Textural, geochemical and geochronological analyses on two gravity and two box cores recovered from the outer and inner sectors of the Ría de Muros allowed reconstructing and timing the anthropogenic imprint on the sedimentary record from this ría. The chronological framework for the last 8 kyr was built based on Pb-210 dating (Constant Rate of Supply model) and C-14 dating. Recent sedimentation rates

Dental microwear has been used for the reconstruction of diet for decades, and given its long history, substantial changes in the methodologies and technologies used to observe and quantify microwear have occurred. For instance, early work on microwear used optical microscopy (OM), before being largely replaced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). More recently, SEM-based studies have been overshadowed

The study of the lithic artefacts exploited by early hominins and the manner in which they were used is a key aspect of lithic studies. Azokh Cave in the Southern Caucasus comprises a complete stratigraphic sequence of five archaeological units (Units V–I) and has yielded large Middle to early Upper Pleistocene lithic and faunal assemblages in association with hominin remains. The aim of this study

Most previous Black Sea palynology studies have used pollen-spore assemblages as proxies for climate and landscape changes, and dinocyst assemblages as proxies for surface water salinity. However, there are few data on within-region variations in these assemblages using large sets of surface samples and a full suite of palynomorphs, including terrigenous pollen + spores, freshwater algal spores, and

Predicting the occurrence and spatial patterns of rainfall induced flash floods is still a challenge. Instant genesis and typically smaller areal coverage of the flash floods are the major impediments to their forecasting. Analysis of the morphometric parameters provides useful insight on hydrological response of the drainage basins to high intensity rainfall events. This information is valuable for

Since its discovery in the 1980s, Nahal Hemar Cave has been interpreted as a cult site where ceremonies were performed, as indicated by the extremely selected and highly symbolic repertoire of objects found in the cave (e.g., stone masks, modelled skulls, bone figurines, etc.). The finds, dated to the 8th millennium cal. BC and assigned to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) period, also consisted of

We present a multidisciplinary study of a fossiliferous site located in the Vulsini Volcanic District, on the western side of the Tiber River Valley north of Rome, highlighting the peculiar geologic factors that contributed to the origin and preservation of an outstanding archaeological record testifying of the early human frequentation in this region. Mighty explosive eruptions since at least 500

This study assesses the temporal changes of Swetvarn and Thelu glaciers between 1968 and 2019 in Rakvarn glacial valley of Bhagirathi basin. Here we utilized high-resolution satellite images of CORONA KHA (1968), LISS IV (2012) and SENTINEL-2 MSI (2019), along with medium resolution images of LANDSAT TM (1990) and SRTM (2000) to carry out the research work. Analytical viewed strongly convinced that

The study interprets the effect of seasonal (pre-, co- and post-monsoon) hydrological loading due to the Ganga river basin over the seismicity and geodetic deformation in the Garhwal region. Geodetic data from six cGPS sites are used, three sites out of six are established in the Himalayan region, one is located in the Ganga basin and two sites are located in the Indian shield. First, we estimated

The intensification of land surface temperature (LST) is a consequence of changes in land use land cover (LULC). Variation of LST and LULC can be extracted from satellite images in different spatial and temporal resolutions. Thus, in the present study, we have used remote sensing and GIS techniques to quantify the land surface temperature variation over different land use land cover classes from 1990

Intertidal environments have been the main source for mollusc gathering and consumption for at least the last 164,000 years. However, our knowledge of long-term trends is compromised by the fact that the majority of Pleistocene and early Holocene shorelines, and in turn their archaeological sites, are either currently submerged under water or have long been destroyed by sea-level change. Ecological

The Kerala coast displays a spectrum of varied geomorphic features that are evolved as a function of Late Quaternary land-sea interaction. The southern Kerala coast, south of Achankovil Shear Zone (ASZ) has been characterised by cliffed coast with entrenched estuarine basins, pocket beaches, promontories, older and younger strand plains, etc., that are evolved as a result of the transgressive-regressive

Professional archaeology in Lesotho was initiated 50 years ago when Pat Carter, working with Patricia Vinnicombe, excavated the site of Moshebi's Shelter in the Sehlabathebe Basin. His excavations there identified a sequence of both Middle and Later Stone Age (LSA) industries, the latter falling within the last 2200 years. However, the site was never fully published and Carter's use of 10-cm-thick

Mapping and monitoring of the glacier changes over different regions of Earth surface is a challenging task due to regional rugged topography and climate conditions. This study focused on the monitoring of snow or ice cover changes over Chhota-Shigri glacier, Western Himalaya, India. A subpixel-based change detection (SCD) approach is proposed, aiming to identify the transition zones (mixed pixels)

Antonieta Jerardino has raised a number of objections to our suggestion that very large shell middens along the Cape west coast are essentially processing debris. We recast the debate by using the difference between processing and domestic debris in these sites and argue that the logistical use of precise locations supports an interpretation of massive processing activities rather than massive population

