An integrated assessment of archaeobotanical recovery methods in the Neotropical rainforest of northern Belize: flotation and dry screening

This report presents results of a study examining the ancient use of plants at four Late Classic (CE 600-900) Maya rural farmsteads in northwestern Belize. Our research specifically targeted residential middens for macrobotanical recovery. Samples yielded the remains of more than a dozen plant families, representing some genera that do not currently grow in the area. These plants were used in the Late Classic, countering the idea that ancient botanical remains do not survive in Neotropical archaeological contexts. We also evaluated two macrobotanical sample processing methods vis-à-vis one another: flotation and dry screening. Our results indicate that flotation recovered 58% more seeds than dry screening, while dry screening yielded almost twice as much charcoal and other wood as flotation. The divergent quantities in the types of material recovered suggest a comprehensive macrobotanical recovery program should include the use of both processing methods.     

The Use of Historical Photography For Mapping Archaeological Sites

Abstract

Aerial photography has been employed by archaeologists since 1906. This study discusses the application of image processing of historical photographs as an aid to archaeological excavations at two California mission sites.

Research on the Mission Vieja de la Purisima site involved the mapping of the Old Mission complex, destroyed by an earthquake and mudslide in 1812. Optical means of multiple-image registration and scale change were employed. The second study involved the digital transformation of an historical photograph of Mission San Buenaventura from its oblique perspective into a “psuedo-vertical” format.

Information obtained in these studies is being used by archaeological researchers and has been found accurate and extremely useful. The preliminary mapping of the Mission Vieja de la Purisima has aided in the preservation of the area and played a major role in the mission's being designated as a California and National Historical site.     

Human remains in marine archaeology

Abstract

This paper deals with human remains in marine contexts, both from the intertidal zone and from below low water mark. Some of the legal and ethical aspects pertaining to human remains are discussed, with an emphasis on the English experience. Survival of human remains in marine environments is considered, and recovery procedures in fieldwork projects are discussed. Finally, drawing upon work from Britain and from other parts of Europe, particularly on remains from wreck sites, attempts are made to discern some of the more important directions for research on human remains from marine archaeological contexts.     

The water chestnut (Trapa natans L.) as a food resource during the 4th to 1st millennia BC at Lake Federsee,Bad Buchau (southern Germany)

Abstract

During archaeological excavations at several wetland sites around Lake Federsee, remains of water chestnut were detected. The finds are dated to between the 4th and 1st millennia BC. Until recently the starch-containing nuts of water chestnut were used for human nutrition in Europe. The nuts can easily be harvested in autumn. Pollen and plant macrofossil remains from several sites are proof of a wide distribution during the Holocene, probably influenced by humans. Nowadays this annual water plant is extinct in many parts of Europe. The growing conditions of water chestnut are strongly restricted with regard to water quality, depth and temperature, and therefore finds of this plant have the potential to allow reconstruction of former ecological conditions.     

Monitoring the burial environment of terrestrial wet archaeological sites in The Netherlands

Abstract

Monitoring the burial environment of archaeological sites is necessary to assess the success of their preservation in situ. Also, monitoring the state of preservation of actual archaeological remains together with that of their burial environment will further our understanding of the degradation processes acting on archaeological remains in situ. These remains consist not only of objects made from wood, metal, stone, etc., but also of pollen, soil features and even micromorphological features. Although, to date, the precise degradation mechanisms of archaeological remains in situ are not yet fully understood, general agreement exists on which parameters should be monitored in wet terrestrial environments. Also, it has been established that in situ measurements are preferable to laboratory analyses of soil (water) samples. In practice, it is difficult to find suitable monitoring equipment for in situ measurement as it must meet many requirements: an in situ measuring principle; stable for a period of at least several months; robust for use in the field; and equipped with a datalogger. A suitable principle exists for measuring the redox potential, however a simple, robust field instrument with datalogger is not yet available. Monitoring of the water table level, temperature and oxygen content is possible with recently developed, commercially available instruments. Monitoring of acidity is less complex as it does not vary as rapidly as, for example, the redox potential; however, the recommended method is still based on analysing soil samples, which is not acceptable in the long term at archaeological sites.     

