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Publication date: August 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 96 Author(s): Tom Brughmans, Mereke van Garderen, Mark GillingsThe Visual Neighbourhood Configurations (VNCs) approach is presented: a new approach for exploring complex theories of visual phenomena in landscapes by processing total viewsheds. Such theories most commonly concern the configuration of visual properties of areas around locations rather than solely the visual properties of the locations themselves. The typical approach to interpreting total viewshed results by classifying cell values is therefore problematic because it does not take cells’ local areas into account. VNC overcomes this issue by enabling one to formally describe area-related aspects of the visibility theory, because it formally incorporates the area around a given viewpoint: the shape and size of neighbourhoods as well as, where relevant, the structure and expectation of visual property values within the neighbourhood. Following a brief review that serves to place the notion of the VNC in context, the method to derive visual neighbourhood configurations is explained as well as the VNC analysis tool software created to implement it. The use of the method is then illustrated through a case-study of seclusion, hiding and hunting locales afforded by the standing stone settings of Exmoor (United Kingdom).

Publication date: August 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 96 Author(s): Abel Moclán, Manuel Domínguez-RodrigoThe analysis of bone breakage is one of the most relevant issues of current taphonomic studies. Available experimental analogies aim at differentiating agencies in the production of fractured bones. Possible equifinality presented by different agents can hinder the characterisation of bone breakage at archaeological sites. Equally important is the potential distortion that bone-breaking processes introduce in bone surface modification (BSM) frequencies. This study presents an experimental approach to the problem of identifying signatures for anthropogenic bone breaking as a product of direct hammerstone percussion. This study also contributes to improving the existing analogical framework on processes related to bone breakage of medium-sized animals (80–200 kg), since most previous experimentation has focused on smaller (10–80 kg) and larger (200–800 kg) carcasses. It has been possible to verify the existence of non-random and non-intentional breakage patterns on long bones due to their shape and structural properties. Thus, this introduces the possibility of correctly identifying anthropogenic fracture patterns in the archaeological record. Additionally, it also opens up the possibility of finding different cultural patterns. It has frequently been argued that the frequency of bone surface modifications correlates with fragmentation intensity. However, this assertion remained untested until now. Here, we test the frequency and occurrence of percussion and cut marks in faunal assemblages according to the intensity of green bone fragmentation. The results also improve the current referential framework in reference to interpretation of notches produced by dynamic loading.

Publication date: July 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 95 Author(s): Marta Domínguez-Delmás, Sjoerd van Daalen, Reyes Alejano-Monge, Tomasz WaznyWe present the results of dendroarchaeological investigations carried out on roof structures from two historic buildings in the Andalusian region (south of Spain). The Jaen cathedral, and the Colegial del Salvador church in Seville were both built on the sites of medieval mosques after centuries of using the Islamic buildings for Christian worship. Jaen cathedral contains roof structures dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, whereas those of the Colegial del Salvador were completed between 1703 CE and 1709. Historical sources report that wood from the Cazorla and Segura Mountains, located in the east of the region, was used in the construction of both buildings. Therefore they represent excellent case studies to investigate the supply of timber for construction purposes in post-medieval times, including aspects such as the transport of timber and the evolution of woodworking techniques throughout the centuries.During the inspection of the roof structures, we found different assembly marks in the 16th century roof of Jaen cathedral, and distinct tool marks in all researched structures. Furthermore, at the Colegial del Salvador church we found reused timbers and material evidence for historical rafting of timbers in the Guadalquivir river. We discuss these finds and compare them with parallels of other Spanish and European regions. The research also resulted in the successful dating of all construction phases of Jaen cathedral, confirming the historical information and the dating potential of chronologies of black pine from the Cazorla and Segura Mountains. At the Colegial del Salvador church only two timbers could be dated, demonstrating the complexity of the organization of timber supply for this building at the turn of the 18th century, and highlighting the need to continue developing reference chronologies at different elevations throughout the region.

Publication date: Available online 21 May 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science Author(s): Tomasso Antonin, Rots Veerle, Purdue Louise, Beyries Sylvie, Buckley Mike, Cheval Carole, Cnuts Dries, Coppe Justin, Julien Marie-Anne, Grenet Michel, Lepers Christian, M’hamdi Mondher, Simon Patrick, Sorin Sabine, Porraz GuillaumeUnderstanding hunting technology is pivotal in the study of adaptive and innovative forces that influenced the evolution of prehistoric societies. The manufacture, design and use of hunting weapons involve technical processes such as those of tool miniaturization, blank standardization and projection modes, but also influence broader demographic structures such as human subsistence strategies, territorial organization and socio-economic structures. Here we present a unique discovery from a newly discovered site at Les Prés de Laure (Var, France). Excavations revealed a multi-stratified open-air site with archaeological units that were rapidly buried by the alluvium of the Jabron River. In a Gravettian layer dated between 25 and 23.5 ka cal BP, within an area apparently dedicated to horse carcasses processing and consumption, 11 backed points were discovered in direct association with altered bone remains. Wear and residue analysis of the lithic backed points in combination with complementary experimental data converge to indicate that the find represents a bone point armed with lithic barbs and used as hunting weapon. This discovery provides new evidence for the manufacture and use of hunting weaponry in a Gravettian context and stimulates discussion on Paleolithic weapon function and design, offering a unique window into the characterization of prehistoric hunting strategies.

