Search Results (304)

For past societies on the Iberian Peninsula, one of the most prolific architectures was earthen construction, with a wealth of typologies and solutions derived from the legacy of local construction and materials. However, its study within the field of archaeology has been limited. The challenges posed by conservation, archaeological identification and social recognition have traditionally limited the dissemination of this type of architecture. Its low profile is perceived as fragile once the original protections collapse. The ethnological information preserved and linked to past ways of life and societies is crucial to the interpretation of the cultural development handed down over generations by different communities and now transmitted to the general public through archaeological sites. This research aims to provide an overview of the main earthen vestiges from domestic, productive and funerary architecture dating from the prehistoric, protohistoric, Roman and medieval periods. For this, a bibliographical review and data collection through fieldwork were conducted for numerous case studies. These included the classification of materials, compositions and construction techniques, creating an integrated comprehensive database with information on geography, measurements and the general state of conservation. Full article

The paper presents an interdisciplinary study based on an experimental model for investigating clay sources to identify prehistoric human behavior regarding resources. The study focuses on the Middle Bronze Age (1955/1773–1739/1614 cal. BC) settlement of Siliştea-Pe Cetățuie in eastern Romania, where archaeological materials from the Costișa and Monteoru cultures were discovered. Standard criteria for macroscopic analysis and analytical techniques, such as optical microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (µ-FTIR), and thermal analysis (DTA and TG), were used to investigate the ceramic material from multiple points of view. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the ceramics of the two communities. Putting together the data obtained from macroscopic and physico-chemical analyses helped in partially reconstructing ancient human behaviors related to the production and use of ceramic vessels. Full article

Since prehistoric times, indigenous residents of southwest British Columbia, Canada, collected water-worn nephrite specimens from the gravel bars along the Fraser River, using the stone for the manufacture of tools that were widely traded with other tribes. Allochthonous nephrite occurs in another geologic setting. Late Pleistocene continental glaciers transported nephrite and many other rock types from western Canada to northwest Washington State, producing extensive sediment deposits that border the Salish Sea coast in Whatcom and Island Counties, Washington. This material was little utilized by indigenous residents, but “black jade” specimens are prized by modern collectors. The depositional history and mineralogy of this material has received little attention. X-ray diffraction and SEM/EDS analyses indicate that the Salish Sea “black jade” is a form of impure nephrite that probably originated from metamorphism of a mafic igneous parent material (metabasite). The texture consists of prismatic amphibole crystals (ferro-actinolite) set in a matrix rich in plagioclase feldspar. Pyrite inclusions are locally present. A second material, sometimes erroneously labelled “muttonfat jade” by amateur collectors, consists of an intermixture of quartz and sillimanite. Full article

Phosphorus is a key element for identifying past human activity. Recently, phosphorus analyses have been extended to archaeological objects, aiming at distinguishing how depositional contexts contribute to its enrichment. In archaeological pottery, phosphorus might depend on several manufacturing and postdepositional processes (i.e., addition of organic temper, pigments, diagenetic incorporation). We analyzed by XRD, XRF, and mid-infrared (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy 178 pots from eight NW Spain archaeological sites. These sites encompass different chronologies, contexts, and local geology. The phosphorus content was highly variable (224–27,722 mg kg⁻¹) overall but also between archeological sites (1644 ± 487 to 13,635 ± 6623 mg kg⁻¹) and within archaeological sites (4–36, max/min ratio). No phosphate minerals were identified by XRD nor FTIR-ATR, but correlations between phosphorus content and MIR absorbances showed maxima at 1515 and 980 cm⁻¹, suggesting the presence of two sources: one organic (i.e., phosphorylated aromatic compounds) and another inorganic (i.e., albite and K-feldspar). Phosphorylated aromatics were most likely formed during pottery firing and were preserved due to their high resistance to temperature and oxidation. Meanwhile, albite and K-feldspar are among the P-bearing minerals with higher P concentrations. Our results suggest that P content is related to intentional and non-intentional actions taken in the pottery production process. Full article

