Geoarchaeology-An International Journal最新文献

The cities of Petra and Udhruh were administrative and cultural centers in southern Jordan from Nabataean through Roman and Byzantine times into the early Islamic periods (first century BCE to eighth century CE). These communities built water harvesting systems to be able to survive in this arid environment. Water harvesting was either based on the use of runoff, so-called “green water”, or on subterranean collection of streamflow and groundwater and subsequent distribution, so-called “blue water”. Archeological research in the Udhruh region and the nearby Wādī al-Fiqai revealed an elaborate qanat system, including subsurface water-harvesting, subsurface and covered surface distribution channels, large reservoirs, and irrigated fields. Some fields were very likely irrigated because of a direct connection to a water reservoir, but for many others, it is less obvious. In order to assess the extent of the agricultural production area, it was necessary to gain insight into the historic land use of the Wādī al-Fiqai area. An earlier study revealed soils of enwalled fields associated with a water reservoir to have relatively low soil electrical conductivity (EC) values as compared to non-irrigated soils in comparable landscape positions. Here, we propose that pedogenic carbonates (CO₃²⁻) may also serve as a proxy to identify prolonged irrigation, that is, carbonate-rich water may enrich soils in secondary carbonate, whereas low-carbonate water may deplete them. Landforms and soils were described and sampled along seven transects at Wādī al-Fiqai downstream from the remnants of two water reservoirs of, respectively, the northern and southern irrigation systems. Based on landform and surface processes, four classes were distinguished: (1) eroded, (2) recently covered with alluvium, (3) hilly or undulating, and (4) nearly level surfaces. Soils were sampled either “full-depth” or at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depth. For full-depth soil profiles, variability in Bk horizon depth in soils on nearly level surfaces suggests differential depletion of pedogenic carbonate, with irrigated fields displaying greater depths. Moreover, for all soils, EC was observed to be the best proxy for past irrigation. Based on transect analysis, fields of the northern and southern irrigation systems had significantly lower EC values than non-irrigated, nearly level, undulating, and hilly landforms. Based on these soil analyses, we estimate that the northern and southern irrigation systems supported up to 28 and 26 ha, respectively.

The Pyrenees have been considered a natural barrier for prehistoric populations. However, in recent years, Palaeolithic research has established connections between the two sides through the analysis of cherts. Among others, the presence of Chalosse cherts in sites on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees has proven the mobility of objects and people from the northern to the southern slope. Nevertheless, this evidence must be reinforced, and the mobility circuits must be clarified. To answer these questions and also to formulate new hypotheses that allow a deeper understanding of past human subsistence practices, we revisited the cherts from the Chalosse region. To do so, we applied a geoarchaeological approach that puts together the analysis of geological cartography through GIS, field survey, in situ descriptions of strata, non-destructive and destructive petrography, and portable geochemistry (LIBS and X-ray fluorescence). This led us to identify the most significant and promising procurement areas, characterise their cherts, and determine the chemical signature of the most relevant chert-bearing formations. This information is relevant not only to assess the importance of Chalosse cherts as long-distance tracers but also to deepen our understanding of human adaptive practices to procure, manage, and transport these cherts throughout the Palaeolithic.

