Article
Archaeology
Raffaele Martorana, Patrizia Capizzi
Summary: A multi-methodological and non-invasive geophysical study was conducted during the renovation project of the Branciforte Palace in Palermo. The study involved seismic characterization of the foundation soils and indoor geophysical surveys to assess the state of conservation of the floors and wall structures. Joint interpretations of seismic surveys carried out with different techniques allowed for a robust understanding of the foundation soils and the identification of structural voids and areas of subsidence. In addition, various techniques such as ground penetrating radar and ultrasonic tomography were used to evaluate the state of degradation of supporting columns and the differences in masonry and plaster.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Metin I. Eren, Michelle R. Bebber, Dan Wilcox, Brett Story, Briggs Buchanan
Summary: This study experimentally assessed the durability of Clovis projectiles, finding differences in damage among different point forms and suggesting a functional trade-off between penetration capability and design.
Article
Anthropology
Aoife Daly, Ian Tyers
Summary: Past trade in oak from the lands to the east and south of the Baltic Sea dominated the Northern European market for specialized oak products for many centuries. However, the sources of this oak trade have remained unknown until now. Through analysis, the likely sources of three major timber groups have been identified, and the new chronologies provided will serve as a key foundation for dating and identifying the provenance of Baltic oak in future tree-ring research.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Mahmoud Abdel-Nasser, Gomaa Abdel-Maksoud, Mohamed S. Abdel-Aziz, Sawsan S. Darwish, Ahmed A. Hamed, Ahmed M. Youssef
Summary: Starch stain is a common issue in paper artifacts, causing deformation and microbial deterioration. This study utilized nanoparticles and an alpha-amylase enzyme to remove starch stains from paper surfaces. The addition of silver nanoparticles increased the enzyme's activity by 160%, while gold nanoparticles enhanced it by 140%.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Ayana Omilade Flewellen, Alicia Odewale, Justin Dunnavant, Alexandra Jones, William White
Summary: This article discusses how Co-Principal Investigators of the ELPAP came together as a community to demonstrate the skills needed for community archaeology, expanding the discourse on community archaeology to include community building practices among archaeologists, organizations, and impacted communities.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Ming Guo, Jiawei Zhao, Deng Pan, Mengxi Sun, Yuquan Zhou, Bingnan Yan
Summary: Currently, the safety assessment of wood structure ancient buildings mostly relies on qualitative description and lacks accurate quantitative calculation. This paper proposes a cloud model-based safety assessment approach that combines qualitative and quantitative indexes for the protection research of wooden pagoda. The approach constructs a multi-level assessment system and determines the comprehensive weight of evaluation indexes using a combination weighting method. The comprehensive evaluation cloud model is constructed by combining quantitative analysis, qualitative evaluation, and published papers. The safety performance grade is determined by comparing the cloud similarity. The method takes into account the randomness and fuzziness factors, providing a comprehensive and objective research paradigm for the safety assessment of ancient wooden buildings.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Ceren Kabukcu, Chris Hunt, Evan Hill, Emma Pomeroy, Tim Reynolds, Graeme Barker, Eleni Asouti
Summary: Research reveals that plant foods, particularly pounded pulses, were common ingredients in the diet of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Southwest Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Article
Archaeology
Ren Li, Juan Guo, Nicola Macchioni, Benedetto Pizzo, Guanglan Xi, Xingling Tian, Jiabao Chen, Jian Sun, Xiaomei Jiang, Jinzhen Cao, Zhiguo Zhang, Yafang Yin
Summary: Multidisciplinary diagnostic methods were used to evaluate the preservation state of waterlogged archaeological wood from an ancient Chinese shipwreck. The study combined micromorphological, physical, and Fourier transform infrared analyses to identify wood species, determine decay class, and explore chemical alterations. The findings revealed evidence of bacterial and fungal attacks on the wood tissues and demonstrated the effectiveness of using micromorphological features and FTIR measurements to classify decay groups and assess degradation.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Elena Mercedes Perez-Monserrat, Marie-Ange Causarano, Lara Maritan, Alexandra Chavarria, Gian Pietro Brogiolo, Giuseppe Cultrone
Summary: The production technologies of bricks in Padua during Roman to Medieval times were investigated using various analytical methods. The study revealed differences in the materials and firing degree of the bricks. The color of the bricks can serve as an identifier for different construction periods in the city.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Gabriele Lauria, Luca Sineo, Salvatore Ficarra
Summary: Photogrammetry is a survey technique to build 3D models from digitized output data. Close-range photogrammetry is particularly useful in osteological studies for creating 3D bone models for further qualitative and quantitative research.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Lynne M. Rouse, Kubatbek Tabaldiev, Giedre Motuzaite Matuzeviciute
Summary: Researchers used UAV to survey Kok-Sai in Kyrgyzstan, identifying over 900 archaeological features, including burials and stone structures. Through high-resolution modeling, repeated investment in local physical and cultural infrastructure was found, intersecting with discussions of highland agro-pastoralism organizational strategies and scales.
