Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences最新文献

A silver hoard from Mras ed-Din in the region of Samaria is published here for the first time. Dating to the seventh century BCE, the hoard comprises six large silver cut-ingots–also known as Hacksilber. The current study includes metrological, chemical and isotopic analysis. In addition, for the first time, functional analysis has been applied to hoarded cut-silver items. Results show that the cut-ingots conform to a series of shekel-based weight standards, making this the only known Levantine hoard to clearly adhere to the local weight system. Detailed examination of the cut characteristics and other visible features allows us to reconstruct the segmentation process used to produce the Hacksilber. This process involved heating, fine-chiseling, segmentation with a larger chisel, and hacking— likely with a hammer. Some cut ingots have rounded corners, suggesting that they were passed around as currency. Chemical and isotopic analyses indicate that most of the silver originated from Laurion, in Greece. These findings suggest that Mras ed-Din, located in the former territory of the destroyed Kingdom of Israel, was influenced by and possibly integrated into the economic sphere of the Kingdom of Judah, whose reach appears to have been more extensive than previously assumed. In a broader regional perspective, trade in the mid- seventh century BCE was likely stimulated by Egypt, which briefly controlled the region following the Assyrian retreat. The results support the growing evidence for the Kingdom of Judah’s significant role in intra-regional commerce.

The investigation is focused on the remains of an iron smelting site in South-West Germany of the 11^th to 13^th centuries AD. Within the scope of a pilot study, scientific analyses of smelting debris as slag and metallic iron reveal lumps of pig iron, finery slag and early blast furnace calcium-alumina-silicate slag, as well as wrought iron with relicts of cast iron within the microstructure. This new evidence for early indirect process technology is concordant with results of contemporary sites in South-West Germany, and fits in seamlessly with current European research on medieval ferrous metallurgy. The results of a High Medieval smelting site near Ohmenhausen presented here are one of the first hints of a deliberate finery process for that early period of a modified proto-blast furnace technology.

The colourants and glazed tiles used in the architectural decoration of the Masjed-e Jameʿ of Golpayegan were analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopy (µ-Raman), scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), polarised light microscopy (PLM), and micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF). The identified colourants, which were found on the stucco decorations, including gold leaf, yellow orpiment, red vermilion, yellow and red ochres, red fuchsine, ultramarine blue, and blue azurite, along with their stratigraphic sequence at the monument, revealed at least four distinct phases of intervention at the mihrab of the mosque. As well as these findings, compositional differences between the bodies and glazes of the tiles found in the mosque provided material evidence for multiple intervention phases in the mosque’s history.

The widespread use and production of plaster during the Neolithic transition in SW Asia represents a significant technological advancement and development in the material culture of early sedentary farming communities. The Final Pre-Pottery Neolithic case-study of Qdeir (7100 − 5720 cal BCE), located in the Syrian steppe, provides new evidence of resource management and technology in floor plaster manufacture. It also sheds light on the impact of the environment and activities on floor surfaces as indicators of continuity and change in space use and related socio-cultural implications within mobile pastoralist communities in a distinctive environment. Micromorphological analysis on archive samples reveals distinct floor plasters indicating different production processes and material sourcing, including carbonate sediments and gypsum, and the incorporation of animal dung as fuel to produce gypsum plaster. Dung was likely a major fuel source given the scarcity of wood and the community’s reliance on pastoralism, underscoring the adaptive strategies employed by the community to overcome ecological constraints. Variability in floor sequences across occupation phases at Qdeir suggests differences in concepts of space and seasonal settlement strategies. The interplay between mud and gypsum plaster floors reflects changing technological and socio-cultural practices, possibly related to varying needs, sustainable management of fuel sources and material availability over time. This study highlights the importance of micromorphology in providing high-resolution contextual information on the nature, manufacturing processes, and post-depositional alterations of plasters and contributes to the broader understanding of the technological, ecological, and social dynamics that shaped Neolithic communities.

The article examines specific features of using charcoal as a material for the chronological attribution of iron-smelting furnaces in the mountainous southeastern Russian Altai. Archaeological charcoal from bloomery hearts of ancient nomad has a high potential not only for radiocarbon dating, but also for tree ring analysis. The use of radiocarbon analysis meets some difficulties associated, first of all, with the accuracy of dates, including those obtained by AMS technique. Another fundamental reason for the erroneous oldening of these monuments is the old wood effect, when the number of missing peripheral rings remains unknown. Tree ring analysis of charcoal in this context has great potential. With its annual resolution it can solve the problem of precise dating, and combining a large number of individual ring series can also minimize the old wood effect. This paper presents new radiocarbon dates for charcoal extracted from iron slag, including the results of Bayesian analysis, as well as 377 year-long tree ring chronology, being one of the longest in the world based on archaeological charcoal. Analysis of these data together with all available radiocarbon dates for box-shaped iron smelting furnaces in the Kuektanar location (highlands of Russian Altai) evidence for the functioning of Kosh-Agach type furnaces in the ancient Turkic period (late 5th − 10th centuries AD), which is also supported by few associated archaeological finds.

