{"title":"Geoarchaeology virtual issue: Ancient water management","authors":"Gary Huckleberry","doi":"10.1002/gea.21915","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21915","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44890292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ridge and furrow cultivation is the most widely used agricultural technique in medieval and postmedieval Europe, but the fertilization of soils during their use is not yet fully understood. Pedological analyses of this cultivation technique provided information, which led to the assumption that some of the investigated sites in Northern and Central Germany were manured with livestock excrements during cultivation. The objective of this study is to determine whether and how the soils have been fertilized and which materials were applied for this purpose. We investigated soils at five sites using phosphate and steroid analyses (stanols and bile acids), black carbon analyses, and a micromorphology study. The results showed that livestock waste was likely used as fertilizer at four of the five studied sites at low intensities, with pigs and herbivores being the probable sources of the excrement. But also the application of human feces to the soil might be possible at least at one site. Often used agricultural methods such as plaggen cultivation and an intentional charcoal input to enhance soil fertility could not be clearly verified for our study sites.
{"title":"Improvement of soil fertility in historical ridge and furrow cultivation","authors":"Theresa Langewitz, Katja Wiedner, Dagmar Fritzsch, Eileen Eckmeier","doi":"10.1002/gea.21916","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21916","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ridge and furrow cultivation is the most widely used agricultural technique in medieval and postmedieval Europe, but the fertilization of soils during their use is not yet fully understood. Pedological analyses of this cultivation technique provided information, which led to the assumption that some of the investigated sites in Northern and Central Germany were manured with livestock excrements during cultivation. The objective of this study is to determine whether and how the soils have been fertilized and which materials were applied for this purpose. We investigated soils at five sites using phosphate and steroid analyses (stanols and bile acids), black carbon analyses, and a micromorphology study. The results showed that livestock waste was likely used as fertilizer at four of the five studied sites at low intensities, with pigs and herbivores being the probable sources of the excrement. But also the application of human feces to the soil might be possible at least at one site. Often used agricultural methods such as plaggen cultivation and an intentional charcoal input to enhance soil fertility could not be clearly verified for our study sites.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.21916","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48481243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peter R. Mills, Steven P. Lundblad, Christina Cauley, Drew S. Coleman, Julie S. Field, Alison L. Hafner, Jennifer G. Kahn, John M. Sinton, Patrick V. Kirch
We examined 2947 basalt and volcanic glass artifacts from 38 sites in leeward Kohala. Nondestructive energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence provided initial geochemical characterizations. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) analyses were completed on samples from ambiguously sourced groups. No more than 13.9% of the probable and definite adze-related debitage originated in leeward Kohala. Notably absent are lithic materials from the nearby Pololū Adze Quarry in windward Kohala. Material from the more distant Mauna Kea Adze Quarry accounts for 41.6% of the adze debitage. Another 38.8% of the adze debitage matches with a tholeiitic source or sources long assumed to be Kīlauea Volcano in Kaʻū, but WDXRF and TIMS isotopic data do not support a Kīlauea source. Centralized adze production and distribution networks best explain adze distribution. Scoria abraders appear to have been regularly transported from the Kona district to leeward Kohala. Volcanic glass sources loosely align with distance-decay trends, but show greater reliance on Puʻuwaʻawaʻa material by 1650 CE.