Interpreting,dating, and reevaluating the botanical assemblage from tell Kedesh: a case study of historical contamination

Botanical assemblage including charred and mineralized macro plant remains were examined from tell Kedesh in the Upper Galilee, Israel. Flotation samples were collected from various contexts within and outside a large Persian-Hellenistic administrative building complex at tell Kedesh, dated to the 5th to the 2nd century BC, based on the archaeological material. Four AMS radiocarbon dates were obtained on plant macro remains recovered from the flotation samples from the complex. The radiocarbon dates range from the 9th century BC to 17th century AD. The discrepancy among the radiocarbon dates obtained from plant remains and those based on archaeological material can be attributed to bioturbation, including the deep burrowing of harvester ants. The study demonstrates the need for direct radiocarbon dating of the charred plant remains generally assumed to be of ancient origin. This research improves the understanding of depositional and postdepositional processes of plant macro remains and explains their mode of arrival, relevant for the sites with a long occupational history by humans and animals.     

Water Separation and Flotation Processes

Abstract

The water separator, a mechanical flotation device which is finding increasing usage among Mediterranean archaeologists, is compared with “tub” flotation which is widely practiced by North American archaeologists. The water separator was found to be two to three times more efficient than tub flotation. A redesigned separator is presented which should further improve this figure.

The problem of sample size and the attendant aspects of representativeness are evaluated by a comparison of items of various classes recovered in a 100% separator sample compared to the much smaller tub flotation sample.

Finally, the specific biasing effects of various recovery techniques with particular emphasis on fish remains is discussed.     

Laboratory Research on the Effects of Heavy Equipment Compaction on the in situ Preserved Archaeological Remains

Following the Malta Convention/Valletta Treaty the preferable way for the physical protection of archaeological sites is in situ preservation. When planning in situ preservation, in addition to other issues, it is also necessary to consider changes in physical environment and their impact on in situ preserved remains. This is especially important when human interaction takes place. Recently, an increase in construction on the top of archaeological sites has occurred, thus the effects of heavy equipment compaction need to be studied in more detail.

This paper presents research on the effects of the use of heavy equipment (e.g. rammers and rollers) compaction on archaeological remains. For the purpose of our research, laboratory testing has been performed. In a custom-made steel box, artificial archaeological sites were created using layers of sandy silt and gravel. A variety of archaeological and modern artefacts were placed in these created environments. Some of them were equipped with strain gauges for deformation recording. Through a series of tests a servo-hydraulic piston was used, which simulated the dynamic loading of the artificial sites. Humidity and temperature were recorded before, during, and after each test. Since layers and artefacts were three-dimensionally recorded before and after each test, compaction of layers and movements of artefacts could be studied. With attached strain gauges and visual inspection following each test, deformations and thus damage to artefacts during different stages of loadings was recorded.

The goals of our laboratory tests were the development of a new methodological approach to study the effects of heavy equipment compaction to the archaeological sites, getting an insight into the problems of such tests, and the estimation of the applicability of their results. With the presented results, our research has been a step towards better understanding the effects of heavy equipment compaction on archaeological remains and thus to the preservation of archaeological sites in situ.     

UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC LIGHTING IN THE 1880S: CLAYTON MINE,ECTON, STAFFORDSHIRE

Abstract

In 2008 evidence was first identified for 1880s use of electrical lighting deep underground in Clayton Mine at Ecton; further data was gathered in 2014 when archaeological excavations were undertaken. This lighting illuminated the main chamber, where there was a steam engine for winding and pumping, and also an adjacent side chamber where there was a further engine used to produce compressed air. Both engines are documented as installed in 1883/4. In a second side chamber a stone bed remains for another small steam engine, which we now know powered a DC dynamo set on a timber floor that kept the equipment free from the puddles of water that collected on the bedrock below. All three chambers were whitewashed to make lighting more effective. Archaeological finds include a commutator brush, a mica separator from the commutator, copper wiring and pieces of drive belt. Clayton Mine was abandoned in 1889/90; hence this is a demonstrable important example with archaeological evidence for the early use of electricity.     

