Pub Date : 2024-10-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106085
Eszter Horváth , Viktória Mozgai , László E. Aradi , Boglárka Topa , Bernadett Bajnóczi
Fifty years after the discovery of the Regöly grave, the emblematic Hunnic period archaeological assemblage from Hungary, an extensive scientific investigation was performed on the polychrome dress accessories of the high-status woman, often referred to as the “Princess of Regöly”, buried there. The multi-instrumental analyses aimed to characterise material and technological aspects of the gemstone-inlaid artefacts (a set of a pair of bow-brooches and a belt buckle), i.e., the manufacturing and decorative techniques as well as the chemical and mineralogical compositions. The non-destructive and non-invasive gemmological and geochemical analyses applied optical microscopes, handheld XRF, SEM-EDX and Raman microspectrometer. This study provides the first comprehensive examination of the Hunnic period polychrome jewellery, and highlights the potential of combining surface and subsurface analyses to specify garnet provenances. It presents the first evidence of use of antique and early medieval garnet sources during the early Migration period. The findings enhance understanding of the garnet supply chain and trade network, the production organisation and potential workshop connections. Significant differences of the brooches and the buckle reveal varying levels of luxury among the elite, providing insight into the social context of the polychrome jewellery associated with the “Princess of Regöly”.
{"title":"Production perspectives of a high-status polychrome jewellery set from the Hunnic period (mid-5th century AD) Carpathian Basin","authors":"Eszter Horváth , Viktória Mozgai , László E. Aradi , Boglárka Topa , Bernadett Bajnóczi","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fifty years after the discovery of the Regöly grave, the emblematic Hunnic period archaeological assemblage from Hungary, an extensive scientific investigation was performed on the polychrome dress accessories of the high-status woman, often referred to as the “Princess of Regöly”, buried there. The multi-instrumental analyses aimed to characterise material and technological aspects of the gemstone-inlaid artefacts (a set of a pair of bow-brooches and a belt buckle), i.e., the manufacturing and decorative techniques as well as the chemical and mineralogical compositions. The non-destructive and non-invasive gemmological and geochemical analyses applied optical microscopes, handheld XRF, SEM-EDX and Raman microspectrometer. This study provides the first comprehensive examination of the Hunnic period polychrome jewellery, and highlights the potential of combining surface and subsurface analyses to specify garnet provenances. It presents the first evidence of use of antique and early medieval garnet sources during the early Migration period. The findings enhance understanding of the garnet supply chain and trade network, the production organisation and potential workshop connections. Significant differences of the brooches and the buckle reveal varying levels of luxury among the elite, providing insight into the social context of the polychrome jewellery associated with the “Princess of Regöly”.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106085"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142428082","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 : 2024-10-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106087
Carmen Esposito , Owen Alexander Higgins , Alessia Galbusera , Melania Gigante , Federico Lugli , Wolfgang Müller , Richard Madgwick , Alfredo Coppa , Stefano Benazzi , Luca Bondioli , Alessia Nava
Advancements in archaeological sciences through innovative scientific techniques applied to ancient human remains have increasingly been transforming the study of the past. Destructive analyses of bioarchaeological or palaeontological specimens such as dental histology, isotopic or elemental analysis of dental mineralised tissues, 14C dating, proteomic analysis or ancient DNA are increasingly being applied to obtain ever more refined past life histories. In tandem with spatially-resolved analyses, mineralised dental tissues, especially enamel, have proven to be ideal archives. The main concern with any of these techniques is the need for some level of destructive sampling and thus damage to specimens. In compliance with the ALARA (As Low [damage] As Reasonably Achievable) principle, we present a standardised protocol (the NOWA protocol) for the optimisation, in terms of minimising the destructive approach, of tooth sampling for histology, biomolecular and biogeochemical analyses. The NOWA protocol enables the collection of multiple datasets through optimised sampling of a single dental specimen, ensuring the preservation of most of the tooth and, to a substantial degree, its morphology. Overall, this approach balances the significant scientific insights from such investigations against the inevitable conservation requirements of valuable archaeological and palaeontological specimens, thus maximising the feasibility of future analyses of individual specimens that need to be evaluated on a case-to-case basis.
