The Airfall-pollen Budget of Archaeologically Important Caves: Creswell Crags, England

This paper investigates fundamental taphonomic issues for palynologists working on archaeologically important cave deposits—the extent to which the pollen and spores reaching the accumulating sediment surfaces reflect the vegetation in cave entrances, or reflect the more regional environments beyond the caves. The study sites were four adjacent caves at Creswell Crags, near Sheffield, England—Church Hole, Dog Hole, C7 and Robin Hood's Cave. The compositions of the pollen and spore assemblages caught in the caves over a one year period were shown to reflect the vegetation in the cave mouths and the wider area beyond. The AP:NAP ratio in the assemblages trapped in the caves corresponded with the proportions of woodland and open ground within a 5 km radius of the site. Comparatively high representations of fern spores in caves were a persistent feature and were attributed to the interactions of habitat, distribution and taphonomic processes—(i) the abundance of ferns in cave mouths, and (ii) the effects produced by a combination of diurnal micro-climatological process interacting with diurnal variations in spore production in the cave entrance. In two caves—Church Hole Cave and Dog Hole Cave—the numbers of grains caught appeared to decline with increasing distance into the cave. In Cave C7, the numbers of grains caught increased towards the back of the cave. The number of grains caught appears to be a principal determinant of the number of plant taxa identified. There were no clear relationships between the presence of a "flue" effect in the cave and the presence of an increase or a decrease in the number of grains caught with changing distance into the caves. It is concluded that as long as account is taken of the particular topographic, microclimatic and taphonomic conditions in these caves, it is possible to infer the character of the vegetation beyond their confines, from the airfall pollen and spores trapped with them at the cave sediment surface.     

Verification of the age of the Palaeolithic cave art at Creswell Crags,UK

Engravings representing Britain's first apparently Pleistocene cave art were discovered in Church Hole and Robin Hood caves, Creswell Crags. Representations of a deer, highly stylised females or birds and vulvae were engraved into the bedrock, and in some cases had been covered with a thin layer of flowstone. In the absence of radiocarbon datable pigments, uranium-series disequilibrium dating was undertaken on these flowstones to provide minimum ages for the engravings. Here we show that the oldest motif was carved earlier than 12,800 years ago which is consistent with radiocarbon dates for the Late Upper Palaeolithic archaeology at Creswell Crags. Thus we demonstrate the authenticity of the engravings and show them to be the oldest known examples in Britain.     

Mitochondrial DNA from 3000-year old chickens at the Teouma site,Vanuatu

Chickens were part of the Lapita cultural complex, transported into and through the Pacific by prehistoric colonists; as such they can be used as a proxy for tracking prehistoric migration and interaction. The Lapita site of Teouma in Vanuatu is well known for the recovery of complete dentate stamped pots and a cemetery containing the largest collection of Lapita period skeletons ever found. Chicken bones recovered from these excavations provide the first ancient DNA sequences from any commensal organism directly associated with a Lapita context. The ancient mtDNA sequences obtained from two Teouma chicken bones are compared with previously published archaeologically derived ancient DNA sequences to extend our understanding of the spread of chickens in Pacific prehistory. The results also show that the haplogroup E signature was present in very early populations of chickens transported into Remote Oceania. This study also adds to the suite of available data relating to isotopic signatures for commensal animals during the early settlement of Vanuatu and may reveal a different diet for Teouma chickens than those from other early prehistoric assemblages in the Pacific.     

A 7th-Century Necklace from Hardingstone,Northamptonshire, England

A NECKLACE ASSEMBLAGE from a small Anglo–Saxon cemetery in Hardingstone (Northamptonshire), was discovered during excavations in the 1960s, but until now has remained unpublished. It is an example of a type commonly found in the distinctive well-furnished female graves of the later 7th century in England and is constituted from beads and pendants, some of unusual type. This paper investigates this discovery, individually assessing the component parts of the necklace and presenting qualitative compositional analysis of the silver and glass used in their manufacture. As a case study, the Hardingstone necklace provides an opportunity to explore the meaning of these kinds of jewellery item and to better understand the prominent role of the women who wore them in 7th-century Anglo-Saxon society.     

