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The Calabria region of Southern Italy is rich in mineralisation. Unfortunately, no consistent data are available about mineral exploitation in the later prehistoric periods. The Grotta della Monaca mine in Calabria is a prehistoric site that is characterised by the mineralisation of iron ores (such as goethite) and copper carbonates (malachite and azurite). For this reason, the site provides an exceptional

Focused on uncoated ceramics, this tutorial paper is divided into two main sections. The first section deals with the operational phases required prior to firing (drying, piling, fuel supply). Then, the second chapter deals with the transformations that occur in the clayey paste during firing. An overall understanding of the firing process includes several issues to be considered and properly investigated

Százhalombatta-Földvár Bronze Age tell settlement is one of the most extensively studied sites of Hungary. Interdisciplinary approach is one of the key factors in understanding the past here. Therefore, a range of natural scientific methods are applied, including thin section soil micromorphology and phytolith analysis. The high resolution of these techniques is used to add details that are impossible

The diagenetic modifications of archaeological bones from the Celtic site of Radovesice (Czech Republic) were described combining histological and instrumental analysis with infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The post-mortem changes in microstructure, mineral and organic fraction of human bones were related to seasonal fluctuations in water saturation and temperature

The plant and animal components of Linearbandkeramik (LBK) subsistence systems were remarkably uniform with cattle, emmer and einkorn wheat providing the primary source of sustenance for Europe’s earliest agricultural communities. This apparent homogeneity in plant and animal use has been implicitly understood to indicate corresponding similarity in the types of husbandry practices employed by LBK

How long decomposed buried human bodies affect soil elemental composition is so far not well-known. Using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, we determined the elemental composition of sandy necrosols from a Corded Ware Culture (ca 2800–2500 BCE) graveyard, Chudeřín, Czech Republic. The elemental compositions of soils in the grave infills were studied and compared with arable and subsoil layers

Lower Paleolithic stone tool features and shape have been studied in detail; traceology and experimental archaeology have provided us with a lot of information about possible tool use and functionality. The way modern humans use these tools has been used as a proxy for the study of early stone tool-makers’ behavior, taking into account that our ancestors could have had similar manipulative capabilities

The main goal of this paper is to explore possible cultural continuities and discontinuities at the Neolithic transition in Eastern Iberia. To address this issue, we introduce a twofold methodology, consisting of Geometric Morphometrics and the use of the self-developed Geomeasure system, to examine evolutionary patterns in geometric microliths. These are a specific type of arrowhead shared by both

The Montmaneu Formation is located at the NE margin of the Ebro Basin (Catalonia, Spain), and is dated to the Rupelian (Lower Oligocene). It is formed by 120 m of light grey stratified limestones with bedded-nodular chert, the Panadella chert, associated with the La Segarra lacustrine system. This chert is macroscopically characterized by very fine-grained, homogeneous, opaque greenish black colors

Increasingly researchers have employed confocal microscopy and 3D surface texture analysis to assess bone surface modifications in an effort to understand ancient behavior. However, quantitative comparisons between the surfaces of purported archaeological bone tools and experimentally manufactured and used bones are complicated by taphonomic processes affecting ancient bone. Nonetheless, it may be

The Iberian Peninsula is one of the European regions with the highest number of documented Mesolithic burials so far. For more than a century, many research projects have been carried out by several national and international teams, that have located most of these burials in three different geographical areas: Valencia region, northern Spain and the Portuguese estuaries of the Rivers Muge and Sado

Located in the Jianghan plain in Hubei Province, China, the Wangshanqiao Tomb No. 1 is a large-sized burial belonging to a high-status male from the Chu State during Warring States period (475–221 bc). Here, archaeobotanical studies were applied to the waterlogged plant remains discovered from that tomb dated to around 300 bc. The recovery of a considerable number of well-preserved plant macrofossils

Disarticulated fish remains are frequently recovered from late preHispanic and early historic archaeological sites in the Middle Rio Grande basin of central New Mexico, but they are rare during earlier time periods. Increased aquatic habitat quality brought on by wetter climatic conditions may have impacted Ancestral Pueblo foraging goals related to risk minimization, leading to an uptick in fish exploitation

Iron Age archaeology in Europe and the Mediterranean often faces significant difficulties to establish precise chronological frameworks by means of radiocarbon dating due to the so-called Hallstatt Plateau. This problem worsens in those archaeological sites excavated decades ago with a lack of stratigraphic control of the objects recovered. The archaeological studies carried out in Iron Age funerary

The socio-cultural and economic developments that took place from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age are poorly understood, despite the fact that they were essential for the establishment of fully agro-pastoral economies in Europe. In this study, we aim to assess dietary changes in communities living in southern Italy during this period by examining stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios on human bone

