Pub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106019
Lindsey Paskulin , Krista McGrath , Richard Hagan , Camilla Speller , Marian Berihuete-Azorín , Hans-Peter Stika , Soultana-Maria Valamoti , Jessica Hendy
In archaeological contexts, identifying processes of beer production and consumption has contributed to our understanding of agriculture, labor mobilization, economic surplus, feasting, gender dynamics, social structure, tribute, community, identity and politics. Nevertheless, in the absence of pictorial representations and characteristic objects, beer brewing is difficult to identify in the archaeological record, and molecular methods are often limited by constraints of preservation and specificity. A potential target for studies of ancient beer production are residues formed during brewing activity, including beerstone, a calcium oxalate residue. Here, we apply shotgun proteomics analyses to a sample of modern beerstone to explore this residue's capacity as a marker for beer in archaeological contexts. The beerstone proteome was compared to the protein profiles of ungerminated and germinated barley to identify key proteins indicative of malted grains which may be encased by the residue. Proteins matching to barley grain (Hordeum vulgare) and Baker's/Brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were successfully identified in the beerstone. In particular, we identified hordeins, lipid transfer proteins, trypsin/α-amylase inhibitors, and protein Z, which are barley proteins abundant in proteomic characterisations of beer. In comparison to ungerminated and germinated barley grains, we find that beerstone preserves only a subset of the barley proteome, with the residue being more reflective of the final brewing product than of earlier brewing steps such as malting. Overall, we demonstrate that beerstone has potential to entrap and preserve proteins reflective of the beer-making process and identify proteins that we might anticipate in future archaeological analyses.
{"title":"Leave no stone unturned: Exploring the metaproteome of beerstone for the identification of archaeological beer production","authors":"Lindsey Paskulin , Krista McGrath , Richard Hagan , Camilla Speller , Marian Berihuete-Azorín , Hans-Peter Stika , Soultana-Maria Valamoti , Jessica Hendy","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In archaeological contexts, identifying processes of beer production and consumption has contributed to our understanding of agriculture, labor mobilization, economic surplus, feasting, gender dynamics, social structure, tribute, community, identity and politics. Nevertheless, in the absence of pictorial representations and characteristic objects, beer brewing is difficult to identify in the archaeological record, and molecular methods are often limited by constraints of preservation and specificity. A potential target for studies of ancient beer production are residues formed during brewing activity, including beerstone, a calcium oxalate residue. Here, we apply shotgun proteomics analyses to a sample of modern beerstone to explore this residue's capacity as a marker for beer in archaeological contexts. The beerstone proteome was compared to the protein profiles of ungerminated and germinated barley to identify key proteins indicative of malted grains which may be encased by the residue. Proteins matching to barley grain (<em>Hordeum vulgare</em>) and Baker's/Brewer's yeast (<em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em>) were successfully identified in the beerstone. In particular, we identified hordeins, lipid transfer proteins, trypsin/α-amylase inhibitors, and protein Z, which are barley proteins abundant in proteomic characterisations of beer. In comparison to ungerminated and germinated barley grains, we find that beerstone preserves only a subset of the barley proteome, with the residue being more reflective of the final brewing product than of earlier brewing steps such as malting. Overall, we demonstrate that beerstone has potential to entrap and preserve proteins reflective of the beer-making process and identify proteins that we might anticipate in future archaeological analyses.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440324000876/pdfft?md5=83a0d93de05de4569da81f9983ceb98c&pid=1-s2.0-S0305440324000876-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141594797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-22DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106011
Carlos P. Odriozola , José Ángel Garrido-Cordero , Ana C. Sousa , José María Martínez-Blanes , Galo Romero-García , Daniel Sánchez-Gómez , Manel Edo i Benaigues , Diego Romero-Vera , María Dolores Simón-Vallejo , María Dolores Zambrana Vega , José Luis Molina González
The discovery of a set of beads, comprising both Sicilian amber and resin-coated beads in the Middle Bronze Age burial site of Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona, Spain), has sparked inquiries into whether the coating was intended for imitation or counterfeiting of amber. We assert that human-made materials, such as bead coatings, are intentionally conceived, designed, and crafted to fulfill specific functions. Thus, for an object to effectively fulfill its intended purpose, it must meet particular performance criteria influenced by situational factors.
