Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences最新文献

Archaeological textiles are rare in Sicily, except under specific environmental conditions, as the Sicilian climate is not conducive to the preservation of organic materials. Consequently, the study of textile culture in Sicily has primarily relied on the analysis of textile tools, which, in contrast, are both abundant and ubiquitous. This study presents the results of the analysis of textile remains recovered from the cemeteries of Vassallaggi (San Cataldo-Caltanissetta, Sicily) and Lipari (Aeolian islands, Sicily), located in central and northern Sicily, respectively. It offers the opportunity to examine the fifth-third century BC textile production at two sites on the island. The textiles have survived in a mineralised form as a result of direct contact with metal objects. The fabrics were mainly wrapped around grave goods — including urns containing cremated remains, the ashes, and items such as strigils and knives. The practice of wrapping grave objects was a well-documented funerary custom in Italy and Greece from as early as the Iron Age. In Sicily, it was observed among certain Greek and local communities during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. All textile fragments were examined using a digital microscope to analyse fabric structures, including weave types and thread characteristics. Fibre types were then identified through the use of a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results allowed us to shed light on the textile culture in Classical and Hellenistic Sicily, placing it in the wider Mediterranean context. Moreover, the funerary practice of wrapping grave goods provided valuable insights into the role of textiles in contexts of cultural interactions, as well as the ways in which local communities expressed their social and cultural affiliations.

The use of experimentation within studies of early distillation technology has largely taken a methodological approach which aims to demonstrate how suggested technical evolutions and apparatus configurations operate. This paper examines the viability of the ‘Gandhāra still’ reconstruction for distillation within a unified campaign of comparative and exploratory experimentation, acting as a framework for critical evaluation. First generated from interpretations on the function of predominately 2nd c. BCE– 4th c. CE ceramic vessels found across South-Central Asia, the Gandhāra still has been a central component in the conceptualisation of an “ancient Indian distillation hypothesis” that has received considerable attention in the historiography of science. This uptake in interest has led to researchers from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to reinforce the still’s existence and distilling capacity, including through the use of experimentation. In response, this paper details a new campaign of experimental trials which identified functional reasons as to why the apparatus does not operate. Crucially, trials demonstrated how the interpreted set of apparatus components together cannot sufficiently condense produced distilling vapour due to their morphology. In tandem, the campaign revealed practical issues associated with internal reflux actions and pressurisation in the still that had not been identified previously. Further analysing such a pervasive dialogue on technical innovation invites wider re-evaluations of distillation technology chartings and introduces a nuanced suite of considerations in discussing the inception of early distillation.

This paper presents an analysis of two exceptionally rare archaeological finds: bone needle cases containing loose sediments, within which needles and beads were identified through micro-CT scanning. These artifacts were recovered from Neolithic burials at the Verkholensk cemetery in the Cis-Baikal region of Eastern Siberia. While the discovery of needle cases containing needles is not uncommon, such artifacts are typically cleaned during post-excavation processing, often obscuring their original contents and spatial organization. The significance of these finds lies not merely in the presence of needles, but in their spatial arrangement within the cases. By analyzing the positioning of the needles and beads, we reconstruct how these items were handled and transported during the Neolithic period. Our findings suggest that a long leather strip or fragment was threaded through the needle case and attached to clothing or a belt, reflecting a high degree of daily and seasonal mobility among Neolithic populations. Notably, the presence of beads inside the needle cases provides the first direct evidence that these items served a multifunctional purpose—not only as containers for sewing kits but also for storing and transporting small objects. These findings offer significant insights into the economic practices and funerary rituals of Neolithic populations in Northeast Asia, highlighting the adaptive strategies and material culture of highly mobile communities.