我们检查了来自Kohala背风区38个地点的2947件玄武岩和火山玻璃文物。非破坏性能量色散x射线荧光提供了初步的地球化学表征。波长色散x射线荧光(WDXRF)和热电离质谱(TIMS)分析完成了来自不明来源群体的样品。不超过13.9%的可能和确定的与adze有关的债务起源于背风的Kohala。值得注意的是,在向风的Kohala附近的pololi - Adze采石场没有发现石器材料。来自更远的莫纳克亚阿泽采石场的材料占阿泽矿的41.6%。另有38.8%的adze碎屑与一个拉斑岩源相匹配,或者长期以来被认为是Ka Ka - hi的k lauea火山,但WDXRF和TIMS同位素数据不支持k lauea火山。集中的棉花生产和分销网络最能解释棉花的分布。碎石机似乎经常从科纳地区运到下风的科哈拉。火山玻璃源与距离衰减趋势大致一致,但更依赖于1650年的普瓦瓦瓦瓦材料。
{"title":"Provenance, production, and distribution of basalt and volcanic glass artifacts in Leeward Kohala, Hawaiʻi Island","authors":"Peter R. Mills, Steven P. Lundblad, Christina Cauley, Drew S. Coleman, Julie S. Field, Alison L. Hafner, Jennifer G. Kahn, John M. Sinton, Patrick V. Kirch","doi":"10.1002/gea.21913","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21913","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We examined 2947 basalt and volcanic glass artifacts from 38 sites in leeward Kohala. Nondestructive energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence provided initial geochemical characterizations. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) analyses were completed on samples from ambiguously sourced groups. No more than 13.9% of the probable and definite adze-related debitage originated in leeward Kohala. Notably absent are lithic materials from the nearby Pololū Adze Quarry in windward Kohala. Material from the more distant Mauna Kea Adze Quarry accounts for 41.6% of the adze debitage. Another 38.8% of the adze debitage matches with a tholeiitic source or sources long assumed to be Kīlauea Volcano in Kaʻū, but WDXRF and TIMS isotopic data do not support a Kīlauea source. Centralized adze production and distribution networks best explain adze distribution. Scoria abraders appear to have been regularly transported from the Kona district to leeward Kohala. Volcanic glass sources loosely align with distance-decay trends, but show greater reliance on Puʻuwaʻawaʻa material by 1650 CE.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48471745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Beach sand dredging projects off the coast of Southern California provide data for improved understanding of the stratigraphic setting for early Holocene sediments and the potential for offshore buried archaeological materials. Geophysical data, core sediments, and invertebrate fossils allow models to be developed for six borrow sites within drown river valleys off San Diego County. These site-specific models were tested during dredging operations, and the dredge spoil was monitored for archaeological materials. Two of the borrow sites yielded stone bowls consistent with those found in previous offshore archaeological investigations in this region. These artifacts, however, were determined to come from nearshore and lagoonal sediments, not appropriate for direct occupation, raising questions about both the function of stone bowls and the process that resulted in their deposition. The competing hypotheses presented are that these bowls originated in settlements located adjacent to the lagoons, but were eroded and redeposited into the lagoon during transgression, or that they were part of a fishing toolkit used from boats or in shallow waters within the lagoon. This project illustrates the potential for commercial development projects to yield information on submerged archaeological resources, as well as the challenges.
{"title":"Modeling and monitoring submerged prehistoric sites during offshore sand dredging and implications for the study of Early Holocene Coastal Occupation of Southern California","authors":"John A. Hildebrand, Andrew L. York","doi":"10.1002/gea.21914","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21914","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Beach sand dredging projects off the coast of Southern California provide data for improved understanding of the stratigraphic setting for early Holocene sediments and the potential for offshore buried archaeological materials. Geophysical data, core sediments, and invertebrate fossils allow models to be developed for six borrow sites within drown river valleys off San Diego County. These site-specific models were tested during dredging operations, and the dredge spoil was monitored for archaeological materials. Two of the borrow sites yielded stone bowls consistent with those found in previous offshore archaeological investigations in this region. These artifacts, however, were determined to come from nearshore and lagoonal sediments, not appropriate for direct occupation, raising questions about both the function of stone bowls and the process that resulted in their deposition. The competing hypotheses presented are that these bowls originated in settlements located adjacent to the lagoons, but were eroded and redeposited into the lagoon during transgression, or that they were part of a fishing toolkit used from boats or in shallow waters within the lagoon. This project illustrates the potential for commercial development projects to yield information on submerged archaeological resources, as well as the challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.21914","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47060148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ostracods as bioindicators are extremely useful for reconstructing palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate and can also indicate the provenance of sediments and materials, for example, in studies on ancient commercial networks. Ostracods are small crustaceans that live in almost all aquatic habitats, both natural and man‐made. Due to their calcitic carapace, they have high fossilization potential, and their use in geoarchaeology has been steadily increasing during the last decades. Their small size needs mean that only small volumes of sediment samples are needed, and species‐specific ecological tolerances and preferences allow detailed palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Typical methods of their application are palaeoecological analyses of associations based on ecological information and taphonomy, morphometric variability and stable isotope and chemistry analyses of their shells. The present paper aims to present an overview of applications of non‐marine ostracods in (geo‐)archaeological research, recommending sampling and analytical techniques for addressing archaeological research questions on palaeoclimate, habitat and landscape changes, water availability and quality, land use and other anthropogenic impacts, the provenance of materials and commercial networks to promote the application of Ostracoda in geoarchaeology/environmental archaeology.