This paper aims to construct an empirically grounded narrative elucidating the development and function of resin-coated bead technology. Our methodology includes a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the coating and beads, an exploration of the interplay between technical choices and situational factors, and an investigation into whether the simulation of sensory performance characteristics played a pivotal role in the concept and design of resin-coated beads. Additionally, we synthesize data to unveil broader patterns related to the crafting and utilization of resin-coated and amber beads across time and space.
We have documented resin-coated beads in the Iberian Peninsula from the Neolithic period (5th to 3rd millennia BCE) until at least the Middle Bronze Age (first half of the 2nd millennium BCE), where they coexisted with amber beads. Analysis employing ATR-FTIR and μ-CT imaging has revealed a composite coating comprising pine resin, beeswax, and carotene, adhered to shell beads with bone glue. This composite material represents the earliest known development in human history, unique to the Iberian Peninsula and without parallel in Prehistoric Europe.
Our examination of the performance characteristics and functional roles of resin-coated beads suggests their potential as substitutes for amber beads, particularly in regions where amber was scarce or inaccessible. Despite being crafted from commonplace materials, these coated beads exhibit intentional design choices likely aimed at simulating the visual performance characteristics of amber. This deliberate effort, alongside their widespread distribution across time and space, indicates that composite-coated beads held symbolic and social significance akin to amber beads.
{"title":"Crafting illusions: Human-made composite coating used to simulate amber beads in prehistoric Iberia","authors":"Carlos P. Odriozola , José Ángel Garrido-Cordero , Ana C. Sousa , José María Martínez-Blanes , Galo Romero-García , Daniel Sánchez-Gómez , Manel Edo i Benaigues , Diego Romero-Vera , María Dolores Simón-Vallejo , María Dolores Zambrana Vega , José Luis Molina González","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The discovery of a set of beads, comprising both Sicilian amber and resin-coated beads in the Middle Bronze Age burial site of Cova del Gegant (Sitges, Barcelona, Spain), has sparked inquiries into whether the coating was intended for imitation or counterfeiting of amber. We assert that human-made materials, such as bead coatings, are intentionally conceived, designed, and crafted to fulfill specific functions. Thus, for an object to effectively fulfill its intended purpose, it must meet particular performance criteria influenced by situational factors.</p><p>This paper aims to construct an empirically grounded narrative elucidating the development and function of resin-coated bead technology. Our methodology includes a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the coating and beads, an exploration of the interplay between technical choices and situational factors, and an investigation into whether the simulation of sensory performance characteristics played a pivotal role in the concept and design of resin-coated beads. Additionally, we synthesize data to unveil broader patterns related to the crafting and utilization of resin-coated and amber beads across time and space.</p><p>We have documented resin-coated beads in the Iberian Peninsula from the Neolithic period (5th to 3rd millennia BCE) until at least the Middle Bronze Age (first half of the 2nd millennium BCE), where they coexisted with amber beads. Analysis employing ATR-FTIR and μ-CT imaging has revealed a composite coating comprising pine resin, beeswax, and carotene, adhered to shell beads with bone glue. This composite material represents the earliest known development in human history, unique to the Iberian Peninsula and without parallel in Prehistoric Europe.</p><p>Our examination of the performance characteristics and functional roles of resin-coated beads suggests their potential as substitutes for amber beads, particularly in regions where amber was scarce or inaccessible. Despite being crafted from commonplace materials, these coated beads exhibit intentional design choices likely aimed at simulating the visual performance characteristics of amber. This deliberate effort, alongside their widespread distribution across time and space, indicates that composite-coated beads held symbolic and social significance akin to amber beads.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440324000797/pdfft?md5=141138a61ec39fdca6e837db71bebace&pid=1-s2.0-S0305440324000797-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141441477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106009
G. Vincenti , R. Guglielmino , D. Panetta , P.A. Salvadori , L. Reitsema , J. Krigbaum , K.L. Reinberger , D. Melica , M. Lettieri , M. Masieri , P.F. Fabbri
This study recreates aspects of the life and death of a young adult male who died during the siege of Roca Vecchia, a Bronze Age fortified coastal site in Italy. The partially charred and unburied individual, Roca US813A, was found among the debris in the southern room of the main gate to the city.
