Journal of Archaeological Science最新文献

{"title":"Seasonality and water source strategies in the Neolithic Near East (ca. 8,000–5,000 BCE): Insights from multi-proxy isotopic and elemental analyses","authors":"Janaína N. Ávila ,&nbsp;Arkadiusz Sołtysiak ,&nbsp;Christine Austin ,&nbsp;Hojjat Darabi ,&nbsp;Nicole D. Leonard ,&nbsp;Hassan Fazeli Nashli ,&nbsp;Ian S. Williams ,&nbsp;Jian-xin Zhao ,&nbsp;Tanya M. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies have demonstrated that enamel oxygen isotope values (δ¹⁸O) reflect rainfall variability experienced by wild primates and ancient humans, providing insights into local climatic conditions. However, it remains less clear whether seasonal patterns can be consistently detected in premodern human communities experiencing different local water dynamics, or how these patterns may vary regionally. Here we present 1958 ion microprobe δ¹⁸O measurements linked to enamel growth increments in 15 molars from 13 individuals, representing a combined total of 48 years of enamel formation sampled at approximately weekly resolution. We additionally integrate ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and trace-element datasets, contextualized by the δ¹⁸O enamel profiles, to assess seasonal adaptation and the likelihood that observed isotopic patterns reflect local rather than non-local signatures. Our dataset spans three Neolithic archaeological sites characterized by distinct water sources: Ali Kosh, Iran (ca. 7,500–6,500 cal BCE); Nemrik 9, Iraq (ca. 8,000–6,500 BCE); and Tepe Sialk North, Iran (ca. 5,800–4,900 BCE). Individuals from Ali Kosh exhibited the highest δ¹⁸O values in the dataset along with substantial intra-individual variability, consistent with reliance on evaporatively enriched transient and isotopically diverse water sources—possibly shaped by local mobility or water management strategies. In contrast, individuals from Nemrik 9 displayed clear, large-amplitude annual cycles in their enamel δ¹⁸O values, a pattern consistent with a settlement situated near a perennial river subjected to pronounced climatic seasonality. Tepe Sialk North individuals exhibited the lowest δ¹⁸O variability, consistent with consumption of isotopically buffered sources such as springs or artesian-fed systems. Predicted drinking water δ¹⁸O values for most of the Nemrik 9 and Ali Kosh individuals align well with modern regional rainfall isotope values, while those from Tepe Sialk North underestimate local precipitation δ¹⁸O values, as expected for groundwater-fed sources. Additionally, site-specific seasonal patterns were observed in Ba/Ca and Li/Ca elemental ratios, likely shaped by the interplay of regional geology and hydrology. Together, our findings provide valuable insights into Neolithic water access strategies in arid regions, while also underscoring the limitations of identifying bioarchaeological migrants based solely on δ¹⁸O values from tooth enamel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106462"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927076","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}

{"title":"Local or interregional exchange systems? A study of Estonian iron provenancing","authors":"Sander Jegorov ,&nbsp;Grzegorz Żabiński ,&nbsp;Rasmus Andreasen ,&nbsp;Thomas Birch ,&nbsp;Peeter Somelar ,&nbsp;Kristo Oks ,&nbsp;Jüri Peets ,&nbsp;Ragnar Saage","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study is to address questions about the differences in chemical composition of iron smelting slag finds in Estonia. The chemical analyses of smelting slag will allow to establish a production regions reference dataset for further research. Currency blooms have been also included, of which some have been dated to the Estonian Viking Age (800–1050 AD) and the Late Iron Age (1050–1227 AD). The blooms are examined about their relationships with possible production regions. Using a multi-method analytical approach (SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS) and a multivariate data analysis (PCA, AHC and a set of supervised methods) it is argued that Estonia most likely had a highly interconnected local exchange of iron between different regions. An existence of exchange centres which specialised in the production of such blooms is also possible. A key methodological finding is that contrary to results reported in the literature covered, there exists a considerable overlap between the discussed production regions. This indicates that even with multiple samples, chemical elements and sophisticated statistical methods, a perfect separation of production areas may not always be achievable, especially when solely bog ores served as raw material for ironmaking. However, this study demonstrates that despite such a strong overlap of data in the chemical composition of the slags, a successful provenance study of artefacts is still possible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106454"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884924","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}