Modern studies show that soil erosion results in a loss of ecosystem function, particularly fertility, and is a cause of declining agricultural yields. However, despite the well-attested high rates of soil erosion across Roman and medieval Europe there appears to have been little or no soil-associated decline in agricultural production—the soil erosion paradox. Small low-slope erodible lowland catchments offer the opportunity to examine this question when sufficient historical information is available. Here, we show that, since its disconnection from the main River Severn (UK) floodplain in the mid-Holocene, the small Hatfield Brook catchment experienced high rates of soil erosion and alluviation (~2 mm year⁻¹) associated with extensive catchment-bound open-field system agrarianism. Scientific and historical data both indicate increases in activity during the early medieval and medieval periods, associated with landscape control by the Bishopric of Worcester (BoW). Agricultural expansion by the church from the late 11th to mid-13th centuries AD extended further into lower valley slopes and alluviated flatlands, tilled using the heavy plough, and catchment hinterlands were further cleared of woodland via assarting, all leading to greater soil erosion. After AD 1250, the power and influence of the Bishopric of Worcester declined with arable cultivation and a move towards pastoralism leading to a reduction in soil erosion, increased slope stability and floodplain deposition. This suggests that in the low-relief erodible lowlands of Europe one solution to the erosion paradox is that most of the sediment generated by open-field cultivation was trapped in the basin and created new, flat, and highly productive agricultural land producing both a sustainable farming system and a non-linearity in the relationship between population and soil erosion. Further modelling-based research is needed though to identify the relative role of the manipulation of fertility through manuring and new land-creation.

At Monte dos Zebros (Idanha-a-Nova, Central Portugal), the discovery of three stelae—two Iberian Late Bronze Age stelae and one fragment of an Early/Middle Bronze Age anthropomorphic stela—represents a rare case of rock art monuments from different chronologies coexisting in the same place within a broader archaeological landscape, which includes numerous burial mounds. Although not unique, it is also among the few known instances where meta-sedimentary rocks were used for such monuments. Previously, no definitive lithological classification had been established, though macroscopic assessments suggested materials such as greywacke or granite. This study confirms that the stelae are made of meta-arkose, a subordinate rock type in the region. Surrounding stelae are predominantly crafted from magmatic or metamorphic rocks, highlighting a distinct selection process at Zebros. Four sedimentological mapping methods, not commonly associated with archaeological research, enabled a palaeogeographic reconstruction for c. 1000 BC, facilitating a highly selective sampling strategy. The findings indicate that the raw materials were sourced from two outcrops near the site, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of lithological properties and landscape dynamics. The stelae makers leveraged natural processes, such as differential fluvial erosion, to extract the most competent slabs with ease. The meta-arkoses show optimal workability, and structurally isotropic specimens were deliberately chosen for carving, underscoring a sophisticated understanding of material behaviour and practical utility.

Understanding the impact of erosion and postdepositional processes is essential for reconstructing site formation in ancient tells. At Tel¹ Burna, a multiperiod stratified site in the Shephelah region of central Israel, we integrate portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), portable optically stimulated luminescence (pOSL), and organic residue analysis (ORA). Our aim is to assess how postdepositional processes shaped the archaeological record in Tel Burna, Israel. The results demonstrate that elemental patterns—particularly phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K)—can reveal occupation surfaces and destruction layers not visible macroscopically. High Ca corresponds to chalk-based floors, elevated K to degraded mudbrick architecture, and enriched P to domestic activity or burning. A fire-related destruction horizon in Stratum IV is suggested by the presence of high P in the decomposed mudbrick destruction layer, elevated K in both this layer and the underlying intact mudbrick, low Ca, strong luminescence signals, and the near absence of lipids, suggesting thermal alteration of architectural materials. pOSL photon counts increase with depth and provide strong support for the stratigraphic integrity of the profile. Spatial variability, including the absence of Stratum III in downslope areas, highlights differential preservation across the site. Comparative data from regional soils reinforce the interpretation that carbonate-rich, alkaline soils tend to retain P but allow greater K mobility. The study highlights how the integration of pXRF, pOSL, and biomolecular analysis can improve stratigraphic resolution in complex or eroded contexts, offering a rapid, non-destructive toolkit for rescue archaeology and for identifying buried destruction events and mudbrick constructions in the southern Levant.

