Pub Date : 2025-11-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106429
Junhui Chen , Fei Tang , Heshan Lin , Yong Chen , Yuyue Chen , Peiru Lin , Bo Huang , Xueping Lin
Shipwrecks hold dual significance as cultural time capsules and ecological refugia that enhance marine biodiversity. However, systematic, large-scale methods for locating them are still limited. This study presents an innovative approach to map shipwreck susceptibility in Chinese adjacent seas by integrating remote sensing data with machine learning techniques. We assembled a historical shipwreck inventory and analyzed 16 conditioning factors, grouped into geospatial, hydrodynamic, and depositional categories. These factors were processed using Frequency Ratio (FR) values, which served as inputs for three ensemble models: Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP-FR), Random Forest (RF-FR), and Support Vector Machine (SVM-FR). Model performance was evaluated through statistical metrics and ROC-AUC curves, with the RF-FR model outperforming others, achieving an AUC of 0.995 for training and 0.901 for validation. The resulting susceptibility maps identify priority areas for archaeological exploration. Feature importance analysis revealed proximity to the coastline, chlorophyll concentration, and oceanographic conditions as the primary factors influencing shipwreck occurrence. This scalable, cost-effective framework offers a valuable tool for directing underwater heritage surveys and has potential applications in marine conservation and tourism planning.
{"title":"Application of remote sensing and machine learning algorithms for shipwreck susceptibility mapping in China","authors":"Junhui Chen , Fei Tang , Heshan Lin , Yong Chen , Yuyue Chen , Peiru Lin , Bo Huang , Xueping Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shipwrecks hold dual significance as cultural time capsules and ecological refugia that enhance marine biodiversity. However, systematic, large-scale methods for locating them are still limited. This study presents an innovative approach to map shipwreck susceptibility in Chinese adjacent seas by integrating remote sensing data with machine learning techniques. We assembled a historical shipwreck inventory and analyzed 16 conditioning factors, grouped into geospatial, hydrodynamic, and depositional categories. These factors were processed using Frequency Ratio (FR) values, which served as inputs for three ensemble models: Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP-FR), Random Forest (RF-FR), and Support Vector Machine (SVM-FR). Model performance was evaluated through statistical metrics and ROC-AUC curves, with the RF-FR model outperforming others, achieving an AUC of 0.995 for training and 0.901 for validation. The resulting susceptibility maps identify priority areas for archaeological exploration. Feature importance analysis revealed proximity to the coastline, chlorophyll concentration, and oceanographic conditions as the primary factors influencing shipwreck occurrence. This scalable, cost-effective framework offers a valuable tool for directing underwater heritage surveys and has potential applications in marine conservation and tourism planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106429"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145580510","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 : 2025-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106391
Junna Zhang , Honglin Ran , Songhan Li , Danyang Xu , Xiaohu Zhang , Jiaxin Kong , Zinan Han , Zongyue Rao , Huiru Lian , Zhengkai Xia
The Sanxingdui site, renowned for the extraordinary assemblage of artifacts recovered from its multiple pits, documents a distinct and enigmatic cultural tradition that flourished in southwestern China approximately 4000−3000 years ago. Nevertheless, the precise ritual or functional nature of these pits remains a topic of ongoing debate. Following the resumption of excavations at Sanxingdui in 2019, we launched a geoarchaeological investigation of the newly exposed Pit K4. By integrating magnetic-susceptibility measurements, chromaticity, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and soil micromorphology, we examined the combustion residues inside Pit K4 and reconstructed the process of its infill sequence. The results indicate that the combustion residues within Pit K4 were introduced from an external source rather than produced by in situ burning, thereby confirming the pit's function as a “ritual objects-burial pit”. A three-stage depositional sequence is therefore proposed: ritual deposits-addition of external ash/charcoal and soil-post-depositional compaction, staining, leaching, and bioturbation. This study elucidates the accumulation processes of Pit K4 and establishes a geoarchaeological baseline for interpreting the burial and ritual practices of the Sanxingdui civilization, while offering empirical support for understanding the Shang dynasty's control over southern China-particularly its southwestern periphery.