{"title":"Isotopes and human organizational diversity in South America","authors":"Augusto Tessone ,&nbsp;André Carlo Colonese ,&nbsp;Miguel E. Delgado ,&nbsp;Luis Pezo-Lanfranco ,&nbsp;Francisca Santana-Sagredo ,&nbsp;Ramiro Barberena","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Isotopic analysis of archaeological human remains has become an essential tool within the global bioarchaeological research agenda. This article explores the substantial contributions of isotopic analysis to the field of bioarchaeology in South America, with particular emphasis on the patterns of socioeconomic diversification associated with human-environment interactions. Our case-studies on a continental scale -from northernmost South America to Patagonia, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans-include the lifeways of hunter-gatherer populations and the processes of domestication and/or economic integration of domestic plants and animals since the Early Holocene. The study of stable isotopes in South America has contributed considerably to our understanding of cultural changes associated with agricultural development, dietary specialization, diversification, and the emergence of social differentiation. Building on this, we analyze the state of the art of isotopic applications in the South American continent, highlighting main findings, empirical gaps and methodological challenges that will continue to shape the field in years to come.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106460"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841743","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}

{"title":"Assembling the puzzle pieces: Integrating pottery and kiln analysis to reconstruct pyrotechnology at the Dinka Settlement Complex (Iraqi Kurdistan)","authors":"Silvia Amicone ,&nbsp;Ada Dinckal ,&nbsp;Shira Gur-Arieh ,&nbsp;Baptiste Solard ,&nbsp;Marcel Frenken ,&nbsp;Andrea Squitieri ,&nbsp;Jean-Jacques Herr ,&nbsp;Christoph Berthold ,&nbsp;Christopher E. Miller ,&nbsp;Karen Radner","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study offers an integrated analysis of pottery and firing installations, used to investigate ancient pyrotechnology. Such combined approaches remain rare in archaeology, as kilns and other firing structures are often overlooked compared to the ceramics they produced. This limits insights into technological practices, resource management, and production systems.</div><div>The Dinka Settlement Complex (DSC), recently discovered in the Peshdar Plain (Sulaymaniyah Province, Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq), provides a unique opportunity to address this gap. As the only extensively excavated early Iron Age site in the Zagros with direct evidence of a pottery workshop, it sheds light on craft specialisation, technological traditions, and urban life, revealing an unexpectedly level of socio-economic complexity in the region at that time.</div><div>Excavations uncovered kilns together with a diverse pottery assemblage, analysed using a interdisciplinary methodology combining archaeometry, geoarchaeology, and palaeobotany. Techniques such as ceramic petrography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied to sherds, kiln linings, and local clay to assess composition and firing conditions. Soil micromorphology and micro-remains analysis further clarified kiln construction, fuel choices, and use histories.</div><div>The results reveal a coherent technological tradition at the DSC, possibly indicating centralised control over pottery production across a network of workshops integrated into the site's layout. More broadly, this research shows how linking pottery analysis with pyrotechnological features enhances our understanding of ancient technologies and the life cycles of production installations. The interdisciplinary approach provides a replicable model for future studies and makes a significant contribution to the study of early Iron Age production systems in the Zagros and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106425"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145822781","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}

{"title":"An automated spreadsheet for determining analytical uncertainty of stable isotope measurements","authors":"Paul Szpak","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The quantification and reporting of the analytical uncertainty that accompanies all stable isotope measurements is critical, providing a mechanism for assessing their comparability against other datasets. The ability to compare isotopic datasets generated across many labs is especially important as there has been a proliferation in the number of stable isotope databases across a range of disciplines, facilitating large scale metanalyses of a rapidly expanding library of isotopic measurements. This paper presents a simple and automated spreadsheet-based approach for quantifying and reporting analytical uncertainty of stable isotope measurements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106457"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796056","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}