Cinnabar, a source of red pigment, was widely used and in high demand during the Han Dynasty of China; however, its primary source and circulation remain unclear. To investigate the provenance and circulation of cinnabar during the Han Dynasty, we collected cinnabar samples from artefacts excavated from five representative Han-dynasty sites—the Haihun Marquis Tomb, Nanyue King Tomb, Mawangdui Tomb, Guankou Han Tomb, and Zonglvcheng Han Tomb—and from the modern Youyang mercury mine near the Guankou Han Tomb. We subjected both the ancient (archaeological) and modern (ore) cinnabar samples to sulfur-isotope analysis. Significant variations in sulfur-isotope values were determined for the Western Han-period cinnabar, with overlapping isotope ranges among samples unearthed from distinct sites. The sulfur-isotope compositions of the cinnabar samples from different locations indicate at least three primary cinnabar production areas during the Han Dynasty. Among these, Wuchuan in Guizhou Province was likely the most important, serving as a production hub, with Xunyang in Shaanxi Province and Xingren in southwestern Guizhou providing supplementary materials for regional cinnabar consumption. This study highlights the substantial demand for cinnabar during the Han Dynasty, which drove the formation of a widespread cinnabar circulation network.

This study focuses on domestic architecture from the Early-Late Iron Age (5th to first centuries BCE) at the hillfort of Icedo, which is located in the Las Loras Geopark in Burgos, Spain. The most up-to-date methodological approaches to macro and micro analysis are used to explore the topic. In other words, it examines the architectural, social and ecological characteristics of the so-called Late Iron Age oppida. This approach aims to shed light on mountain occupation and resource acquisition during the late 1st millennium BCE. Microcontextual geoarchaeological methods were employed to analyse the domestic architecture of the site, which consists mainly of a circular hut built with a limestone base, clay, lime and vegetal materials. These methods included micromorphology, in addition to integrated phytolith, calcitic microfossil and charcoal analysis. Previous stratigraphic excavations revealed well-preserved construction remains, such as wooden frameworks covered with lime and clay plasters. The paper's results emphasise the use of agricultural by-products, notably cereal straw, as stabilisers in earthern building materials. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the hillfort was constructed between 515 and 385 cal BCE, which correlates with neighbouring Late Iron Age sites, such as the La Ulaña oppidum. Further analyses of charcoal, phytoliths, and calcitic microremains suggest a reliance on local plant resources and an advanced understanding of the selection and preparation of materials. Integrating macro- and microarchaeological evidence, such as charcoal, pottery, bone, pollen, phytoliths, and geomorphology, has provided insights into the socio-economic practices of the inhabitants and their adaptation to the mountainous landscape. This interdisciplinary approach improves our understanding of the domestic and spatial organisation of protohistoric settlements and their cultural significance in the Cantabrian Mountains. The case-study contributes to broader discussions on societal resilience and the interactions between indigenous communities and their environments during the Late Iron Age.

The archaeological site of Las Eras del Alcázar is situated in Úbeda (Jaén) and its chronological sequence spans from the second quarter of the 4th millennium BC to the first quarter of the 2nd millennium BC. This study aims to present the findings obtained from integrated microfossil analyses, including phytoliths, calcitic plant and faecal microremains, from a Bronze Age dwelling displaying three well-defined stony floor sequences and a hearth from sector 16. The phytolith assemblages were in general well-preserved. Elongated dendritic phytoliths and epidermal appendages, often considered fragile morphologies, were frequently observed in the samples. The phytolith assemblages were dominated by grass silica short cells produced from the Pooideae subfamily, which includes cereals such as wheat (Triticum sp.) and barley (Hordeum sp.), species found at the site in macrobotanical records. Of particular note is the presence of echinate spheroid phytoliths, characteristic of palms (Arecaceae), likely from Chamaerops humilis, which is native to Mediterranean regions. This is significant as these fragile plant remains are largely absent from macrobotanical assemblages. In addition to phytoliths, calcitic wood ash pseudomorphs, morphologically resembling those produced by the Quercus genus were also recorded, which could relate to the use of these plants for fuel, among other purposes. Overall, these findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of plant use and domestic activities within Argaric households from a diachronic perspective.