{"title":"Nonmarine Ostracoda as proxies in (geo-)archaeology — A review","authors":"Ella Quante, Anna Pint, Peter Frenzel","doi":"10.1002/gea.21912","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21912","url":null,"abstract":"Ostracods as bioindicators are extremely useful for reconstructing palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate and can also indicate the provenance of sediments and materials, for example, in studies on ancient commercial networks. Ostracods are small crustaceans that live in almost all aquatic habitats, both natural and man‐made. Due to their calcitic carapace, they have high fossilization potential, and their use in geoarchaeology has been steadily increasing during the last decades. Their small size needs mean that only small volumes of sediment samples are needed, and species‐specific ecological tolerances and preferences allow detailed palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Typical methods of their application are palaeoecological analyses of associations based on ecological information and taphonomy, morphometric variability and stable isotope and chemistry analyses of their shells. The present paper aims to present an overview of applications of non‐marine ostracods in (geo‐)archaeological research, recommending sampling and analytical techniques for addressing archaeological research questions on palaeoclimate, habitat and landscape changes, water availability and quality, land use and other anthropogenic impacts, the provenance of materials and commercial networks to promote the application of Ostracoda in geoarchaeology/environmental archaeology.","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.21912","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42274557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The papers in this special issue represent state‐of‐the‐art approaches to the study and interpretation of human exploitation of lithic materials. The contributions here apply rigorous analytical methodologies intending to elucidate the complexity of human interaction with the landscape, specifically identifying questions relating to the investment in the extraction of lithic resources. These papers move beyond the mere characterization of materials, assessing the nature of human choices, thus providing potential frameworks for subsequent investigations of mobility and resource exploitation. Geographic coverage includes Australia, Tasmania, North America, and Europe, several studies touching on chronologically key times in human history, including the transition of hunter‐gatherers to neolithic lifeways, the peopling of the Americas, all the way up to present issues. What follows is a brief summary of the approaches and key findings in each paper organized by the themes that emerge from this collection. The first paper is a rare consideration of lithic weathering or taphonomic issues and its impact on geochemical lithic sourcing of metamorphic rock. This is followed by a paper on the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of monumental stone architecture of the Australian Aborigines, and finally, a range of case studies that use diverse techniques to investigate lithic tools and stone architectural procurement. As with nearly all domains of archaeological research, revealing taphonomic processes is essential for any subsequent classification and interpretation of sites and material. Theys and Webb analyze surface weathering of the regionally exploited hornfels to create artifacts in southeast Tasmania. They demonstrate that Rb, Sr, Y, and Nb, while mobile during weathering, can successfully source these hornfels artifacts. This study also effectively applies isocon plots to identify the trace elements best suited for these weathered sources. OSL is a technique that is increasingly applied to challenging archaeological and geomorphic contexts where other dating techniques fall short. Kemp and colleagues take on the difficult goal of dating exposed stone architectural remains in the Mithaka Native Title Area in southwest Queensland, Australia. Targeting emplaced single grain quartz underlying Nunc and Kit stones using OSL combined with fallout radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb, they are able to confidently date these structures to the mid and late 20th century. Approaching other structures in this way can complement the dating of occupation layers within them, which remain important to the Australian Aboriginal cultures. There is increasing interest in sourcing stone artifacts as multi‐instrumentation applications are becoming more precise and affordable, including the added benefit that a wider range of materials can be assessed using portable equipment. Meanwhile, research questions have become more sophisticated and focused on lithic procurem