Towards a benign reburial context: the chemistry of the burial environment

Abstract

The successful reburial of exposed archaeological remains depends on the ability to recreate a benign preserving environment, especially for the desiccated and waterlogged environments that preserve organic and other valuable archaeological material. An introduction to the chemistry of soil and the burial environment is provided, covering the key variables: water, oxygen, cations and anions, pH, organic matter, clay and redox potential. The problems of monitoring these variables and their variation are highlighted. Recent work in monitoring the long-term effects of burial and the steps taken towards modelling actual burial environment chemistry are outlined. Factors to be considered when adding material for reburial are proposed. These include: the avoidance of soluble or potentially soluble minerals; the beneficial buffering effect of clays and organic matter; the minimization of changes in water level, redox potential and pH; and the desirability of retaining the porosity of the burial medium. This can often be achieved by re-using the soil in which the objects/structures were originally buried.     

Plant remains and amphorae from the Roman harbour under Flacius Street in Pula (Istria,Croatia)

The aim of this archaeobotanical and archaeological research is to expand knowledge about Roman diet and plant cultivation in Istria and to compare it with similar localities on the Eastern Adriatic coast. We have also tried to find some new information about maritime trade routes in the Mediterranean area in ancient times. Out of 27 samples collected from an excavated Roman port in Flacius Street in Pula, in total, 9809 plant macrofossils were recovered, identified and analysed. The results of the analysis show that most of the plant remains belong to the group of fruit trees and nuts. The most abundant are the remains of Ficus carica, Pinus pinea, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera, Rubus fruticosus agg. and Olea europaea subsp. europaea. These are all species that are widespread in the Mediterranean area and have likely always been consumed by the local population. The number of ruderal and weed species found is relatively high (31) in comparison with other plant categories (fruit trees and nuts; fruit collected from the wild; cereals; condiments; oil crops; vegetables and tubers; plants of fresh water environments; elements of maquis), but as they came to the site accidentally and not by targeted human activity, there are far fewer macrofossils of such plants than those of cultivated species. There were a few elements of evergreen forest vegetation and plants of aquatic habitats at the site (2 + 1), which suggests the existence of this type of vegetation in the area of the site in Roman times. Archaeobotanical comparisons of the site in Flacius Street with similar coastal Roman sites—Verige Bay on Veli Brijuni (first-fifth century ad), the port of Zaton near Nin (first-third century ad) and Caska Bay on the island of Pag (first and second century ad)—reveal considerable similarities, confirming the uniformity in nutrition and plant growth in the wider coastal area. Together with the two Roman ships, during the archaeological excavations of the Roman harbour and its layers, we collected over 2000 different archaeological artefacts out of which a large number was almost perfectly preserved. Some of the mentioned artefacts include ceramic amphorae, ceramic table- and kitchenware, ceramic lamps, different usable objects made of glass, wooden use objects, parts of ship’s equipment and other wooden tools, architecture elements from the nearby port as well as residential structures and remains of stone monuments. Because of the large amount of artefacts found at the site, the analysis of the artefacts and data processing are still in progress. As a contribution for recognizing organic remains, we isolated the amphorae whose purpose was the storage and maritime transportation of different food products and ingredients.     

Determining the preservation rating of submerged archaeology in the post-glacial southern North Sea: a first-order geomorphological approach

Abstract

During most of the last glaciation, the southern North Sea floor was exposed and accessible to humans. Archaeological finds are concentrated around Brown Bank, Dogger Bank and the Norfolk Banks, but the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic archaeological potential of these areas is poorly known. Management of submerged archaeological heritage requires knowledge about location (potential) and context, ascribing significance (value) and determining risk. Thus, the preservation potential of primary and secondary archaeological material around these three areas is considered a) in the context of the post-glacial evolution of the southern North Sea and b) regarding natural and anthropogenic processes. A detailed review is followed by original research material describing an approach to assessing preservation potential. In general, low-energy deposits associated with former intertidal, floodplain or lacustrine environments are likely to preserve primary archaeological material, including organic remains, whilst (high-energy) riverine environments are more likely to preserve inorganic secondary archaeological material. The main possible anthropogenic impacts on submerged archaeology result from beam trawling, which may disturb deposits at the seafloor, and aggregate dredging, which may remove secondary deposits. Trawling and aggregate dredging are increasingly contributing to knowledge, through reporting finds through established protocols, and through assisting in funding relevant to multi-disciplinary research.     