{"title":"Sacrificial pit or not? — Deposition history of Pit K4 at the Sanxingdui site","authors":"Junna Zhang , Honglin Ran , Songhan Li , Danyang Xu , Xiaohu Zhang , Jiaxin Kong , Zinan Han , Zongyue Rao , Huiru Lian , Zhengkai Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Sanxingdui site, renowned for the extraordinary assemblage of artifacts recovered from its multiple pits, documents a distinct and enigmatic cultural tradition that flourished in southwestern China approximately 4000−3000 years ago. Nevertheless, the precise ritual or functional nature of these pits remains a topic of ongoing debate. Following the resumption of excavations at Sanxingdui in 2019, we launched a geoarchaeological investigation of the newly exposed Pit K4. By integrating magnetic-susceptibility measurements, chromaticity, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and soil micromorphology, we examined the combustion residues inside Pit K4 and reconstructed the process of its infill sequence. The results indicate that the combustion residues within Pit K4 were introduced from an external source rather than produced by in situ burning, thereby confirming the pit's function as a “ritual objects-burial pit”. A three-stage depositional sequence is therefore proposed: ritual deposits-addition of external ash/charcoal and soil-post-depositional compaction, staining, leaching, and bioturbation. This study elucidates the accumulation processes of Pit K4 and establishes a geoarchaeological baseline for interpreting the burial and ritual practices of the Sanxingdui civilization, while offering empirical support for understanding the Shang dynasty's control over southern China-particularly its southwestern periphery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106391"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145529006","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 : 2025-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106427
Javier Davara , Cristo M. Hernández , Daniel Carrizo , Antonio V. Herrera-Herrera , Eneko Iriarte , Carolina Mallol
Despite the great potential of lipid biomarkers in archaeological science, their analysis in stone tools has been overlooked. The lipid retention capacity of Palaeolithic stone tools, along with the potential utility of the biomarkers they may harbour as a functional proxy, remains largely unknown. Here, we extracted lipid biomarkers from flint flakes and limestone pebbles from the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt (SE Spain) and analysed them using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Adjacent sediments were also analysed for comparison. We provide evidence that Palaeolithic stone tools preserve a diverse array of lipid biomarkers including fatty acids, n-alkanols, sterols and terpenoids, the analysis of which allowed us to determine whether the tools were used and/or hafted. The isotopic characterization of individual fatty acids preserved on tools’ working edges enabled us to identify lithic residues as fats resulting from the processing of ruminant animal species, or as lipids from non-ruminant animal and/or plant taxa. This introduces into functional studies a novel approach that adds taxonomic resolution and complements current techniques such as use-wear and micro-residue analyses. Our findings highlight the remarkable preservation potential of biomolecular remains within the Palaeolithic record and underscore the importance of exploring them in different kinds of materials and contexts.
{"title":"Enhanced functional data retrieval from Palaeolithic stone tools by lipid analysis","authors":"Javier Davara , Cristo M. Hernández , Daniel Carrizo , Antonio V. Herrera-Herrera , Eneko Iriarte , Carolina Mallol","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the great potential of lipid biomarkers in archaeological science, their analysis in stone tools has been overlooked. The lipid retention capacity of Palaeolithic stone tools, along with the potential utility of the biomarkers they may harbour as a functional proxy, remains largely unknown. Here, we extracted lipid biomarkers from flint flakes and limestone pebbles from the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt (SE Spain) and analysed them using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Adjacent sediments were also analysed for comparison. We provide evidence that Palaeolithic stone tools preserve a diverse array of lipid biomarkers including fatty acids, <em>n</em>-alkanols, sterols and terpenoids, the analysis of which allowed us to determine whether the tools were used and/or hafted. The isotopic characterization of individual fatty acids preserved on tools’ working edges enabled us to identify lithic residues as fats resulting from the processing of ruminant animal species, or as lipids from non-ruminant animal and/or plant taxa. This introduces into functional studies a novel approach that adds taxonomic resolution and complements current techniques such as use-wear and micro-residue analyses. Our findings highlight the remarkable preservation potential of biomolecular remains within the Palaeolithic record and underscore the importance of exploring them in different kinds of materials and contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145535760","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 : 2025-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106428
Daniel Sánchez-Gomez , José Ángel Garrido-Cordero , José María Martínez-Blanes , Rodrigo Villalobos García , Manuel Edo i Benaiges , Ana Catarina Sousa , María Dolores Zambrana Vega , Ferran Borrell , Rosa Barroso Bermejo , Primitiva Bueno Ramírez , Carlos P. Odriozola
This study addresses critical gaps in the provenance analysis of variscite and related green phosphate minerals, which serve as key tracers of prehistoric socio-economic networks in Late Prehistoric Europe (c. 6000–1200 BC). Despite their significance, existing provenance models are limited by small, unrepresentative datasets, outdated data processing techniques, and a lack of robust validation metrics. These limitations hinder the accurate reconstruction of prehistoric exchange networks and the cultural significance of these materials.