{"title":"Special issue: Lithic material studies in geoarchaeology: An introduction","authors":"Sarah C. Sherwood, Kevin Walsh","doi":"10.1002/gea.21911","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21911","url":null,"abstract":"The papers in this special issue represent state‐of‐the‐art approaches to the study and interpretation of human exploitation of lithic materials. The contributions here apply rigorous analytical methodologies intending to elucidate the complexity of human interaction with the landscape, specifically identifying questions relating to the investment in the extraction of lithic resources. These papers move beyond the mere characterization of materials, assessing the nature of human choices, thus providing potential frameworks for subsequent investigations of mobility and resource exploitation. Geographic coverage includes Australia, Tasmania, North America, and Europe, several studies touching on chronologically key times in human history, including the transition of hunter‐gatherers to neolithic lifeways, the peopling of the Americas, all the way up to present issues. What follows is a brief summary of the approaches and key findings in each paper organized by the themes that emerge from this collection. The first paper is a rare consideration of lithic weathering or taphonomic issues and its impact on geochemical lithic sourcing of metamorphic rock. This is followed by a paper on the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of monumental stone architecture of the Australian Aborigines, and finally, a range of case studies that use diverse techniques to investigate lithic tools and stone architectural procurement. As with nearly all domains of archaeological research, revealing taphonomic processes is essential for any subsequent classification and interpretation of sites and material. Theys and Webb analyze surface weathering of the regionally exploited hornfels to create artifacts in southeast Tasmania. They demonstrate that Rb, Sr, Y, and Nb, while mobile during weathering, can successfully source these hornfels artifacts. This study also effectively applies isocon plots to identify the trace elements best suited for these weathered sources. OSL is a technique that is increasingly applied to challenging archaeological and geomorphic contexts where other dating techniques fall short. Kemp and colleagues take on the difficult goal of dating exposed stone architectural remains in the Mithaka Native Title Area in southwest Queensland, Australia. Targeting emplaced single grain quartz underlying Nunc and Kit stones using OSL combined with fallout radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb, they are able to confidently date these structures to the mid and late 20th century. Approaching other structures in this way can complement the dating of occupation layers within them, which remain important to the Australian Aboriginal cultures. There is increasing interest in sourcing stone artifacts as multi‐instrumentation applications are becoming more precise and affordable, including the added benefit that a wider range of materials can be assessed using portable equipment. Meanwhile, research questions have become more sophisticated and focused on lithic procurem","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44543991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aristeidis Varis, Christopher E. Miller, Patrick Cuthbertson, Abay Namen, Zhaken Taimagambetov, Radu Iovita
Central Asian caves with Palaeolithic deposits are few, but they provide a rich record of human fossils and cultural assemblages that has been used to model Late Pleistocene hominin dispersals. However, previous research has not yet systematically evaluated the formation processes that influence the frequency of Palaeolithic cave sites in the region. To address this deficiency, we combined field survey and micromorphological analyses in the piedmont zone of south Kazakhstan. Here, we present our preliminary results focusing on selected sites of the Qaratau mountains. Sediment cover varies among the surveyed caves, and loess-like sediments dominate the cave sequences. The preservation of cave deposits is influenced by reworking of cave sediments within the caves but also by the broader erosional processes that shape semiarid landscapes. Ultimately, deposits of potentially Pleistocene age are scarce. Our study provides new data in the geoarchaeologically neglected region of Central Asia and demonstrates that micromorphology has great analytical potential even within the limitations of rigorous survey projects. We outline some of the processes that influence the formation and preservation of cave deposits in Kazakhstan, as well as broader implications for the distribution of Palaeolithic cave sites in Central Asia and other semiarid environments.
