Bioarchaeological inferences from a Neolithic ossuary from Alepotrypa Cave,Diros, Greece

Alepotrypa Cave, one of the richest and best preserved Neolithic sites in Greece, was occupied by early farmers from ca. 5000 to 3200 BC . Study of human remains from this site contributes important information to the bioarchaeological record for this period. The remains are from the cave's Ossuary II, a secondary deposit containing the disarticulated remains of at least 20 individuals, including adults and sub‐adults. A high frequency of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia suggests the presence of chronic iron deficiency anaemia. A combination of two possible factors could explain this situation, including reliance on an iron‐deficient cereal diet, and presence of high pathogen and parasitic loads resulting from poor hygiene and contamination of the communal water source. These lesions may also be related to some type of inflammatory process. Some 31% of individuals display healed cranial depressed fractures, indicating evidence of violent (non‐lethal) confrontations. Stable isotope analysis reveals a predominantly terrestrial C₃ diet, with little evidence of marine food consumption, despite close proximity to coastal resources. The presence of various domesticated plants suggests that these C₃ foods may have been agricultural. Moreover, a high frequency of dental caries is consistent with a diet involving significant carbohydrate consumption. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molluscan death assemblages from uplifted Holocene terraces,Mahia Peninsula,New Zealand,interpreted from present-day intertidal ecology

Beu, A.G., August 2016. Molluscan death assemblages from uplifted Holocene terraces, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, interpreted from present-day intertidal ecology. Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Macrofossils from cover beds of marine terraces at Table Cape, Mahia Peninsula, uplifted coseismically ca 250, 1400, 1850 and 3500 years ago are compared with the fauna living on the nearby 200-m-wide intertidal rock platform. The inner platform is dry at low tide, apart from shallow pools containing Diloma aethiops and abundant but unexpected specimens of Zeacumantus subcarinatus and Cominella glandiformis exposed to the sun; all are common fossils in the terrace cover beds. The outer platform is carpeted densely with the alga Hormosira and shelters a diverse fauna, again all common fossils in the terrace cover beds. Sand and gravel containing shell fragments and supporting Zostera sea-grass turf unexpectedly covers ca 5% of the platform in low areas along the east coast. The fossil fauna is listed from 47 samples from two trenches excavated east–west and north–south through the terrace cover beds. Death assemblages of 158 molluscs, including 24 new records as fossils, and 11 taxa in other phyla delimit sediment derived from four shell accumulation sites identified around the present cape: storm beach, high-tidal strand line, hollows in the rock platform and Zostera flats. Up to 32 of the 47 samples (68%) possibly were deposited in Zostera flats; the rest were sand beach accumulations deposited at and near the high-tidal strand line. All fossils common in the cover beds lived on the rock platform. Differences between the deposits in the two trenches result from two factors. Protection along the east coast by protruding tephra beds and an outer rampart armoured with the macroalga Durvillaea prevented erosion of Zostera-supporting sediment which, therefore, was retained after each uplift event. The exposed eastern position of Table Cape also caused sediment to be transported predominantly westwards, onshore on the east coast but away from Table Cape along the north coast.

A.G. Beu [a.beu@gns.cri.nz], Paleontology Department, GNS Science, PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt 5040, New Zealand.     

古玺印菁华释地三则

古官玺中涉及的地名颇多,其研究对古文字、古地理及古玺分域研究等方面都具有重要价值。本文从玺文的形体分析角度出发,对《古玺印菁华》收集的三方官玺予以考证,提出一些新的观点。     

Ordovician trilobites from Deh-Molla,eastern Alborz,Iran

Ghobadi Pour, M., 21 June 2019. Ordovician trilobites from Deh-Molla, eastern Alborz, Iran. Alcheringa 43, 381–405. ISSN 0311-5518

Seventeen species from 14 genera of Tremadocian and Darriwilian trilobites, plus two taxa recognizable only down to family level, have been documented from the Lower to Middle Ordovician succession of the Deh-Molla area, southeast of Shahrud in northern Iran. Two species, Asaphellus intermedius and Conophrys multituberculatus, are new to science. Unlike previously documented Iranian faunas, the early Tremadocian trilobite assemblage is characterized by proliferation of the olenid Chungkingaspis sinensis, which is also known as the eponymous taxon of the basal Ordovician trilobite biozone in South China. This is the first record of the occurrence of the olenid biofacies in the Ordovician of Iran. Overall, both the Tremadocian and Darriwilian trilobite assemblages show distinct similarity to the contemporaneous faunas of South China down to species level. Trilobite-based correlation with the Ordovician succession of South China confirms the existence of a hiatus at the base of the Ordovician succession in the eastern Alborz and a significant gap, with the upper Tremadocian, Floian and Dapingian parts of the succession completely missing in Deh-Molla.

