CONNECTING THE DOTS: TOWARDS ARCHAEOLOGICAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

In recent years network analysis has been applied in archaeological research to examine the structure of archaeological relationships of whatever sort. However, these archaeological applications share a number of issues concerning 1) the role of archaeological data in networks; 2) the diversity of network structures, their consequences and their interpretation; 3) the critical use of quantitative tools; and 4) the influence of other disciplines, especially sociology. This article concerns a deconstruction of past archaeological methods for examining networks. Through a case study of Roman table wares in the eastern Mediterranean, the article highlights a number of issues with network analysis as a method for archaeology. It urges caution regarding the uncritical application of network analysis methods developed in other disciplines and applied to archaeology. However, it stresses the potential benefits of network analysis for the archaeological discipline and acknowledges the need for specifically archaeological network analysis, which should be based on relational thinking and can be expanded with an archaeological toolset for quantitative analysis.     

A PROVENANCE STUDY OF POTTERY FROM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES NEAR CANOSA,PUGLIA (ITALY)*

Studies have been carried out to assess the provenance of selected pottery excavated at archaeological sites near Canosa, Puglia (Italy). Sixty-six sherds, ranging in date from the mid-seventh century BC to the beginning of the third century BC, were analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and 16 elements were determined. The analysis data were subjected to multivariate classification procedures. Tests showed that the majority of the examined sherds came from ancient local kilns; a probable Ionian origin was established for some other sherds, while the rest were of unknown origin.     

Currents and trends in the archaeological sciences

Here I use ISI Web of Knowledge to build on a recent paper by Butzer (2009) and track current trends in the archaeological sciences. I researched eight thematic keywords replete in the title, abstract, keywords and main body of archaeological science literature for the period 1970–2008. For all keywords investigated a steady rise in archaeological science research is evidenced after 1980, with pronounced growth occurring after 2000. I attribute this pattern to the standardisation of research production and academic evaluation, in addition to the democratisation of new information technologies, notably the Internet. The evolution of 10 leading archaeological science journals was also tracked. Since the 1970s, the bibliometric data show that nine of the ten journals have successfully expanded on an annual basis. I found that the biggest growers (the Journal of Archaeological Science [JAS], the Journal of Human Evolution and the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology) are all published by Elsevier. In 2008, the JAS was ranked first for five of the eight thematic keywords by ISI, underlining the popularity and interdisciplinary scope of the journal. According to the 2008 Journal Citation Reports, the JAS ranks second for total citations (4219) in archaeological science and third for its overall impact factor (1.779).     

MULTIVARIATE MIXTURE OF NORMALS WITH UNKNOWN NUMBER OF COMPONENTS: AN APPLICATION TO CLUSTER NEOLITHIC CERAMICS FROM AEGEAN AND ASIA MINOR USING PORTABLE XRF*

Multivariate techniques and especially cluster analysis have been commonly used in archaeometry. Exploratory and model‐based techniques of clustering have been applied to geochemical (continuous) data of archaeological artefacts for provenance studies. Model‐based clustering techniques such as classification maximum likelihood and mixture maximum likelihood have been used to a lesser extent in this context and, although they seem to be suitable for such data, they either present practical difficulties—such as high dimensionality of the data—or their performance gives no evidence that they are superior to standard methods. In this paper standard statistical methods (hierarchical clustering, principal components analysis) and the recently developed model‐based multivariate mixture of normals with an unknown number of components, are applied and compared. The data set provides chemical compositions of 188 ceramic samples derived from the Aegean islands and surrounding areas.     

Modeling Net Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Exchange Using Temporal Neural Networks after Wavelet Denoising