通过将创新的科学技术应用于古人类遗骸，考古科学取得了进步，并日益改变着对过去的研究。对生物考古学或古生物学标本的破坏性分析，如牙齿组织学、牙齿矿化组织的同位素或元素分析、14C 测定、蛋白质组分析或古 DNA 等，越来越多地被应用于获取更加精细的过去生活史。与空间分辨分析相结合，矿化牙齿组织，尤其是珐琅质，已被证明是理想的档案。这些技术的主要问题是需要进行一定程度的破坏性取样，从而对标本造成损害。根据 ALARA（As Low [damage] As Reasonably Achievable）原则，我们提出了一个标准化方案（NOWA 方案），用于优化组织学、生物分子和生物地球化学分析的牙齿取样，将破坏性降到最低。NOWA 方案通过对单一牙齿标本进行优化取样，确保保留大部分牙齿，并在很大程度上保留其形态，从而收集多个数据集。总之，这种方法兼顾了从此类研究中获得的重要科学见解与珍贵考古学和古生物学标本不可避免的保护要求，从而最大限度地提高了今后对需要逐个评估的单个标本进行分析的可行性。
{"title":"NOthing goes to WAste (NOWA): A protocol to optimise sampling of ancient teeth","authors":"Carmen Esposito , Owen Alexander Higgins , Alessia Galbusera , Melania Gigante , Federico Lugli , Wolfgang Müller , Richard Madgwick , Alfredo Coppa , Stefano Benazzi , Luca Bondioli , Alessia Nava","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106087","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Advancements in archaeological sciences through innovative scientific techniques applied to ancient human remains have increasingly been transforming the study of the past. Destructive analyses of bioarchaeological or palaeontological specimens such as dental histology, isotopic or elemental analysis of dental mineralised tissues, <sup>14</sup>C dating, proteomic analysis or ancient DNA are increasingly being applied to obtain ever more refined past life histories. In tandem with spatially-resolved analyses, mineralised dental tissues, especially enamel, have proven to be ideal archives. The main concern with any of these techniques is the need for some level of destructive sampling and thus damage to specimens. In compliance with the ALARA (As Low [damage] As Reasonably Achievable) principle, we present a standardised protocol (the NOWA protocol) for the optimisation, in terms of minimising the destructive approach, of tooth sampling for histology, biomolecular and biogeochemical analyses. The NOWA protocol enables the collection of multiple datasets through optimised sampling of a single dental specimen, ensuring the preservation of most of the tooth and, to a substantial degree, its morphology. Overall, this approach balances the significant scientific insights from such investigations against the inevitable conservation requirements of valuable archaeological and palaeontological specimens, thus maximising the feasibility of future analyses of individual specimens that need to be evaluated on a case-to-case basis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106087"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142428079","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 : 2024-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106092
Siran Liu , Zhenfei Sun , Tao Cui , Guisen Zou , Richen Zhong , Thilo Rehren
Despite decades of efforts to reconstruct the bronze production and metal distribution systems of the Shang period in Bronze Age China, there remains limited understanding of the ore choices and smelting practices of the Shang people. This study addresses this research gap by conducting a detailed investigation of Shang period copper ores and smelting remains uncovered at the Tongling site in the Middle Yangtze River valley. The results of lead isotope, copper isotope, trace element, and rare earth element (REE) pattern help to classify the slags from this site into two groups, associated with smelting sulphidic (Group A) and oxidic (Group B) copper ores, respectively. This finding not only serves as the first physical evidence of the use of sulphidic copper ores in Early Bronze Age China but also provides pivotal details of the copper resource exploitation strategies of the Shang people. It challenges the traditional narrative that the Shang people moved to this area solely for the high-grade supergene deposits. The parallel use of both supergene and hypogene ores at the same site complicates the notion of a linear, technological evolution from simpler to more advanced copper sources. Despite the presence of hypogene ores, the study reveals that the Shang people maintained labour-intensive smelting practices, including crushing slag to recover trapped metallic prills, to meet the demands of large-scale bronze casting. This nuanced approach to copper resource exploitation reflects a complex, context-dependent strategy rather than a technological revolution. By highlighting these intricate metallurgical choices, this research contributes to a broader rethinking of early technological development, underscoring the diversity and adaptability of ancient craft industries and their role in shaping Shang society.
