发展打开了大门，包括通过机器学习。
{"title":"New tools for computational zooarchaeology: Automatic positioning and contour analysis of complete bone models","authors":"Roxanne Lebenzon , Nir Dick , Natalie D. Munro , Leore Grosman","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As staple tools in zooarchaeological research, morphometric analyses have contributed substantially to foundational research themes such as taxonomy, paleoenvironmental reconstruction and animal domestication. Thus, as the field of archaeology transforms with the rapid advancement of computational techniques, new methods that analyze the complete 3D model, herein called Complete Model Analysis (CMA), hold great promise for zooarchaeology. By extracting and analyzing the complete 3D mesh in a fully automated manner, CMA offers an accurate, repeatable and nuanced approach to bone shape analysis. However, until now, CMA has not been integrated into zooarchaeology due to the complexity and irregularity of some bone shapes which are incompatible with the existing automatic positioning methods that provide the essential first step in CMA analysis. Here, we address this challenge by introducing a three-step procedure that can automatically position any 3D mesh. This breakthrough enables the application of all existing CMA analytical protocols to faunal material. Additionally, we present a global contour tool that automatically generates geometric profiles to calculate assemblage variance. We demonstrate the applicability and utility of these two tools by exploring sex-related variability in a collection of modern mountain gazelle (<em>Gazella gazella</em>) skeletons. Ultimately, this paper opens the door to the development of new CMA analyses in zooarchaeology, including by machine learning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 106484"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106500
Chang Huang, Roy van Beek, Elizabeth L. Chamberlain, Jelle Moree, Frédéric Cruz, Pieter Laloo, Eric Norde, Jakob Wallinga
{"title":"Dating dikes with luminescence","authors":"Chang Huang, Roy van Beek, Elizabeth L. Chamberlain, Jelle Moree, Frédéric Cruz, Pieter Laloo, Eric Norde, Jakob Wallinga","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106500","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2026.106500","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106481
Frederick E. Grine, Dominic Stratford
{"title":"Revisiting the context and geochronological ages of the Homo sapiens skeletal remains from Border Cave, South Africa","authors":"Frederick E. Grine, Dominic Stratford","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106481","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2026.106481","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"94 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106488
Carina T. Gerritzen, Elisavet Stamataki, Steven Goderis, Alicia Van Ham-Meert, Jacob I. Griffith, Kiano Gorissen, Christophe Snoeck
{"title":"Strontium, fire, and bones: 87Sr/86Sr and δ88/86Sr values remain unaffected in bone heated up to 1400 °C","authors":"Carina T. Gerritzen, Elisavet Stamataki, Steven Goderis, Alicia Van Ham-Meert, Jacob I. Griffith, Kiano Gorissen, Christophe Snoeck","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106488","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2026.106488","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106482
Elizabeth H. Paris, Clement P. Bataille, Chris Stantis, Miranda George, Roberto López Bravo, Gabriel Lalo Jacinto
{"title":"Distant provenance of archaeological dogs in Chiapas confirms complex trade networks within Mayan societies","authors":"Elizabeth H. Paris, Clement P. Bataille, Chris Stantis, Miranda George, Roberto López Bravo, Gabriel Lalo Jacinto","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2026.106482","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106485
Nolan Ferar , Elena T. Moos , Fotios Alexandros Karakostis , William D. Snyder , Maria Bolzmann , Michael Haas , Emanuela Kainz , Leonie Rau , Emil Sailer , Jannik Schönle , Mark W. Moore , Claudio Tennie
While environment and biology play important roles, the complexity and variability of human life today depends in many ways on special cultural processes. Terminologies differ, but the key insight is that these processes are required to enable and to produce copies of behavior or artifacts that otherwise lie fully or partly beyond individual reach. Such “know-how copying” has proven rare in the animal kingdom, and is nearly or fully absent in contemporary apes, suggesting an evolution in hominins. It has been claimed that the earliest widely accepted instances of shaped stone artifacts – handaxes, which appear with the Acheulean (c. 1.9–1.6 Mya) – must have required know-how copying. The argument holds that the knowledge of how to shape (shaping know-how) handaxes is beyond individual reach in principle. If true, handaxes would be a valid marker for the presence of know-how copying. We tested this specific claim in two complementary studies using the “puppet method,” a new methodology that experimentally disentangles knapping know-how and shaping know-how. Knapping-naïve “puppeteers” were tasked with replicating target shapes by directing the flake removals of an expert “puppet” knapper, who was not shown the target shapes. As a validation of the puppet method, we first tested if knapping-naïve puppeteers could shape glass blanks into novel, non-archaeological shapes (Arbitrary Shape Study). Two types of analyses, a sorting task and geometric morphometric analyses, confirmed that they could. We then tested whether knapping-naïve puppeteers could replicate an Acheulean handaxe target shape in stone by directing the puppet knapper (Handaxe Study). Three expert lithic archaeologists independently classified the outcomes and confirmed that naïve participants successfully created handaxe shapes. Across both studies, our findings indicate that not all shaping know-how requires direct access to cultural models, and this also holds true for handaxe shaping per se. This conclusion aligns with recent calls for a reorientation in the search for the origins of know-how copying in the hominin lineage.