With the “Talents Internship program” established by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG, Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft), 14- to 17-year-old students from various school types visited the Natural History Museum and the Kuratorium Pfahlbauten in summer 2022 to gain practical experience in research. The internship focused on a sustainability approach, discussing recycling methods, the sustainable use of resources and the circular economy in prehistory. The UNESCO World Heritage “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps” was used as a research area for the project. The project also aimed to make the content developed by the students available to the public as a digital media tool. The pupils brought an illustration of a prehistoric lake shore settlement to life and created an interactive image available at the website of Kuratorium Pfahlbauten. Various scenes of the illustration have been augmented with animations created by the students of HTL Spengergasse in Vienna. Students from federal secondary schools from Vienna (Stubenbastei) and Upper Austria (Traun) researched the information about the objects and wrote texts that, as a description of the animated videos, introduce the users to the prehistoric artifact and explain the recycling process behind it. The students worked independently using the scientific literature, 140-year-old inventory books and 6000-year-old objects from the collection of the Natural History Museum Vienna. The activities and the supporting program within the internship were recorded by the students in blog posts, available at the Pfahlbauten-Blog. The co-creative approach of the FFG Talent Internship made it possible to introduce a group of school students to the process of scientific work and the communication of results. It was honored with the Creative App Award at CHNT 2023. Full article

The art of dyeing textiles has a long history, as natural dyes have been used since prehistoric times. With the development of synthetic dyes in the 19th century, the focus shifted from natural to synthetic dyes due to their superior properties. Recently, however, interest in natural dyes has increased again due to environmental and health concerns. Among industrial dyes, heterocyclic dyes, especially azo dyes, are of great importance due to their color brilliance and fastness. This review examines the synthesis, application, and analysis of azo dyes, especially heterocyclic dyes. It deals with monoazo, diazo, and polyazo dyes and highlights their structures, synthesis methods, and fastness properties. In addition, the ecological impact of azo dyes and practical solutions for their synthesis and application are discussed. Full article

In the midlatitudes of the planet, we are facing the imminent disappearance of one of our best high-resolution (pre)historic climate and anthropogenic pollution archives, namely the loss of glacial ice, through accelerated global warming. To capture these records and interpret these vanishing archives, it is imperative that we extract ice-cores from midlatitude regions where glaciers still survive and analyse them within frameworks of inter-disciplinary research. In this paper, we focus on Georgia, part of the Greater Caucasus. Results of ice-core analyses from the region have never, to date, been integrated with its other abundant palaeo-environmental, archaeological and historical sources. We review the results of international projects on palaeo-environmental/geoarchaeological sediment archives, the archaeology of metal economies and preliminary ice-core data in Georgia. Collectively, we show that the different strands need to be integrated to fully explore relationships between climate/landscape change and human societal transformations. We then introduce an inclusive interdisciplinary framework for ongoing research on these themes, with an ultimate future goal of using data from the past to inform societal resilience strategies in the present. Full article

The earliest archaeological evidence of wine came from ceramic vessels of the Transcaucasian ‘Shulaveri-Shomutepe’ or ‘Aratashen-Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture’ (SSC/AShSh: c. 6000–5200 BC). Western European ‘Bell Beaker culture’ (BB: c. 2500–2000 BC) is characterized by bell-shaped pottery vessels but has so far not been found with residues consistent with wine. Knowing that wild grapes populated both habitats, the absence of wine during the Bell Beaker period remains to be explained. The main goal of this work was to investigate whether the shape of the vessels could influence the performance of spontaneous fermentation, specifically regarding the production of volatile acidity. Crushed grapes or juices from various grape cultivars were fermented in two types of vessels: (i) borosilicate glass beakers (4–5 L) to imitate bell beakers and (ii) Erlenmeyer flasks (5 L) to imitate SSC/AShSh vessels. Fermentations occurred spontaneously, and the wines were analyzed for their conventional physical–chemical parameters (e.g., ethanol content, total acidity, volatile acidity, pH), chromatic characteristics (e.g., wine color intensity, wine hue), and volatile composition by gas-chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). At the end of fermentation, the yeast species were identified by molecular methods. In addition, wine yields and phenolic composition (e.g., total phenols, anthocyanins, total pigments) were determined for wild grapes in comparison with six red varieties Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sativa (Vinhão, Marufo, Branjo, Melhorio, Castelão and Tempranillo Tinto), chosen as a function of their genetic relatedness with the wild counterpart. Wines produced from V. sylvestris grapes showed higher total acidity and color intensity when compared to the cultivated varieties. Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominated at the end of all spontaneous fermentations in all types of vessels and conditions. Wines fermented in Erlenmeyers showed ethanol concentrations as high as 14.30% (v/v), while the highest ethanol level was 12.30% (v/v) in beakers. Volatile acidity increased to a maximum of 4.33 g/L (acetic acid) in Erlenmeyers and 8.89 g/L in beakers. Therefore, the shape of the vessels influenced the performance of fermentation, probably due to the different exposures to air, leading to vinegary ferments more frequently in open mouths than in conical-shaped flasks. These results provide a hypothesis based on fermentation performance for the absence of wine produced in the Iberian Peninsula until the arrival of Phoenician settlers. Full article