This paper highlights information that can be retrieved from a single partially preserved skeleton. Detailed bioarchaeological, forensic, and taphonomic analysis, and thorough examination of archaeological and contextual data permit an osteobiography of this individual to be developed, which we situate in the overall picture of Middle Bronze Age regional events and exchanges between Italy and the Aegean world.
This individual represents a unique example of information derived from bones from an archaeological context. After suffering fatal blows to the body, the individual was accidently exposed to heat. This allowed us to analyze wounds that had undergone thermal alteration. Since the combustion of the body was only partial and the same bone retains both highly burned and unburned parts, we were able to document the variations induced by heat at a macroscopic and microscopic level.
To investigate the circumstances of his death, we focus on macroscopic and microscopic details of taphonomy and trauma using micro-CT, forensic, and multi-isotopic analysis. This may be the first secure evidence of a Middle Bronze Age (MBA) war casualty in Italy. In addition to detailed information about their manner of death, we discuss implications for the peopling of the site, tactics in Bronze Age warfare, and the nature of relations between Roca and the Aegean region.
{"title":"Violent death of a warrior in the destruction of Roca Vecchia, Apulia, Italy: Insights on hostilities and Aegean connections in the Bronze Age","authors":"G. Vincenti , R. Guglielmino , D. Panetta , P.A. Salvadori , L. Reitsema , J. Krigbaum , K.L. Reinberger , D. Melica , M. Lettieri , M. Masieri , P.F. Fabbri","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study recreates aspects of the life and death of a young adult male who died during the siege of Roca Vecchia, a Bronze Age fortified coastal site in Italy. The partially charred and unburied individual, Roca US813A, was found among the debris in the southern room of the main gate to the city.</p><p>This paper highlights information that can be retrieved from a single partially preserved skeleton. Detailed bioarchaeological, forensic, and taphonomic analysis, and thorough examination of archaeological and contextual data permit an osteobiography of this individual to be developed, which we situate in the overall picture of Middle Bronze Age regional events and exchanges between Italy and the Aegean world.</p><p>This individual represents a unique example of information derived from bones from an archaeological context. After suffering fatal blows to the body, the individual was accidently exposed to heat. This allowed us to analyze wounds that had undergone thermal alteration. Since the combustion of the body was only partial and the same bone retains both highly burned and unburned parts, we were able to document the variations induced by heat at a macroscopic and microscopic level.</p><p>To investigate the circumstances of his death, we focus on macroscopic and microscopic details of taphonomy and trauma using micro-CT, forensic, and multi-isotopic analysis. This may be the first secure evidence of a Middle Bronze Age (MBA) war casualty in Italy. In addition to detailed information about their manner of death, we discuss implications for the peopling of the site, tactics in Bronze Age warfare, and the nature of relations between Roca and the Aegean region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141290341","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 : 2024-06-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106010
Xingcheng Wang , Wenqi Wei , Ning Kang , Naifan Zhang , Zhuowei Tang , Quanjia Chen , Lixin Wang , Wei Zhang , He Tian , Wei Liu , Dawei Cai
Research has suggested that domestic dogs may have undergone simultaneous domestication in both the eastern and western parts of the Eurasian continent. Alternatively, domestication may have originated in the eastern part of Eurasia and subsequently spread westwards. The northeastern region of China, which serves as a link between the expansive Eurasian steppe and the northern regions of China, is of paramount importance for investigating the origin and domestication of dogs. To establish a precise spatiotemporal framework for the genetic history of ancient dogs in China, this study conducted mitochondrial genome analysis on 110 samples obtained from five archaeological sites in the northeastern region of China, spanning from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. This study reveals the developmental history of domestic dogs in the Northeast region, emphasizing the close connections between domestic dogs in Northeast China approximately 10,000 to 7000 years ago and ancient domestic dogs from the Siberian Arctic and the Americas. Furthermore, around 6000 years ago, domestic dogs from the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China gradually spread to Northeast China, leading to the replacement of the original domestic dog haplotypes. These findings provide new insights into the early spread and diffusion of domestic dogs, as well as the origin and domestication of ancient dogs in China, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon.