{"title":"Semantic segmentation and 3D reconstruction of CT images of bronze casting moulds and cores based on a deep learning method","authors":"Haotian Zhang ,&nbsp;Lingyu Liao ,&nbsp;Zhenfei Sun ,&nbsp;Siran Liu ,&nbsp;Shining Ma ,&nbsp;Kunlong Chen ,&nbsp;Yue Liu ,&nbsp;Yongtian Wang ,&nbsp;Weitao Song","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents an innovative approach combining semantic segmentation and 3D reconstruction to analyze CT images of bronze casting moulds and cores unearthed at the Taijiasi archaeological site. Leveraging the Swin-Unet deep learning architecture, the proposed MouldCTSegNet model achieves accurate material segmentation in challenging CT datasets characterized by low contrast and blurred boundaries. The segmented results are used to reconstruct precise 3D models of different material components using volume rendering. This method not only enhances the understanding of ancient combined-material moulding techniques but also provides an advanced tool for cultural heritage preservation, offering significant contributions to archaeology and related disciplines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784429","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}

{"title":"Diaphysis cortical thickness as a predictor of body-size in terrestrial mammals and its application to zooarchaeology","authors":"B. Patrick Fahey ,&nbsp;Curtis W. Marean","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Body-size is a key attribute in zooarchaeology, yet current methods based on expert knowledge for assigning fragmented long bone faunal remains to size are subjective. A new method is introduced, based on the empirical relationship between the cortical thickness of the long bone diaphysis wall and body mass. Phylogeny and specific limb bone have little effect on this relationship, indicating that cortical thickness can be used to predict size on diaphysis specimens that cannot be identified to skeletal element or taxonomic level below class. Two predictive equations are developed: a linear regression model for estimating body mass and an ordinal logistic regression model for assigning size class. The accuracy and expected error of predictions show that the models are effective even for heavily fragmented assemblages. Size class is predicted for long bone diaphyseal fragments in two assemblages from Pinnacle Point 5–6N, South Africa, to demonstrate the method's application. Model predictions on the Pinnacle Point 5–6N material differ significantly from size class identifications made using the traditional, expert knowledge-based approach. The use of these models can help increase accuracy of size identifications, standardize identifications, and facilitate comparisons within and between sites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106456"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785984","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}

{"title":"Ancient DNA implicates Salmonella Paratyphi C as a candidate pathogen in a thirteenth-century East Asian epidemic","authors":"Jiayu He ,&nbsp;Linxuan Wang ,&nbsp;Li Yu ,&nbsp;Xiyan Wu ,&nbsp;Yan Zhen ,&nbsp;Chao Ning ,&nbsp;Fan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ge Song","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We screened ancient metagenomic data from 15 individuals from a mortuary context archaeologically dated to the 13th century at the Xiyang site (Shanxi, North China). Authentic <em>Salmonella enterica</em> subsp. <em>enterica</em> serovar Paratyphi C (SPC) reads were detected in 5/15 individuals, of which three met the damage-pattern and coverage criteria for downstream analyses. Ancient authenticity was supported by terminal deamination signatures, short fragment-length distributions, mapping stringency, and negative controls. Human genomic profiles indicate affinities consistent with contemporaneous North China agricultural populations. Archaeological and genetic context shows that these 15 individuals derived from six multi-individual burials and that they share no biological kinship ties across burials, indicating multi-household exposure rather than a single-family cluster. Given DNA preservation and assay sensitivity, pathogen detections represent a conservative lower bound, and the true number of infections likely exceeded the five SPC-positive cases observed. Read alongside contemporaneous reports of severe febrile outbreaks (1213–1232 CE), these detections are temporally and contextually concordant with epidemic activity, supporting a working hypothesis that SPC contributed to disease episodes in this period without implying exclusive event-level causation. We outline archaeological context and textual sources as non-exclusive lines of evidence and emphasize limitations, including modest sample size (n = 15; positives = 5), uncertain within-tomb simultaneity, and incomplete chronological precision. These findings extend the documented temporal and geographic range of SPC to 13th-century North China and motivate targeted capture, direct dating of sampled individuals, and broader regional screening to evaluate scale, timing, and aetiological heterogeneity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106452"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785803","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}

