Integrated seismic tomography and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for the high-resolution study of burial mounds (tumuli)

The study primarily aims at providing adequate imaging resolution of large and prominent targets of archaeological interest, such as pyramids and tumuli, at all depth levels. We implemented an integrated seismic tomography and georadar (STG) technique to perform high-resolution imaging and characterization of tumuli (burial mounds). We tested the proposed technique on a preserved late Bronze Age burial mound in northern Italy, for which STG succeeded in performing an accurate 3-D reconstruction of the structure and stratigraphy as proved by later archaeological excavations. We completed two transmission seismic tomography measurements, at present ground level and at 1.5 m elevation, with a 24-channel seismograph and 15° angular separation between geophones. The ground-penetrating radar (GPR) dataset encompasses 12 250 MHz radial profiles and 12 common mid point gathers for velocity analysis. Shallow layers of the mound are successfully imaged by GPR, whilst the structure of the deep central part of the tomb is reconstructed from seismic traveltime inversion. In particular, GPR images lenses and layers of sediments forming the external part of the tumulus, evidences of a looting attempt, peripheral structures associated with later exploitation of the mound (furnaces) and, in the external sector of the tumulus, the top of the deep layer of silty sediments covering the funeral chamber. Tomographic results reveal seismic velocity anomalies of potential archaeological interest at ground level, which were successively validated by archaeological excavations. The integration of GPR and tomographic datasets is an effective strategy to overcome the imaging and interpretation problems related to the structure of such peculiar funeral monuments. STG can be applied to a virtually unlimited dimensional range and requires a limited data acquisition, processing and inversion effort. The results of the study allowed the identification of the funeral chamber and a detailed imaging of layering and structural details.     

Selective reburial: a potential approach for the in situ preservation of waterlogged archaeological wood in wetland excavations

Excavations at Dispilio, a prehistoric lakeside settlement in northern Greece, have revealed a significant number of vertical wooden piles that need to be protected during and after excavation. Lifting of the piles is not possible and approaches such as reburial, cannot currently be implemented as excavation is still in progress. In 2005, several posts were “selectively buried” on an experimental basis, by encasing them in PVC pipes and backfilling with the surrounding sediment. This approach appeared to be capable of protecting the piles during excavation and be a potential solution for their post-excavation preservation. This preliminary study sets out to asses if this alternative approach to reburial could be an effective in situ preservation method.     

Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC,and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America

The fruit (pods) of Prosopis (Fabaceae) are frequently recovered from pre-Hispanic Argentinian archaeological sites, suggesting that this genus was of importance in ancient economies in this region. Yet it is only recently that archaeobotanists have begun to carry out systematic research into this genus. Therefore many questions remain to be addressed concerning the food value of Prosopis fruit, and its potential contribution. This paper examines starch from the pods of two species, Prosopis flexuosa and Prosopis chilensis, for the purposes of describing and classifying their morphological features and biometrical parameters. Pods of both species were gathered from two extremes (northern and southern) of the Hualfín Valley, Catamarca, Argentina. Starch abundance is estimated and compared with that of Zea mays, an economically important plant with high concentrations of starch. This paper reveals that Prosopis pods contain very low amounts of starch compared to starch-rich edible species. Despite this, the recovery of Prosopis starch grains can be successfully used to assess archaeological tool uses. Prosopis starch grains were found to be highly variable in shape. Grain size ranged between 10 and 20 μm. Granule irregularity and the high birefringence under polarized light are two of the most important diagnostic features. No significant statistical differences were found in the structure (morphology, size and hilum) of the starch of the same species from both localities. Finally, the implications for the role of this plant in past societies are discussed.     

Reappraisal of ‘chronospecies’ and the use of Arvicola (Rodentia,Mammalia) for biochronology

The water vole, genus Arvicola, is characterised by a broad geographic distribution throughout Europe and is widespread during the late Middle and Upper Pleistocene. This genus is used as a major biostratigraphic tool within the Quaternary. Specific determinations using the Schmelzband-Differenzierung-Quotient or SDQ have identified many chronospecies within the fossil species Arvicola cantiana (Hinton, 1910). As SDQ calculation remains limited, this study reappraises the Arvicola genus in terms of morphodiversity and morphospace using outline analysis which takes into account the tooth as a whole. Outline analysis suggests that one single species of Arvicola, A. cantiana, was present during the Pleistocene. This species shows great variability with no trends or patterns in morphospace. Thus, these results call into question the reliability of SDQ for specific determinations and throw doubt on the biochronological framework based on Arvicola.     

The hunted hunter: the capture of a lion (Panthera leo fossilis) at the Gran Dolina site,Sierra de Atapuerca,Spain

Many Pleistocene caves and rock shelters contain evidence of carnivore and human activities. For this reason, it is common to recover at these sites faunal remains left by both biological agents. In order to explain the role that carnivores play at the archaeological sites it is necessary to analyse several elements, such as the taxonomical and skeletal representation, the age profiles, the ratio of NISP to MNI, the anthropogenic processing marks on the carcasses (location and purpose of cutmarks and burning and bone breakage patterns), carnivore damage (digested bones, location and frequencies of toothmarks and bone breakage), length of the long bones, frequencies of coprolites and vertical distribution of the faunal remains, inter alia. From this, the documentation of carnivores in a faunal assemblage with a clear anthropogenic component can be understood from three main phenomena: (1) the carnivores as accumulators and the use of the site as a den; (2) carnivores as scavengers of hominid refuse and; (3) carnivores as hominids’ prey. Of these three phenomena, the last one is the least documented at the Middle Pleistocene sites. From this perspective, here we present the case of the anthropogenic use of a lion (Panthera leo fossilis) from level TD10-1 of Gran Dolina (MIS 9, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). The lion bone remains show signs of direct interaction between this big cat and human groups that occupied Gran Dolina in these chronologies. From this perspective, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of the role developed by large carnivores in the anthropogenic contexts and to provide data on human use of these predators at the European Middle Pleistocene sites.     

Fishing ancient Lake Baikal,Siberia: inferences from the reconstruction of harvested perch (Perca fluviatilis) size

Fishing was the foundation for many of the world's foraging peoples and was undertaken using a variety of technologies. Reconstructing fishing technologies can be difficult because these tools were often made of perishable materials. Here we explore fishing technologies employed at the Ityrkhei site on Lake Baikal, Siberia. Specifically, we employ regression analyses to reconstruct the sizes of perch (Perca fluviatilis) captured through time at the site. Our analyses demonstrate that almost no juvenile perch were taken, suggesting some selectivity in harvest. We suggest this selectivity is most consistent with the use of relatively large gauge nets or traps. Such mass harvesting technologies may have been important elements of the subsistence economies of Lake Baikal's foraging peoples throughout much of the Holocene.