{"title":"Stone tool shaping without direct cultural transmission","authors":"Nolan Ferar , Elena T. Moos , Fotios Alexandros Karakostis , William D. Snyder , Maria Bolzmann , Michael Haas , Emanuela Kainz , Leonie Rau , Emil Sailer , Jannik Schönle , Mark W. Moore , Claudio Tennie","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While environment and biology play important roles, the complexity and variability of human life today depends in many ways on special cultural processes. Terminologies differ, but the key insight is that these processes are required to enable and to produce copies of behavior or artifacts that otherwise lie fully or partly beyond individual reach. Such “know-how copying” has proven rare in the animal kingdom, and is nearly or fully absent in contemporary apes, suggesting an evolution in hominins. It has been claimed that the earliest widely accepted instances of shaped stone artifacts – handaxes, which appear with the Acheulean (c. 1.9–1.6 Mya) – must have required know-how copying. The argument holds that the knowledge of how to shape (shaping know-how) handaxes is beyond individual reach in principle. If true, handaxes would be a valid marker for the presence of know-how copying. We tested this specific claim in two complementary studies using the “puppet method,” a new methodology that experimentally disentangles knapping know-how and shaping know-how. Knapping-naïve “puppeteers” were tasked with replicating target shapes by directing the flake removals of an expert “puppet” knapper, who was not shown the target shapes. As a validation of the puppet method, we first tested if knapping-naïve puppeteers could shape glass blanks into novel, non-archaeological shapes (Arbitrary Shape Study). Two types of analyses, a sorting task and geometric morphometric analyses, confirmed that they could. We then tested whether knapping-naïve puppeteers could replicate an Acheulean handaxe target shape in stone by directing the puppet knapper (Handaxe Study). Three expert lithic archaeologists independently classified the outcomes and confirmed that naïve participants successfully created handaxe shapes. Across both studies, our findings indicate that not all shaping know-how requires direct access to cultural models, and this also holds true for handaxe shaping <em>per se</em>. This conclusion aligns with recent calls for a reorientation in the search for the origins of know-how copying in the hominin lineage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 106485"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106487
Mathilda Kjällquist , Adam Boethius
Mapping spatial variability of bioavailable strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) is fundamental to robust analyses of prehistoric human and animal mobility and provenance based on strontium isotope data. A key challenge is how to construct and extrapolate a baseline for specific landscapes to enable meaningful correlation with high-resolution archaeological data. This study presents a regional high-resolution strontium isotope baseline (isoscape) for southern Scandinavia, developed by integrating a dataset consisting of 1293 samples of water, plants, and micromammal teeth. Of these, 248 were newly collected from previously underrepresented areas, with particular attention to minimising modern contamination. Sampling density is high, with approximately 15 sampling locations per 1000 km2 in Denmark and 5 per 1000 km2 in southern Sweden. Interpolated maps of bioavailable strontium were generated using Empirical Bayesian Kriging Regression Prediction (EBKRP), incorporating geological and topographic covariates (lithology, geological age, elevation, and gravity anomaly) to enhance predictive precision. The results reveal substantial geographic variation, with pronounced heterogeneity in geologically complex regions such as Blekinge in southeastern Sweden, while Denmark displays a more homogeneous isotopic distribution. A sea spray effect, resulting in lower 87Sr/86Sr values, is also evident along the Swedish west coast. This refined isoscape facilitates more precise assessments of mobility and provenance by combining multiproxy data (water, plants, fauna) with geostatistical modelling. This is illustrated on a local scale through an example from the Mesolithic site Ageröd I:HC, where the high-resolution model facilitates more detailed interpretations of Mesolithic mobility and hunting territories. The study thereby demonstrates a methodological framework for constructing and applying bioavailable strontium baselines with high regional detail in archaeological research. By integrating new and existing data with targeted sampling, rigorous analytical protocols, and advanced spatial modelling, the study highlights the importance of regional high-resolution, context-sensitive isoscapes and provides an improved framework for interpreting prehistoric mobility.
