Review
Anthropology
Elisabetta Gliozzo, Corina Ionescu
Summary: This review summarises the current state of research on lead-based pigments, covering their production, trade, use, and potential alteration. It also discusses issues related to the investigation and protection of artworks containing these pigments. The focus is on the mineralogical aspects, describing both the raw materials and degradation products that are mineral phases found in nature. The review examines various minerals and pigments, describing their history, technology, and alteration. Additionally, it provides insight into analytical methods for accurate archaeometric investigations and includes a list of references for further research.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Hilary Becker
Summary: This article surveys pigment terminology in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and the Roman Empire. It explores various source materials, including archaeological evidence and ancient texts, to understand the nomenclature of pigments. One trend identified is the borrowing of pigment names from prestigious natural materials in the Near East, such as lapis lazuli or gold. In the Greek and Roman worlds, the availability of a broader range of pigments led to varied naming conventions, including naming pigments after factors like their provenance, color, or innovator.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Archaeology
Moira Bertasa, Capucine Korenberg
Summary: Laser cleaning has become an established conservation cleaning treatment for various artifacts, but its application to metal artifacts is limited. The outcome of laser cleaning on metal artifacts appears to be case-dependent, highlighting the importance of selecting laser parameters and operating conditions. This article provides an overview of research conducted on commonly encountered metals in cultural heritage, offering valuable insights for conservators and guidance for future studies.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Qiong Li, Alessia Nava, Linda M. Reynard, Matthew Thirlwall, Luca Bondioli, Wolfgang Mueller
Summary: Dental enamel provides valuable information about an individual's early life, and isotopic and trace element ratios have been used to study dietary and weaning histories. This study analyzed the enamel of three Italian infants from the early twentieth century, and found that both Ca-isotopes and trace element ratios can provide insights into breastfeeding and formula feeding patterns. However, Ca-isotope data alone are not sufficient to distinguish between breastfed or formula-fed infants.
ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Anthropology
Elisabetta Gliozzo, Lucia Burgio
Summary: This review provides an update on arsenic-bearing minerals and pigments, aiming to serve as a guide for the study of Cultural Heritage materials. It examines different phases of As-bearing minerals and their light-induced products, as well as the occurrence, trade, use, alteration and degradation of As-sulfides. The paper also discusses analytical techniques commonly used for identifying arsenic-containing pigments and concludes with a good-practice guide and a summary of key concepts for those working in the field of cultural heritage.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Marissa L. Ledger, Piers D. Mitchell
Summary: This study investigates the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic parasites throughout human evolution by combining genetic studies, archaeological evidence, and modern epidemiological data. It reveals the ancient origins of some key zoonotic parasites and their long coevolutionary history with humans. The factors contributing to the presence of many zoonotic parasites in the past and today are also discussed, including dietary preferences, urbanization, waste disposal, and population density.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Anthropology
E. R. Crema
Summary: In the last decade, there has been a rapid increase in studies using time-frequency changes of radiocarbon dates as a proxy for inferring past population dynamics. However, practical applications are not straightforward due to the nature of the proxy. This paper reviews the common criticisms and compares recent methodological advances in the field, concluding with recommendations for applying these techniques in archaeological and paleo-demographic research.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Emilie Sibbesson
Summary: Food fermentation is a method that has been used for thousands of years to preserve, protect, and improve food using beneficial microbes. However, the importance and techniques of food fermentation are not well understood in prehistoric archaeology. This paper provides an explanation of what food fermentation is and discusses its relevance in an early farming context. It establishes a theoretical and material framework as a starting point for further research on this crucial but overlooked aspect of prehistoric food cultures. While the focus is primarily on the British Neolithic, the central concepts are applicable to other periods and places as well.
ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Anthropology
Georgios P. Mastrotheodoros, Konstantinos G. Beltsios
Summary: Natural ochres, ranging in color from yellow to deep red and brown, have been widely used for decorative, artistic, and medicinal purposes since prehistoric times. This paper provides an overview of the range, composition, origin, properties, and potential processing of natural ochre pigments, as well as the production and processing of artificial ochres. It also discusses analytical techniques for ochres' identification and provenancing, along with guidelines for good practice, and offers insights on ochres' potential applications and limitations, including a discussion on ochres in the Greco-Roman world.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Anthropology
Laura Sanchez-Romero, Alfonso Benito-Calvo, Joseba Rios-Garaizar
Summary: Spatial analysis is essential in Palaeolithic archaeology for understanding archaeopalaeontological sites. With the development of GIS tools, techniques like cluster analysis and inferential statistics have made significant progress in the field, allowing for the inference of accumulation processes and the assessment of archaeological assemblage preservation.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Wouter B. Verschoof-van der Vaart, Karsten Lambers
Summary: This study examines the applicability and efficiency improvement of using an automated detection tool in archaeological practice, exploring different geographical contexts. The results demonstrate that the tool can detect potential ancient burial sites and fields, providing insights into past landscape structures.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION
(2022)
Review
Anthropology
Rachel S. Popelka-Filcoff, Andrew M. Zipkin
Summary: This manuscript aims to promote meta-analysis of cross-disciplinary ochre studies by advocating for a common vocabulary and clarifying definitions. It reviews the current state of ochre archaeometry, focusing on main areas of research and best practices. Emerging research areas and understudied applications in the field are also highlighted.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Xin Wang, Yulan Hu, Zhao Zhang, Bingjian Zhang
Summary: Thymol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were successfully prepared and verified to control the release of natural biocides. These nanoparticles showed better performance against Aspergillus niger compared to free thymol, offering a novel approach to reduce the amount and frequency of biocides application for the preservation of outdoor stone-built cultural heritage sites.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
A. Bernard Knapp, Anthony Russell, Peter van Dommelen
Summary: This study presents a maritime perspective on the interaction in the Late Bronze/early Iron Age Mediterranean. In contrast to the previous 'maximalist' approach that emphasizes long-distance trading connections, the study proposes a more nuanced 'minimalist' perspective and argues for the careful distinction of notions of contact, connectivity, and mobility to understand the material and social dimensions of maritime mobility. By critiquing the direct trade route between Sardinia and Cyprus, the study demonstrates the need to consider multiple interconnected nodes and various social actors involved in the creation and maintenance of maritime connections. Ultimately, the study highlights that maritime connectivity is inherently a social activity and that the prehistoric Mediterranean was connected through diverse and overlapping networks.
CAMBRIDGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Jonathan A. Sandor, Gary Huckleberry, Frances M. Hayashida, Cesar Parcero-Oubina, Diego Salazar, Andres Troncoso, Cruz Ferro-Vazquez
Summary: The study of terraced agricultural soils in the high-altitude eastern margin of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile reveals intentional soil changes through terracing, removal of soil rock fragments, and probable fertilization. Agricultural soils have anthropogenic horizons ranging from 16 to 54 cm thick, with higher phosphorus levels indicating enrichment from fertilization. Initial studies suggest that agriculture in this region was sustainable in terms of conserving soils and maintaining or possibly improving soil productivity over centuries.
GEOARCHAEOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Anna Mika, Briggs Buchanan, Robert Walker, Alastair Key, Brett Story, Michelle Bebber, Metin Eren
Summary: This study experimentally assessed the use of Clovis knives, revealing differences in cutting efficiency among different knife forms. The results support the hypothesis that selection of functional attributes contributed to diversity and evolution of Clovis point forms.
Review
Archaeology
Tereza Branysova, Katerina Demnerova, Michal Durovic, Hana Stiborova
Summary: This paper focuses on the most endangered cultural heritage objects, describing their materials and the reasons for biodeterioration. It provides an overview of all microbial identification methods used in the field of cultural heritage since the introduction of next-generation sequencing technique in 2005.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Kieran Westley, Georgia Andreou, Crystal El Safadi, Harmen O. Huigens, Julia Nikolaus, Rodrigo Ortiz-Vazquez, Nick Ray, Ash Smith, Sophie Tews, Lucy Blue, Colin Breen
Summary: Climate change poses a threat to coastal archaeology through sea-level rise, storm flooding, and coastal erosion. The Middle East and North Africa region lacks baseline evidence. A study on the climate change threat to MENA's coastal heritage reveals that the number of affected sites will continue to increase.
JOURNAL OF ISLAND & COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Archaeology
John Bintliff, Patrick Degryse
Summary: Trace metal analysis of archaeological soils has become popular in recent decades, but there has been a tendency to attribute these elements too easily to ancient metallurgy. Pollution research has identified several other causes of increased trace metals in anthropogenic deposits. This article reviews the history of research on these phenomena.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Letizia Martinelli, Filippo Calcerano, Elena Gigliarelli
Summary: Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) workflows can greatly benefit the conservation and valorisation practices of built heritage. This research presents a general HBIM workflow that supports the planning and implementation of maintenance and conservation activities, with an emphasis on representing building construction systems. The workflow is structured in five phases, recursive and flexible, and provides general outlines and methodological insights for each phase to guide operators in developing the most suitable HBIM process for specific cases. The results of applying this methodology on historical buildings such as the National Archaeological Museum of Naples demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of the workflow in accommodating diverse objectives while guiding experts in selecting and documenting the most appropriate course of action.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