{"title":"Beyond linear narratives: Complex copper ore exploitation strategies in Early Bronze Age China revealed by geochemical characterization of smelting remains","authors":"Siran Liu , Zhenfei Sun , Tao Cui , Guisen Zou , Richen Zhong , Thilo Rehren","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite decades of efforts to reconstruct the bronze production and metal distribution systems of the Shang period in Bronze Age China, there remains limited understanding of the ore choices and smelting practices of the Shang people. This study addresses this research gap by conducting a detailed investigation of Shang period copper ores and smelting remains uncovered at the Tongling site in the Middle Yangtze River valley. The results of lead isotope, copper isotope, trace element, and rare earth element (REE) pattern help to classify the slags from this site into two groups, associated with smelting sulphidic (Group A) and oxidic (Group B) copper ores, respectively. This finding not only serves as the first physical evidence of the use of sulphidic copper ores in Early Bronze Age China but also provides pivotal details of the copper resource exploitation strategies of the Shang people. It challenges the traditional narrative that the Shang people moved to this area solely for the high-grade supergene deposits. The parallel use of both supergene and hypogene ores at the same site complicates the notion of a linear, technological evolution from simpler to more advanced copper sources. Despite the presence of hypogene ores, the study reveals that the Shang people maintained labour-intensive smelting practices, including crushing slag to recover trapped metallic prills, to meet the demands of large-scale bronze casting. This nuanced approach to copper resource exploitation reflects a complex, context-dependent strategy rather than a technological revolution. By highlighting these intricate metallurgical choices, this research contributes to a broader rethinking of early technological development, underscoring the diversity and adaptability of ancient craft industries and their role in shaping Shang society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106092"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142428081","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 : 2024-10-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106018
Alex E. Rodzinka , Anna Fedrigo , Antonella Scherillo , Andrew J. Shortland , St John Simpson , Nathaniel L. Erb-Satullo
Early Iron Age Iranian bladed weaponry plays a significant role in discussions of metallurgical development in the ancient Near East. Due to its ubiquity in museum collections, as well as co-occurrence of bronze, iron, and bimetallic forms, it figures prominently in debates about the early ironworking techniques in the late 2nd and early 1st millennia BCE. However, dispersed collections, often lacking secure archaeological context, have made comprehensive assessment difficult. One major type of bladed weaponry, the so-called split-ear pommel swords have been the subject of much discussion, particularly around the presence of an iron core identified in many examples. Neutron tomography was applied to eight swords of this type to image their inner structure, assess the manufacturing process and determine possible recent modifications—the first time this technique has been applied to bronze Iranian weaponry of any period. The objects were recovered by the Border Force after being seized on entry to the UK and will be repatriated to Iran, providing an opportunity to investigate both ancient manufacture and modern (illicit) modifications. The results reveal extensive modern modification, namely the replacement of original blades—often made of iron—with different (but probably also ancient) bronze blades, conclusively showing that “iron cores” were not a technological feature in these bronze swords, but a result of modern tampering. Widespread iron blade replacement has masked the true extent of the production of bimetallic weapons and obscured the technological choices of early ironworkers. Given the centrality of unprovenanced objects in discussions of Iranian Iron Age metallurgy, these modifications have negative consequences for efforts to map the process of iron innovation.
{"title":"Neutron tomography reveals extensive modern modification in Iron Age Iranian swords","authors":"Alex E. Rodzinka , Anna Fedrigo , Antonella Scherillo , Andrew J. Shortland , St John Simpson , Nathaniel L. Erb-Satullo","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Early Iron Age Iranian bladed weaponry plays a significant role in discussions of metallurgical development in the ancient Near East. Due to its ubiquity in museum collections, as well as co-occurrence of bronze, iron, and bimetallic forms, it figures prominently in debates about the early ironworking techniques in the late 2nd and early 1st millennia BCE. However, dispersed collections, often lacking secure archaeological context, have made comprehensive assessment difficult. One major type of bladed weaponry, the so-called split-ear pommel swords have been the subject of much discussion, particularly around the presence of an iron core identified in many examples. Neutron tomography was applied to eight swords of this type to image their inner structure, assess the manufacturing process and determine possible recent modifications—the first time this technique has been applied to bronze Iranian weaponry of any period. The objects were recovered by the Border Force after being seized on entry to the UK and will be repatriated to Iran, providing an opportunity to investigate both ancient manufacture and modern (illicit) modifications. The