The most common scientific analysis of archaeological ceramics aims to determine the raw material source and/or production technology. Scientists and archaeologists widely use XRF-based techniques as a tool in a provenance study. After conducting XRF analysis, the results are often analyzed using multivariate analysis in addition to interpretation and conclusions. Various multivariate techniques have already been applied in archaeological ceramics provenance studies to reveal different raw material sources, identify imported pieces, or determine different production recipes. This study aims to evaluate the results of multivariate analysis in the provenance study of ceramics that belong to three cultures that settled in the same area during various prehistoric periods. Portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pEDXRF) was used to determine the elemental composition of the ceramic material. The ceramic material was prepared in two different ways. The ceramic body material was ground into powder, homogenized, and then pressed into tablets. After that, the same fragments are polished in suitable places. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the tablets and polished pieces. The results were subjected to both unsupervised and supervised multivariate analysis. Based on the results, it was concluded that qualitative analysis of the well-prepared shards’ surface using EDXRF spectrometry could be utilized in provenance studies, even when the ceramic assemblages were made of similar raw materials. Full article

Anthropogenic land cover change (ALCC) models, commonly used for climate modeling, tend to utilize relatively simplistic models of human interaction with the environment. They have historically relied on unsophisticated assumptions about the temporal and spatial variability of the area needed to support one person: per capita land use (PCLU). To help refine ALCC models, we used a range of data sources to build a new database that attempts to bring together PCLU data with significant time depth and a global perspective. This new database can provide new nuance for our understanding of the variability in land use among and between time periods and regions, data that will have wide applicability for continued research into past human land use and present land-use change, and can hopefully help improve existing ALCC models. An example is provided, showing the potential impact of new PCLU data on land-use mapping in the Middle East at 6000 BP. Full article

Dimba Cave is a large array of natural galleries in limestone mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that contains highly valued pre-historic archaeological artifacts. The cave attracts a high number of tourists every year and is used by local populations as a water supply source. The main objective of the research undertaken in Dimba Cave consisted of assessing the quality of water and sediments from Dimba Cave ponds through evaluating contamination by heavy metals (15 elements analyzed, including As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) and by microbial populations (including Escherichia coli and total coliforms) in order to estimate the ecotoxicological risk to humans and to non-human biota. All water samples collected in the cave ponds showed very high metal concentrations exceeding the internationally recommended limits for drinking water, particularly for Cr, Mn, As, Pb, and Hg. Most sediment samples from cave ponds also displayed high heavy metal concentrations. The calculated pollution parameters, such as the enrichment factor (EF), and ecological risk parameters, such as the ecological risk index (Eri), indicated that the sediment may be toxic to aquatic biota. Furthermore, the microbiological analysis of pond waters indicated a widespread contamination with bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., total coliforms, and Pseudomonas spp., probably from anthropogenic and/or animal sources. Therefore, the consumption of Dimba Cave water as a drinking water represents a threat to public health. Urgent management measures should be enforced to protect public health and the cave ecosystem. Full article

This article investigates the status of earthen architectural heritage (EAH) in the Gourara region of Algeria in light of contemporary developments and the sovereign decisions taken by the Algerian state, specifically the upgrading of the region to a wilaya (province) in 2019, and the accompanying direct impact on the oasis system, which is renowned for its fragile character. The research started by focusing on perplexing questions: What factors contribute to the region’s abandonment of earthen architecture? Moreover, could documentation serve as the optimal method for its preservation? In an attempt to explore and comprehend this distinctive heritage, characterized by its diversity, durability, and sustainability, this heritage has been linked to identity and local civilization dating back to prehistoric times, with evidence of their existence still present. Following a research approach and with the prospective purpose of preserving these buildings and what remains of them, the associated skills, materials, and construction techniques used in their development were investigated based on a descriptive, analytical, and documentary historical approach. Finally, the authors interviewed several qualified builders to collect knowledge of the local indigenous building practices. The research findings suggest that there is an urgency to consider a new perspective and strategies to preserve and protect EAH. Full article

