Development and Verification of a New Site Classification System and Site Coefficients for Regions of Shallow Bedrock in Korea

In this article, site response analyses for 124 sites collected in Korea were performed to evaluate earthquake ground motions in regions of shallow bedrock in Korea. Based on the results, a new two-parameter site classification system was developed for use in regions of shallow bedrock. The system incorporates depth to bedrock and mean V_S of soil above bedrock as parameters for site classification instead of V_S30. Soil sites were divided into seven site classes and the corresponding site coefficients were proposed for each site category. Some verification work demonstrates the superiority of the proposed system over the current seismic codes.     

Molluscan calendars: The use of growth-line analysis to establish seasonality of shellfish collection at the Mesolithic site of Morton,Fife

The technique of growth-line analysis is used to examine seasonal growth patterns in modern specimens of the edible cockle, Cerastoderma edule L. The modern control work provides a basis for the interpretation of seasonal collection in archaeological cockles, and is applied to shells from the Mesolithic site of Morton, Fife. The seasonal use of the site is shown to be clearly related to site function.     

The role of time-lapse bathymetric surveys in assessing morphological change at shipwreck sites

Data from time-lapse single-beam and multi-beam bathymetric surveys are used to assess the rate and scale of morphological change at shipwreck sites caused by anthropogenic forcing. The technique is illustrated by characterizing changes in wreck site morphology over two sites located on the east coast of Ireland – the Drogheda Boat site on the River Boyne and the Arklow Bank site in the Irish Sea. Results indicate that repeated bathymetric surveys accurately and rapidly capture morphological change, with time-lapse accretion–erosion models indicating possible erosion rates of up to 0.04 m per day and accretion rates of 0.36 m per day at dynamic riverine and marine sites in response to external triggers. These data are valuable in understanding site formation processes at fully submerged archaeological sites and in the derivation of high-resolution site formation models.     

Geochemical indicators of preservation status and site deterioration at Star Carr

This paper presents the results of a project aimed at investigating the deterioration of organic remains at the Mesolithic site of Star Carr. Analyses of pH, Electrical Conductivity and Redox Potential are reported from borehole transects across the unexcavated part of the site. A comparison of field and laboratory measurements is made, leading to the characterisation of different preservation zones and identification of ‘vulnerable’ sediments at the site. These data are augmented by geochemical analyses of contemporary borehole sequences and adjacent historic monoliths. Analysis of surface water and groundwater has also been undertaken to assist in the interpretation of the site hydrology and geochemistry. The relationship between ‘natural’ geology and preservation potential, and the evidence for a ‘halo’ preservation effect in virgin sediments adjacent to previous archaeology trenches is investigated.     

Early capital cities

The early capital cities are the key symbols of early Chinese civilization. By comparing the Erlitou site, Shang city in Zhengzhou, Shang city in Yanshi with Niuheliang site, Mojiaoshan site, Shijiahe site, Taosi site, and Wangchenggang site, the characteristics of the early capital cities could be drawn: First, it should have palace or palace city in big sizes; Second, the palace or palace city should be surrounded by living quarters for noble families, working areas for melting bronze, and quarters for sacrifice. __________ Translated by Chen Bo from Wenwu 文物 (Cultural Relics), 2006, (6): 56–60, 87     

Reburial and protective covering of ancient mosaic pavements: The experience of the conservation department of the Israel Antiquities Authority

Abstract

Four case studies are presented illustrating different attempts to protect excavated ancient mosaics by reburial or protective covering, with varying degrees of success, at three archaeological sites in Israel: Tel Itztaba, a site excavated between 1991 and 1994 where planning for reburial at the outset of the excavation could have prevented considerable losses; Khirbet Minya (Horvat Minim), a site excavated in the 1930s, reassessed after four years of reburial; the Promontory Palace at Caesarea Maritima, a site excavated in 1978, partially destroyed by the sea, reburied and regularly monitored since 1994; and an experimental test site at Caesarea Maritima. These examples demonstrate the importance of planning, monitoring and maintenance for successful reburial, and allow an assessment of which materials and methods performed better than others.     

U-series and radiocarbon dates on mollusc shells from the uppermost layer of the archaeological site of KHB-1, Ra's al Khabbah,Oman

The archaeological site of KHB-1, Oman, has been investigated in order to improve the chronological knowledge of the site, which is dated to the beginning of the fourth millennium B.C. on the basis of the archaeological context. Mollusc shells of the genus Anadara, coming from the uppermost layers of the site, have been dated using two different methods, radiocarbon and U-series technique. The results of the two techniques date the last occupational phase of the site from the end of the fourth millennium B.C. to the beginning of the third millennium B.C.     