Fragments of an early carvel-built vessel from Camber, East Sussex, England

A briefcase-study of a group of nautical timbers attempts to demonstrate the potential of areas, which are subject to large scale mineral extraction, as archives of cultural information. These are rarely investigated.     

Neolithic pigs from Durrington Walls,Wiltshire, England: a biometrical database

The large assemblage of animal remains from Late Neolithic Durrington Walls (Wiltshire, England) provides an opportunity to examine patterns of variability in the measurements of pig bones and teeth in a large archaeological sample, and to propose a set of ‘standard’ measurements to be used as a comparison with other European sites. The results provide a basis for suggesting which measurements are best suited to tackle different questions, such as the separation of populations, sexes and age groups.     

An Infant Femur Bearing Cut Marks from Roman Hambleden,England

A perinatal infant skeleton from the first–fourth century AD Roman villa site at Hambleden, England, shows what appear to be cut marks on the proximal part of the right femur. Gross, microscopic and micro‐computed tomography evaluations suggest that they occurred perimortem and were probably caused by a non‐serrated blade. The reason for the cuts is uncertain, but their location is consistent with the practice of embryotomy, as described in classical sources for obstructed labour due to a dead or dying foetus in a breech or leg presentation. If this interpretation is correct, this case represents a rare example of embryotomy in the palaeopathological record. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Case of Early Childhood Caries from Late Roman Ancaster,England

This paper presents a differential diagnosis of pathological changes observed in the deciduous dentition of a child aged 3–4 years, recovered from a Late Roman (c. ad 270–410) cemetery at Ancaster, England. The entire maxillary dentition exhibited areas of missing enamel and erosion of the underlying dentine, which was most pronounced at the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth, and lingual and occlusal surfaces of the molars. Additionally, the mandibular second molars and mandibular right first molar displayed superficial enamel erosion of the buccal surfaces. Radiography indicated normal enamel density, and no further dental pathology was identified. Conditions considered in a differential diagnosis included amelogenesis imperfecta, fluorosis, perimolysis, xerostomia‐related caries and early childhood caries (ECC). The nature and distribution of lesions implicates ECC – also known as ‘nursing caries’ or ‘baby‐bottle caries’ – as the most probable diagnosis. The potential significance of the findings for studies of infant health and feeding practices in past populations is discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Faunal remains from radiocarbon-dated soils within landslip debris from The Undercliff,Isle of Wight,Southern England

An examination of coastal sections of landslip material forming The Undercliff of the Isle of Wight has revealed the presence of buried soils, in places, within the debris. Critical sections at Binnel Point and St. Catherine's Point have been logged and the contained vertebrate and molluscan faunas analysed. The Mollusca from both sites are very similar and indicate a shaded environment, contrasting sharply with the immediate local environments today. The vertebrates, present only at Binnel Point, again suggest woodland. The presence of red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is especially noteworthy constituting their earliest and only secure British fossil records respectively. Some marine shells (Patella, Gibbula) and remains of larger vertebrates (including red deer) possibly represent midden debris. Charcoal from the lower soil at Binnel Point yielded a radiocarbon date of 4480 ± 100 bp (BM-1737) indicating that at least some of the middens at Binnel date from the Neolithic, much earlier than previously demonstrated. The sections at St. Catherine's Point provided no evidence of human occupation but yielded two further radiocarbon dates of 4490 ± 40 bp (SRR-1813) and 3960 ± 50 bp (SRR-1947) from wood incorporated within the landslips. The significance of these dates in relation to the history of landslipping is discussed.     

Mitochondrial DNA studies of the Pazyryk people (4th to 3rd centuries BC) from northwestern Mongolia

The discovery and excavations in 2006 by joint Russian–German–Mongolian expeditions of the Pazyryk culture burial sites (4th to 3rd centuries BC, Early Iron Age, the Scythian period) in the Altai mountains of northwestern Mongolia near the Russia border provided new material for studying various aspects of these ancient peoples lives, including human, animal and plant remains. Ice accumulation in the graves preserved the human remains, allowing biological analysis of the samples. We conducted a genetic study based on mitochondrial DNA from remains of three Pazyryk culture representatives to investigate the possible genetic relationships of this Siberian Scythian group with populations of adjacent territories. These data support possible genetic contacts between populations of Altai and other Eurasia regions in the Early Iron Age, and are in good agreement with corresponding archaeological and anthropological data. However, a large-scale study of the Pazyryk population gene pool structure must be performed to further confirm these findings.     