Recent research on the origins of domesticated herd animals and bronze metallurgy in China suggests that the Ejiin gol in western China was a primary conduit of trade between northern pastoralists and southern agriculturalists (Jaang, 2015). It is within the context of long-distance trade in luxury goods that we see the shift from isolated populations of pastoralists in the mountains of western Mongolia

This paper explores to what extent orientations of houses can contribute to chronological questions and to the cultural and social contextualisation in the Neolithic of Europe in general and societies with pottery styles labeled as Vinča and LBK in particular. First of all, the question is investigated to what extent systematic errors in the orientation of houses can contribute to the clarification

This paper presents the results of the archaeological research project on the Lower and Middle Paleolithic in the municipality of El Provencio (Cuenca, Spain). During the first 6 years of the project, an unknown archaeological complex has been defined with a large concentration of remains of lithic industry of Modes 1, 2 and 3, as well as Pleistocene faunal remains (Mammuthus and Equus), associated

Time resolution of shell middens is normally addressed through estimation of shell accumulation rates, where calculations are based on radiocarbon analysis. Density values by volume or discard rates by time units are also normally estimated for comparative purposes. In this paper, we support the idea that time has many measurable properties in archaeological deposits. These can be used as tapho-chronometric

Intense coastal resource exploitation is an important topic, and large South African west coast shell middens (megamiddens) are an example of it. Parkington et al. (2020) attempt to explain them, but they fail dismally in doing so by using biased observations and championing field processing and transport as single explanations. Here, their flawed proposal is contrasted with much ignored published

This study deals with the sedimentological and stratigraphic description of Pleistocene coastal deposits of Formentera Island that show evidence of interference between processes characteristic of alluvial and aeolian environments. Here we analyze the sedimentology and stratigraphy of a Pleistocene succession located at Northeast of Formentera and we constrain its chronology by optically stimulated

This paper addresses the eastern province of the Bandkeramik. Aspects of chronology, settlement and cultural contact will be discussed. Once, the LBK lands to the east of the Vistula River formed an integral part of the Bandkeramik cultural complex. Mobility and contact contributed to the comparatively high degree of homogeneity observed across the vast zone of LBK interaction stretching from the Seine

Non-invasive geophysical techniques employed across the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) at Singhauli in the north-western Frontal Himalaya to understand shallow subsurface geological structures and their nature in the context of active tectonics. The combination of high-resolution Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW)

Insights into the rates at which ecosystems and vegetation respond to a changing climate is fundamental to anticipating impacts of projected climate change. Characterization of vegetation change over millennia to centuries has potential to make an important contribution toward this goal, and regional scale syntheses of fossil pollen data can provide the foundation for this understanding. However, challenges

The scientific discussion about the spread of the Neolithic into Western Central Europe is usually dominated by analyses of ceramics, chert and archaeobotany. In this discourse, the settlement structure is studied at most as a supplementary source of information, although these data offer a much more direct approach to the question of the formation of the Neolithic as a new way of life. Therefore,

The current research work deals with the health of Chorabari glacier between 1976 and 2017, using multi spectral and multi dated satellite data series of LANDSAT (MSS, TM, and ETM+) and RESOURCESAT II (LISS IV). Result closely reveals that the studied glacier receding continuously with inconsistent rate for the last 41 years and process of receding dominates significantly after 2012. It lost ∼306.43 ± 61 m

A taphonomic comparison among ten Quaternary tank deposits bearing megafauna remains in northeastern Brazil allowed the identification of four regional-scale taphonomic aspects controlled by climate seasonality: differential preservation of mega-mammal bones, poor physical integrity, spatial resolution (local) and time averaging (104 years). Sedimentary aspects, such as the high degree of packing of

The region of the upper Neckar and Ammer river valley is situated on the south-westernmost periphery of the overall distribution area of the earliest LBK in Europe. In a small side valley of the Ammer, we have been able to investigate in the past few years the two sites ‘Lüsse’ and ‘Unteres Feld’ which have provided important information about the beginning and development of the Early Neolithic in

Recent archaeological discoveries from the Greek islands of Crete and Naxos point to the presence of hominins in the Aegean Basin beginning at least in the Middle Pleistocene (∼200 ka), indicating that the region may have been an important dispersal route for hominins (including humans) entering southeastern Europe. Currently, archaeologists lack a clear understanding about where Palaeolithic sites

The Tibetan Plateau is one of the last areas populated by modern humans because of its harsh environment. Due to the paucity of reliably dated archaeological sites, the history of the peopling of Tibet is unclear. However, more than 110 microblade sites discovered on the Plateau indicate large-scale migration. This paper reviews microblade assemblages in seven geographical regions in terms of the specific