The Yuhuangmiao Culture is regarded as a key representative example of the Late Bronze Age in northern China. This paper presents findings from a project conducted by the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, which re-evaluated artifacts excavated from significant Yuhuangmiao Culture sites, particularly the Manzigou Cemetery and the Paotaishan Cemetery. The study focused on various bronze samples, which underwent multiple analytical techniques to conduct an in-depth analysis of the production process of bronze and the source of the lead materials used. The evidence suggests that a casting system for a copper-tin-lead ternary alloy was established by the maturity phase of the Yuhuangmiao Culture, and bronze production primarily utilized B lead, supplemented by C lead sources from the Central Plains. The findings indicate a complex network of exchange and interaction between the Central Plains and the Eurasian steppe, shaped by the interplay of these two distinct cultural regions.

This study examines Early Helladic I-II (EH I-II) pottery from Kontopigado, Alimos, located in the Attica Peninsula. The EH I assemblage is dominated by pottery with red to brown surfaces and/or compact burnished finishes, a distinctive feature of EH I Attica that persisted in smaller numbers into the EH II period. Macroscopic analysis identified various fabrics of these visually similar but compositionally distinct ceramics within the assemblages. To characterise these, and to investigate their provenance and production technology, thin-section petrography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to analyse the ceramic fabrics and surface treatments. The results indicate that these vessels were produced by a number of production centres in Attica and Aegina, each employing distinct raw materials and technological approaches to create similar aesthetic surface effects. Examination of surface layers and microstructures revealed variations in finishing techniques and firing conditions that contributed to their visual and physical characteristics. Continuity in the production and consumption of these wares is observed into the EH II period, but with some technological changes. We suggest the existence of multiple production centres of these vessels during the EH I-II periods, and the regular exchange between sites of comparable pottery types, contributing to our understanding of technological diversity, regional interactions and patterns of consumption within the region of Attica during the Early Bronze Age.

This paper presents faunal remains from medieval Monte Iato in Western Sicily. Five assemblages from independent architectural structures in close spatial proximity are discussed. The architectural features from which the material was recovered date to the 13th century AD. At this time Monte Iato was a stronghold of insurrectionists under Arab leadership against Emperor Frederick II. During the ensuing power struggles the settlement on the mountain plateau was destroyed twice according to literary sources – in 1222/1223 AD and again in 1246 AD. Faunal remains from this time highlight different synchronous consumption patterns in close proximity. Three architectural units show a basic subsistence strategy focussing predominantly on sheep and goat. The other two units diverge significantly. Faunal remains from one house show a high percentage of deer and equid remains which can tentatively be linked to an elevated social status. The material from another house is dominated by pig, possibly due to a high proportion of residual bones. While the assemblages’ diverging patterns were in part created by contrasting taphonomic pathways, they may also reflect the different socio-economic status of the consumers involved.

The El Jobo projectile points represent a distinctive design innovation of Late Pleistocene Neotropical human groups. This technology, characterized by its fusiform/lanceolate shape, has been recorded mainly in northwestern Venezuela in a variety of geographical areas and in association with megafauna killing/butchering sites. To characterize it, address its significance, and analyse possible continental relationships, four consecutive approaches were conducted. A representative sample of El Jobo projectile points was subject to technological approximation, morphological classification, outline-based geometric morphometric analysis, and elemental composition analysis. Six morphological types were recognized, for which a common series of manufacture steps was hypothesized. Mainly collateral and irregular flaking patterns were identified, also recording new basal variability, including fluting, fluting-like and reconfiguration techniques. The four most representative morphological types were subjected to morphometric analysis. Elliptic Fourier and Principal Component analyses identified at least three clusters, with width variation mainly distinguishing their shapes, and statistical tests determined significative differences between the main morphological types. The elemental analysis revealed the main use of quarzitic rocks, with variations in elemental composition indicative of diverse sources. The observed variability and cumulative evidence of El Jobo projectile points suggests their adaptation to diverse hunting strategies. The wide geographic distribution of tools and the morphometric comparison with a Monte Verde projectile suggest potential long-distance connections of El Jobo with other projectile point technologies across the continent.