{"title":"Enhancing archaeological mobility studies: Bayesian-modelled isoscapes and high-resolution refinement of the bioavailable strontium baseline in southern Scandinavia","authors":"Mathilda Kjällquist , Adam Boethius","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mapping spatial variability of bioavailable strontium isotopes (<sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr) is fundamental to robust analyses of prehistoric human and animal mobility and provenance based on strontium isotope data. A key challenge is how to construct and extrapolate a baseline for specific landscapes to enable meaningful correlation with high-resolution archaeological data. This study presents a regional high-resolution strontium isotope baseline (isoscape) for southern Scandinavia, developed by integrating a dataset consisting of 1293 samples of water, plants, and micromammal teeth. Of these, 248 were newly collected from previously underrepresented areas, with particular attention to minimising modern contamination. Sampling density is high, with approximately 15 sampling locations per 1000 km<sup>2</sup> in Denmark and 5 per 1000 km<sup>2</sup> in southern Sweden. Interpolated maps of bioavailable strontium were generated using Empirical Bayesian Kriging Regression Prediction (EBKRP), incorporating geological and topographic covariates (lithology, geological age, elevation, and gravity anomaly) to enhance predictive precision. The results reveal substantial geographic variation, with pronounced heterogeneity in geologically complex regions such as Blekinge in southeastern Sweden, while Denmark displays a more homogeneous isotopic distribution. A sea spray effect, resulting in lower <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr values, is also evident along the Swedish west coast. This refined isoscape facilitates more precise assessments of mobility and provenance by combining multiproxy data (water, plants, fauna) with geostatistical modelling. This is illustrated on a local scale through an example from the Mesolithic site Ageröd I:HC, where the high-resolution model facilitates more detailed interpretations of Mesolithic mobility and hunting territories. The study thereby demonstrates a methodological framework for constructing and applying bioavailable strontium baselines with high regional detail in archaeological research. By integrating new and existing data with targeted sampling, rigorous analytical protocols, and advanced spatial modelling, the study highlights the importance of regional high-resolution, context-sensitive isoscapes and provides an improved framework for interpreting prehistoric mobility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 106487"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106489
Yiwen Xu , Rong Wang , Zenglong Xiong , Jigen Tang
Jade from Yinxu, the late-Shang capital, marks the apogee of Bronze-Age jade production in the Central Plains. To date, material and technological studies have concentrated on the exquisite jades recovered from the high-ranking elite tombs of early-Yinxu period (Phase I and II), whereas the far more numerous late-Yinxu burials (Phase III and IV) have received little attention. This research aims to explore the materials selection and technological organization underlying the late Yinxu-period jade production. 48 jade artifacts from the West Zone Cemetery — the earliest excavated and one of the most representative clan cemeteries of the late Yinxu period — were analyzed nondestructively by Raman, FT-IR, p-XRF and optical microscopy. Our results indicate that the crafting of animal-shaped ornaments from nephrite was likely undertaken by highly skilled artisans working independently, and that the original morphology of the raw material, often fragments or offcuts, critically shaped technological choices. Marble ritual artifacts, manufactured from locally available stone resource, required less sophisticated craftsmanship but reveal a higher degree of labour specialization. Spatial patterning and finished-product categories of different jade workshops further demonstrate that jade production management was organised according to material, design, and decorative complexity of target products. The Yinxu royal family appears to have monopolized the production of valuable and exquisite jade artifacts by hierarchically controlling the access to nephrite resource and skilled jade artisans. By foregrounding raw-material selection and technological organization, this study offers a valuable perspective on late Yinxu jade production.