Household ceramic diversity in the late prehistory of the Appalachian Summit

ABSTRACT

Pottery from the Ward site village (31WT22; ca. A.D. 1100) in mountainous northwestern North Carolina exhibits remarkable synchronic diversity that evokes speculations about prehistoric social institutions. Large fragments of ceramic jars recovered from the base of a storage pit at a nearby single house site appear to represent the wares of one household dating to approximately A.D. 1350. Like the Ward site pottery, diverse tempering materials and surface treatments at this site defy existing typologies and show that individual artisans availed themselves of a palette of technological and stylistic choices, some of which were introduced through interaction with neighboring Mississippian and Woodland groups, especially those lying to the south and east.     

How natural are natural woods from wetland sites? – a case study at two sites of the Jomon period in central Japan

To clarify the characteristics of natural woods from wetland sites, the taxonomic composition and diameter of natural woods were compared with those of wooden artifacts at two sites of the middle to latest Jomon periods (ca. 5300–2800 cal BP) in central Japan that have contrasting characters. The Oise-yama site in Saitama was a least used site only with a few pit dwellings and pits on the surrounding upland and no structures in the wetland. The Shimo-yakebe site in Tokyo was a heavily used site with wooden structures and rows of stakes in the wetland and many remains on the upland. Natural woods of the Oise-yama site had an exponential decrease along the diameter gradient, irrespective of taxa, but wooden artifacts of the Shimo-yakebe site had clear marks of human selection both in the taxonomic composition and diameter. Natural woods of the Shimo-yakebe site also had an exponential decrease along the diameter gradient similar to those of the Oise-yama site. Thus, the exponential decrease in the diameter distribution seemed to be intrinsic in naturally deposited, allochthonous woods found at wetland sites.     

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of La Olla,a Holocene archaeological site in the Pampean coast (Argentina)

The evolution of littoral palaeoenvironments in the southern Pampas region of Argentina towards the end of the early Holocene and the beginning of the mid Holocene is discussed, and the formation processes of the archaeological site of La Olla are analysed. This site is located in the intertidal zone of the present beach and is remarkably well-preserved. The human occupation at the site has been dated at between 7400 and 6480 yrs BP, and is interpreted as a place for the processing and consumption of the southern fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) and southern sea-lion (Otaria flavescens). It is concluded that biostabilization by microbial mats of the sedimentary structures and archaeological remains that developed and are present on the tidal flat prevented their erosion by wind, turbulence currents and waves. This is what has permitted the exceptional preservation of the site. On the basis of the analyses of one of the sectors of the site it can be concluded that the sedimentary succession of the La Olla site is the result of the coastal environmental changes during the early–mid Holocene in the pre-maximum transgressive episode. During this interval a tidal flat developed on the Pleistocene abrasion platform. Human occupation occurred during the formation of mixohaline marsh, an upper intertidal–lower supratidal zone ecosystem.     

In Situ Preservation of Wetland Heritage: Hydrological and Chemical Change in the Burial Environment of the Somerset Levels,UK

Abstract

In situ preservation is a core strategy for the conservation and management of waterlogged remains at wetland sites. Inorganic and organic remains can, however, quickly become degraded, or lost entirely, as a result of chemical or hydrological changes. Monitoring is therefore crucial in identifying baseline data for a site, the extent of spatial and or temporal variability, and in evaluating the potential impacts of these variables on current and future in situ preservation potential.

Since August 2009, monthly monitoring has taken place at the internationally important Iron Age site of Glastonbury Lake Village in the Somerset Levels, UK. A spatial, stratigraphic, and analytical approach to the analysis of sediment horizons and monitoring of groundwater chemistry, redox potential, water table depth and soil moisture (using TDR) was used to characterize the site.

Significant spatial and temporal variability has been identified, with results from water-table monitoring and some initial chemical analysis from Glastonbury presented here. It appears that during dry periods parts of this site are at risk from desiccation. Analysis of the chemical data, in addition to integrating the results from the other parameters, is ongoing, with the aim of clarifying the risk to the entire site.     

Cover it! The Protection of a Merovingian Burial Ground in Borgharen (Municipality of Maastricht), the Netherlands

A Merovingian burial ground in Borgharen was threatened by development. Plans however could be changed so the site could be preserved. The initial research however showed the bone material was at risk of severe degradation in the near future. In order to determine whether in situ preservation was feasible three campaigns were carried out. This led to the conclusion that the burial conditions were excellent and there was little risk that severe degradation will reduce archaeological information of the site over the coming decades. The remaining threat concerned illegal excavators with metal detectors and spades. To protect the site it was covered with a series of different materials to prevent the site from being looted.     

Stable isotope analysis of humans from Xiaojingshan site: implications for understanding the origin of millet agriculture in China

Millet agriculture originated in Northern China in the early Neolithic period (ca. 8000 BP), however, the actual importance of millet in human diets is still not clear. To determine the relative contribution of millet in human diets in this period we undertook stable isotope analysis of humans from Xiaojingshan site and fauna from Yuezhuang site, both of which are attributed to the Houli Culture and date to about 8000 years ago. The carbon isotope values of human bone collagen showed that millet (as a C₄ plant) only contributed approximately 25% of dietary protein, with the rest from C₃ based plant and animal sources, if a simple mixing model is used. We did not observe any statistical dietary difference between males and females at the site, although it has been argued that the Houli Culture was a matriarchal society. Finally, we compared our data with other published isotopic data from the contemporary Jiahu site and Xinglongwa site and a number of sites from the subsequent Yangshao Culture and found that millet only became a significant source of dietary protein approximately 1000 years later, as human carbon isotope values from these later sites indicated that almost all of dietary protein came from C₄ (i.e. millet) sources.     