results reveal extensive modern modification, namely the replacement of original blades—often made of iron—with different (but probably also ancient) bronze blades, conclusively showing that “iron cores” were not a technological feature in these bronze swords, but a result of modern tampering. Widespread iron blade replacement has masked the true extent of the production of bimetallic weapons and obscured the technological choices of early ironworkers. Given the centrality of unprovenanced objects in discussions of Iranian Iron Age metallurgy, these modifications have negative consequences for efforts to map the process of iron innovation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106018"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142446435","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 : 2024-10-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106089
Kangkang Li , Xiaoguang Qin , Gill Plunkett , Samantha Presslee , Robert Spengler , Bing Xu , Yong Wu , Xiaohong Tian , Dong Wei , Chunxue Wang , Huiqiu Shao , Guijin Mu , Hongjuan Jia , Wen Li , Jing Feng , Jiaqi Liu
Humans have a long history of occupying ecologically marginal regions, and the ancient cultural mechanisms of adaptation to these challenging environments remain poorly understood. We examine archaeological deposits from a Bronze Age settlement in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), identifying well-preserved plant remains and bone fragments that shed light on the palaeodiet and past environmental setting. We use the newly developed peptide mass fingerprinting method of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and TimsTOF MS (trapped ion mobility time of flight mass spectrometry) to identify fragments of ancient fish bones as Cyprinidae and possible Salmonidae, indicating both their consumption and the former presence of intra-settlement fresh water-bodies. Remains of littoral and aquatic plants attest to a marshy palaeo-delta at the confluence of the Tarim and Kongque rivers, testifying to a former biodiverse oasis in the Lop Desert when humans occupied the site. We conclude that the use of both aquatic and desert peripheral resources, combined with the intentional management of local environments, were all essential prehistoric adaptations. In addition, we show that radiocarbon dates of aquatic remains have an offset spanning hundreds to thousands of years, due to a freshwater reservoir effect, requiring careful consideration of ages for archaeological bones in the broader region.
{"title":"Multi-proxy investigations of Bronze Age diet and environment in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), northwest China","authors":"Kangkang Li , Xiaoguang Qin , Gill Plunkett , Samantha Presslee , Robert Spengler , Bing Xu , Yong Wu , Xiaohong Tian , Dong Wei , Chunxue Wang , Huiqiu Shao , Guijin Mu , Hongjuan Jia , Wen Li , Jing Feng , Jiaqi Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Humans have a long history of occupying ecologically marginal regions, and the ancient cultural mechanisms of adaptation to these challenging environments remain poorly understood. We examine archaeological deposits from a Bronze Age settlement in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), identifying well-preserved plant remains and bone fragments that shed light on the palaeodiet and past environmental setting. We use the newly developed peptide mass fingerprinting method of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and TimsTOF MS (trapped ion mobility time of flight mass spectrometry) to identify fragments of ancient fish bones as Cyprinidae and possible Salmonidae, indicating both their consumption and the former presence of intra-settlement fresh water-bodies. Remains of littoral and aquatic plants attest to a marshy palaeo-delta at the confluence of the Tarim and Kongque rivers, testifying to a former biodiverse oasis in the Lop Desert when humans occupied the site. We conclude that the use of both aquatic and desert peripheral resources, combined with the intentional management of local environments, were all essential prehistoric adaptations. In addition, we show that radiocarbon dates of aquatic remains have an offset spanning hundreds to thousands of years, due to a freshwater reservoir effect, requiring careful consideration of ages for archaeological bones in the broader region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106089"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142428078","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}
The Neonatal Line (NNL) of the tooth serves as a unique identifier, allowing us to distinguish whether a child survived birth. This line is essential for assessing the age at death of infants from skeletal remains found in archaeological contexts. Our primary objective is to accurately determine the age of infant intramural inhumations from the Iberian Iron Age (8th-1st centuries BC) by analyzing histological sections of tooth germs. Due to their fragility and high susceptibility to taphonomic factors, these samples are challenging to handle. By accurately assessing their age, we aim to classify individuals into various stages of infant mortality, which will help reconstruct infant mortality patterns in these populations.
We analyze unerupted and still-forming crown deciduous teeth from 45 infant burials. By calculating Crown Formation Time (CFT) and identifying the NNL, we determine both gestational and chronological ages. We further validate the reliability of NNL identification through Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) elemental analysis (Ca, Zn, Cu) on two contemporary and two archaeological samples.