Charcoal production, closely linked to ore smelting, flourished in the Thuringian Forest (central Germany) between the 16th and 19th centuries. Relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) provide a soil archive of these past activities and are common in European forested uplands. The mapped density of RCHs at Großer Hermannsberg (Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Germany) amounted to 1.9 sites per hectare, with a mean area of 51 m². On average, each RCH contains 0.94 t C_org, 33 kg TN, and 2.0 kg TS. The RCHs are “hot spots” for organic carbon accumulation, especially in the charcoal-enriched downhill hearth embankments. However, their contribution to the total carbon stock is insignificant due to their small spatial fraction (< 1%). Radiocarbon dates indicate that RCH sites were used between the 13th and 20th centuries. Due to fast turnover times, about 50% of the originally deposited charred carbon has already been respired, making RCHs a carbon source. Carbon preservation only occurs in deeper soil layers, isolated from nitrogen and energy inputs. RCH soils differ from surrounding soils, exhibiting higher C_org and TN concentrations, higher element ratios, higher pH, and lower skeleton contents, which makes them unique ecosystems in the context of historic land use of a forest landscape.

Magnetic susceptibility of feldspathic arenites in Angkorean temples has been used to interpret distinct quarry sources. However, magnetic properties can be affected by grain sorting and weathering of magnetic minerals, leaving ambiguity in the interpretations. To date, no systematic investigation is available that combines the mineralogy, petrography, and geochemistry of Angkorean building stones with the magnetic susceptibility. Here, we determine the origin of magnetic susceptibility variations via polarization microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and rock magnetic experiments. All samples are immature and not significantly affected by chemical and physical alteration. Increasing SiO₂ contents (67.59–76.39 wt.%) correlate with decreasing Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, MgO, and TiO₂ contents and increasing grain sizes (90–220 µm). Fe-Ti-oxides in all samples include magnetite, martite, hematite, ilmenite, and rutile. This assemblage cannot have formed thermodynamically in one magmatic system, which indicates either a chemical transition in the source pluton or a mixture of at least two granitoid systems. Two distinct groups were identified: Group I (70–73 wt.% SiO₂) is magnetite-dominated, with susceptibility of 2.5–5.2 × 10⁻³; Group II (73–77 wt.% SiO₂) is hematite-dominated, with susceptibility of 0.4–1.2 × 10⁻³. These findings demonstrate that magnetic susceptibility can differentiate building stones from Angkorean monuments.

Agropastoralism has been a widespread subsistence strategy in Central Asia from prehistory to the present. While significant research has aimed at understanding past agropastoral communities in the region, reconstructing a generalized economic model remains challenging due to the complex topographic and ecological conditions, as well as its social and political variability. It is likely that subsistence strategies were flexible and adapted to local conditions. Most of what we know about these communities comes from burial sites, with comparatively less information derived from temporary encampments or occupation contexts. Caves and rockshelters have been readily used by pastoralists for millennia. In this study, we present the results of a multi-proxy study of a Holocene sequence from one of the most archeologically significant cave sites in Central Asia: the Sel'Ungur Cave of Kyrgyzstan. We combined chronometric dating with phytolith, carpological, and fecal-spherulite concentration analyses, as well as micromorphological, micro-XRF, and micro-FTIR studies. The deposits are primarily composed of charred materials and ash, forming the fumier facies. Micromorphological and micro-analytical methods have enabled us to identify penning activities and periodic burning as the dominant site formation processes. High-temperature burning destroyed diagnostic features necessary for more precise identification of herd animals. Notably, “vitrified” dung fragments were observed and inferred through micromorphology and micro-XRF. Through phytolith and archaeobotanical analyses, we were able to infer that livestock mainly grazed locally. The low abundance of domesticated plants—wheat, millet, and barley—as well as fruit seeds, such as grape, pistachio, and walnut, points toward the use of these as a supplement to the herder's diet. The presence of local and allochthonous domesticated plant species alongside evidence for herding suggests the implementation of a mixed economic strategy, likely combining transhumance and agropastoralism. Chronological analysis of the fumier deposits indicates that Sel'Ungur Cave was used as a pen between the 12th and 15th centuries.