{"title":"Ancient DNA reveals the origin and history of early dogs in northeastern China","authors":"Xingcheng Wang , Wenqi Wei , Ning Kang , Naifan Zhang , Zhuowei Tang , Quanjia Chen , Lixin Wang , Wei Zhang , He Tian , Wei Liu , Dawei Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Research has suggested that domestic dogs may have undergone simultaneous domestication in both the eastern and western parts of the Eurasian continent. Alternatively, domestication may have originated in the eastern part of Eurasia and subsequently spread westwards. The northeastern region of China, which serves as a link between the expansive Eurasian steppe and the northern regions of China, is of paramount importance for investigating the origin and domestication of dogs. To establish a precise spatiotemporal framework for the genetic history of ancient dogs in China, this study conducted mitochondrial genome analysis on 110 samples obtained from five archaeological sites in the northeastern region of China, spanning from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. This study reveals the developmental history of domestic dogs in the Northeast region, emphasizing the close connections between domestic dogs in Northeast China approximately 10,000 to 7000 years ago and ancient domestic dogs from the Siberian Arctic and the Americas. Furthermore, around 6000 years ago, domestic dogs from the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China gradually spread to Northeast China, leading to the replacement of the original domestic dog haplotypes. These findings provide new insights into the early spread and diffusion of domestic dogs, as well as the origin and domestication of ancient dogs in China, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141286375","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 : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106008
Marilou Nordez
Lost-wax casting is a metalworking technique that has long been regarded as an innovation imported from the eastern Mediterranean and only widely used in Western Europe since the Late Bronze Age. We now have evidence that this technique was in fact largely in use from the Middle Bronze Age onwards for the production of copper alloy adornments in the Atlantic area. Along with palstaves, these objects are the most abundant in Atlantic hoards from the 15th to the 13th centuries BC. Thanks to detailed morphological and technological study, combined with an experimental approach and analysis of their elemental composition, we can propose new chaînes opératoires for the manufacture of massive annular bracelets with geometric decoration.
{"title":"Lost-wax casting: A widespread technique to produce copper alloy adornments in Atlantic Europe since the mid-second millennium BC","authors":"Marilou Nordez","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Lost-wax casting is a metalworking technique that has long been regarded as an innovation imported from the eastern Mediterranean and only widely used in Western Europe since the Late Bronze Age. We now have evidence that this technique was in fact largely in use from the Middle Bronze Age onwards for the production of copper alloy adornments in the Atlantic area. Along with palstaves, these objects are the most abundant in Atlantic hoards from the 15th to the 13th centuries BC. Thanks to detailed morphological and technological study, combined with an experimental approach and analysis of their elemental composition, we can propose new <em>chaînes opératoires</em> for the manufacture of massive annular bracelets with geometric decoration.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440324000761/pdfft?md5=3c6ffa65e5fcb171507c79d7408a2343&pid=1-s2.0-S0305440324000761-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141242934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-31DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106000
Xiaohan Zhao , Ye Zhao , Xiaoli Qin , Rong Wang
This investigation delves into the utilization of tremolite, a rare mineral, as a pottery temper for cooking vessels of the late Neolithic lower Yangtze Liangzhu culture. Raman spectroscopy analysis of 165 mineral-tempered pottery sherds from the Dazemiao site revealed that tremolite was the predominant tempering material for tripods (ding), whereas a mixture of feldspar and quartz was used for open-topped vats (da-kou-gang). SEM images indicate that the tremolite temper exhibits relatively coarse fiber structure, corresponding to one of the nephrite materials used for the Liangzhu jade. It is suggested that the Liangzhu miners reallocated materials according to nephrite quality, formulating different product lines, including different types of jade objects and pottery temper. Additionally, the utilization of tremolite temper persisted throughout the entire Liangzhu culture. The presence of tremolite-tempered pottery in regions without indigenous tremolite mines necessitated robust logistical networks for the transportation of these bulky materials. The tremolite temper not only reconfirms the strong ‘jade culture’ of Liangzhu, but also provides evidence of extensive socio-economic exchanges between different geographical regions on the Yangtze River delta.
