PRE‐CHRISTIAN OFFERINGS FROM GULDHULLET NEAR SMØRENGE ON BORNHOLM,DENMARK

As a result of metal detector surveys over several years, a unique find of gold figurines and gold foil figures from the 6^th century AD has come to light at a locality known as Guldhullet (‘the gold hole’). Geomagnetic surveys and a subsequent excavation in 2017 revealed a large number of ‘cooking pits’ close to the present‐day damp area where the finds were made. The pits are roughly contemporary with the gold finds, which suggests that the location was both a sacrificial site and an important communal meeting place.     

江苏徐州市汉代采石遗址发掘简报

徐州汉代采石遗址位于江苏省徐州市市区南部,2004年5～8月发掘。遗址地层堆积简单,但采石遗迹分布密集。采石坑数量大,反映的采石工艺较为多样,另外还有石坯坑、石渣坑、未完成坑、踏步、楔窝等。遗址内出土遗物丰富,主要为采石用的铁质工具和生活用的陶器等。遗址的时代为西汉时期,下限不晚于东汉早期。     

DIGGING PITS AND MAKING PLACES AT UĞURLU DURING THE SIXTH MILLENNIUM BC

The site of U?urlu on the island of Gökçeada (Imbros) is the earliest known Neolithic settlement within the Aegean Islands (c.6800–4500 cal. BC). In total, 37 pits, associated with a rich variety of artefacts as well as human and animal bones were excavated in the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic levels of the site (c.5900–4500 BC). The pits belonging to the early sixth millennium BC levels of U?urlu were small and located within the houses that seem to have gone through multiple episodes of house destruction and renovation rituals. During the late sixth millennium BC, this area became the focus of extensive pit‐digging activity, when large pits involving rich variety of artefacts were set within the courtyard of a special building (Building 4). Among the pits, a collective human burial pit (P188) incorporating the remains of 11 individuals and another pit (P52) involving a partial human skeleton were also found. From a comparative point of view, the construction techniques of these pits, their spatio‐temporal relations as well as their associated archaeological artefacts resemble the Anatolian and Near Eastern Neolithic practices of house destruction and renovation cycles, which are activities related to the ancestor cults of the region. We argue that all of these practices reflect public events during which social relations were negotiated through the agency of place. The differences observed during the sixth millennium BC at U?urlu reflect the changing concepts of place and society in the immediate aftermath of the Neolithic Process, when interactions with the Balkans as well as the Aegean intensified in this region.     

Leprosy at the Lazaretto on St Eustatius,Netherlands Antilles

Leprosaria established in the Americas during the Colonial period bear many similarities with those found in medieval Europe. They are comparable in terms of isolation, the objectification of leprosy sufferers and their association with religious charities. The Lazaretto on St Eustatius was operated from 1866 to 1923. The site was investigated to recover palaeopathological evidence of leprosy at a leprosarium in the Americas. Five burials were excavated; three individuals showed evidence of bone modifications consistent with those caused by leprosy, including aspects of ‘rhinomaxillary syndrome’ and the bilaterally symmetrical post‐cranial changes that have been described in leprosy examples from medieval Europe. An exceptional find was the presence of potentially leprous bone changes to the hyoid, thyroid and 3^rd–6^th cervical vertebrae. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical analysis of white porcelains from the Ding Kiln site, Hebei Province, China

The Ding kilns were some of the most famous early kilns of medieval China, producing huge quantities of white and cream-white porcelains of outstanding technical and aesthetic quality. Since 1949 they have been excavated three times, in 1965, in 1987, and in 2009 respectively. In this latest study 69 white porcelain sherds from assured contexts and from the 2009 excavations were analyzed using laser ablation techniques (ICP-AES). The samples date from Five Dynasties, Northern Song and Jin Dynasties respectively (early 10^th to early 13^th C CE). The results show that Ding wares of different times show different characteristics that can be demonstrated through chemical composition. During the early phase of production the Ding ware bodies consisted largely of high firing kaolinitic clays with predominantly calcareous materials as fluxes. After the early Northern Song Dynasty, some calcareous material was replaced by a more potassic material. The compositions of the glazes show a parallel evolution to the bodies. However, because the glazes are very low in titania it seems unlikely that the main clay ingredients of the bodies could have been used in the glaze recipes. For much of the kiln site’s history the glazes appear to have been made mainly from the same siliceous flux-rich materials that had been blended with the main body-clays used to make the Ding ware porcelains, plus some extra calcareous material. The P₂O₅ contents of the glazes suggest that wood ash may have been one source of CaO in the glaze recipes.     