To overcome these challenges, we present a scalable, data-driven approach that integrates portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) analysis, machine learning (ML), and information theory. We compiled the largest geoarchaeological green phosphate dataset to date (n = 1778), sourced from three major Iberian deposits: Aliste, Encinasola, and the Gavà Mines. Using a supervised Random Forest (RF) model, we classified samples into three geographic source groups based on elemental composition, achieving 95 % accuracy. Key elements such as Ca, As, Ba, V, Sr, Ta, Cu, Cr, Mo, K, Se, Ti, S, and Zn were identified as critical discriminators through feature importance analysis and Shapley values.
The model was validated against an external dataset of 571 beads from 15 archaeological sites across Iberia and France. Results revealed that Aliste and the Gavà Mines played a more significant role in prehistoric variscite exchange than previously assumed, challenging the traditional emphasis on Encinasola as a primary source. Notably, French materials were predominantly linked to Aliste, suggesting an overland distribution network rather than maritime connections. The compositional complexity of the Gavà Mines was reflected in high uncertainty in the Catalan sites, highlighting the need for subclass distinctions in future iterations.
Our findings underscore the importance of integrating chemical and mineralogical variability into provenance studies. By quantifying uncertainty and employing probabilistic frameworks, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of prehistoric exchange networks. The methodological advancements presented here—combining expanded datasets, advanced ML techniques, and rigorous performance evaluation—set a new standard for provenance analysis in archaeology. This approach not only refines our understanding of variscite distribution but also offers a scalable framework for studying other archaeologically significant materials.
{"title":"A forest of green beads: A machine-learning based framework to determine the geological provenance of prehistoric variscite artifacts","authors":"Daniel Sánchez-Gomez , José Ángel Garrido-Cordero , José María Martínez-Blanes , Rodrigo Villalobos García , Manuel Edo i Benaiges , Ana Catarina Sousa , María Dolores Zambrana Vega , Ferran Borrell , Rosa Barroso Bermejo , Primitiva Bueno Ramírez , Carlos P. Odriozola","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses critical gaps in the provenance analysis of variscite and related green phosphate minerals, which serve as key tracers of prehistoric socio-economic networks in Late Prehistoric Europe (c. 6000–1200 BC). Despite their significance, existing provenance models are limited by small, unrepresentative datasets, outdated data processing techniques, and a lack of robust validation metrics. These limitations hinder the accurate reconstruction of prehistoric exchange networks and the cultural significance of these materials.</div><div>To overcome these challenges, we present a scalable, data-driven approach that integrates portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) analysis, machine learning (ML), and information theory. We compiled the largest geoarchaeological green phosphate dataset to date (n = 1778), sourced from three major Iberian deposits: Aliste, Encinasola, and the Gavà Mines. Using a supervised Random Forest (RF) model, we classified samples into three geographic source groups based on elemental composition, achieving 95 % accuracy. Key elements such as Ca, As, Ba, V, Sr, Ta, Cu, Cr, Mo, K, Se, Ti, S, and Zn were identified as critical discriminators through feature importance analysis and Shapley values.</div><div>The model was validated against an external dataset of 571 beads from 15 archaeological sites across Iberia and France. Results revealed that Aliste and the Gavà Mines played a more significant role in prehistoric variscite exchange than previously assumed, challenging the traditional emphasis on Encinasola as a primary source. Notably, French materials were predominantly linked to Aliste, suggesting an overland distribution network rather than maritime connections. The compositional complexity of the Gavà Mines was reflected in high uncertainty in the Catalan sites, highlighting the need for subclass distinctions in future iterations.</div><div>Our findings underscore the importance of integrating chemical and mineralogical variability into provenance studies. By quantifying uncertainty and employing probabilistic frameworks, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of prehistoric exchange networks. The methodological advancements presented here—combining expanded datasets, advanced ML techniques, and rigorous performance evaluation—set a new standard for provenance analysis in archaeology. This approach not only refines our understanding of variscite distribution but also offers a scalable framework for studying other archaeologically significant materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"185 ","pages":"Article 106428"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145529513","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 : 2025-11-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106419
Possum Pincé , Negar Abdali , Dennis Braekmans