Our histological study reveals the chronological age of 38 infants from Iberian settlements, ranging from the 30th week of gestation to the 2nd postnatal month. The age distribution shows an attritional mortality pattern, with nearly half experiencing perinatal mortality, including preterm births. These findings support the hypothesis that mortality was primarily attributed to natural causes. Our research enhances the understanding of infant life history events in prehistory by combining histological analysis of tooth NNL and CFT, highlighting the technique's potential and limitations.
{"title":"Reconstructing infant mortality in Iberian Iron Age populations from tooth histology","authors":"Ani Martirosyan , Carolina Sandoval-Ávila , Javier Irurita , Judith Juanhuix , Nuria Molist , Immaculada Mestres , Montserrat Durán , Natàlia Alonso , Cristina Santos , Assumpció Malgosa , Judit Molera , Xavier Jordana","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106088","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106088","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Neonatal Line (NNL) of the tooth serves as a unique identifier, allowing us to distinguish whether a child survived birth. This line is essential for assessing the age at death of infants from skeletal remains found in archaeological contexts. Our primary objective is to accurately determine the age of infant intramural inhumations from the Iberian Iron Age (8th-1st centuries BC) by analyzing histological sections of tooth germs. Due to their fragility and high susceptibility to taphonomic factors, these samples are challenging to handle. By accurately assessing their age, we aim to classify individuals into various stages of infant mortality, which will help reconstruct infant mortality patterns in these populations.</div><div>We analyze unerupted and still-forming crown deciduous teeth from 45 infant burials. By calculating Crown Formation Time (CFT) and identifying the NNL, we determine both gestational and chronological ages. We further validate the reliability of NNL identification through Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) elemental analysis (Ca, Zn, Cu) on two contemporary and two archaeological samples.</div><div>Our histological study reveals the chronological age of 38 infants from Iberian settlements, ranging from the 30th week of gestation to the 2nd postnatal month. The age distribution shows an attritional mortality pattern, with nearly half experiencing perinatal mortality, including preterm births. These findings support the hypothesis that mortality was primarily attributed to natural causes. Our research enhances the understanding of infant life history events in prehistory by combining histological analysis of tooth NNL and CFT, highlighting the technique's potential and limitations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106088"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142428080","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 : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106086
Yan Zheng , Qing Yang , Quan Zeng , Haiyan Li , Yu Zhang , Lin Shi , Xueping Ji , Chenglong Deng , Xiaoqiang Li , Michael Petraglia , Hongbo Zheng
The Xiaodong Rockshelter, located on the southwest edge of Yunnan Province, is known as Southeast Asia's oldest (>43.5 ka) and northernmost Hoabinhian technocomplex site. The rockshelter preserves a rich record of animals, plants, and lithic artifacts excavated from sediments with a thickness of 4.6 m. New dating reported here indicates that the stratigraphic sequence spans from 65 ka to 15 ka. Several layers in the sedimentary sequence show evidence of fire, representative of the earliest evidence of fire by Hoabinhian population in a tropical-subtropical area. Here, we use magnetic methods coupled with mineral analysis to differentiate natural material from anthropogenically fired sediment. Archaeological fire events are characterized by higher magnetic concentrations and coarser magnetic grains compared to natural sediments. Significant magnetic enhancements were caused by the transformation of paramagnetic iron-bearing silicates into ferrimagnetic, spherical-shaped magnetite with increasing temperatures. Notably, a pronounced magnetic enhancement was observed between 1.8 and 2.5 m, spanning between 42 and 34 ka, indicating intense and concentrated heating, with estimated firing temperatures reaching ca. 400 °C. Additionally, three thin layers exhibiting magnetic enhancement were detected at depths of 3.65 m, 4.45 m, and 4.55 m, dating to ca. 55.6 ka, 62.3 ka and 64.8 ka respectively. This suggests three short-term fired ash deposits with minimal vertical magnetic enhancement, indicative of fire temperatures at ca. 350 °C. The magnetic method proves effective in detecting anthropogenic fire in archaeological sediments and potentially estimating ancient fire temperatures.