Impact of Roots and Rhizomes on Wetland Archaeology: A Review

The general premise for successful archaeological in situ preservation in wetlands is that raising the water table will ‘seal the grave’ by preventing oxygen from reaching the deposit. The present review reveals that this may not be the entire picture, as a change in habitat may introduce new plant species that can damage site stratigraphy and artefacts. However, reviews on the types and degree of damage caused by vegetation to archaeological remains preserved in situ in wetlands have hitherto only been sporadically treated in the literature. Thus, this paper provides an overview of the adverse effects that various plants species have on the preservation status of wetland archaeology.Disturbance, due to growth of roots and rhizomes of the surrounding soil is denoted contextual disturbance, whereas deterioration of archaeological remains per se acts by several root-related factors that may be spatially and temporally concomitant. In waterlogged anoxic environments, deterioration is mainly related to (i) preferential growth of roots/rhizomes due to nutrient uptake and lesser soil resistance, (ii) root etching due to organic acid exudates, (iii) microbial growth due to root release of oxygen and labile organic compounds, and/or (iv) precipitation of hydroxides due to root release of oxygen. For example, roots of some wetland plants, such as marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre), have been documented to penetrate archaeological artefacts down to c. 2 m in waterlogged anoxic soils. Here, we demonstrate that cultural heritage site management may unintentionally introduce deep-rooted or exudate aggressive plants by invoking change in hydrological conditions. Moreover, the implementation of biomass energy utilization and agricultural root depth optimization on a worldwide basis stresses the need for more research within root and rhizome impact on archaeological remains in wetlands. In conclusion, the worst-case scenario may be in situ deterioration instead of preservation, and one essential threat to archaeological wetland sites is the impact of wetland vegetation.     

Characterisation of archaeological mortars from Pompeii (Campania,Italy) and identification of construction phases by compositional data analysis

This work describes the compositional characterisation of coccciopesto and natural pozzolanic mortars sampled in the Regio VI area of the archaeological site of Pompeii, with particular reference to the Casa di Pansa in Insula 6 and Casa 17 in Insula 2. Samples were studied by optical microscopy and analysed by XRF, SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS and XRPD. The XRF and SEM-EDS data, subjected to multivariate analysis (cluster analysis), identified the three main construction phases involved in building the Casa di Pansa. In addition, mineralogical and petrographic characteristics of the aggregate were determined and found to be compatible with pyroclastic deposits from the volcano Vesuvius. Study revealed C–S–H phases in the binder, due to pozzolanic hydration phemomena of hydrated lime with cocciopesto and natural pozzalana.     

Tools for Predicting Damage to Archaeological Sites Caused by One-Dimensional Loading

Tools are developed to predict damage to archaeological remains caused by the construction of line infrastructure on soft soil. They are based on numerical modelling and laboratory testing supported by X-ray microcomputed tomographic observations, and micromorphological analyses of thin sections. They have been validated for one-dimensional (1D) loading at two sites in the Netherlands where soil has been placed on top of organic layers rich in ecofacts and overlaying Pleistocene sands.

Numerical prediction of the deformation of soft layers underneath an embankment remains a challenge for geo-technical engineers. Errors on surface settlement prediction reach ±15% of the measured total settlement.

Laboratory observations show that vulnerable artefacts can get crushed when packed loosely in pure assemblies under 1D loading equivalent to less than 5 m of sand. Fragmentation is assimilated to loss of archaeological value as it compromises recovery during sieving. Embedment in a sandy or a very compressible organic matrix has a beneficial effect on the resistance of ecofacts. Embedded ecofacts can resist a load of more than 12 m of sand. Flattening and re-orientation of soft plant remains occur during 1D loading without microscopic damage of tissues.     

What goes in does not always come out: The impact of the ruminant digestive system of sheep on plant material,and its importance for the interpretation of dung-derived archaeobotanical assemblages

Abstract

On archaeological sites where livestock dung was a major fuel source, plant material that survives digestion intact may well be preserved in the remnants of dung-fuelled fires. Preserved plant remains which were derived from dung relate to the diet of animals, and thus provide a way of investigating the agro-pastoral economies of the past. In order to improve our understanding of the taphonomic processes to which plant material is exposed to during digestion, we applied archaeobotanical methods to the analysis of dung from sheep fed a known diet of cereal and wild plant material. Two clear patterns emerge from these investigations. First, cereal material (grain or chaff) survives digestion poorly and was rarely found in the dung analysed. Second, large proportions of seeds of various wild species survive digestion in an identifiable form, probably due to their small size and/or protective coating. These findings are crucial for reliable interpretation of dung-derived plant material in archaeological settings.     