The differentiation between various fine-grained and clay-rich materials, also described as argillaceous inclusions, specifically mudstones and grog, presents considerable challenges in the analysis of archaeological ceramics. These difficulties arise from overlapping characteristics and the mineral uniformity of raw materials in certain environments. This study addresses these challenges by developing an interpretative framework to identify robust characteristic features to distinguish between mudstone and grog as well as recurring pitfalls. To this end, we constructed an experimental reference set comprising 26 testbars, which are analyzed using thin section petrography and SEM-EDS to examine the features of mudstone, grog and clays. The materials derive from the Kur River Basin in Southwest Iran, as this is an area with evidenced presence and use of extensive argillaceous inclusions through time. Additionally, we studied thin sections from a variable selection of archaeological ceramics (n = 11) with argillaceous inclusions from the same region that date from the Banesh to Late Bronze Age periods (ca. 3500 to 900 BCE) for comparison. The aim of this research was threefold: (1) assess optical identifiable characteristics of the argillaceous materials, (2) determine the compositional variability in the mudstones and grog fragments in this region and (3) document and test the potential of mudstone analysis for characterization and provenance purposes. Our findings indicate that distinguishing features are influenced by the granularity of the grog and sintering process. Notably, characteristics associated with mudstone inclusions comprise a compact, fine-grained texture, homogeneity with few to no constituents, solid or polygonal cracking, higher roundness, variability in particle sizes, and a pronounced likelihood of birefringence at lower firing temperatures where sintering has not yet occurred. The differentiation challenges intensify once sintering develops at higher firing temperatures, particularly when fine grog is present. In such cases, the angularity of the inclusions emerges as the primary criterion. SEM-EDS analysis further corroborated the established criteria, demonstrating a consistent chemical difference between grog and mudstone, aside from one overlapping type. Moreover, it supports a typological approach for determining these characteristics in thin section petrography and highlights a potential for provenance determinations of mudstone within a regional framework. Finally, analysis of the argillaceous inclusions in the archaeological ceramics suggests that no grog was used in these ceramics and that an intra-basin variability of mudstone was present that allows for higher resolution provenance studies.
{"title":"Inside the matrix: Exploring the variability of mudstone and grog in archaeological ceramics using microanalytical methods","authors":"Possum Pincé , Negar Abdali , Dennis Braekmans","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The differentiation between various fine-grained and clay-rich materials, also described as argillaceous inclusions, specifically mudstones and grog, presents considerable challenges in the analysis of archaeological ceramics. These difficulties arise from overlapping characteristics and the mineral uniformity of raw materials in certain environments. This study addresses these challenges by developing an interpretative framework to identify robust characteristic features to distinguish between mudstone and grog as well as recurring pitfalls. To this end, we constructed an experimental reference set comprising 26 testbars, which are analyzed using thin section petrography and SEM-EDS to examine the features of mudstone, grog and clays. The materials derive from the Kur River Basin in Southwest Iran, as this is an area with evidenced presence and use of extensive argillaceous inclusions through time. Additionally, we studied thin sections from a variable selection of archaeological ceramics (n = 11) with argillaceous inclusions from the same region that date from the Banesh to Late Bronze Age periods (ca. 3500 to 900 BCE) for comparison. The aim of this research was threefold: (1) assess optical identifiable characteristics of the argillaceous materials, (2) determine the compositional variability in the mudstones and grog fragments in this region and (3) document and test the potential of mudstone analysis for characterization and provenance purposes. Our findings indicate that distinguishing features are influenced by the granularity of the grog and sintering process. Notably, characteristics associated with mudstone inclusions comprise a compact, fine-grained texture, homogeneity with few to no constituents, solid or polygonal cracking, higher roundness, variability in particle sizes, and a pronounced likelihood of birefringence at lower firing temperatures where sintering has not yet occurred. The differentiation challenges intensify once sintering develops at higher firing temperatures, particularly when fine grog is present. In such cases, the angularity of the inclusions emerges as the primary criterion. SEM-EDS analysis further corroborated the established criteria, demonstrating a consistent chemical difference between grog and mudstone, aside from one overlapping type. Moreover, it supports a typological approach for determining these characteristics in thin section petrography and highlights a potential for provenance determinations of mudstone within a regional framework. Finally, analysis of the argillaceous inclusions in the archaeological ceramics suggests that no grog was used in these ceramics and that an intra-basin variability of mudstone was present that allows for higher resolution provenance studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106419"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525042","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 : 2025-11-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106409