JOURNAL OF FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Robert J. Losey
Summary: Domestication is an ongoing process that involves more than just selection for prosocial traits. Care, taming, commensalism, material things, and places are all critical in maintaining domestic relationships over time.
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Gry H. Barfod, Ian C. Freestone, Ruth E. Jackson-Tal, Achim Lichtenberger, Rubina Raja
Summary: Major and trace elements of glass fragments from the Roman to Early Islamic periods were analyzed, revealing the dominance of Levantine glass types and the presence of imported glass. The study emphasizes the importance of considering imported glass in compositional studies, as it may be underestimated or invisible in earlier contexts.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Daniel Berger, Gerhard Bruegmann, Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld, Ernst Pernicka
Summary: This pilot study focuses on the analytical characterization of 26 well-known bronze objects from the Early and Middle Bronze Age of Central and Northern Europe, with a particular emphasis on the isotopic systematics of lead, tin, and copper. The results suggest that artifacts from different locations were likely produced from common sources by mixing bronze batches, indicating a dissemination of materials between 1600 and 1500 BCE. Additionally, isotopic and chemical correlations within individual hoards allow for reconstructions of metallurgical practices, including the recycling of metal scrap.
Article
Archaeology
Mareike J. Brenner, Kokeli P. Ryano, Sarah Wurz
Summary: The study of coastal adaptation in the southern Cape reveals the early occupation of a new niche by Homo sapiens around 100,000 years ago. Through the analysis of shellfish exploitation and lithic technology at Klasies River, Blombos Cave, and Pinnacle Point, this research demonstrates a diverse onset and expression of coastal adaptation during early MIS 5, highlighting the relationship between lithic artifacts, shellfish species, and mobility patterns.
JOURNAL OF ISLAND & COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Roderick Campbell, Yitzchak Jaffe, Christopher Kim, Camilla Sturm, Li Jaang
Summary: This article argues that the dominant narratives concerning the political economy of the Chinese Bronze Age are in need of significant revision, suggesting that the Bronze Age should begin in the third millennium BC and highlighting the political economic heterogeneity. Despite the tendency to equate complexity with centralization and hierarchy, there is little evidence of such institutions, with significant investment in public goods and evidence of horizontal exchange and increasing commercialization before the Anyang period.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Alexander Weide, John G. Hodgson, Hagar Leschner, Guy Dovrat, Jade Whitlam, Neta Manela, Yoel Melamed, Yagil Osem, Amy Bogaard
Summary: Reconstructing the origins of plant cultivation in southwest Asia is crucial for understanding the emergence of sedentary communities and domesticated crops. A study focusing on proposed weed taxa widely used to identify wild plant cultivation found that these taxa also occur in non-cultivated wild cereal populations, questioning their reliability for reconstructing early cultivation. The study suggests using plant functional traits analysis for future research.
ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Emily Hammer, Mackinley FitzPatrick, Jason Ur
Summary: CORONA satellite imagery has become integral to archaeological research in arid, sparsely vegetated regions like the Middle East. The newly available HEXAGON archive offers great potential for archaeological research, and the authors provide background information and case studies to facilitate access and use of these images.
Article
Archaeology
Pasquale Cucco, Gabriella Maselli, Antonio Nestico, Federica Ribera
Summary: Cultural heritage plays a strategic role in achieving sustainable development goals. This study proposes an innovative analysis model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process and evaluation indicators aligned with the 2030 SDGs and European Quality Principles. The model is applied to the case study of Villa Venusio and demonstrates its importance in decision-making for the effective use of historic buildings.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Markos Vaxevanopoulos, Janne Blichert-Toft, Gillan Davis, Francis Albarede
Summary: This study combines lead isotopic analysis with geological characteristics to determine the ancient silver ore sources in Greece, identifying several historically significant mining districts. Newly discovered ancient mining areas in Pelion and the Kroussia mountain range are also documented, reshaping our understanding of ancient Greek history.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