The Egyptian “book of the two ways”

Abstract

Science and cartography have had an intimate history which has not been simply the creation of ever more accurate scientific maps but one in which science, cartography and the state have co‐produced the knowledge space that provides the conditions for the possibility of modern science and cartography. The central cartographic process is the assemblage of local knowledges and, as such, is a particular form of the assembly processes fundamental to science. The first attempts by the state to create a space within which to assemble cartographic knowledge were at the Casa da Mina and the Casa de la Contratación, and hence they can be described as the first scientific institutions in Europe. Their failure to create a knowledge space can be attributed to the nature of the portolan charts. The triangulation of France and the linking of the Greenwich and Paris Observatories established the kind of knowledge space that now constitutes the dominant form within which modem science and cartography are produced. However, resistance to the hegemony of modern scientific knowledge space remains possible through finding alternative ways of assembling local knowledge.     

The Use and Deployment of Modern Wood Samples as a Proxy Indicator for Biogeochemical Processes on Archaeological Sites Preserved in situ in a Variety of Environments of Differing Saturation Level

Abstract

In situ preservation of archaeological sites is becoming an ever increasing trend as a means of preserving our cultural heritage. In connection with this the environmental conditions, such as water level, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH and water chemistry, of a site are often monitored. It is generally agreed that a waterlogged and anoxic environment is essential for optimal preservation conditions but the set-up and maintenance of an environmental monitoring programme can be costly.

This paper discusses the design and use of a system whereby modern samples of wood can, with a minimal disturbance of the soil, easily be deployed and retrieved from archaeological sites. The system was deployed in an unsaturated environment, an environment with fluctuating water levels and a fully saturated peat bog. The samples were assessed after two years using microscopic, physical and molecular biological methods, and the types of wood-degrading organisms seen were compared with the results of environmental measurements. Modern wood samples were used, as the microbial ecology of wood-degrading organisms in these different types of environments is relatively well documented. Preliminary conclusions show that the deterioration processes of modern wood samples in these environments act as a good proxy indicator of the environmental conditions and biogeochemical processes ongoing at a site.     

Paleoenvironment and plant cultivation on terraces at La Quemada,Zacatecas, Mexico: the pollen,phytolith and diatom evidence

This paper reports the results of pollen, phytolith and diatom analyses conducted on a series of soil samples collected from a large, possibly communal, system of terraces associated with La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, Mexico. These analyses rendered data related to both paleoenvironmental and plant cultivation in the area. Preliminary pollen analyses of soil sediments suggest Agave sp. and Opuntia spp. cultivation played an important role on the terraces. The phytolith analyses recovered abundant, well preserved grass phytoliths, including Zea mays. The composition of the grass community suggests that paleoenvironmental conditions in this area were warm and dry, similar to those of today. The presence of three fresh water diatom taxa and sponge spicules in several archaeological soil samples suggests the possibility that water was carried to the terraces for irrigation from the nearby Rio Malpaso on a regular basis.     

‘I Felt Connected to a Past World’: A Survey of Visitors to Colonial Archaeological Sites Conserved In Situ in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

While there is extensive international literature on the technology and techniques of archaeological conservation and preservation in situ, there has been only limited discussion of the meanings of the places created and the responses they evoke in visitors. Experience in Australia and New Zealand over the past decade suggests that the conservation of colonial archaeological remains is today seen as a far more desirable option, whereas previously many would have suggested that this kind of conservation was only appropriate in ‘old world’ places like Greece and Italy; and that the archaeology of the colonial period was not old enough to be of value. This paper discusses a recent survey of visitors to colonial archaeological sites which reveals some of the ways in which these archaeological remains are experienced, valued, and understood, and gives some clues as to why conservation in situ is an expanding genre of heritage in this region. The visitors surveyed value colonial archaeological sites conserved in situ for the link they provide to place, locality, and memory; for the feeling of connection with the past they evoke; and for the experience they provide of intimacy with material relics from the past. This emphasis on the affective qualities of archaeological remains raises some issues in the post-colonial context, as it tends to reinforce received narratives of identity and history, and relies on the ‘European’ antiquarian appreciation of ruins — making the urban environment more like Europe by creating evidence of similar historical layering.