Geoarchaeology-An International Journal最新文献

Kalkriese, near Osnabrueck (NW Germany), is considered the location of the ‘Battle of Varus’, where a coalition of Germanic tribes, under the leadership of Arminius, defeated three Legions under the command of Varus in 9 ad. Roman coinage and remains of military equipment prove that the Oberesch site at Kalkriese saw military operations between Germanic tribes and the Roman legions during Early Imperial times, but the sequence and magnitude of the military operations still remain unclear. In this study, we present for the first time absolute dates from the Oberesch site to decipher the general sequence of the Holocene landscape development at Kalkriese, identify the antique surface, and evaluate the ‘Germanic Rampart Theory’ and the ‘Roman Encampment Theory’. The geoprofile encompasses the entire stratigraphic sequence from the Pleistocene base, indicating intensive agricultural use of the area since the Early Neolithic. A fossil topsoil of late Pre-Roman Iron Age to Roman Imperial Age was identified, which probably represents the antique surface of the Roman conflict site. Our results do not support either the ‘Germanic Rampart Theory’ or the ‘Roman Encampment Theory’, as both linear structures seem to be of High Middle Age origin.

A small Mesolithic camp site near Sammakko in northernmost Sweden has been identified through its abundance of burnt bone and quartz refuse from stone tool manufacturing/maintenance. Radiocarbon dating places hunter–gatherer activity here around 8900 years ago, 1800 years later than the oldest known settlement in Norrbotten, the Aareavaara site. Sediment stratigraphy in nearby lake basins suggests that the final melting of stagnant ice, trapped in the undulating Veiki-moraine landscape, occurred around 9200 years ago. Initially, after deglaciation, the area was covered with arctic heath, transitioning to an open birch forest by 9100 years ago. At the time of the Sammakko settlers, it was an open birch forest with elements of pine, and various dwarf shrubs, including dwarf birch, willow, and juniper. Grasses, sedges, and various herbs in the semi-open grounds were also common. The settlers primarily relied on reindeer, as indicated by burnt bones, with supplementary food sources such as pike and birds. Stalking was likely the main hunting method, possibly aided by dogs. Potential dog gnaw marks on bones suggest early domestication. The site functioned as a temporary hunting station, probably used only during snow-free months.

This interdisciplinary study demonstrates the successful integration of non-destructive geophysical methods and sediment core analyses for mapping the seabed in the historical harbour at Avaldsnes in south-west Norway. In the Medieval Period, this was a royal manor, with the harbour as a central hub for the Hanseatic League in the 14th to 15th centuries. The use of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) mounted with two distinct sub-bottom profiler (SBP) systems facilitated the acquisition of high-resolution seismic data, providing efficient imaging of the seafloor and subsurface layers. Sequence of fifteen sediment cores allowed for the description and dating of stratigraphy and the depositional environment. In combination, these methods provided a multidimensional understanding of the distribution of subsea sediments in the harbour, while preserving most of the archaeological context. The analysis revealed organic-rich sediments, primarily consisting of fine detritus gyttja, accumulated over the last 1700 years, trapping certain archaeological features. Deposition of the soft sediments likely commenced due to a lower relative sea level, possibly accompanied by intensified land-use and harbour activity. The study identified several minor anomalies in the seismic data, potentially representing artefacts of archaeological importance. An anomaly of significant size might correspond to a buried shipwreck or harbour structure. By providing a comprehensive understanding of sediment dynamics and human-environment interactions in the harbour, the research contributes to the preservation and management of an important cultural heritage site.

Metallurgy in Upper Silesia (Poland) has a long tradition of international significance, which was emphasized in 2017 when the historic silver mine in Tarnowskie Góry was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area consists of various anthropogenic landforms, the stratigraphy of which has hardly been studied so far. In this study, we describe five main morphological units: Unit I (RCH) and Unit II (RCH pit), resulting from charcoal production; Unit III (shaft) and Unit IV (shaft heap), resulting from mining; and Unit V (reference forest soil). The first four units are a variation of a Technosol with inherently different properties from the reference forest soil. Unit I exhibits typical properties of a relict charcoal hearth (RCH), whereas Unit II resembles a pit. Unit III consists of a mostly infilled mining shaft remain (MSR), characterized by relocated subsoil. Unit IV consists of material from the adjacent Unit III that has been dumped directly aside. The studied RCH was used no earlier than during the second half of the 17th century, probably between 1725 and 1813. The studied MSR was used most likely between the 3rd and 5th centuries, which is much older than described so far. Together, the units reflect the characteristic heterogeneity of soils in shaft mining and RCH areas.