Death in the line of duty: late medieval burials at the site of Lepenski Vir,Serbia

Four late medieval burials were excavated at the site of Lepenski Vir in the Iron Gates Gorge, Serbia. One of the individuals, Lepenski Vir 62, exhibits evidence of a sharp‐force trauma on the left parietal, consistent with a combat wound. None of the other contemporaneous individuals show any evidence of trauma or other pathology on the few preserved bones. We argue that the skeletons belong to soldiers involved in the border warfare on the Danube which was quite common at the end of the 14^th and the first half of the 15^th century between Serbian, Hungarian and Turkish forces. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscape Archaeology in a Dry-Stream Valley near Tell es-Sâfì/Gath (Israel): Agricultural Terraces and the Origin of Fill Deposits

Abstract

As part of the long-term archaeological project being conducted at Tell e-Sâfi/Gath in the semi-arid foothills of the Judean Mountains, a first order dry stream channel located in a valley east of the main site was surveyed and soil pits excavated in selected locations. A ditch, 10 m in length, was dug perpendicular to one of the agricultural terraces, showing that the small valley is filled with soil to a depth of more than 3 m above bedrock. The fill dates mainly to the Byzantine period (ca. 4^th-7^th cent. CE), according to the ceramic sherds. Three check-dam walls and related terraces were found across the width of the valley. Surprisingly, the base of the check-dam does not go deeper than 50 em into the uppermost part of the fill, well above bedrock or gravel layers, while covering only the upper part of the terrace step. Thus we use the term “floating terrace wall” or “floating check-dams”. Each of the terrace walls is about 0.5 m high and 50 m long. The valley is bound by two slopes: (1) a northeast facing slope characterized by Nari outcrops (a hard calcrete crust in the upper part of the chalk bedrock) and soil pockets, and (2) a southwest facing slope without Nari. The source of most valley fill material is apparently from the slope without Nari. The valley shows comparatively little accumulation during the Iron Age and very much accumulation during the Byzantine period. The main cause seems to be human-made earth movement and terrace building during the Byzantine period, rather than passive erosion and accumulation as a result of general environmental pressure by human activity.     

湖北省襄樊市邓城遗址试掘简报

邓城遗址位于襄樊市樊城西北部,本次在邓城北部韩岗、解放店一带发掘西周晚期至汉代的化遗址。主要遗址有灰坑、水井、渠沟,主要遗物有鬲、盂、豆、罐、盆、缸、砖、瓦等陶器;另有少量青铜器和铁器。为研究邓城的时代和该地区的化面貌提供了一批重要的资料。     

重庆市万州铺垭遗址发掘报告

2003年2～4月,河南省文物考古研究所受重庆市文化局委托,对万州铺垭遗址进行钻探、发掘.该遗址始于东周,历东汉、唐宋,一直延续到明清,其主要文化遗存为东周文化,发现有房址、陶器等.东汉和唐代的遗存次之,发现有灰坑、墓葬,以及陶、瓷器.     

UPPÅKRA. A CENTRAL SITE IN SOUTH SCANDINAVIAN IRON AGE: STABILITY AND CHANGE THROUGH MORE THAN A MILLENNIUM

In the 1930s, during the construction of a house south of Lund in south‐western Scania (southern Sweden), a thick occupation layer was discovered. The layer formed as a result of settlement during the Early Iron Age as a small‐scale excavation demonstrated. The article is a presentation of recent investigations of the site in 1996–2014. The occupation layer, which covers an area of some 40 hectares, contained traces of settlements from the late Pre‐Roman Iron Age to the Viking Age. Of particular significance are the remains of a small timber structure interpreted as a ceremonial building. It was reconstructed seven times during the 1^st millennium AD and used for around seven hundred years. On each side of the ceremonial building were depositions of weapons combined with animal bones from large feasts. Besides the ceremonial building, several large halls were excavated, dating from the Roman Iron Age to the Viking Age. These produced evidence of repeated and deliberate arson. Several years of metal detector surveys have resulted in 14,000 registered finds that give a good foundation for interpreting the significance of the site in local, regional and international perspectives as an important religious, political and economic centre in southern Sweden. Contributions by a large number of scholars have helped to provide a well‐based insight into different crafts and sources of artistic inspiration.     