{"title":"On Liangzhu Culture Tremolite-Tempered Pottery: Social complexity, logistical networks and cross-craft interaction in Neolithic China","authors":"Xiaohan Zhao , Ye Zhao , Xiaoli Qin , Rong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This investigation delves into the utilization of tremolite, a rare mineral, as a pottery temper for cooking vessels of the late Neolithic lower Yangtze Liangzhu culture. Raman spectroscopy analysis of 165 mineral-tempered pottery sherds from the Dazemiao site revealed that tremolite was the predominant tempering material for tripods (<em>ding</em>), whereas a mixture of feldspar and quartz was used for open-topped vats (<em>da-kou-gang</em>). SEM images indicate that the tremolite temper exhibits relatively coarse fiber structure, corresponding to one of the nephrite materials used for the Liangzhu jade. It is suggested that the Liangzhu miners reallocated materials according to nephrite quality, formulating different product lines, including different types of jade objects and pottery temper. Additionally, the utilization of tremolite temper persisted throughout the entire Liangzhu culture. The presence of tremolite-tempered pottery in regions without indigenous tremolite mines necessitated robust logistical networks for the transportation of these bulky materials. The tremolite temper not only reconfirms the strong ‘jade culture’ of Liangzhu, but also provides evidence of extensive socio-economic exchanges between different geographical regions on the Yangtze River delta.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141243533","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 : 2024-05-30DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106004
Giulia Previti, Beatrice Luci, Cristina Lemorini
This paper introduces a novel micro-photogrammetric application for the examination of technological traces using a portable digital microscope. The aim is to evaluate its potential, advantages, and level of detail within the context of traceology studies, highlighting its importance in particular for field documentation of unmovable items. The technique is non-invasive and applicable to samples that cannot be transported outside their regions/countries of origin.
Moreover, this methodological presentation aims to provide an extensive account of the utilized technology, the accessories, the possible uses and a series of experiments designed to replicate environmental and logistical conditions commonly encountered in the field.
The goal is also to compare a 3D model obtained with a portable digital microscope to one obtained with a camera equipped with a macro lens, in order to highlight the level of detail achieved in trace visualization.
The results are also expanded and discussed, including an examination of an archaeological case study. Additionally, to evaluate the validity and accuracy of the detected traces, the data obtained has been analyzed in the context of a qualitative assessment conducted using a stereomicroscope coupled with an optical fiber reflected light system.
{"title":"Micro-photogrammetry and traceology: new on-site documentation approaches using portable digital microscopes","authors":"Giulia Previti, Beatrice Luci, Cristina Lemorini","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper introduces a novel micro-photogrammetric application for the examination of technological traces using a portable digital microscope. The aim is to evaluate its potential, advantages, and level of detail within the context of traceology studies, highlighting its importance in particular for field documentation of unmovable items. The technique is non-invasive and applicable to samples that cannot be transported outside their regions/countries of origin.</p><p>Moreover, this methodological presentation aims to provide an extensive account of the utilized technology, the accessories, the possible uses and a series of experiments designed to replicate environmental and logistical conditions commonly encountered in the field.</p><p>The goal is also to compare a 3D model obtained with a portable digital microscope to one obtained with a camera equipped with a macro lens, in order to highlight the level of detail achieved in trace visualization.</p><p>The results are also expanded and discussed, including an examination of an archaeological case study. Additionally, to evaluate the validity and accuracy of the detected traces, the data obtained has been analyzed in the context of a qualitative assessment conducted using a stereomicroscope coupled with an optical fiber reflected light system.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440324000724/pdfft?md5=50088b84b7c4001dab3a640898b638de&pid=1-s2.0-S0305440324000724-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141182423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The study of Neanderthal-Environment interactions very often lacks precise data that match the chrono-geographical frame of human activities. Here, we reconstruct Neanderthals’ hunting grounds within three distinct habitats using dental microwear analysis combined with zooarchaeological data. The predation patterns toward ungulates are discussed in term of frequency (NISP/MNI) and potential meat intake (MAM). Unit IIIa of Teixoneres Cave (MIS 3, NE Spain) corresponds to a mosaic landscape, Unit IIIb was more forested, and, in the “Ensemble” II of Pié Lombard (MIS 4, SE France), forest cover dominated. At Pié Lombard, Neanderthals rely on a high diversity of taxa from closed and semi-open hunting grounds, mostly two ungulate species as well as rabbits and several bird taxa. At Teixoneres Cave, mainly open areas are exploited in summer with a predation mostly focused on large gregarious ungulates. The larger size of ungulate herds in open spaces may have allowed Neanderthals to restrict their subsistence behaviour only to very few species, in specific hunting strategies. In Unit IIIa, they do not appear to have made any selection within the most abundant species, while in Unit IIIb, they focused on aurochs and also opportunistically and heavily on newborn red deer. Neanderthal subsistence strategies seem, therefore, only partially linked to the hunting grounds they had access to. While it impacted the diversity of the prey they selected, Neanderthal groups were able to develop distinct hunting strategies within similar environments.