Publication date: June 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 94

Publication date: July 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 95 Author(s): Przemysław Makarowicz, Tomasz Goslar, Jakub Niebieszczański, Mateusz Cwaliński, Igor T. Kochkin, Jan Romaniszyn, Sergiy D. Lysenko, Tomasz WażnyThe area of the Upper Dniester Basin in Western Ukraine comprises one of the largest concentrations of barrows with the exception of the steppe zone. This article concerns the absolute chronology of one mound group in Bukivna, built in the Middle Bronze Age by the people of the Komarów culture. It also focuses on reconstructing the spatial arrangement of barrows and explaining the creation of their specific linear alignment. A Bayesian statistical analysis of radiocarbon AMS dates collected from five excavated tumuli revealed the chronological and spatial organization of the Bukivna barrows. Moreover, a seriation and correspondence analysis was performed on pottery from the barrows to expose the chronology of specific ornamentation groups. This research allowed for the scenario of the emergence of mounds in the first half of the 2nd millennium BC to be reconstructed. In light of the presented data, it is theorized that barrows were arranged in linear alignments along selected hill zones, although they did not necessarily proceed in a continuous or defined direction. Structuring of the funerary space resulted from the extension of mound groups, which probably represent family sub-necropolises. Linear arrangements of mounds were derived by merging the particular groups; barrows were erected in areas apart from the ‘planned’ structure, usually during different periods (but sometimes simultaneously). It was only after some time that the final alignment formation was accomplished, thus ending the process of structuring particular fragments of the barrow landscape.

Publication date: July 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 95 Author(s): Hannah Lau, Sarah Whitcher KansaNew digital publication technologies facilitate the publication of primary data and increase the ease with which archaeologists are able to share, combine, and synthesize large datasets. The research prospects that these technologies make possible are exciting, but they raise the issue of how comparable the original datasets really are. In this study we demonstrate an issue associated with many archaeological datasets: interanalyst variation. We conduct two independent analyses of one zooarchaeological assemblage and compare data. We consider the implications of the challenge interanalyst variation poses within projects and across projects. We then make recommendations for zooarchaeologists specifically, and for archaeologists more broadly, who are interested in publishing primary datasets in order to improve future understanding of these data and facilitate their reuse. These recommendations include specific guidance of what information needs to be published along with primary datasets to facilitate their responsible reuse in other projects, recommendations for incorporating interanalyst variation studies into research programs, and suggestions about what to do should analysts discover systematic biases in their analyses stemming from interanalyst variation.

Publication date: July 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 95 Author(s): Grant SnitkerArchaeological and paleoecological studies demonstrate that human-caused fires have long-term influences on terrestrial and atmospheric systems, including the transformation of “wild” landscapes into managed, agricultural landscapes. Sedimentary charcoal accumulations alone provide only limited information about the influence of human-caused fires on long-term fire regimes. Computational modeling offers a new approach to anthropogenic fire that links social and biophysical processes in a “virtual laboratory” where long-term scenarios can be simulated and compared with empirical charcoal data. This paper presents CharRec, a computational model of landscape fire, charcoal dispersion, and deposition that simulates charcoal records formed by multiple natural and anthropogenic fire regimes. CharRec is applied to a case study in the Canal de Navarrés region in eastern Spain to reveal the role of human-driven fire regimes during the early and middle Holocene. A statistical comparison of simulated charcoal records and empirical charcoal data from the Canal de Navarrés indicates that anthropogenic burning, following the Neolithic transition to agro-pastoral subsistence, was a primary driver of fire activity during the middle Holocene.

Publication date: July 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 95 Author(s): Vana Orfanou, Annabelle Collinet, Ziad El Morr, David BourgaritThe ISLAMETAL project (2013–2017) was jointly conducted by the Département des Arts de l’Islam (DAI), Musée du Louvre, and the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF) and kindly supported by the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute (RCHI). The project deals with the detailed technological investigation of copper-based metal wares (10th to late 15th centuries CE) from the Iranian world at the Louvre Islamic Art collection, comprising mostly household and domestic objects such as candlesticks, lamps, ewers, plates, and bowls. Amongst the collection characteristic qualities of production and decoration can be discerned. High status objects were decorated with sophisticated patterns including exquisite chasing, engraving, champlevé, and especially copper, silver and gold inlays. Results of the technological investigation of some 169 objects (particle induced X-ray emission, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, digital microscopy, X-radiography) showed a range of distinct alloy types employed and a correlation between artefact typology, fabrication technique, status and alloys. Decoration techniques showed a clear change spanning the 10th and 15th centuries with the notable introduction of precious metal inlays during the 12th century and new inlaying techniques before the mid-13th century. Lost-wax casting was the preferred manufacturing method even for mass produced objects where sand casting would seem a more suitable choice. Specific production centres in the region of Khorasan, such as that of Herat and Ghazna, were possible to be technologically identified. Detailed investigation of this comprehensive corpus provided for the first time key technical references for further comparison, particularly with neighbouring Near Eastern workshops.

Publication date: June 2018Source:Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 94 Author(s): Emily V. Johnson, Adrian Timpson, Mark G. Thomas, Alan K. OutramImportant nutritional resources can be acquired by breaking bone shafts to access marrow, whereas heavy comminution and boiling of cancellous bone is required to extract bone grease. Since labour and fuel costs of these processes differ considerably, the relative intensities of these activities provide a possible proxy for nutritional stress or elevated fat requirements in the context of an overall subsistence strategy. We investigated faunal material from eleven early Neolithic sites in central Europe for bone fracture and fragmentation patterns to ascertain the intensity of bone marrow and grease exploitation. These data indicate that bone grease processing was practised rarely if at all during the early Neolithic, likely made unnecessary by ample access to crop carbohydrates. Bone marrow was exploited at all sites, but with varying intensity that exhibited a significant negative correlation with the proportion of milk-producing domestic ruminants. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that fats obtained from dairy products reduced requirements for intensive marrow exploitation.