{"title":"Magnetic detection of anthropogenic fires at Xiaodong Rockshelter, Southwest China","authors":"Yan Zheng , Qing Yang , Quan Zeng , Haiyan Li , Yu Zhang , Lin Shi , Xueping Ji , Chenglong Deng , Xiaoqiang Li , Michael Petraglia , Hongbo Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Xiaodong Rockshelter, located on the southwest edge of Yunnan Province, is known as Southeast Asia's oldest (>43.5 ka) and northernmost Hoabinhian technocomplex site. The rockshelter preserves a rich record of animals, plants, and lithic artifacts excavated from sediments with a thickness of 4.6 m. New dating reported here indicates that the stratigraphic sequence spans from 65 ka to 15 ka. Several layers in the sedimentary sequence show evidence of fire, representative of the earliest evidence of fire by Hoabinhian population in a tropical-subtropical area. Here, we use magnetic methods coupled with mineral analysis to differentiate natural material from anthropogenically fired sediment. Archaeological fire events are characterized by higher magnetic concentrations and coarser magnetic grains compared to natural sediments. Significant magnetic enhancements were caused by the transformation of paramagnetic iron-bearing silicates into ferrimagnetic, spherical-shaped magnetite with increasing temperatures. Notably, a pronounced magnetic enhancement was observed between 1.8 and 2.5 m, spanning between 42 and 34 ka, indicating intense and concentrated heating, with estimated firing temperatures reaching ca. 400 °C. Additionally, three thin layers exhibiting magnetic enhancement were detected at depths of 3.65 m, 4.45 m, and 4.55 m, dating to ca. 55.6 ka, 62.3 ka and 64.8 ka respectively. This suggests three short-term fired ash deposits with minimal vertical magnetic enhancement, indicative of fire temperatures at ca. 350 °C. The magnetic method proves effective in detecting anthropogenic fire in archaeological sediments and potentially estimating ancient fire temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106086"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142322781","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 : 2024-09-20DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106084
Haiyan Li , Chengpeng Wang , Xiaolei Zhang , Jianping Zhang , Chunmei Ma
China is one of the main locations in which rice agriculture occurs, with East China now playing a significant role in research on rice domestication and culture interactions. However, the exact timing of sustained rice domestication and the process of prehistoric cultural exchange in East China remain unclear. Here, we present phytolith records of two profiles from Lingjiatan in the Chaohu Lake Basin. Our results show that rice cultivation was practiced throughout the Lingjiatan culture period (5800-5300 cal BP), and that sustained rice domestication began around 5500 cal BP, which was later than on the Taihu Plain (∼6200 cal BP), Ningshao Plain (∼5800 cal BP), and along the middle and lower Huai River (∼5800 cal BP). Combining other archaeological records and geomorphological features in East China, we hypothesize three possible routes for the spread of rice cultivation and cultural exchange between the lower Yangtze River and the middle and lower Huai River. Lingjiatan, situated at the intersection of two of the possible routes, experienced a gradual increase in its settled population as a result of cultural exchange and technological innovations in cultivation, thereby giving rise to its distinctive culture. This study demonstrates the significant role of Lingjiatan in facilitating transportation and fostering cultural exchange in East China during the mid-Holocene.
{"title":"Mosaic pattern of sustained rice domestication and its environmental and cultural implications in Neolithic East China","authors":"Haiyan Li , Chengpeng Wang , Xiaolei Zhang , Jianping Zhang , Chunmei Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China is one of the main locations in which rice agriculture occurs, with East China now playing a significant role in research on rice domestication and culture interactions. However, the exact timing of sustained rice domestication and the process of prehistoric cultural exchange in East China remain unclear. Here, we present phytolith records of two profiles from Lingjiatan in the Chaohu Lake Basin. Our results show that rice cultivation was practiced throughout the Lingjiatan culture period (5800-5300 cal BP), and that sustained rice domestication began around 5500 cal BP, which was later than on the Taihu Plain (∼6200 cal BP), Ningshao Plain (∼5800 cal BP), and along the middle and lower Huai River (∼5800 cal BP). Combining other archaeological records and geomorphological features in East China, we hypothesize three possible routes for the spread of rice cultivation and cultural exchange between the lower Yangtze River and the middle and lower Huai River. Lingjiatan, situated at the intersection of two of the possible routes, experienced a gradual increase in its settled population as a result of cultural exchange and technological innovations in cultivation, thereby giving rise to its distinctive culture. This study demonstrates the significant role of Lingjiatan in facilitating transportation and fostering cultural exchange in East China during the mid-Holocene.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106084"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142311282","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 : 2024-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106069
Tammy Buonasera , Jelmer Eerkens , Diana Malarchik , Lee M. Panich , Christopher Canzonieri , Christopher Zimmer , Courtney Clough , Thomas Ostrander , Aja Sutton , Michelle Salemi , Glendon Parker