{"title":"Neanderthal hunting grounds: The case of Teixoneres Cave (Spain) and Pié Lombard rockshelter (France)","authors":"Antigone Uzunidis , Ruth Blasco , Jean-Philip Brugal , Tiffanie Fourcade , Juan Ochando , Jordi Rosell , Audrey Roussel , Anna Rufà , Maria Fernanda Sánchez Goñi , Pierre-Jean Texier , Florent Rivals","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The study of Neanderthal-Environment interactions very often lacks precise data that match the chrono-geographical frame of human activities. Here, we reconstruct Neanderthals’ hunting grounds within three distinct habitats using dental microwear analysis combined with zooarchaeological data. The predation patterns toward ungulates are discussed in term of frequency (NISP/MNI) and potential meat intake (MAM). Unit IIIa of Teixoneres Cave (MIS 3, NE Spain) corresponds to a mosaic landscape, Unit IIIb was more forested, and, in the “Ensemble” II of Pié Lombard (MIS 4, SE France), forest cover dominated. At Pié Lombard, Neanderthals rely on a high diversity of taxa from closed and semi-open hunting grounds, mostly two ungulate species as well as rabbits and several bird taxa. At Teixoneres Cave, mainly open areas are exploited in summer with a predation mostly focused on large gregarious ungulates. The larger size of ungulate herds in open spaces may have allowed Neanderthals to restrict their subsistence behaviour only to very few species, in specific hunting strategies. In Unit IIIa, they do not appear to have made any selection within the most abundant species, while in Unit IIIb, they focused on aurochs and also opportunistically and heavily on newborn red deer. Neanderthal subsistence strategies seem, therefore, only partially linked to the hunting grounds they had access to. While it impacted the diversity of the prey they selected, Neanderthal groups were able to develop distinct hunting strategies within similar environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030544032400075X/pdfft?md5=6b5096476c5caea62651d06b1be37130&pid=1-s2.0-S030544032400075X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141163375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-25DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106006
Timothy P. Cleland , Sara A. McGuire , Jared S. Beatrice , Kimberlee S. Moran , Christine A.M. France
Accurate estimation of biological sex in archaeological human remains is critical when considering demographic, resource partitioning, and various sex-based cultural issues in historic societies. Recent developments in paleoproteomics of enamel have allowed for the estimation of biological sex through sex chromosome-linked amelogenins. This method is highly advantageous when traditional osteological sex estimation is precluded by incompleteness, poor preservation, or juvenile age. Here, we have developed Sample Preparation by Easy Extraction and Digestion-free for Enamel (SPEED-E), building on the Sample Preparation by Easy Extraction and Digestion (SPEED) method and direct stage tip clean-up used in paleoproteomic studies. The SPEED-E protocol is similar in extraction time to acid etching protocols, is overall much shorter than digestion-based protocols, and uses relatively less sample. This new method facilitates a rapid analysis of large sample batches where sample value is high and sample material is very limited. Using SPEED-E, we were able to estimate the sex of 85 of 89 deciduous and permanent teeth from the assemblage of archaeological human skeletal remains from the historic First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The indeterminate teeth had limited or no detected amelogenins because of overprinting larger proteins, likely from sampled dentin.