{"title":"Material and technological insights into late-Yinxu jade production: A comprehensive analysis of jade artifacts from the West Zone Cemetery at Yinxu, Anyang, China","authors":"Yiwen Xu , Rong Wang , Zenglong Xiong , Jigen Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106489","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106489","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Jade from Yinxu, the late-Shang capital, marks the apogee of Bronze-Age jade production in the Central Plains. To date, material and technological studies have concentrated on the exquisite jades recovered from the high-ranking elite tombs of early-Yinxu period (Phase I and II), whereas the far more numerous late-Yinxu burials (Phase III and IV) have received little attention. This research aims to explore the materials selection and technological organization underlying the late Yinxu-period jade production. 48 jade artifacts from the West Zone Cemetery — the earliest excavated and one of the most representative clan cemeteries of the late Yinxu period — were analyzed nondestructively by Raman, FT-IR, p-XRF and optical microscopy. Our results indicate that the crafting of animal-shaped ornaments from nephrite was likely undertaken by highly skilled artisans working independently, and that the original morphology of the raw material, often fragments or offcuts, critically shaped technological choices. Marble ritual artifacts, manufactured from locally available stone resource, required less sophisticated craftsmanship but reveal a higher degree of labour specialization. Spatial patterning and finished-product categories of different jade workshops further demonstrate that jade production management was organised according to material, design, and decorative complexity of target products. The Yinxu royal family appears to have monopolized the production of valuable and exquisite jade artifacts by hierarchically controlling the access to nephrite resource and skilled jade artisans. By foregrounding raw-material selection and technological organization, this study offers a valuable perspective on late Yinxu jade production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 106489"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106475
Marion Berranger , Marc Leroy , Jean-Pierre Piétak , Olivier Girardclos , Paul Merluzzo , Eddy Foy , Enrique Vega
Archaeological research conducted as part of the PCR and TerriFer project in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region has identified Puisaye as a major center of primary iron production, active from the Iron Age through to the end of the Middle Ages. A total of 110 slag heaps were investigated and sampled through surface surveys, excavations and waste collection. The bloomery slags were classified based on their morphology, chemical composition (by ICP-MS-AES), and mineralogical (by optical microscopy, SEM-EDS and XRD) characteristics. These data were cross-referenced with 120 radiocarbon dates, allowing us to associate specific slag types with distinct periods of activity and to track technological changes over time. For the early periods, changes are mostly characterized by an evolution of the architecture of the furnaces. The late Iron Age and Antiquity are periods of experimentation with new practices, and a time of major innovation in the way that techniques were conducted. For the Middle Ages, a new uniformity in the smelting production is documented. This makes Puisaye a key region for studying the long-term evolution of iron smelting techniques in Western Europe.
{"title":"Bloomery slags from Puisaye (France): reconstructing technological changes in a major iron production area from the Iron Age to the Late Middle Ages","authors":"Marion Berranger , Marc Leroy , Jean-Pierre Piétak , Olivier Girardclos , Paul Merluzzo , Eddy Foy , Enrique Vega","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2026.106475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Archaeological research conducted as part of the PCR and <em>TerriFer</em> project in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region has identified Puisaye as a major center of primary iron production, active from the Iron Age through to the end of the Middle Ages. A total of 110 slag heaps were investigated and sampled through surface surveys, excavations and waste collection. The bloomery slags were classified based on their morphology, chemical composition (by ICP-MS-AES), and mineralogical (by optical microscopy, SEM-EDS and XRD) characteristics. These data were cross-referenced with 120 radiocarbon dates, allowing us to associate specific slag types with distinct periods of activity and to track technological changes over time. For the early periods, changes are mostly characterized by an evolution of the architecture of the furnaces. The late Iron Age and Antiquity are periods of experimentation with new practices, and a time of major innovation in the way that techniques were conducted. For the Middle Ages, a new uniformity in the smelting production is documented. This makes Puisaye a key region for studying the long-term evolution of iron smelting techniques in Western Europe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 106475"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2026.106490
Wanyue Zhao, Katherine A. Clark, Richard P. Evershed, Mélanie Roffet-Salque, Ian D. Bull
The distinctive musty odour of Egyptian mummies is evident to anyone who has encountered their tissues and balms. A reasonable assumption is that this odour is the product of the decay of the mummy body tissues combined with volatile compounds released from aged balms and bandages. Given the established complexities and variabilities in the compositions of mummy balms, it is expected that variations in balm compositions will be reflected in the chemical compositions of the odour. Herein, we explore the chemical compositions of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constituting the odours of a range of balms and tissues of ancient Egyptian mummies then relate the differences in VOC composition to the known composition of embalming materials. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography/quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC/Q-TOFMS), provides a minimally invasive analytical approach to the characterisation of the volatile fraction of ancient Egyptian mummies. The VOC profiles of the embalming agents identify VOCs representative of each embalming substance, for example: aromatic compounds and short-chain fatty acids from fat/oil; mono-carboxylic fatty acids and cinnamic compounds from beeswax; aromatic compounds and sesquiterpenoids from resins, and naphthenic compounds from bitumen. The differences in composition previously determined between balms when correlated with VOC profiles indicates that VOCs can be used as a fast and sensitive screening tool to indicate the composition of ancient embalming substances.
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