The enamel proteome includes a range of proteins that are well-preserved in archaeological settings but have so far received less study than those associated with sex-estimation of enamel. We look beyond sex-specific sequencing of amelogenin to investigate the potential of several serum proteins, including immunoglobulin gamma (IgG), the major immunoglobulin found in blood serum, and C-reactive protein (CRP), which is associated with inflammatory response, to provide insight into the health and stresses experienced by individuals in the past. We apply this approach to enamel samples from Mission-Period ancestral Ohlone interred at Asistencia San Pedro y San Pablo (CA-SMA-71/H; n = 11). For comparison, we also examine enamel from historic-period European-Americans interred in the City Cemetery in San Francisco (n = 12), and extracted third molars from present-day military cadets (n = 8). Results indicate that IgG is elevated among individuals at the asistencia relative to samples from present-day military cadets, and historic City Cemetery individuals (ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey Kramer tests, p < .02). Further, the inflammatory protein CRP, normally expressed at much lower levels than IgG, was present in 55% (6 of 11) of the asistencia samples, and in 17% (2 of 12) of the historic City Cemetery samples, but was not detected in enamel samples from present-day military cadets. While more studies are needed, we argue that the difference in IgG could reflect higher levels of chronic diseases such as tuberculosis among Ohlone living within the Mission system, and the presence of measurable amounts of CRP could relate to higher degrees of physical, social, and emotional stresses. To our knowledge, this is the first paleoproteomic study of immune proteins in tooth enamel. The ability to track immune responses during tooth formation could provide valuable and high-resolution information on ancient health and disease at the level of the individual over archaeological time-scales.
{"title":"Immune proteins recovered in tooth enamel as a biochemical record of health in past populations: Paleoproteomic analysis of Mission Period Native Californians","authors":"Tammy Buonasera , Jelmer Eerkens , Diana Malarchik , Lee M. Panich , Christopher Canzonieri , Christopher Zimmer , Courtney Clough , Thomas Ostrander , Aja Sutton , Michelle Salemi , Glendon Parker","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106069","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106069","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enamel proteome includes a range of proteins that are well-preserved in archaeological settings but have so far received less study than those associated with sex-estimation of enamel. We look beyond sex-specific sequencing of amelogenin to investigate the potential of several serum proteins, including immunoglobulin gamma (IgG), the major immunoglobulin found in blood serum, and C-reactive protein (CRP), which is associated with inflammatory response, to provide insight into the health and stresses experienced by individuals in the past. We apply this approach to enamel samples from Mission-Period ancestral Ohlone interred at Asistencia San Pedro y San Pablo (CA-SMA-71/H; n = 11). For comparison, we also examine enamel from historic-period European-Americans interred in the City Cemetery in San Francisco (n = 12), and extracted third molars from present-day military cadets (n = 8). Results indicate that IgG is elevated among individuals at the asistencia relative to samples from present-day military cadets, and historic City Cemetery individuals (ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey Kramer tests, p < .02). Further, the inflammatory protein CRP, normally expressed at much lower levels than IgG, was present in 55% (6 of 11) of the asistencia samples, and in 17% (2 of 12) of the historic City Cemetery samples, but was not detected in enamel samples from present-day military cadets. While more studies are needed, we argue that the difference in IgG could reflect higher levels of chronic diseases such as tuberculosis among Ohlone living within the Mission system, and the presence of measurable amounts of CRP could relate to higher degrees of physical, social, and emotional stresses. To our knowledge, this is the first paleoproteomic study of immune proteins in tooth enamel. The ability to track immune responses during tooth formation could provide valuable and high-resolution information on ancient health and disease at the level of the individual over archaeological time-scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106069"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142446436","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 : 2024-09-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106081
Ada Dinçkal , Ángela Herrejón Lagunilla , Angel Carrancho , Cristo M. Hernández Gomez , Carolina Mallol
Here we present a novel approach that combines soil micromorphology with the analysis of magnetically oriented samples to improve the interpretation of archaeomagnetic results. The aim is to test whether irregular archaeomagnetic data can be examined with micromorphological soil analysis in a single sample methodology, allowing said archaeomagnetic data to contribute to more meaningful archaeological interpretation. Experimental work included reusing oriented magnetic samples previously treated with sodium silicate resin, which were then re-impregnated with polyester or epoxy resins to produce thin sections. Initial experimentation was conducted to understand the potential effects of sodium silicate treatment on the optical and mechanical qualities of the thin sections. When no significant optical anomalies were identified, the methodology was tested using samples gathered from hearths at level X (ca. 52 ky BP) at the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt, Spain. Thin section analysis was conducted on archaeological hearth samples to identify syn- and post-depositional processes influencing the magnetic data. Micromorphological analysis of magnetic samples can identify the causes of anomalous magnetic direction, attributing them to specific sedimentary features rather than sampling or measurement errors. Discrepancies in magnetic signatures are linked to the presence or absence of certain combustion layers, such as black and white layers, as well as the impact of bioturbation and mechanical deformation. This integrative approach improves the interpretive potential of archaeomagnetic studies by not only validating the magnetic data as representative of the deposit but also providing a visual understanding of the sedimentary structure creating the magnetic signature. Our findings advocate for the routine inclusion of thin section inspection in archaeomagnetic research, particularly when dealing with complex sedimentary sequences and ambiguous magnetic data.