{"title":"SPEED-E: A modified version of the sample preparation by Easy extraction and Digestion(-free) protocol for enamel-based sex estimation in archaeological remains","authors":"Timothy P. Cleland , Sara A. McGuire , Jared S. Beatrice , Kimberlee S. Moran , Christine A.M. France","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Accurate estimation of biological sex in archaeological human remains is critical when considering demographic, resource partitioning, and various sex-based cultural issues in historic societies. Recent developments in paleoproteomics of enamel have allowed for the estimation of biological sex through sex chromosome-linked amelogenins. This method is highly advantageous when traditional osteological sex estimation is precluded by incompleteness, poor preservation, or juvenile age. Here, we have developed Sample Preparation by Easy Extraction and Digestion-free for Enamel (SPEED-E), building on the Sample Preparation by Easy Extraction and Digestion (SPEED) method and direct stage tip clean-up used in paleoproteomic studies. The SPEED-E protocol is similar in extraction time to acid etching protocols, is overall much shorter than digestion-based protocols, and uses relatively less sample. This new method facilitates a rapid analysis of large sample batches where sample value is high and sample material is very limited. Using SPEED-E, we were able to estimate the sex of 85 of 89 deciduous and permanent teeth from the assemblage of archaeological human skeletal remains from the historic First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The indeterminate teeth had limited or no detected amelogenins because of overprinting larger proteins, likely from sampled dentin.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141094865","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 : 2024-05-24DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106005
Daobin Tang , Xiangjun Liu , Guanghui Dong , Jianye Han , Xiaoning Zhang , Kartika Goswami , Xianjiao Ou
Nanzuo is a key Neolithic archaeological site in the central Chinese Loess Plateau (CCLP). The site is important for understanding the origin and development of the Chinese civilization, yet, it lacks a robust chronological framework. The current work, for the first time, dates two different types of heated materials (pottery and burnt soil) from a profile near the main excavation of the Nanzuo archaeological site using various luminescence dating techniques. These techniques included single grain (SG) quartz OSL and K-feldspar post-infrared infrared-stimulated (pIRIR) dating for burnt soil samples and pottery, and pIRIR dating for pottery slices using the rock surface luminescence technique (RSL). The reliability of luminescence dating was investigated by comparing SG quartz, K-feldspar and pottery slice ages with radiocarbon (14C) ages obtained from the same cultural layer. The results show that the SG quartz OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR225 age estimates of the two coarse potteries are consistent with the 14C ages, however, the age estimates of the pottery slice (NZ22-CPS150) are significantly younger, which is primarily explained by underestimation in equivalent doses (De). Moreover, it is noted that while there is a considerable variation in the De of coarse pottery slices with depth, no significant correlation is observed between K- content and De. Heterogeneous K content was revealed by μ-XRF scanning on coarse pottery slices. Conversely, fine pottery displayed homogeneous K-content distribution and age estimates consistent with the 14C ages. Thus fine pottery slices are suggested to be more suitable for pIRIR dating relative to coarse pottery slices. The underestimation of De values in mixed minerals is observed as the primary reason for underestimated slice ages compared to SG K-feldspar, with grain size of K-feldspar and K content variation playing only a minor role. Therefore, by integrating the 14C ages with the luminescence ages of the pottery, it is inferred that human occupation of the Nanzuo site occurred around 5100 to 4500 years ago, which aligns with the 14C ages obtained from the main section of the Nanzuo site. The current work further concludes that the single-grain luminescence dating method is reliable for pottery. The study recommends to prioritize materials characterized by relatively uniform potassium (K) content for pIRIR dating using pottery slices.