Assessment of Visitor Management at the Archaeological Site of Umm Qais: Condition and Problems

Abstract

Umm Qais is one of the most significant archaeological tourist attractions in Jordan besides Petra and Jerash. It is also popular with locals due to its rich diversity of natural history features and landscapes. However, there has been no detailed study of approaches to visitor management at the site. This paper investigates the visitor management pressures on the site of Umm Qais, seeking to develop an understanding of the approaches that direct the process of visitor management in an archaeological site. The specific objective of this study is to identify and analyse the current visitor management measures and tools at the site. It explores issues of hard and soft visitor management through monitoring, visitor guidance, and interpretation. The study has been conducted as a qualitative case study, and its results are based on direct personal observation and discussions with the personnel that have been conducted on-site by the Jordanian authors.

Despite the visitor management applied approaches, results reveal important and continuing challenges for Umm Qais due to limited visitor monitoring, weak information, and poor restriction measures. Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations are made in order to permit the local heritage managers to develop the site and its visitor management appropriately. This is an essential process in aiding this potential World Heritage Site to update approaches and adapt to the changing circumstances related to the visitor needs for the site. This will contribute to heritage and tourism literature and practice by enhancing the knowledge of visitor management at a national level.     

The Pottery of Khirbet En-Nahas: A Rejoinder

Abstract

Smith and Levy (2008) have published an assemblage of pottery from the copper production centre of Khirbet en-Nahas in Jordan. Based on their interpretation of the ¹⁴C dates from the site and contra the accumulated knowledge on the ceramic typology of the Levant they argue that this pottery dates to the Iron I and Iron IIA, and that there was no later activity at the site. We show that much of the Khirbet en-Nahas pottery dates to the Iron IIB–C. We argue that the charcoal samples sent for radiocarbon dating originated from the waste of industrial activity at the site in the Iron I and Iron IIA, while the pottery came from a post-production activity in the Iron IIB–C — an activity that included the construction of a fort on the surface of the site. We propose that the fort was built along the Assyrian Arabian trade route, at the foot of the ascent from the Arabah to the Assyrian headquarters of Buseirah.     

Endurance in the Canyon: Assessing preservation at a multi-component site on the Southern High Plains,USA

Abstract

Preservation decisions often have to be made regarding the long-term status of deeply buried sites. However, the opportunity to evaluate these decisions practically, decades later, is rare. The Nash site, on the Southern High Plains of the USA, is one site where reinvestigation has permitted the assessment of a well-stratified site after an intervening period of thirty years during which it was impacted by dredging and impoundment. The current condition of the site has generated challenges in both recovery and conservation of material. Renewed fieldwork at the Nash site highlights the need to evaluate preservation options while critically considering the effects of geomorphic, taphonomic, and cultural processes.     

Reconsidering the Antiquity of Trade on Madeline Island: A View from the Cadotte Site in Northern Wisconsin

Abstract

The Cadotte site, excavated in 1961, is often cited in archaeological and ethnohistorical literature as an example of a short term, mid-seventeenth century refugee encampment of the Huron and/or Odawa circa 1660–1670. A closer examination of the site assemblage has resulted in a reassessment of the general assumptions regarding the site and its use by Huron and Odawa during the mid-seventeenth century. The ceramic assemblage indicates that the site was occupied much earlier and for a longer period than previously understood, circa 1620–1670. This is supported by the European trade goods assemblage. It is also argued that the site served a specialized function, as a place of seasonal rendezvous for the Ontario Odawa and their central Algonquin trading partners. Further, the character of the pottery suggests that a portion of the sample may reflect Algonquin mimicry of Ontario Wendat traditions. The revised understanding of the time depth and function of the site, as well as the character of its associated ceramic assemblage, has also prompted the reconsideration of the identity of the Algonquin groups who visited the island, and the antiquity of the Ojibwe presence at this locale.     

Neolithic occupation of an artesian spring: KS043 in the Kharga Oasis,Egypt

Abstract

KS043 is a stratified site associated with a complex of artesian springs. The archaeological remains, as well as a series of radiocarbon determinations, date the site to between 4800 and 4200 b.c. Our study suggests a connection between Saharan pastoralists, forced to move into oasis areas by increasing aridification, and the first Predynastic cultures of the Nile Valley. The site is the only well dated stratified settlement attributed to the Late Neolithic in the eastern Sahara that is characterized by Tasian cultural traditions.