河南新乡县后高庄东周遗存发掘报告

2003年5月,新乡市文物工作队发掘了新乡县后高庄遗址,发现了属于春秋早、中、晚期至战国时期的文化遗存,发现三座灰坑,出土了一批丰富的文化遗物。这是新乡市近年来首次对东周遗址进行科学发掘,为以后此类遗存的断代提供了重要的参考资料。     

A palaeopathological case of a right maxilla's cemento‐ossifying fibroma

Cemento‐ossifying fibromas (COFs) are rare benign tumours affecting the maxilla and the mandible. The COF, of nonodontogenic origin, consists of a heterogeneous mixture of bone tissues and cementum. The skeleton of burial 154 excavated from the site of Magnicourt‐ en‐Comté (Pas‐de‐Calais) has been studied palaeopathologically. The cemetery is dated from the Merovingian period (6^th–7th century AD) and included 262 burials. In this study, we focus on the differential diagnosis of cemento‐ossifying fibroma and other dyplastic and cystic lesions. Various macroscopic, radiological and histological aspects enable us to make a positive diagnosis of COF. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Celtic Ritual Activity at Gordion,Turkey: Evidence from Mortuary Contexts and Skeletal Analysis

Primary support for a Celtic presence in Turkey during ancient times comes from textual sources. However, the analysis of human skeletal remains and mortuary practices at the site of Gordion, combined with archaeological findings, provide persuasive evidence of a Celtic settlement including ritual activity. Data are drawn from 47 individuals excavated from the Lower Town area of the site: 21 Later Hellenistic (late 3^rd to 2^nd centuries BCE) and 26 Roman (1^st to 2^nd centuries CE). The two sub‐samples have markedly different paleodemographic profiles. Composition of the Later Hellenistic group is unusual, with very few infants (5%) and primarily young or middle aged adults (52%), whereas the Roman sample has many infant burials (27%) and less than half young or middle aged adults (35%). Burial contexts for the two groups are also distinct, with only one formal interment associated with the Later Hellenistic, the remaining individuals being in mixed groupings of human and animal bones or disarticulated and commingled human skeletal deposits. By comparison, the Roman sample comprises exclusively primary burials, two cremations, and 24 inhumations. Evidence of inter‐personal violence, such as perimortem cranial trauma and decapitation, is totally absent in the Roman group but present in 25% of the Later Hellenistic specimens. The nature of the Later Hellenistic skeletal assemblages and the ritual space in which they were found show similarities to European Celtic remains identified as resulting from ritual sacrifice. The data presented here represent the first comprehensive bioarchaeological approach to these population groups from central Turkey. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Hayworth: A Lowland Vaccary Site in South-East England

REMAINS OF AN 11th–13th-century farmstead were revealed during excavations within part of ‘The Hayworth’, an early enclosure on the ‘lost’ manor of Trubwick, (West Sussex).²² This work was undertaken by Archaeology South-East (UCL Institute of Archaeology), on behalf of their client Crest Nicholson (South) Ltd, as a condition of planning in advance of a residential development linked to the new ‘Bolnore Village’ close to Haywards Heath, West Sussex.View all notesHistorical, landscape and toponymic evidence has been utilised to set the archaeological activity in context. It seems probable that the excavated site, and the Hayworth enclosure more broadly, relate to a specialised cattle rearing or vaccary farm. The site represents the most completely excavated vaccary complex yet known, and is the first recognisable example from the Wealden region in south-east England. The discovery has important implications for our current understanding of medieval Wealden economy and environment, as well as patterns of settlement evolution. Evidence suggests this site can be linked with the traditions of Anglo-Saxon outpasture and transhumance. This article explores the evidence from this site for the transition from a seasonal pasture to a permanent 12th-century manorial establishment held in severalty. The likely form of a vaccary complex is established and the potential for the existence of these specialised cattle ‘ranches’ and dairies is explored.     