Mansoureh Ghobadi Pour [mghobadipour@yahoo.co.uk and m.ghobadipour@gu.ac.ir], Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan 49138-15739, Iran. *Also affiliated with Department of Natural Sciences, Natural Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, UK.     

Millstones from Brockholm Quarry,Northumberland

Abstract

Several articles by Gordon Tucker have been included in this journal on the production of millstones and the present author provides additional material on their sources in Northumberland. Particularly interesting is the survival of an account book for millstone sales from Brockholm Quarry between 1842 and 1847, which indicates the geographical spread of their customers.     

Childhood Cranial Trauma from a Late Roman and Merovingian Context from Michelet,Lisieux, France

The Michelet necropolis in Lisieux, France, dating to the late Roman and Merovingian period, comprises of a large number of well‐preserved subadult remains offering a unique opportunity to better understand childhood trauma in the past. The focus of this study was to determine the amount, type and mechanisms of trauma evidenced in subadults from the 4th–8th century AD, and explore potential circumstances surrounding the trauma. The remains of 109 subadults from the Michelet necropolis were examined for the presence of cranial and post‐cranial trauma. Three individuals exhibited perimortem trauma, one individual had an antemortem cranial injury, and no cases of post‐cranial trauma were identified. Cranial trauma affected 4.1% of children with observable cranial remains (N  = 4/97). The children affected were young (2–7 years old), making it unlikely that they would have participated in militaristic activities. Based on the location, morphology and mechanism of injury identified, it is likely that the perimortem injuries sustained by three children were not accidental. The presence of a number of cranial injuries from this site may be related to increased stress in the community related to the decline of the Roman Empire in Gaul, possible raiding barbarian groups during the 4th–5th centuries, or stresses related to the Gallic aristocracy solidifying political powers in northern Gaul during the 5th–7th centuries AD. The consideration and inclusion of childhood trauma in bioarchaeological analyses allows for a more detailed and in‐depth understanding of violence and childhood in the past. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seventeenth-century Pottery from Ash,Surrey

Abstract

About 2,000 sherds, mainly in white fabric, were found on a site at Ash which was one of several producing similar wares on the West Surrey and Hampshire borders. Some of the sherds were medieval, but the remainder were 17th century and are analysed in an attempt to assess the forms and characteristics of the post-medieval pottery made at Ash. Documentary evidence discloses the presence of potters in Ash in the 17th and 18th centuries, although there is no direct link with the site, and also indicates possible sources for the potters’ clay.     

Letter from Europe, June 2004

This is the first episode of our new column 'Letter from Europe', in which Keith Hart reflects on life. Ed.     

Shipwreck Evidence from Kilwa,Tanzania

This article reports on the artefacts and environment of marine ballast and pottery sites identified through inter‐tidal and underwater survey around Kilwa, Tanzania, one of the most important medieval sultanates along the east African coast. An inter‐tidal site on the limestone fringing reef on the approaches to Kilwa Kisiwani Harbour and an underwater site within the harbour have been dated from associated pottery to c.8th–10th century and the 13th–16th century respectively. The presence of exotic basalt ballast is discussed as an indicator of wreck‐sites.     

Wenlock brachiopods from Canberra,Australia

Twenty-four brachiopod species are described from a well-preserved shelly fauna in the Walker Volcanics, collected from the Molonglo valley west of Canberra. There are three inarticulates and twenty-one articulates, of which nine are new, three are closely compared with previously described species and twelve are under open nomenclature. New are Skenidioides thrinax, Salopina mediocostata, Aegiria (Epelidoaegiria subgen. nov.) chilidifera, Morinorhynchus oepiki, Australina (Australina) kausi, Coelospira cavata, Endospirifer anxius, Reticulariopsis silurica and Vadum (gen. nov.) coppinsense. The fauna is shown to be cosmopolitan in character and falls within the scope of Benthic Assemblages 3 to 5 of Boucot (1975). It is of Wenlock age.