This paper provides new information about the social structure of the Late Classic (ad 600–800) Maya by using stable isotope analysis to analyze dietary practices and migration histories of 22 elite individuals from three residential compounds at the archaeological site of Chinikiha in Chiapas, Mexico. The research assess whether intra-elite social differentiation was practiced through consumptive

This paper aims to provide a broad diet reconstruction for people buried in archaeologically defined contexts in Rome (first to third centuries CE), in order to combine archaeological and biological evidence focusing on dietary preferences in Imperial Rome. A sample of 214 human bones recovered from 6 funerary contexts was selected for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. The baseline for the

A Pb-based synthetic mineral referred to as psimythion (pl. psimythia) was manufactured in the Greek world at least since the 6th c BCE and routinely by the 4th c BCE. Theophrastus (On Stones, 56) describes its preparation from metallic Pb suspended over a fermenting liquid. Psimythion is considered the precursor of one of western art’s most prominent white pigments, i.e. lead white (basic lead carbonate

Microblade technology occupies an important position for understanding the process of peopling of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau; however, the region’s specific technological behaviour has been unclear due to a lack of research. Here, we introduce the newly excavated site of Tshem gzhung kha thog (TGKT, in Chinese is Canxionggashuo), located at 4016 m above sea level on the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Multidisciplinary research undertaken on archeological sites in the Southern Cis-Urals steppe resulted in the identification of six distinct ‘chronosections’, i.e., chronological intervals within the period of the 5th–3rd millennium BC. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction showed that the first half of this period was predominately arid, whereas the second half was humid. The arid phase, which included

The comprehensive study of spaces decorated during the Palaeolithic is able to obtain information about visits to the sites and their uses. However, it is essential to determine the temporal relationship between the different forms of archaeological evidence and not assume their synchronicity with the parietal art. Therefore, numerical dates are necessary. 14C-AMS dates for the art and other evidence

This paper presents the micro-XRF analysis of over 100 Sasanian billon and copper coins from the collections of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium. This study discovered that some coins, thought to be copper, were actually billon coins. Furthermore, it illustrated the continuity in use and recipe of small copper coins from the Parthian into the Sasanian period. Previous research

This paper presents results from an integrated programme of landscape, buildings and materials analysis undertaken at Castle Sween under the aegis of the Scottish Medieval Castles & Chapels C14 Project (SMCCCP). A suite of petrographic, archaeobotanical and radiocarbon analyses are employed to present the first independent dating evidence relating to the construction of three phases of the castle complex

Minoan ‘villas’ were large complexes—in the vast majority of cases, the central buildings of settlements—erected in the Neo-palatial period in Crete. Their function is still a matter of debate while very little is known about subsistence and economic activities in relation to farming for these sites. The excavation research project at the Minoan villa of Zominthos, the highest in altitude Minoan villa

The Neolithic period is archaeologically well documented in Central Europe, and several studies considered dietary habits and migration patterns. However, even though Switzerland and the alpine region are well known for Neolithic cultures, most of today’s knowledge about the population comes from organic materials such as wood, faunal, or botanic remains and not from the human remains themselves. This

The aim of this work is to determine the provenance of the granitic rocks used in the Roman theatre in Emerita Augusta. In order to obtain a reliable provenance of these granitic materials, the sampling in the theatre was carried out to encompass the original granitic rocks present in it. Some ancient quarries, previously documented, were selected taking into account factors like proximity, mining

We present the results of a complex archaeometric study of Late Bronze Age copper ingots from the Staré Hodějovice hoard (South Bohemia). In order to understand the origin of the copper and describe the metallurgical process, we use modern analytical methods (metallography analyses, major/trace element and lead isotope analyses) to describe the samples. Within this study, a representative dataset of

Originally domesticated in southwestern Asia, bread wheat represents an exotic element that eventually broadened the subsistence strategies in more than one area of China. Notwithstanding a growing body of data, its timing, pace, and pathway of dispersal as well as social impact in China continue to be debated. Here, we present one more line of direct evidence for early occurrence of bread wheat at

The Final Natufian level Ib from Eynan/Ain Mallaha provided a large and diversified assemblage of ungulates used here to study the seasonality of game procurement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the advantage of combining two methods, dental eruption and wear, and tooth microwear. Tooth microwear results allowed us to confirm the seasonality of procurement of red and roe deer and to narrow

Despite the importance of copper-base metallurgy during Iran’s Bronze Age, limited systematic scientific data exist on the alloying patterns and processes of the period. While it seems that tin bronze metallurgy existed in the Early Bronze Age in western Iran and it was widespread through the Middle and Late Bronze Age, tin bronze technology was less common in eastern Iranian Plateau during Bronze