Kathryn Grossman , Max Price , Diana Fennimore , Salam Al Kuntar , Clemens Reichel
The advent of urbanism marks a significant shift in human lifeways, and comparative study has shown that the world has seen many different forms of urbanism. We argue that animals were a fundamental part of what made cities different from other forms of settlement and different from one another. In this article, we provide the first long-term, diachronic analysis of a Mesopotamian city that foregrounds the evolving role of animals. We argue that the site of Hamoukar in northeastern Syria is best viewed as a succession of three cities, each distinctive in its own way and each dependent on animals in its own fashion. To make this argument, we summarize urban dynamics at Hamoukar from the late 5th through mid-late 3rd millennia BC, with a particular focus on faunal remains. We show that intensive and potentially long-distance caprine management was key to the first city; a more mixed animal economy, with caprines potentially harvested for wool, defined the second city; and pigs dominated the meat supply of the third city. Analysis of changing patterns in species composition, caprine survivorship, secondary products exploitation, and biometrics demonstrates that the three different cities were––both literally and metaphorically––different animals.
{"title":"Cities are different animals: A zooarchaeology of urbanism at Hamoukar, Syria, 5th–3rd millennia BC","authors":"Kathryn Grossman , Max Price , Diana Fennimore , Salam Al Kuntar , Clemens Reichel","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106409","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advent of urbanism marks a significant shift in human lifeways, and comparative study has shown that the world has seen many different forms of urbanism. We argue that animals were a fundamental part of what made cities different from other forms of settlement and different from one another. In this article, we provide the first long-term, diachronic analysis of a Mesopotamian city that foregrounds the evolving role of animals. We argue that the site of Hamoukar in northeastern Syria is best viewed as a succession of three cities, each distinctive in its own way and each dependent on animals in its own fashion. To make this argument, we summarize urban dynamics at Hamoukar from the late 5th through mid-late 3rd millennia BC, with a particular focus on faunal remains. We show that intensive and potentially long-distance caprine management was key to the first city; a more mixed animal economy, with caprines potentially harvested for wool, defined the second city; and pigs dominated the meat supply of the third city. Analysis of changing patterns in species composition, caprine survivorship, secondary products exploitation, and biometrics demonstrates that the three different cities were––both literally and metaphorically––different animals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106409"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145515815","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 : 2025-11-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106421
Steven Andrew Mozarowski , Matthew Boyd , Yimin Yang
Starch analysis is widely used in archaeology to investigate the processing of wild plants for food and medicine, as well as the domestication and spread of cultigens. Starch analyses are dependent on the development and use of identification keys. To date, all published methods to identify starch granules are either time-consuming to produce and apply, or difficult to statistically validate for their accuracy. The method outlined in this paper mitigates two major production bottlenecks experienced by current methods. First, the necessary task of collecting reference images of starch granules is accelerated using a multispectral imaging flow cytometry (MIFC), a high throughput microscope that collects thousands of images per second. Second, the traditional step of collecting measurements of individual granules by hand is eliminated. Processed image sets are used directly to train image recognition (machine learning) algorithms for species identification. This method produces identification accuracies that are comparable to, or better than, other published methods. When this method is applied using 15,000 images of starch granules from 15 plants occurring in North America, validation accuracies were observed to be as high as 100 %. This method promises to provide a feasible, cost-effective, and accurate means to identify starch granules recovered from archaeological materials.