湖北省京山县青树岭新石器时代遗址发掘简报

青树岭遗址是一处典型的屈家岭文化早期遗存,主要遗迹有房子、灰坑和灶。主要遗物有鼎、罐、有领罐、盆、豆、瓮等。青树岭遗址的发掘,为进一步弄清屈家岭文化早期的文化面貌提供了重要资料,同时对于解决屈家岭文化来源问题有着重要的学术意义。     

Dental Modifications in a Skeletal Sample of Enslaved Africans Found at Lagos (Portugal)

An archaeological intervention in Valle da Gafaria (Lagos, Portugal) allowed the excavation of a deposit of waste dating from the 15^th to 17^th centuries. Among discarded objects, an important amount of human skeletal remains was exhumed (N = 158 individuals). The archaeological and historical context, as well as the morphometric analysis of the skulls, led us to attribute them an African origin. While historical sources document the trade of slaves by the Portuguese since the 15^th century, so far no slave cemetery was excavated in Portugal. The study of their lives and deaths has been accomplished by historical documents. Therefore, this sample provides a unique opportunity to learn more about captive individuals who were brought to Portugal in the modern period. The present work focuses in the intentional dental modifications presented by several of these individuals. A total of 113 subjects have teeth that can be evaluated for the presence of intentional modifications. Of these, 55.8% individuals present dental modifications on their anterior dentition, 42.9% exhibiting modifications on both upper and lower teeth. The incisors were the most frequently modified teeth, followed by the canines. Both men and women as adults and sub‐adults have dental intentional modifications. In most individuals, dental modifications involved the removal of the mesial and distal angles, which is comparable with sub‐Saharan African practices. However, we cannot infer a more specific origin for these slaves only based on dental modification's type and pattern because several ethnic groups modify teeth in the same way. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neolithic Adhesive from a T‐shaped Ornamental Element Excavated at Site 14 at Kowal,Kuyavia, Central Poland

We conducted an identification of a substance isolated from a T‐shaped ornamental element excavated from a Globular Amphora Culture tomb at the Kowal 14 archaeological site in Poland. ¹⁴C dating indicated 4105 ± 35 bp (POZ‐21912) and 3990 ± 50 bp (POZ‐21910). Analytical methods such as SEM–EDS, XRD and FT–IR were applied to study the origin of its structure. The results of instrumental analysis and the archaeological context indicate that the adhesive substance investigated consists mainly of calcium carbonate (calcite, 78–88%), silica dioxide (quartz), sodium aluminium silicate (albite) and potassium aluminium silicate (microcline). The material might be a man‐made, mineral adhesive, a kind of lime mortar. The object is considered as the oldest European finding of this type outside the Mediterranean Basin. It provides evidence for the use of the lime calcination process in Central Europe as early as in the Late Neolithic, for which there were—up to now—no convincing premises.     

甘肃肃北马鬃山玉矿遗址2011年发掘简报

马鬃山玉矿遗址位于甘肃省肃北县马鬃山镇西北约22公里的河盐湖径保尔草场。2011年10～11月,甘肃省文物考古研究所对该遗址进行了调查和发掘,调查确定遗址面积约5平方公里,发掘面积为150平方米,清理的遗迹有矿坑、防御性建筑、作坊、灰坑,出土陶器、石器、金属器、玉料及毛坯等200余件。从发掘资料看,遗址的年代下限为汉代,是目前在西北地区发现的年代最早的玉矿遗址。此次发掘为研究骗马文化提供了新资料,出土的玉矿原料为研究马鬃山玉矿的矿物成分、矿藏成因等提供了重要的实物资料。     

湖北老河口杨营春秋遗址发掘简报

杨营春秋遗址位于湖北省老河口市南郊杨寨村一组,1994年10～12月,湖北省文物考古研究所和老河口市博物馆联合对该遗址进行了发掘,获得了一批重要的春秋时期的遗迹和遗物。主要遗迹有灰坑、水井等,遗物有陶、铜、铁、石器等,其中所出土的春秋晚期铁器,数量较多,品种较齐全,为研究我国特别是楚国铁器的出现和使用提供了极其重要的考古资料。     

陕西横山杨界沙遗址发掘简报

杨界沙遗址位于陕西省榆林市横山县雷龙湾乡沙峁村张油坊组,坐落在村南杨界沙地带头道梁、二道梁两座山峁的西坡之上,海拔1152米,面积约5万多平方米。遗址地处黄土高原北缘丘陵沟壑区,北距无定河约2.2千米,东南距