{"title":"The effect of formation processes on the frequency of palaeolithic cave sites in semiarid zones: Insights from Kazakhstan","authors":"Aristeidis Varis, Christopher E. Miller, Patrick Cuthbertson, Abay Namen, Zhaken Taimagambetov, Radu Iovita","doi":"10.1002/gea.21909","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21909","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Central Asian caves with Palaeolithic deposits are few, but they provide a rich record of human fossils and cultural assemblages that has been used to model Late Pleistocene hominin dispersals. However, previous research has not yet systematically evaluated the formation processes that influence the frequency of Palaeolithic cave sites in the region. To address this deficiency, we combined field survey and micromorphological analyses in the piedmont zone of south Kazakhstan. Here, we present our preliminary results focusing on selected sites of the Qaratau mountains. Sediment cover varies among the surveyed caves, and loess-like sediments dominate the cave sequences. The preservation of cave deposits is influenced by reworking of cave sediments within the caves but also by the broader erosional processes that shape semiarid landscapes. Ultimately, deposits of potentially Pleistocene age are scarce. Our study provides new data in the geoarchaeologically neglected region of Central Asia and demonstrates that micromorphology has great analytical potential even within the limitations of rigorous survey projects. We outline some of the processes that influence the formation and preservation of cave deposits in Kazakhstan, as well as broader implications for the distribution of Palaeolithic cave sites in Central Asia and other semiarid environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.21909","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41829921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Ballesteros, Aude Painchault, Beatriz Puente-Berdasco, Carol Nehme, Dominique Todisco, José Ignacio García-Alonso, M. Varano, D. Mouralis
The provenance of medieval building stones links historic constructions with their quarrying areas, thereby revealing medieval trade routes and the spatial organization of past societies. In northern France, the Duchy of Normandy played a significant role in the medieval history of Europe, situated at the centre of the disputes between the English and French kingdoms. However, the historical documentation from this period is scarce, particularly in terms of the quarrying industry. Our study aims to define the quarrying areas and their diffusion zones and map the territorial organization of Eastern Normandy during the 10th–14th centuries. A multidisciplinary procedure using archaeological, geological and geochemical techniques was designed to establish the provenance of Normandy Chalkstone. First, we obtained a representative assembly of building stones by the selection and strategic sampling of 22 buildings. Second, we determined areas of chalk bedrock from a geological map rendered through GIS and sampled chalkstones from natural outcrops and quarries. In total, 118 samples from buildings, quarries and natural outcrops were characterized via optical microscopy and geochemical analyses for major, minor and trace elements (XRF, ICP-MS and ICP-OES), as well as for 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios (MC-ICP-MS). The application in situ of pXRF analysis allows for the identification of Normandy Chalkstone sources preserved in archaeological sites. The results indicate that all chalkstones came from five local varieties of Normandy Chalkstone and one of Shelly Limestone imported from nearby regions. The suitability of chalkstone as construction material was evaluated in situ using a sclerometer, which revealed that the singular and local geological features of the chalkstone make it suitable for walling. Our study demonstrates the development of a prominent and relatively continued quarrying industry over the 10th to 14th centuries in Eastern Normandy. The main quarrying areas were constituted of three chalkstone diffusion zones that run coevally with smaller and apparently sporadic quarries. The chalkstone diffusion was strongly related to the occurrence of singular and local geological resources and the stone transport system, which favoured the use of effective fluvial and maritime navigation for transport over 50 km from the quarrying areas.