Phytolith reference collections of plants and surface soils are a critical part of studies that use these microbotanical remains for archaeological and paleoecological reconstruction. In the archaeologically-rich region of the Upper Madeira river in Rondônia, Brazil, phytolith analysis is being applied in both on- and off-site contexts in order to shed light on human-environment interactions over a

Thirty-two radiocarbon dates obtained from four archaeological sites in the southern Andean Range of Ecuador are presented in order to contribute toward filling existing chronological and interpretive gaps regarding human occupations in highland South America, mainly during the late Pleistocene to early Holocene transition. These radiocarbon dates, together with nine other dates previously obtained

Here we present loess deposit since the late glacial dated by OSL technique in the southeast of the Caspian Sea, bordering continents of Asia and Europe. Chronology of loess deposits are rarely reported in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, especially for their spacious mid-latitude adjacent region, between Balkans to the west and Pamirs to the east. In this study, an OSL-based chronology was developed

Excavated from 2009 to 2019 by the Tübingen-Armenian Paleolithic Project, Aghitu-3 Cave is the only stratified Upper Paleolithic site in Armenia. Sedimentary deposits range from 39,000 to 24,000 calibrated years before present (ka cal BP). The main Paleolithic occupations occurred during the accumulation of Archaeological Horizon (AH) VI between 36 and 32 ka cal BP and AH III between 29 and 24 ka cal

Bone artefacts have been widely studied because they can be difficult to identify in ancient chronologies. Taphonomical and zooarchaeological studies have demonstrated problems of equifinality of biotic and/or abiotic agents that create pseudo-tools: marrow fracturing of green bone by hominins and carnivores, trampling, etc. In particular, minimally elaborated bone tools are especially subject to the

Recent research carried out in the Serranía La Lindosa in the Colombian Amazon (Department of Guaviare) provides archaeological evidence of the colonisation of the northwest Colombian Amazon during the Late Pleistocene. Preliminary excavations were conducted at Cerro Azul, Limoncillos and Cerro Montoya archaeological sites in Guaviare Department, Colombia. Contemporary dates at the three separate rock

Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes at the transition from the Late Pleistocene to the Early Holocene in the arctic Western Beringia (AWB) appear to be extremely important for human habitation record of the area. To estimate that we used multiple paleoenvironmental proxy-data collected from different locations (n = 30) and archaeological data from radiocarbon-dated sites (n = 36). Based on

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the largest source of interannual climate variability over the globe. Knowledge of ENSO variability back to the pre-instrumental period (and earlier) can help to enhance our understanding of its mechanisms and impacts. Here we use the coral record from the northern South China Sea, where the interannual climate variability is associated with ENSO activity, to

Benthic foraminifera assemblages from a sedimentary core (PP10-12; 701 mwd) from the SE Bay of Biscay allow us to trace palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic changes occurred in this region during mid MIS 3 (Marine Isotope Stage 3) and MIS 1 interval (37–2.4 ka BP). Results are based on 176 benthic foraminifera species considering their ecology, the difference between autochthonous/allochthonous, preservation

Understanding the historical dynamics of wildlife distribution and abundance is essential to developing appropriate conservation measures. Here we investigate the occurrence and status of medium-to large-sized fauna (excluding avifauna) for the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho and immediate adjoining regions of South Africa, from the late Pleistocene to the present-day. We provide historical timelines and

Located at the center of the Cantabrian coast in a sedimentary terrace currently at the sea shore, the site of Bañugues (Gozón, Asturias) is one of the key places for studying the first settlements of the Iberian North. In the present work, we show the results of the geoarchaeological study undertaken on the bay of Bañugues and on the stratigraphic sections of the site that still subsist. Likewise

A new method for automated construction of 14C-based archaeological chronologies, called Barcode Seriation (BS), is introduced. The application of BS is demonstrated for medium-sized (N∼50 sites) datasets of the early Neolithic cultures Starčevo/Körös/Criş, LBK-I, and Vinča A. The BS-method is easy to apply, but nevertheless allows construction of 14C-chronologies at comparatively high dating precision

The historical anthropogenic impact on sediments from the Basque Mud Patch (southern Bay of Biscay) is explored using a multidisciplinary approach including the analysis of natural (210Pb) and artificial (137Cs, 239/240Pu) radiotracers, major elements (Al, Mn), metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr), Pb isotopic ratios, and foraminiferal and pollen contents. The study of three short cores (19–46 cm), despite being

The rock shelter of Oued Bousmane, located in the eastern Algerian highlands, presents a stratigraphic sequence of the Middle Stone Age. The site, which was discovered in 2006, produced a significant number of lithic artefacts that are primarily made of local flint. The aim of the paper is to present the results of a techno-economic study of the Mode 3 lithic industry. The analysis focused on the procurement