It is widely acknowledged that the iron industry developed during the Han period led to the widespread distribution of iron implements, but how such iron implements were supplied to the peripheries, especially the southern frontiers within the Lingnan region where evidence of local manufacturing has not been widely found, remains unclear. This paper presents the results of analyses of iron objects

In this study, we investigate how ceramics used in domestic contexts may have differed between elites and “commoners” at Yanshi Shangcheng, a walled settlement from the early Shang (Erligang) period of northern China. Marked social stratification is evident at the site, particularly in the form of differential architecture and the layout of the settlement, which had an inner “palace” district and an

Bone retouchers are an important behavioural marker in the definition of several Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic cultural complexes. However, their relationship with the assemblages of knapped stone artefacts is still to be investigated particularly in specific but not uncommon lithic contexts of the Middle Palaeolithic in Europe. This paper offers insights to evaluate the use of bone retouchers

The Late-Glacial period offers a key window into the expansion of temperate species from southern refugia towards northern areas and the impact of faunal change on hunting strategies. In the Jura and in the Alps, the arrival of red deer and the withdrawal of reindeer are coeval with the warming of the GI-1e. Very little is known about roe deer, however. A high-resolution study of the rich archaeofauna

The interior regions of South Africa have had less attention devoted to archaeological research than coastal regions, and palaeoenvironmental studies are also more limited. As such, little is known about the interaction between human behaviours and past environments in these semi-arid regions. Here, we present an archaeobotanical and mineralogical study from the Middle Stone Age site of Mwulu’s Cave

Younger Dryas and early Holocene Western Stemmed Tradition occupants of the northern Great Basin appear to have practiced a broad-based subsistence strategy including the consumption of a wide variety of small animal and plant resources. However, much of our evidence for human diet and land use during this period comes from dry cave and rockshelter sites where it can be challenging to distinguish plant

Lithic miniaturization is a multivariate and evolutionarily significant technological phenomenon involving backed tools, bladelets, small retouched tools, flakes, and small cores. This paper investigates the proximate causes for variability in lithic miniaturization processes during Marine Isotope Stage 2 (c. 29–12 ka) in southern Africa. We test the hypothesis that lithic miniaturization represents

Grey and cream ware were widely produced and traded in Roman towns in Northern France (a region known as Civitas Nerviorum). A large production centre of grey and cream ware in northern France was Famars, where 15 pottery kilns functioned between the 2nd and 4th centuries ad. In order to identify the raw materials and to reconstruct the technology of grey and cream ware produced at Famars, 51 sherds

Knowing to what extent lithic cores have been reduced through knapping is an important step toward understanding the technological variability of lithic assemblages and disentangling the formation processes of archaeological sites. In addition, it is a good complement to more developed studies of reduction intensity in retouched tools and provides information on raw material management or site occupation

The discovery of funerary deposits with atypical and complex characteristics requires the use of an archaeothanatological approach to better interpret the mortuary practices. This approach comprises the processes of deposit formation and the reconstruction of the funerary cycle. Simultaneously, to best describe and classify some types of mortuary deposits—when traditional categories of classification

Routine pottery analyses (optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray fluorescence) and digital image processing of polarised light photomicrographs were used to answer questions on the provenance and technology of pottery assemblages belonging to Late Acacus hunter–gatherers (ca. 10,200–8000 cal BP) and Pastoral herders (ca. 8300–4650 cal BP) from Takarkori rock shelter (SW Libya, central

Decapitation is an ancient practice in Asia with inadequate research. The present study reports on the osteological examination of a headless skeleton excavated from a high-status tomb in Chu State style dating back to the late Warring States Period (ca. 3th century BC) in Lu’an, Anhui, China. The individual is identified as a victim of decapitation with five peri-mortem sharp force cut marks on the

Bone specimens showing a large amount of markings that include scratching, cutting, and fracture provide us with a clear idea of the use of animals from an archaeological site for butchery-related work. Nevertheless, there is one type of damage that stands out from the rest—the stigmas associated with retouch work. There is a great deal of evidence concerning the use of bones by Neanderthal groups

The Swabian Jura of southwestern Germany is famous for its Paleolithic sites which have been studied since the 1860s. While there is a rich tradition of research on the Magdalenian, many of the best-known sites were not excavated using modern methods, and recently, few discoveries of new sites have been made. Thus, much of the information on this period comes from sites lacking data collected using