{"title":"Sourcing of chalkstone used in medieval buildings in the Eastern Duchy of Normandy (10th−14th centuries) through geological and geochemistry analyses","authors":"Daniel Ballesteros, Aude Painchault, Beatriz Puente-Berdasco, Carol Nehme, Dominique Todisco, José Ignacio García-Alonso, M. Varano, D. Mouralis","doi":"10.1002/gea.21907","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21907","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The provenance of medieval building stones links historic constructions with their quarrying areas, thereby revealing medieval trade routes and the spatial organization of past societies. In northern France, the Duchy of Normandy played a significant role in the medieval history of Europe, situated at the centre of the disputes between the English and French kingdoms. However, the historical documentation from this period is scarce, particularly in terms of the quarrying industry. Our study aims to define the quarrying areas and their diffusion zones and map the territorial organization of Eastern Normandy during the 10th–14th centuries. A multidisciplinary procedure using archaeological, geological and geochemical techniques was designed to establish the provenance of Normandy Chalkstone. First, we obtained a representative assembly of building stones by the selection and strategic sampling of 22 buildings. Second, we determined areas of chalk bedrock from a geological map rendered through GIS and sampled chalkstones from natural outcrops and quarries. In total, 118 samples from buildings, quarries and natural outcrops were characterized via optical microscopy and geochemical analyses for major, minor and trace elements (XRF, ICP-MS and ICP-OES), as well as for <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr isotope ratios (MC-ICP-MS). The application in situ of pXRF analysis allows for the identification of Normandy Chalkstone sources preserved in archaeological sites. The results indicate that all chalkstones came from five local varieties of Normandy Chalkstone and one of Shelly Limestone imported from nearby regions. The suitability of chalkstone as construction material was evaluated in situ using a sclerometer, which revealed that the singular and local geological features of the chalkstone make it suitable for walling. Our study demonstrates the development of a prominent and relatively continued quarrying industry over the 10th to 14th centuries in Eastern Normandy. The main quarrying areas were constituted of three chalkstone diffusion zones that run coevally with smaller and apparently sporadic quarries. The chalkstone diffusion was strongly related to the occurrence of singular and local geological resources and the stone transport system, which favoured the use of effective fluvial and maritime navigation for transport over 50 km from the quarrying areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44817628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nizamettin Kazancı, Aysen Özgüneylioğlu, Salim M. Öncel, Mehmet Korhan Erturaç, Eren Şahiner
Mahkemağcin Underground City (MUC) is a four-floored rock-cut dwelling complex carved into ignimbrite tuffs of the Early-Middle Miocene age in central Anatolia. The whole interior of the complex is covered by a 1–5 cm thick alteration crust that is not detected in any cave or outcrop in the region. This crust is investigated using microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence analyses, and the results are discussed from the geomechanical point of view. The colour of the outer surface of the crust is black, which turns red inside and grades into pale yellow above the white parent rock. The compaction and solidity of the crust are relatively high, as much as double that of the parent rock. The crust seems to have prevented and/or significantly decreased the erosion of the surfaces of the room walls. Mineralogical and chemical analyses together with experimental studies on selected samples suggest that such a crust could have formed because of thermal alteration at high temperatures ca. 600–950°C. On examination of the heated samples, the main geochemical changes within heated rocks were (i) an increase in silica concentration by ca. 2%–3% and (ii) the disappearance of zeolites and sericites. Thermoluminescence dating of the crust revealed thermal resetting of quartz crystals within the ignimbrite tuff at 243 ± 260 CE. All the analytical methods applied to the site indicate that the crust was obtained intentionally, possibly by burning woods indoors, aiming to harden the wall surfaces, mainly by Galatian people of the early Medieval time.