南佐是中国黄土高原中部一处重要的新石器时代考古遗址。该遗址对了解中华文明的起源和发展非常重要,但却缺乏一个强有力的年代框架。本次研究首次使用各种发光测年技术对南召考古遗址主发掘区附近剖面上两种不同类型的受热材料(陶器和烧土)进行了测年。这些技术包括对烧土样本和陶器进行单颗粒(SG)石英 OSL 和 K 长石后红外激发(pIRIR)测年,以及利用岩石表面发光技术(RSL)对陶片进行 pIRIR 测年。通过将 SG 石英、钾长石和陶片的年代与同一文化层的放射性碳(14C)年代进行比较,研究了发光测年的可靠性。结果表明,两件粗陶器的 SG 石英 OSL 和 K 长石 pIRIR225 年龄估计值与 14C 年龄一致,但陶片(NZ22-CPS150)的年龄估计值明显偏小,主要原因是等效剂量(De)估计不足。此外,虽然粗陶片的 De 随深度变化很大,但钾含量与 De 之间没有明显的相关性。μ-XRF扫描显示,粗陶片的钾含量不均匀。相反,细陶显示出均匀的钾含量分布和与 14C 年龄一致的年龄估计。因此,与粗陶片相比,细陶片更适合进行 pIRIR 测定。与 SG K 长石相比,混合矿物中的 De 值被低估是造成切片年代被低估的主要原因,而 K 长石的粒度和 K 含量的变化仅起次要作用。因此,通过将 14C 年龄与陶器的发光年龄相整合,可以推断南左遗址的人类活动发生在距今约 5100 至 4500 年之间,这与南左遗址主断面获得的 14C 年龄相吻合。目前的工作进一步得出结论,单颗粒发光测年法对于陶器是可靠的。研究建议优先使用钾(K)含量相对均匀的材料,利用陶片进行 pIRIR 测定。
{"title":"Multiple luminescence dating on heated materials at the nanzuo archaeological site, central Chinese Loess Plateau","authors":"Daobin Tang , Xiangjun Liu , Guanghui Dong , Jianye Han , Xiaoning Zhang , Kartika Goswami , Xianjiao Ou","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Nanzuo is a key Neolithic archaeological site in the central Chinese Loess Plateau (CCLP). The site is important for understanding the origin and development of the Chinese civilization, yet, it lacks a robust chronological framework. The current work, for the first time, dates two different types of heated materials (pottery and burnt soil) from a profile near the main excavation of the Nanzuo archaeological site using various luminescence dating techniques. These techniques included single grain (SG) quartz OSL and K-feldspar post-infrared infrared-stimulated (pIRIR) dating for burnt soil samples and pottery, and pIRIR dating for pottery slices using the rock surface luminescence technique (RSL). The reliability of luminescence dating was investigated by comparing SG quartz, K-feldspar and pottery slice ages with radiocarbon (<sup>14</sup>C) ages obtained from the same cultural layer. The results show that the SG quartz OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR<sub>225</sub> age estimates of the two coarse potteries are consistent with the <sup>14</sup>C ages, however, the age estimates of the pottery slice (NZ22-CPS150) are significantly younger, which is primarily explained by underestimation in equivalent doses (D<sub>e</sub>). Moreover, it is noted that while there is a considerable variation in the D<sub>e</sub> of coarse pottery slices with depth, no significant correlation is observed between K- content and D<sub>e</sub>. Heterogeneous K content was revealed by μ-XRF scanning on coarse pottery slices. Conversely, fine pottery displayed homogeneous K-content distribution and age estimates consistent with the <sup>14</sup>C ages. Thus fine pottery slices are suggested to be more suitable for pIRIR dating relative to coarse pottery slices. The underestimation of D<sub>e</sub> values in mixed minerals is observed as the primary reason for underestimated slice ages compared to SG K-feldspar, with grain size of K-feldspar and K content variation playing only a minor role. Therefore, by integrating the <sup>14</sup>C ages with the luminescence ages of the pottery, it is inferred that human occupation of the Nanzuo site occurred around 5100 to 4500 years ago, which aligns with the <sup>14</sup>C ages obtained from the main section of the Nanzuo site. The current work further concludes that the single-grain luminescence dating method is reliable for pottery. The study recommends to prioritize materials characterized by relatively uniform potassium (K) content for pIRIR dating using pottery slices.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141090418","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}