在此，我们提出一种新方法，将土壤微观形态学与磁导向样本分析相结合，以改进对考古地磁结果的解释。其目的是测试不规则的考古地磁数据是否可以通过单一样本方法与土壤微形态分析相结合进行研究，从而使上述考古地磁数据有助于进行更有意义的考古解释。实验工作包括重复使用之前用硅酸钠树脂处理过的定向磁性样本，然后用聚酯或环氧树脂重新浸渍，制作薄片。最初的实验是为了了解硅酸钠处理对薄片光学和机械质量的潜在影响。在未发现明显光学异常的情况下，使用从西班牙埃尔盐中旧石器时代遗址 X 层（约公元前 52 千年）的炉床采集的样本对该方法进行了测试。对考古炉床样本进行了薄片分析，以确定影响磁性数据的同期和后期沉积过程。磁性样本的微观形态分析可以确定磁性方向异常的原因，将其归因于特定的沉积特征，而不是取样或测量误差。磁性特征的差异与是否存在某些燃烧层（如黑白层）以及生物扰动和机械变形的影响有关。这种综合方法不仅验证了磁性数据对矿床的代表性，还提供了对产生磁性特征的沉积结构的直观理解，从而提高了考古磁性研究的解释潜力。我们的研究结果主张在考古地磁研究中例行纳入薄片检测，尤其是在处理复杂的沉积序列和模糊的磁数据时。
{"title":"Improving archaeomagnetic interpretations by reusing magnetically oriented samples for micromorphological analysis","authors":"Ada Dinçkal , Ángela Herrejón Lagunilla , Angel Carrancho , Cristo M. Hernández Gomez , Carolina Mallol","doi":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106081","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jas.2024.106081","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Here we present a novel approach that combines soil micromorphology with the analysis of magnetically oriented samples to improve the interpretation of archaeomagnetic results. The aim is to test whether irregular archaeomagnetic data can be examined with micromorphological soil analysis in a single sample methodology, allowing said archaeomagnetic data to contribute to more meaningful archaeological interpretation. Experimental work included reusing oriented magnetic samples previously treated with sodium silicate resin, which were then re-impregnated with polyester or epoxy resins to produce thin sections. Initial experimentation was conducted to understand the potential effects of sodium silicate treatment on the optical and mechanical qualities of the thin sections. When no significant optical anomalies were identified, the methodology was tested using samples gathered from hearths at level X (ca. 52 ky BP) at the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt, Spain. Thin section analysis was conducted on archaeological hearth samples to identify syn- and post-depositional processes influencing the magnetic data. Micromorphological analysis of magnetic samples can identify the causes of anomalous magnetic direction, attributing them to specific sedimentary features rather than sampling or measurement errors. Discrepancies in magnetic signatures are linked to the presence or absence of certain combustion layers, such as black and white layers, as well as the impact of bioturbation and mechanical deformation. This integrative approach improves the interpretive potential of archaeomagnetic studies by not only validating the magnetic data as representative of the deposit but also providing a visual understanding of the sedimentary structure creating the magnetic signature. Our findings advocate for the routine inclusion of thin section inspection in archaeomagnetic research, particularly when dealing with complex sedimentary sequences and ambiguous magnetic data.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50254,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Archaeological Science","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106081"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440324001493/pdfft?md5=1daf5ea8ee2840b0723192c0783d3d73&pid=1-s2.0-S0305440324001493-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142232032","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}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号