Lithic artifacts are crucial for elucidation of the temporal and spatial patterns of prehistoric human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau. Core-and-flake technology is particularly noteworthy, as it is distinguished by its broad temporal span and widespread distribution across the plateau. In this study, we present the results of a reassessment of the lithic assemblage from the Su-re site in Tingri County, Shigatse City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. Its resemblance to lithic assemblages from Southwestern China implies a close relationship between the plateau and its southeastern vicinity, contributing to the diversification of technology and prehistoric humans on the Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, gneissic pebbles transported by glacial meltwater in the Tingri Graben—the most suitable raw material available in the vicinity—explains the presence of prehistoric humans in the inhospitable Qomolangma region. Full article

Since ancient times, dams have been built to store water, control rivers, and irrigate agricultural land to meet human needs. By the end of the 19th century, hydroelectric power stations arose and extended the purposes of dams. Today, dams can be seen as part of the renewable energy supply infrastructure. The word dam comes from French and is defined in dictionaries using words like strange, dike, and obstacle. In other words, a dam is a structure that stores water and directs it to the desired location, with a dam being built in front of river valleys. Dams built on rivers serve various purposes such as the supply of drinking water, agricultural irrigation, flood control, the supply of industrial water, power generation, recreation, the movement control of solids, and fisheries. Dams can also be built in a catchment area to capture and store the rainwater in arid and semi-arid areas. Dams can be built from concrete or natural materials such as earth and rock. There are various types of dams: embankment dams (earth-fill dams, rock-fill dams, and rock-fill dams with concrete faces) and rigid dams (gravity dams, rolled compacted concrete dams, arch dams, and buttress dams). A gravity dam is a straight wall of stone masonry or earthen material that can withstand the full force of the water pressure. In other words, the pressure of the water transfers the vertical compressive forces and horizontal shear forces to the foundations beneath the dam. The strength of a gravity dam ultimately depends on its weight and the strength of its foundations. Most dams built in ancient times were constructed as gravity dams. An arch dam, on the other hand, has a convex curved surface that faces the water. The forces generated by the water pressure are transferred to the sides of the structure by horizontal lines. The horizontal, normal, and shear forces resist the weight at the edges. When viewed in a horizontal section, an arch dam has a curved shape. This type of dam can also resist water pressure due to its particular shape that allows the transfer of the forces generated by the stored water to the rock foundations. This article takes a detailed look at hydraulic engineering in dams over the millennia. Lessons should be learned from the successful and unsuccessful applications and operations of dams. Water resource managers, policymakers, and stakeholders can use these lessons to achieve sustainable development goals in times of climate change and water crisis. Full article

In this paper, based on our previous expertise on ceramic artifacts, several archaeometric methods applied to some samples collected from the Dudești archaeological site (Oltenia region, Romania) are reported for the first time in the literature. The chemical composition, and microstructural and morphological characterization of these samples offer important conclusions about the processing conditions. Some specific techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), optical microscopy (OM), stereomicroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy provide compositional information about composition and the decay processes. Additionally, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method helps to estimate pore sizes and specific surface areas. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/TDG) was used to establish details regarding the production technology and also the raw materials source used to make the ceramics. The obtained results indicated that the ceramics are based on a paste of muscovite and feldspar, with high plasticity, together with quartz and hematite/goethite and calcite, the latter in very low concentrations. According to the obtained results, we could assume that clays from the investigated samples had a low concentration of calcium. Gypsum is present as paste in a very low concentration, identified by the presence of a sulphate group in WDXRF. In the same context, iron oxides have a significant impact on the firing atmosphere of iron-rich clay, resulting in blackening under reducing conditions and a reddish coloration under oxidative conditions. The use of hematite and gypsum as pigments further contributes to the color variations in the pottery. The consistent firing temperature range of 200–600 °C in Dudești pottery implies a standardized production process, the variation in color being dependent on the specific reducing/oxidative regime conditions (reducing atmosphere followed by rapid oxidation). This relationship between clay composition and local sources suggests a connection to Neolithic pottery production in the region and their color depending on the reducing/oxidative regime conditions. Full article