{"title":"Feeding on giants: Neotaphonomic evidence of hyena exploitation of megafaunal skulls and its implications for Pleistocene archaeology","authors":"Clara Mielgo ,&nbsp;Sorina Venter ,&nbsp;Almero Bosch ,&nbsp;Rosa Huguet ,&nbsp;Jan A. Venter","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of hominins in the hunting and processing of megafauna is one of the most contentious topics in Pleistocene archaeology. Determining whether the remains of very large mammals (&gt;800 kg) were shaped by human activity or carnivore modification requires robust neotaphonomic frameworks. Systematic patterns of carcass consumption by carnivores have been established, particularly for long bones. Yet research on megafauna, and especially on their cranial remains, are scarce despite their recurrent presence in archaeological contexts. This study investigates bone surface modification patterns on rhinoceros (<em>Ceratotherium simum</em>) and elephant (<em>Loxodonta africana</em>) cranial elements consumed by free-ranging spotted hyenas (<em>Crocuta crocuta</em>) in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa. The sample includes 20 cranial specimens (MNE = 20; 12 rhinoceros, 8 elephant) from individuals of different age groups that died naturally and were subsequently scavenged. Analyses using 40x hand lenses and Dino-Lite digital microscope to document bone surface modifications. Distinct patterns emerged: in rhinoceroses, near-complete destruction of mandibular condyles, coronoid processes, nuchal crest, and maxilla; in elephants, pronounced furrowing on mandibular condyles and the symphyseal region. Integrating these observations with published taphonomic analyses of Eurasian assemblages, a five-stage sequence of cranial exploitation is proposed, paralleling models established for long bone consumption. These results highlight prey species-specific differences in modification intensity linked to bone density, tissue distribution, and feeding strategies. More broadly, they provide comparative criteria for distinguishing hyena from hominin-induced modifications, and the paleoecological significance of megafauna in Pleistocene ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 106458"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785801","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}

{"title":"Beachy Head Woman: clarifying her origins using a multiproxy anthropological and biomolecular approach","authors":"Andy Walton ,&nbsp;William Marsh ,&nbsp;Alex Strang ,&nbsp;Jonathan Seaman ,&nbsp;Kelly Van Doorn ,&nbsp;Hella Eckardt ,&nbsp;Caroline Wilkinson ,&nbsp;Ian Barnes ,&nbsp;Selina Brace","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The skeletal remains of an individual colloquially referred to as Beachy Head Woman (BHW) were re-discovered in the Eastbourne Town Hall collection in 2012, and have remained the subject of significant public interest since. Radiocarbon dating yielded a calibrated date of between 129 and 311 calCE indicating that she lived during the period of the Roman occupation of Britain and, over more than a decade, there have been several attempts to unravel her geographical origins and ancestry. Here, we present results of all bioanthropological and biomolecular analyses performed to date. Initial osteological analyses indicated possible sub-Saharan origin, with BHW thus presented as one of the earliest Africans in Britain. However, her story was complicated by subsequent (unpublished) biomolecular analyses, which suggested she likely grew up on the south coast of Britain and had recent European ancestry. Here we present high quality ancient DNA data indicating that Beachy Head Woman has a strong genetic affinity to individuals from rural Britain during the Roman occupation and modern day Britons. We find no signals of admixture that would suggest recent sub-Saharan ancestry. Phenotypic predictions suggest she had blue eyes, intermediate (between pale and dark) skin pigmentation and light hair. Combined, our multiproxy approach indicates that Beachy Head Woman was of local British ancestry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106445"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785800","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}