This study examines Middle Palaeolithic lithic technology in Piedmont, with a focus on the use of quartz as the primary raw material. Due to the scarcity of local chert, the region’s lithic industries are dominated by quartz, which is mainly available in secondary deposits along watercourses. The stratified reference site is the Ciota Ciara cave, but surface lithic assemblages from Trino, Vaude Canavesane, and Baragge Biellesi were also considered. Technological analysis reveals the adoption of adaptive knapping strategies for quartz processing across all methods employed. The knapping operations are characterized by short sequences, a preference for natural striking platforms, and thicker products, strategies aimed at minimizing accidental fragmentation of the material. These adaptations are analogous to those observed in other European regions where quartz is the dominant raw material or a complementary resource. The results also confirm that Neanderthals in Piedmont developed specialized processing strategies to exploit the properties of quartz, optimizing its use despite technical challenges. Further studies are essential to better understand the chronology, the technological choices and the settlement dynamics in the region during Middle Palaeolithic, beyond the Ciota Ciara cave.

Artificial Memory Systems (AMSs) are tools that allow for the storage and retrieval of coded information beyond the physical body, ranging from computers and writing systems to tallying sticks. Current scientific knowledge suggests humans are the only species to manufacture and use these tools. While a number of artifacts dating back to the Middle Paleolithic have been considered to be early instances of AMS, conclusive and systematic evidence of this function is absent. Here we contrast the spatial distribution of markings on these potential early AMSs to other Paleolithic artifacts displaying butchery and ornamental marks, as well as ethnographically recorded cases of AMS. We find that both ethnographic and Upper Paleolithic AMSs are endowed with systematically different signatures that distinguish them from the other artifacts. These findings suggest that modern humans in at least Africa and Europe had sophisticated cognitive capabilities for information storage and retrieval, providing insights into the possible development of quantity-related cognition.

The technique of soil micromorphology has seen a significant increase in its use over the past few decades. However, this tool is still underutilized in protohistoric sites in the Iberian Peninsula, despite having shown promising results. This work examines the use of gypsum as a construction material in the protohistoric site of Gebut, (Lleida, Spain), through a geoarchaeological study based on micromorphology. The results challenge the belief that gypsum can only be used in interior spaces or for decorative purposes. Its use has been identified in floors, plaster, and mortars, both in interior and exterior spaces. Additionally, parallels are drawn with other protohistoric sites in the northeast of the peninsula, where gypsum was used in mortars, plaster, structures related to liquid production, and waterproof floors. Under environmental conditions, gypsum tends to dissolve/precipitate and can naturally occurring at the site through various mechanisms. The study incorporates micromorphology criteria to distinguish between pedogenic and anthropogenic gypsum based on its general spatial arrangement, percentage, or the morphology and size of its crystals. Furthermore, adding specific temper (well-classified ceramic fragments and rubified aggregates) and plant fragments has been documented as very likely to improve mechanical properties and durability. These findings reveal advanced technical knowledge of gypsum in the Protohistoric period, involving pyrotechnical skills, granulometric selection, and the use of natural additives to optimize its properties. The results encourage further physical-chemical studies to validate these hypotheses and reconsider gypsum’s role as a versatile structural material in protohistoric architecture.

Ovens are found in the majority of Late Neolithic Vinča culture houses. Unfortunately, they are usually preserved only at the floor level, while parts of the upper structure are almost always missing. Even though several fully preserved ovens were discovered at the site of Vinča–Belo Brdo in the early 20th century, no information regarding the techniques used in their construction was recorded. Fortunately, in 2006, at the same site, an almost fully preserved oven was uncovered and was partially excavated in 2015. This find is highly significant, as it represents the first oven with an intact dome discovered since 1911. To maximize the quantity and quality of data collected, a new excavation methodology was developed and applied. Instead of cutting through the oven, breaking patterns visible on the dome were followed and the oven was deconstructed, which allowed the reconstruction of the building process. As the oven dome construction technique revealed in this context had not been previously considered or proposed in archaeological literature, this article introduces new interpretations and results. To test the findings obtained during the excavation, experimental ovens were built using this newly identified technique. One of the aims of this article is to present an innovative excavation methodology that can be applied to other daub architectural features. Furthermore, the detection and recognition of a previously undocumented construction technique opens the door to more comprehensive studies of Neolithic earthen architecture and individual daub architectural elements.

This study explores the geographical distribution and molecular composition of adhesive substances employed by Neolithic communities in north-central Italy. By applying advanced mass spectrometric techniques—specifically Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)—we chemically characterized organic residues recovered from flint blades and complete and fragmentary wooden sickles, across multiple archaeological sites. The dual analytical approach proved especially effective in detecting and identifying molecular markers in samples where the preserved adhesive was present only in trace amounts, thus overcoming limitations imposed by minimal sample volumes and potential contamination. Our comprehensive analysis revealed a diverse portfolio of adhesive materials, notably birch bark tar, Pinaceae resin, and bitumen. The coexistence of these substances within the same chronological framework suggests a complex technological and procurement strategy among Neolithic groups. Local resources, such as pine resins, were likely exploited alongside non-local materials, implying the existence of well-established exchange networks and adaptive responses to regional environmental conditions. By coupling archaeological investigation with molecular characterization, this research demonstrates that even minimally preserved organic residues can yield significant compositional data, thereby contributing to a more nuanced reconstruction of prehistoric technological networks and socio-economic interactions.