{"title":"Automated starch granule classification using high-throughput microscopy and machine learning","authors":"Steven Andrew Mozarowski , Matthew Boyd , Yimin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Starch analysis is widely used in archaeology to investigate the processing of wild plants for food and medicine, as well as the domestication and spread of cultigens. Starch analyses are dependent on the development and use of identification keys. To date, all published methods to identify starch granules are either time-consuming to produce and apply, or difficult to statistically validate for their accuracy. The method outlined in this paper mitigates two major production bottlenecks experienced by current methods. First, the necessary task of collecting reference images of starch granules is accelerated using a multispectral imaging flow cytometry (MIFC), a high throughput microscope that collects thousands of images per second. Second, the traditional step of collecting measurements of individual granules by hand is eliminated. Processed image sets are used directly to train image recognition (machine learning) algorithms for species identification. This method produces identification accuracies that are comparable to, or better than, other published methods. When this method is applied using 15,000 images of starch granules from 15 plants occurring in North America, validation accuracies were observed to be as high as 100 %. This method promises to provide a feasible, cost-effective, and accurate means to identify starch granules recovered from archaeological materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106421"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492153","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 : 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106413
Deborah Priß , Christina Prell , Dan Lawrence , Laura Turnbull , John Wainwright
Analysing and understanding connectivity of human social networks of (ancient) societies offers new perspectives on their functioning. However, social network approaches in archaeology rarely utilise formal statistical models to test established theories or develop new hypotheses. In this paper, we present the implementation of MCMC-MLE Temporal Exponential Random Graph Models (MTERGMs) to investigate the hollow way network between settlements of the Bronze and Iron Age Khabur Valley, Mesopotamia. Using MTERGMs, we evaluate eight hypotheses to assess which network patterns explain the formation of the hollow ways. Our results show that in the cross-sectional networks, preferential attachment, transitivity, distance and site size are important factors for tie formation while the longitudinal analysis reveals tie persistence over time with distance and transitivity being significant for tie formation. We reflect on these findings as well as the limitations of our dataset and conclude that MTERGMs are useful tools to formally evaluate archaeological theories pertaining to network structures and processes, if the available data are sufficiently complete.
{"title":"The social behind the physical - Assessing tie formation processes of ancient route systems","authors":"Deborah Priß , Christina Prell , Dan Lawrence , Laura Turnbull , John Wainwright","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106413","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106413","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Analysing and understanding connectivity of human social networks of (ancient) societies offers new perspectives on their functioning. However, social network approaches in archaeology rarely utilise formal statistical models to test established theories or develop new hypotheses. In this paper, we present the implementation of MCMC-MLE Temporal Exponential Random Graph Models (MTERGMs) to investigate the hollow way network between settlements of the Bronze and Iron Age Khabur Valley, Mesopotamia. Using MTERGMs, we evaluate eight hypotheses to assess which network patterns explain the formation of the hollow ways. Our results show that in the cross-sectional networks, preferential attachment, transitivity, distance and site size are important factors for tie formation while the longitudinal analysis reveals tie persistence over time with distance and transitivity being significant for tie formation. We reflect on these findings as well as the limitations of our dataset and conclude that MTERGMs are useful tools to formally evaluate archaeological theories pertaining to network structures and processes, if the available data are sufficiently complete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106413"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145485603","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 : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106422
Zi-Qi Chew , Ellen Hsieh , Chien-Hsiang Lin
Small-bodied fish species (≤15 cm in total length) are ecologically and culturally important in modern coastal ecosystems and nearshore fisheries yet remain largely invisible in the archaeological record due to methodological and interpretive limitations. This study addresses this gap by applying a fine-resolution analytical framework—combining fine-sieving (0.5–2.0 mm) and otolith identification—to bulk sediment samples (116.3 kg) from the Hepingdao B site (3300 BP–present) in northern Taiwan. A total of 377 otoliths were recovered, representing 47 taxa across 25 families. Dominant taxa include reef-associated species such as cardinalfishes (Apogonidae), gobies (Gobiidae), and damselfishes (Pomacentridae). Comparative analysis with ethnographic data demonstrates significant taxonomic overlap with Indigenous fisheries in Taiwan, shedding light on similar maritime adaptations. Our study reports 13 fish families and multiple genera not previously recorded in Taiwan's prehistoric archaeological assemblages, significantly expanding the known taxonomic breadth of early Austronesian fishing practices. These findings underscore the value of fine-sieving and otolith analysis for recovering previously unrecognized components of coastal subsistence strategies. More broadly, our results provide new evidence for a prehistoric multi-species fishery centered on small-bodied taxa and highlight methodological pathways for integrating zooarchaeological, ichthyological, and ethnographic data to reconstruct the previously hidden aspects of prehistoric maritime subsistence and challenge longstanding biases in zooarchaeological interpretation.