{"title":"Crust occurrence on a Galatian rock-cut dwelling in central Anatolia, Turkey","authors":"Nizamettin Kazancı, Aysen Özgüneylioğlu, Salim M. Öncel, Mehmet Korhan Erturaç, Eren Şahiner","doi":"10.1002/gea.21910","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21910","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mahkemağcin Underground City (MUC) is a four-floored rock-cut dwelling complex carved into ignimbrite tuffs of the Early-Middle Miocene age in central Anatolia. The whole interior of the complex is covered by a 1–5 cm thick alteration crust that is not detected in any cave or outcrop in the region. This crust is investigated using microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence analyses, and the results are discussed from the geomechanical point of view. The colour of the outer surface of the crust is black, which turns red inside and grades into pale yellow above the white parent rock. The compaction and solidity of the crust are relatively high, as much as double that of the parent rock. The crust seems to have prevented and/or significantly decreased the erosion of the surfaces of the room walls. Mineralogical and chemical analyses together with experimental studies on selected samples suggest that such a crust could have formed because of thermal alteration at high temperatures ca. 600–950°C. On examination of the heated samples, the main geochemical changes within heated rocks were (i) an increase in silica concentration by ca. 2%–3% and (ii) the disappearance of zeolites and sericites. Thermoluminescence dating of the crust revealed thermal resetting of quartz crystals within the ignimbrite tuff at 243 ± 260 CE. All the analytical methods applied to the site indicate that the crust was obtained intentionally, possibly by burning woods indoors, aiming to harden the wall surfaces, mainly by Galatian people of the early Medieval time.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47670996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alina Tšugai-Tsyrulnikova, Maxim Charniauski, Irina Khrustaleva, Jüri Plado, Aivar Kriiska
Asaviec 2 in the Kryvina wetland is one of the best known and the most thoroughly investigated Stone and Bronze Age lake settlement sites in Northern Belarus. Previously, research on the site used excavations and coring, typological analysis and radiocarbon dating of the find material, as well as stratigraphic, lithological and palynological analyses. However, geophysical methods were not used. This study was carried out to test the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) both at this particular site and in peaty sediments generally. The main goal was to determine the lateral spread of the occupation layer and traces of ancient habitation activity. The GPR reflection profiles have been correlated with coring data and previously excavated archaeological profiles. The chaotic pattern in the GPR reflection profiles has been interpreted as disturbed peat, thereby indicating human activity. The areas of disturbed peat and the lower boundary of the peat body were traced and mapped. The occupation layer and signs of human activity are irregularly distributed and largely coincide with the high and intermediate forms of the subsoil relief, but not with the low forms. As a result, we have concluded that GPR is a valuable tool for determining occupational layers in wetlands when verified by excavations and coring.
{"title":"Ground-penetrating radar investigations of the Asaviec 2 archaeological site, Northern Belarus","authors":"Alina Tšugai-Tsyrulnikova, Maxim Charniauski, Irina Khrustaleva, Jüri Plado, Aivar Kriiska","doi":"10.1002/gea.21905","DOIUrl":"10.1002/gea.21905","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Asaviec 2 in the Kryvina wetland is one of the best known and the most thoroughly investigated Stone and Bronze Age lake settlement sites in Northern Belarus. Previously, research on the site used excavations and coring, typological analysis and radiocarbon dating of the find material, as well as stratigraphic, lithological and palynological analyses. However, geophysical methods were not used. This study was carried out to test the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) both at this particular site and in peaty sediments generally. The main goal was to determine the lateral spread of the occupation layer and traces of ancient habitation activity. The GPR reflection profiles have been correlated with coring data and previously excavated archaeological profiles. The chaotic pattern in the GPR reflection profiles has been interpreted as disturbed peat, thereby indicating human activity. The areas of disturbed peat and the lower boundary of the peat body were traced and mapped. The occupation layer and signs of human activity are irregularly distributed and largely coincide with the high and intermediate forms of the subsoil relief, but not with the low forms. As a result, we have concluded that GPR is a valuable tool for determining occupational layers in wetlands when verified by excavations and coring.</p>","PeriodicalId":55117,"journal":{"name":"Geoarchaeology-An International Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42020703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}