The Miño River basin represents one of the main fluvial catchments draining the Atlantic side of the Iberian Peninsula. The extensive sedimentary deposits of this basin have been documented since the 19th century, but limited research has been undertaken on these features historically, and the Quaternary record of the basin has remained understudied until recently. Research carried out over the last

This paper presents the results of the geochemical analysis carried out on the obsidian artefacts discovered at the archaeological site of Mersa/Wadi Gawasis, located along the Egyptian Red Sea coast, in between the modern cities of Safaja and Quseir. During the 12th and 13th Dynasties of Egypt the site hosted a port city from where the Egyptian expeditions set sail directed to the south, on both edges

This study applies thin-section petrography to a wide selection of ceramic and geological samples from four archaeological sites (Belovode, Pločnik, Gradište-Iđjoš, and Potporanj) belonging to both the Neolithic and Chalcolithic phases of the Vinča culture phenomenon (c. 5350 to 4600 BCE) to track intra- and interregional traditions of pottery production with a focus on paste recipes. The results of

A geological study of the settlement of Villasviejas del Tamuja was carried out with the aim of identifying the characteristics of its geological basement. Based on electrical tomography of the different profiles at different depths, correlating the results of the electrical sections with the geological information of the outcrops, it has been possible to establish the boundary between the archaeological

Facies and geochemical analysis applied marsh deposits are useful proxies for the reconstruction of aridity for the last millennia. The comparison of facies and geochemical records among cores from the Almenara and Benicasim marshes allows to identify changes in water level (Si/Al, Al, Ca) and salinity of the feeding waters (Mg/Al, Na/Al, S/Al). These changes, in turn, represent fluctuations in the

The integrity of the different levels that form a sequence and the formation processes of the archaeological deposit must be assessed as a previous step to the construction of behavioural, cultural and evolutionary interpretations. This is especially relevant when dealing with long sequences and cultural evolution constructed on them, as is the case in the research on Upper Palaeolithic. Lithic taphonomy

Visibility has been the subject of study in Palaeolithic rock art research ever since the discovery of Altamira Cave in 1879. Nevertheless, until now, the different approaches have been based on subjective assessments, due to computational limitations for a more objective methodology. Nowadays, cutting-edge technologies such as GIS allow us to address spatial studies in caves and overcome their geomorphologically

This article proposes a revision of the best preserved fossil cervid recovered from the Upper Siwaliks, which, thus far, has been insufficiently described in the literature. The combination of antler and craniodental characters place the deer under study in the genus Metacervocerus, an extinct lineage with a vast Eurasian distribution and a sister phylogenetic relationship with the modern genus Axis

In addressing the controversial issues of the Late Pleistocene paleogeography of the Caspian basin, an important role is given to the results of the spore-pollen analysis and based on them reconstructions of climate and vegetation changes in the Northern Caspian region during the development of the Early Khvalynian transgression. In this paper we present the main results of the palynological study

Samples from 12 drillhole-cores from the Urals-Emba region to the north-east of the Caspian Sea were analysed for pollen and spores. The records reveal vegetation and climate changes for the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene within the time interval from ca. 3.6 to ca. 1.65 Ma. According to the results of the pollen analysis, at the beginning of the Akchagylian stage (3.6–3.4 Ma) there was a cooling

The Kosika locality is situated on the lowest terrace of the Enotayevka River (right channel of the Volga River) near Kosika village, in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation. This locality includes several sections, named Kosika 1–4 and Borehole 2 Kosika that are described in detail for the first time. Drilling, sediment descriptions, and sampling were performed during the 2008–2015 field

Pleistocene key sections of the Northern Caspian Lowland are characterized by the incompleteness of the geological record, which is presented in depositional breaks, their duration, causes, and types. Depositional breaks occurred in all periods of the Middle and the Late Pleistocene and occupied various time intervals, usually quite continuous – from ∼180 ka (Cherny Yar) to 100–110 ka (Alexandrov Gay

The Sefidrud, a river flowing into south west Caspian Sea, is prone to avulsion. Previous studies of the river delta support the idea that several major avulsions have occurred during the past few thousand years. During the most recent major avulsion, a 23 km shift occurred along the coast. However, in literature the timing of the event is subject to uncertainty and therefore the causes of the avulsion

South Caspian Sea sub-basin, as the deepest part of the Caspian Sea (CS) remained as land-locked basin even during extreme sea level fall that most part of the CS desiccated. Therefore, bottom sediments of the south CS continuously recorded many past intra-basinal and extra-basinal events. In the current research we have used four short cores (<2 m) from deep waters of the south CS (300–800 m) to unravel

The purpose of this study was to characterize the Black Sea canyons associated with contrasting natural environmental conditions from two Black Sea basin regions: the northwestern/northern and the northeastern/eastern zones. The canyon-associated relief, the morphology of the continental shelf and the location of the canyon heads in the two Black Sea areas were analysed and compared. The canyon network