Eddy covariance (EC) time‐series data obtained from flux towers are noisy due to both stochastic atmospheric turbulence and deterministic processes, and no standard data‐denoising protocols exist for them. The potential of six temporal artificial neural networks (ANNs) augmented with and without three orthogonal wavelet functions was tested for predicting net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide (CO₂) based on a long‐term EC data set for a temperate peatland. Multiple comparisons were made of (1) temporal ANNs with and without discrete wavelet transform (DWT) denoising; (2) denoising with the orthogonal wavelet families of Daubechies, Coiflet, and Symmlet; (3) different decomposition levels; (4) time‐delay neural network, time‐lag recurrent network, and recurrent neural network; (5) online learning versus batch learning algorithms; and (6) diel, diurnal, and nocturnal periods. The coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and mean absolute error performance metrics were used for multiple comparisons based on training, cross‐validation, and independent validation of the temporal ANNs as a function of 24 explanatory variables contained in an EC data set. Integration of the temporal ANNs and DWT denoising provided more accurate and precise estimates of net ecosystem CO₂ exchange. Los datos de series de tiempo de covarianza tipo Eddy (EC) obtenidos de torres de flujo (flux‐towers) contienen ruido debido tanto a la turbulencia atmosférica estocástica como a los procesos determinísticos modelados. A pesar de esto, no existen protocolos estandarizados para la eliminación de ruido en este tipo de datos. El estudio presente pone a prueba el potencial de seis redes neuronales artificiales temporales (ANN) a las que se les añade con (y remueve) tres funciones de transformada de ondícula (wavelets) ortogonales con el fin de predecir el intercambio neto ecosistémico (NEE) de dióxido de carbono (CO2) usando un conjunto de datos EC de largo plazo correspondientes a una turbera ubicada en zona templada. Se realizaron múltiples comparaciones de (1) las ANN temporales con y sin transformación wavelet discreta (DWT) para la remoción del ruido; (2) la eliminación de ruido usando las familias de wavelets ortogonales de tipo Daubechies, Coiflet y Symmlet; (3) diferentes niveles de descomposición; (4) redes neuronales con retraso temporal (time‐delay) (TDNN ), con retardo (lag) de red recurrente (TLRN), y la red neuronal recurrente (RNN); (5) con aprendizaje en línea versus algoritmos de aprendizaje en lote (batch); y, (6) para ciclos circadianos, diurnos, y nocturnos. Para comparar los rendimientos de cada método se calcularon el coeficiente de determinación, el error cuadrático medio (RMSE), y la media de error absoluto (MAE), provenientes de los datos de validación cruzada, calibración y validación independiente de los ANN temporales y en función de 24 variables explicativas de los datos EC. Los autores concluyen que la integración de los ANN temporales con la remoción de ruido tipo wavelet proporciona estimaciones más exactas y precisas del intercambio neto ecosistémico de CO2. 受随机大气湍流和确定性过程扰动的影响,利用涡度相关法从通量塔中测定的时间序列数据是高噪音的,目前仍缺乏标准的数据去噪方案。本文基于一个温带泥炭地长期观测的EC数据集,测试了六个潜在的时态人工神经网络(ANNs),以及其在包含或者不包含三个正交的小波函数增强的条件下对二氧化碳（CO2）的净生态系统交换（NEE）的预测能力。比较试验分为以下几组：(1)使用或不使用离散小波变换（DWT）去噪的时态ANNs;(2)采用Daubechies, Coiflet和 Symmlet正交小波族去噪;(3)不同的小波分解层级;(4)时间延滞神经网络（TDNN）、时间滞后递归网络（TLRN）和递归神经网络(RNN);(5)在线学习与批量学习算法;(6)昼夜、白天和夜间三种周期。将时态ANNs作为EC数据集中24个解释变量的函数,运用决定系数、均方根误差(RMSE)和平均绝对误差(MAE)指标对其训练、交叉验证和独立验证过程进行多重比较测试。结果显示,集成时态ANNs和DWT去噪可以提供更为准确的净生态系统CO2交换量的估计。     

Archaeology of Northeast Thailand in Relation to the Pre-Khmer and Khmer Historical Records

An earlier study of how the archaeological data from the Khmer period in northeast Thailand confirm and augment the information from historical texts is expanded into an examination of the early historic pre-Khmer and the post-Khmer periods. For these, both the historical and the archaeological data are more limited and problematic. The archaeological record confirms generally the changes associated with the transition from prehistory to history but raises questions about the sources of external influence and the types of political and economic organization which characterized northeast Thailand societies. More robust archaeological data and more precise chronological control will be necessary to test historical models of pre-Angkorian and post-Angkorian political development.     

Trade and the Construction of Bahamian Identity: A Multiscalar Exploration

Using ceramic data, we explore how a multiscalar approach, framed within Giddens' Theory of Structuration, can lead to a more complete understanding of the construction of New World Creole identities. The two scales of analysis serve to inform one another. We draw upon archaeological and historical data from five plantation sites located on three islands of the Bahamas. On the macroscale level, we demonstrate how regional trade networks limited or facilitated access to ceramics and shaped the ways that individual planters used these goods to construct statements about wealth and prestige. A microscale analysis of ceramics recovered from six slave households demonstrates how families with complete market access used ceramics as a means of creating a sense of community identity and mediating tensions within the quarters.     

Early Medieval Jet-like Jewellery in Ireland: Production,Distribution and Consumption

JET-LIKE JEWELLERY, encompassing polished black stone arm-rings, bangles and bracelets, has not been subject to detailed study in Ireland for over 50 years. This paper refocuses attention on the archaeological evidence for the indigenous production of this type of jewellery in early medieval Ireland, with the aims of exploring its distribution and consumption, and its relevance to networks of social control and economic expansion. Using geospatial and stratigraphic interrogation of the archaeological record, and contemporary comparison with recent studies from Scotland, this article demonstrates a hitherto unrecognised level of complexity and diversity in the handling of this ubiquitous luxury item. Regional specialised production centres and separate distribution centres are identified, and while a focus on indigenous sources is apparent, this is not exclusive. Degrees of cooperation and exclusivity are suggested for ecclesiastical and secular social hierarchies.     

Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Archaeological heritage management in Dutch waters: exploratory studies (Scheepsarcheologie V), THIJS MAARLEVELD II Manoscritto dell'Abbazia di Finalpia: una fonte par I'archeologia navale dei primo Seicento, FURIO CICILIOT Underwater Archaeology, 1998 (Proceedings from the Society for Historical Archaeology meeting, Atlanta), LAWRENCE E. BABITS, CATHERINE FACH and RYAN HARRIS (Eds) The persistence of sail in the age of steam; underwater archaeological evidence from the Dry Tortugas (Plenum Series in Underwater Archaeology), DONNA J. SOUZA The Archaeology of Whaling in Southern Australia and New Zealand, SUSAN LAWRENCE and MARK STANIFORTH (Eds) Diving up the Human Past—perspectives of maritime archaeology with specific reference to developments in South Africa until 1996 (BAR International Series 749), BRUNO E. J. S. WERZ Transport in Ancient Egypt, ROBERT PARTRIDGE The First Antarctic Winter, JANET CRAWFORD Icy Heritage, DAVID L. HARROWFIELD The earliest recorded bridge at Rochester (BAR British Series 252), COLIN FLIGHT Les archéologues aux pieds palmés: la fabuleuse histoire de la fouille archéologique d'un baleinier Basque du 16^e siècle échoué au Labrador, MARC‐ANDRÉ BERNIER and ROBERT GRENIER The Search for the North West Passage, ANN SAVOURS Deutsche Fischdampfer Technik Entwicklung Einsatz Schiffsregister (German fishing trawlers), WOLFGANG WALTER The material culture of steamboat passengers: archaeological evidence from the Missouri River (Plenum Series in Underwater Archaeology), ANNALIES CORBIN Ships fittings and rigging components recovered from the 1983 underwater archaeological excavation at Red Bay, Labrador (Parks Service Canada Research Bulletin no 300, January 1993), CHARLES S. BRADBURY Texas’ Liberty Ships: from World War II working‐class heroes to artificial reefs (Texas Parks & Wildlife Bulletin no 99.1), J. BARTO ARNOLD III     

The Provenance of Red Figure Vases From Locri Epizephiri (Southern Italy): New Evidence by Chemical Analysis

Thirty‐nine samples of red figure pottery found at Locri Epizephiri were analysed for 18 chemical elements by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy. The finds, dated from the end of the sixth to the fourth century bc , were assigned to Attic, Sicilian and Locrian workshops due to their style of execution. Prior to facing the archaeological questions, possible biases on sample classification due to variable firing conditions, or to alteration during burial, were investigated: the results supported the opportunity of a refiring pre‐treatment. Multivariate statistical treatment of the analytical data confirms the separation between Attic and non‐Attic samples; comparison with the composition of black gloss pottery suggests that all the non‐Attic red figure vases could be the output of Locrian workshops.     

A neural network approach to the classification of electron and proton whistlers

Fractional whistlers, whistlers, and proton whistlers are automatically identified and characterized by means of a neural network. A feed-forward neural network with Time Delay Neural Network (TDNN) architecture is used. It has the ability to represent structures in frequency time diagrams; a set of 50 spectrogram elements (5 Fourier components × 10 time intervals) serves as input to the network. Applications to date have used ELF data recorded on board the low-altitude AUREOL-3 satellite. A first neural network was designed to identify and characterize fractional whistlers and whistlers. A set of 997 vector data is used for the training phase and 1088 other vector data are used for evaluating performance. It is observed that fractional whistlers and whistlers can be distinguished from noise with an accuracy of 90%. A second neural network, with the same architecture, was used for studying proton whistlers. Although the training database contains less examples, the accuracy of the classification is 89%. Neural networks of this type could be used in satellites for real-time classification and characterization of electron and proton whistlers.     