{"title":"Broad-spectrum fishing and small fish use in Late Neolithic Taiwan: New insights from otolith-based analysis","authors":"Zi-Qi Chew , Ellen Hsieh , Chien-Hsiang Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Small-bodied fish species (≤15 cm in total length) are ecologically and culturally important in modern coastal ecosystems and nearshore fisheries yet remain largely invisible in the archaeological record due to methodological and interpretive limitations. This study addresses this gap by applying a fine-resolution analytical framework—combining fine-sieving (0.5–2.0 mm) and otolith identification—to bulk sediment samples (116.3 kg) from the Hepingdao B site (3300 BP–present) in northern Taiwan. A total of 377 otoliths were recovered, representing 47 taxa across 25 families. Dominant taxa include reef-associated species such as cardinalfishes (Apogonidae), gobies (Gobiidae), and damselfishes (Pomacentridae). Comparative analysis with ethnographic data demonstrates significant taxonomic overlap with Indigenous fisheries in Taiwan, shedding light on similar maritime adaptations. Our study reports 13 fish families and multiple genera not previously recorded in Taiwan's prehistoric archaeological assemblages, significantly expanding the known taxonomic breadth of early Austronesian fishing practices. These findings underscore the value of fine-sieving and otolith analysis for recovering previously unrecognized components of coastal subsistence strategies. More broadly, our results provide new evidence for a prehistoric multi-species fishery centered on small-bodied taxa and highlight methodological pathways for integrating zooarchaeological, ichthyological, and ethnographic data to reconstruct the previously hidden aspects of prehistoric maritime subsistence and challenge longstanding biases in zooarchaeological interpretation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106422"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528380","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 : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106423
Svetlana Kuleshova , Michael Pleyer
This article evaluates the role of experiments and interdisciplinary inferences in the field of language evolution and, more broadly, studies of cognitive evolution. Namely, we assess the inferences made from experiments on extant species about the evolution of extinct ones. We concentrate on the field of language evolution research as a case study of research on cognitive evolution. Specifically, we look at inferences from experiments in three major approaches in language evolution research: comparative psychology, cognitive archaeology, and experimental semiotics. For each approach, we first explain the overall methods they employ, then we summarize important inferences from experimental studies in these fields, and finally, we evaluate to what degree these inferences can be extended to characterizing the cognitive abilities of extinct hominins. Finally, we discuss the role of experimental work for interdisciplinary theory-building in language evolution research and challenges regarding the epistemological commensurability of different approaches. We then propose solutions for increasing the ecological validity and epistemological alignment of experimental investigations of the study of cognitive evolution.
{"title":"From extant to extinct: The role of experiments and interdisciplinary inferences in studying cognitive and language evolution","authors":"Svetlana Kuleshova , Michael Pleyer","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2025.106423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article evaluates the role of experiments and interdisciplinary inferences in the field of language evolution and, more broadly, studies of cognitive evolution. Namely, we assess the inferences made from experiments on extant species about the evolution of extinct ones. We concentrate on the field of language evolution research as a case study of research on cognitive evolution. Specifically, we look at inferences from experiments in three major approaches in language evolution research: comparative psychology, cognitive archaeology, and experimental semiotics. For each approach, we first explain the overall methods they employ, then we summarize important inferences from experimental studies in these fields, and finally, we evaluate to what degree these inferences can be extended to characterizing the cognitive abilities of extinct hominins. Finally, we discuss the role of experimental work for interdisciplinary theory-building in language evolution research and challenges regarding the epistemological commensurability of different approaches. We then propose solutions for increasing the ecological validity and epistemological alignment of experimental investigations of the study of cognitive evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 106423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145472925","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}
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