This research addresses the territorial organisation of metallurgical production during the El Argar Bronze Age (2200–1550 cal bc) in the inner areas of El Argar territory through lead-isotope and trace element analyses of geological copper ores, archaeometallurgical remains and copper-based artefacts. Results from 31 mineral and 35 archaeological samples suggest that the exploitation of copper resources in the studied region was significant and had a similar impact than other mining districts of El Argar territory. This, therefore, leads the hierarchical and centralised production model to be questioned. It also appears that the copper ore deposits in the coastal regions that were intensively exploited during the Copper Age were used less intensively in the El Argar period. At that time, copper was mostly procured from ore deposits in the inland areas of El Argar territory: that is, ore deposits within the Alpine orogeny hinterland (inland areas of the Betic Cordillera, from Granada to Baza). Other artefacts were sourced from outside the Alpine geological domain, but still on the fringe of El Argar territory (the foothills of the Sierra Morena-Linares mining district) or even from ore deposits definitely outside El Argar territory itself (the Los Pedroches Variscan region and elsewhere).

Recent excavations at the Middle Paleolithic site of Tinshemet Cave, Israel, showcase hominin burials and associated material culture that uniquely provide new information on hominin behavior in the south Levant around 120–100 ky ago. This study presents the site's stratigraphy in association with findings from sediment micromorphological analyses, shedding light on natural and anthropogenic site formation processes as well as human activities. Results indicate that two main types of sediment have been deposited—wood ash and reworked Terra Rossa soil—mixed to various degrees across the stratigraphic units. Hominin occupation started shortly after a partial roof collapse, intermittent with carnivore presence (Unit C). Hominin occupation increased and included the use of fire, flint knapping, cooking, and burial (Unit B), and increased even more (Unit A, Layer III) with more burials, intensive use of fire, cooking, knapping, trampling, and dumping. Anthropogenic sediments are largely cemented by secondary calcite that originates from recrystallized ash; however, intact hearths are absent due to syn- and postdepositional processes such as extensive bioturbation, cementation of the deposits, and trampling. Other postdepositional processes include fissuring and surface erosion. This study presents the importance of micromorphology to disentangle natural, anthropogenic, depositional, and postdepositional processes to better understand hominin behavior.

This study explores the use of three isotopic systematics—Sr, Nd, and Pb— combined together for the first time to trace the origins of ancient pottery. This approach strengthens our ability to relate raw materials to the final products. The materials selected for the analysis are from a well-documented data set, previously subjected to a thorough mineralogical–petrographic and chemical characterization. Seventeen ceramic specimens represented by black-glazed pottery, Terra sigillata, and fine common ware as well as production indicators such as black-glazed pottery wasters and spacers were examined via isotope analyses. These samples were discovered in the archaeological site of Cales, presently Calvi Risorta, in South Italy. CaO-rich clay raw materials from the area of interest were also analyzed as comparative references for the investigated ceramics. The comparison of the archaeometric data of the ceramic samples with the clay raw materials showed an affinity between the ceramics studied and local clay raw materials belonging to Mio-Pliocene marine sediments from the Campania Apennine Mountain area. This affinity was more accurately defined through the Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopes, which show coinciding signatures among ceramic samples, production indicators, and raw materials. The method yields promising outcomes that reinforce prior experimental investigations and amplify its reliability. The multi-isotopic methodology highlights the significance of combining geochemical data to pinpoint the origins of raw materials used for ancient ceramic production.

Lithic raw material properties are often invoked to explain the presence, absence, form, or ontogeny of Paleolithic stone tools. Here, we explore whether the frequency of the Middle Paleolithic Nubian core form and core-reduction systems co-varies with toolstone quality in two neighboring regions in Oman: the southern region of Nejd, Dhofar, and the south-central region of Duqm, Al Wusta. Specifically, we predicted that if raw material differences were influencing the distribution of Nubian cores, the chert would be of higher quality in the southern region, where Nubian cores were frequent, and of lower quality in the south-central region, where they were scarce. We tested this prediction by collecting 124 chert samples from 22 outcrops and then quantitatively assessed two geochemical variables that are widely thought to influence knapping: impurity amount and silica content. We also examined the mineralogical composition, and the crystallite size and lattice strain for quartz (crystalline α-SiO₂) of representative chert samples. Our results suggest that the cherts in the two regions are similar, which is not consistent with the hypothesis that lithic raw material quality contributed to Nubian core spatial distribution in Oman. We discuss potential alternative hypotheses to explain Nubian core geographic patterning, and provisionally suggest that the scarcity of Nubian cores in south-central Oman may be due to a concomitant scarcity of toolmakers, given a lack of water availability.