This paper presents the first systematic study of Aztec diets using bone collagen stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. The objective was to identify the dietary patterns of an Aztec community living in the Basin of Mexico. The collection analyzed includes adult and subadult skeletons from the residential site of San Cristóbal Ecatepec (in present-day Mexico State) (A.D. 900–1521). The isotopic

The Valaisan-type armband (a specific type of bracelet) is a typical metallurgical production from the western area of Switzerland belonging to the classic phase of the Aare-Rhone group (BzA2a, ca. 2000–1800 BC). This investigation aims to (i) characterize the metal composition, (ii) reconstruct the thermomechanical treatments applied during the manufacturing process, and (iii) gather information on

Hop (Humulus lupulus) has been used in Scandinavia since at least the ninth century AD, as documented through archaeological findings and written, historical records. The written records are mainly focused on the use of cone-shaped flowers for beer brewing and medical purposes, but there are also records, for example, from the famous Swedish botanist Carl von Linne, who mentions the use of hop fibres

The territory situated to the north of the Lower Danube represents the ideal space for observing the interaction between local communities, local environment and newcomers who arrived here at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Thousands of burial mounds and relatively few flat graves present an array of common or exceptional inventories, indicating a very dynamic society. Among these grave inventories

The aqueduct of Les Ferreres is a major element of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco. Although the ashlars of the aqueduct are stacked without mortar, lime was used in some parts and lime was certainly used in later repairs. Worthy of note is a coating mortar used in a well-documented restoration (1854–1856). In this study, a limekiln found near the Roman aqueduct has been archaeomagnetically

As part of the Topical Collection on the archaeometric study of ceramics, this paper focuses on terra sigillata ware. The main aims are to provide a review on the state of the art of the studies and to provide a guide to the most suitable analytical techniques. The text is divided into four main parts: (1) a brief archaeological introduction on the ancient production of terra sigillata; (2) a summary

Adhesive production is one of the earliest forms of transformative technology, predating ceramics and metallurgy by over 150,000 years. The study of the adhesives used by Neandertals and early modern humans currently plays a significant role in debates about human technological and cognitive evolution. Depending on the type of adhesive used, different production sequences were required. These can vary

The aim of this article is to summarize and organize the methodologies used for the statistical analysis in the field of ceramic investigation and, more specifically, the study of ceramic provenance. An update and review of all related methodologies is provided during the presentation of a typical statistical analysis. The presentation is given in a step-by-step process and emphasis is on interpretation

In this study, we examine the role of foxes in Palaeolithic economies, focusing on sites of the Middle Palaeolithic, Aurignacian, Gravettian and Magdalenian of the Swabian Jura. For this purpose, we used published faunal data from 26 assemblages from the region, including new information from the Magdalenian layers of Langmahdhalde. We explore how the abundance of foxes changes over time, how they

The first workshop evidence of the Caliphate polychrome tin-glaze production known as ‘verde y manganeso’ in al-Andalus has been found in the Cordoban workshops area. This study reports on the analysis of recovered firing debris and workshop items and the tin glaze production chaîne opèratoire using SEM-EDS and μ-XRD analysis. The findings reveal the use of a tin and lead calx mixed with plant ashes

Animal remains from twelve Iron Age (ca. 500 BC–1200/1300AD) sites from Southern and Western Finland, showing a mixture of finds and features typical of both settlement sites and cemeteries, were investigated using a zooarchaeological, taphonomic and contextual approach. Rarefaction analysis of the species richness and anatomical distribution indicates that the samples included both general domestic

In recent decades, the nutritional transition has been encroaching on remote rural areas of developing countries where feeding patterns are shifting from unprocessed foods to industrialized processed goods. Such changes in the Amazon region have been detected, for instance, by comparing the natural carbon (13C:12C) and nitrogen (15N:14N) isotopic ratios of people living in riverine communities with

Surface treatment techniques, that is, smoothing and burnishing, help to define the cultural, traditional, and economical state of an ancient society. They prove artistic feelings combined with practical skills were used to obtain more attractive and highly functional objects. This paper aims to prepare the reader to investigate ceramic surfaces and discern between different treatments. Interpretation

To date, few large-scale bronze foundry sites of the Bronze Age have been found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Southern China, but highly developed bronze cultures have occurred here. For instance, in Qiaojiayuan, Yunxian County, northwestern Hubei Province, on the border of Southern and Northern China, a high-level tomb cluster of Spring and Autumn period (8th–5th c. BC) has

Ceramics are a key indicator for the study of cultural heritage:– A valuable technological indicator because (a) ceramics mark the passage from the simple exploitation to the complex control of fire; (b) they represent the first pyrotechnological product of a certain complexity; and (c) they are able of triggering the development of other technologies such as those involving the processing of metal