Osteometric Analysis of South American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens) Pups From Patagonia. An Assessment of Their Use as Indicators for Seasonality in Archaeological Sites

Zooarchaeological analyses of pinniped remains have been scarce in South America because of lack of specific studies of species determination and estimation of age and sex. Nonetheless, the presence of small and unfused bones (assigned as pup remains) of Otaria flavescens (O. flavescens) in the Patagonian archaeological record has been frequently used as an indicator of summer occupation accomplished by ecological analogues. For this reason, we carried out a postcranial skeletons osteometric study of modern pups of South American sea lions (O. flavescens) with known sex and aged 0–12 months, allowing a more precise age estimation of archaeological samples. Then, we revisited the evidence for seasonality in the Cabo Virgenes 6 site at Cabo Virgenes locality, one of the archaeological localities in Patagonia where the seasonality has been determined only on the basis of the presence of unfused pup bones. Our metric data study on a modern sample shows that the regression analyses generated a complementary and dependable age estimation model for unfused appendicular bones of O. flavescens between 0 and 12 months old that can be applied to samples recovered from archaeological sites. These osteometric studies of postcranial elements allow us to adjust the age estimation of the animal's death and re‐examine seasonality of the Cabo Virgenes 6 site (Santa Cruz, Argentina). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AMBERS FROM NORTHERN ITALY: AN FTIR–DRIFT STUDY OF PROVENANCE BY COMPARISON WITH THE GEOLOGICAL AMBER DATABASE*

European geological ambers of five different localities and types, and Italian geological ambers from seven different deposits have been studied with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and diffuse‐reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT). Ambers from several localities have been characterized for the first time. The research aims to create a database of European ambers, containing both FTIR and DRIFT data. The FTIR spectra are easily comparable with the data commonly available in the literature, whereas DRIFT analyses are shown to be more useful to characterize the archaeological finds. The provenance of several archaeological ambers from northern and southern Italy, dating from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age, is assessed on the basis of the developed database. Of the 35 analysed archaeological objects, all but five are composed of Baltic succinite amber.     

Obsidian procurement,least cost path analysis,and social interaction in the Mimbres area of southwestern New Mexico

For over 15 years chemical compositional analyses of obsidian artifacts recovered from archaeological sites in the southwestern United States have been increasingly used to address many research agendas. Despite this increasing interest in obsidian studies, few have attempted to synthesize the ever-growing amount of data generated from the numerous projects being conducted in the southwest. Here, we synthesize and present data for 923 sourced obsidian samples recovered from over 80 archaeological sites in the Mimbres area of southwestern New Mexico. We then use least cost path analysis as a means of investigating procurement patterns as well as networks of social interaction within the region.     

δ18O Analyses of the Humpbacked Conch (Gibberulus gibberulus): Evaluating a Proxy for Reconstructing Sea-Surface Temperature at Chelechol ra Orrak,Palau

ABSTRACT

In Palau, Micronesia, marine resources, particularly shellfish, played a vital role in human subsistence for millennia. Despite the vast array of molluscan species in archaeological assemblages, there is a dearth of data on nearshore palaeoecology or prehistoric shellfish foraging practices. In this study, we analysed stable oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O) values present in the calcium carbonate shell of Gibberulus gibberulus from the Chelechol ra Orrak archaeological site to reconstruct average nearshore sea-surface temperatures (SST) from approximately 1500–1100 cal BP. Modern shellfish samples and environmental data were collected from intertidal zones near the site and x-ray diffraction (XRD) was employed to identify the biomineralogical composition of G. gibberulus. These steps provide necessary information for the selection of the proper oxygen isotope-to-SST conversion formula. The selected formula was applied to δ¹⁸O samples from archaeological shells to reconstruct prehistoric SST averages. The results of this proxy validation study verify that G. gibberulus accurately records ambient SST and can be used to reconstruct ancient nearshore conditions. These findings also contribute to the establishment of an environmental baseline, which can be used to examine how environmental changes may have influenced the availability of molluscan taxa that in turn influenced human subsistence practices through time.     

Archaeometry and materiality: materials‐based analysis in theory and practice*

Due to the diversity of contemporary archaeology, the aims and approaches of archaeological scientists and archaeological theorists are often at odds. I suggest that this position is problematic, both intellectually and methodologically, as both groups are fundamentally engaged in the same task: an understanding of past societies through the medium of material culture. This paper offers a review of the intellectual positions of both groups, with a brief discussion of the history of archaeological theory and an appraisal of its current trajectory. I will discuss how and why contemporary theoretical perspectives have fundamentally diverged from the perspectives of archaeological scientists and how the recent theoretical emphasis upon materiality offers a rapprochement between theoreticians and archaeological scientists.     

Haciendas and economic change in Yucatán: Entrepreneurial strategies in the Parroquia de Yaxcabá, 1775–1850

Using archaeological and historical data from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century haciendas in theParroquia de Yaxcabá, Yucatán, this paper demonstrates how documentary records can be employed to create diachronic archaeological explanations. Both the organization of production on the hacienda and the entrepreneurial strategies pursued by the estate owners. contribute to the form of the hacienda. The following analysis suggests quantitative and qualitative explanations for variation in hacienda size and architectural elaboration. The archaeological interpretations offer a reconsideration of processes of economic change in central Yucatán prior to the Caste War of 1847.