A Neolithic dugout from a multi-period site near St Albans, Herts, England

In December 1988 rescue excavations on a multi-period gravel site 5 km south-east of St Albans revealed the charred remains of a probable logboat containing cremated human and animal remains. Radiocarbon dating indicated a date in the early 4th millennium BC. The site continued to be used sporadically until the Late Iron Age, and there is some indication that it may have continued to have a ritual significance. The excavation also recorded one (possibly two) Early Saxon sunken floor huts, and ovens and ditches associated with medieval Parkbury.     

Saxon Emmer Wheat from the Upper and Middle Thames Valley,England

Abstract

Discoveries of Triticum dicoccum (emmer wheat) on two middle Saxon settlements in the Thames Valley point to the re-introduction of this crop to Britain after the end of the Roman period. Radiocarbon determinations on charred glumes confirm the dating of the remains.     

A possible case of renal osteodystrophy in a skeleton from medieval Wharram Percy,England

The skeletal remains of a child aged 13–15 years, recovered from Wharram Percy, England, and dating from AD 960–1700, were examined using gross observation, radiography and scanning electron microscopy. Lesions suggestive of renal osteodystrophy were found. Palaeopathological recognition of renal disease has hitherto relied upon the identification of soft tissue lesions or the presence of urinary calculi. This appears to be the first palaeopathological identification of renal insufficiency on the basis of skeletal changes alone. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multicentric osteosarcoma associated with DISH,in a 19th century burial from England

Osteosarcoma is a rare type of malignant neoplasm that is most frequent in adolescents and young adults although it can develop at any age. It can metastasize from a primary site in bone to other bones and soft tissues. Usually the disorder causes a single bone‐forming lesion (unicentric) but some cases have multicentric, bone‐forming lesions. Some of these lesions develop at different sites at different times. In a second variant of multicentric osteosarcoma, synchronous bone‐forming lesions develop at multiple sites. Distinguishing between these two types of multicentric osteosarcoma is challenging in a clinical context and the criteria for doing so are unlikely to be met in an archaeological burial. Wolverhampton burial HB 39 was excavated from an early‐nineteenth century cemetery site in England. It consists of the incomplete skeleton of an adult male of at least 45 years of age with multicentric osteosarcoma. The individual represented by this burial also had diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Three of the bone‐forming lesions associated with osteosarcoma developed on the bony outgrowths related to DISH. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some chronological implications of a fossil molluscan assemblage from a neolithic site at Brook,Kent, England

The later post-glacial history of a valley in the chalk escarpment near Brook, Kent, is described, based on molluscan stratigraphy, archaeological evidence and radio-carbon dating. Differences in size and colour banding, respectively, of fossil and living representatives of two species of land snails, Pomatias elegans (Müller) and Cepaea nemoralis (L.), are correlated with climatic change during the post-glacial period. The problems of the use of fossil shells of these species as samples for radiocarbon dating are discussed.     

A sacral anomaly from the Quaker Cemetery,Kingston‐upon‐Thames,England

A rare defect of the sacrum was observed in the skeleton of an adult female from the Quaker Cemetery (1663–1814 CE) in Kingston‐upon‐Thames, England. This is an isolated finding in the skeletal collection and no other elements in this individual were similarly affected. After eliminating post‐depositional damage and skeletal asymmetry, a differential diagnosis resulted in the consideration of two conditions: hemivertebra and sacral agenesis, both of which are rare developmental defects that originate during foetal growth. Although the defect is interesting from an embryological, genetic and palaeopathological perspective, it would have resulted in few clinical symptoms for the individual. This case adds to the limited knowledge of the morphological variability of the sacrum, and will aid in future diagnoses of these rare pathological conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.