Saints and Sinners: a tephrochronology for Late Antique landscape change in Epirus from the eruptive history of Lipari,Aeolian Islands

Assessing the impact of past human activity on landscape change in the Mediterranean has always presented challenges, requiring sound chronological frameworks for observed environmental change. The current research, focused on the environs surrounding the ancient city of Butrint (southern Albania) during Late Antiquity, c. 4th–6th Century AD, establishes a tephra-based chronology for landscape change through the discovery of ash horizons from a little known eruption on the island of Lipari (Aeolian Islands). Recovered glass shards were geochemically fingerprinted to a 6th Century AD event on the island, dated through local archaeological sequences and corroborated by hagiographic evidence. The presence of this marker horizon at Butrint shows a continuation of open water, estuarine conditions throughout Late Antiquity and the Early Medieval period (during which time Butrint ceases to function as an urban centre), disproving the widely held notion of increased soil erosion/deposition as a result of post-Roman landscape degradation. The study also shows that it is following the medieval revival of the town in the 13th Century that marked environmental change takes place, as estuarine areas silt, giving rise to marsh and wetland. The study highlights the importance of using a range of dating techniques to constrain landscape change, while the presence of the 6th Century Lipari tephra in Epirus, derived from an eruptive event larger than previously suspected, provides a useful regional dating marker for future landscape studies.     

Archaeology and conservation at Herculaneum: from the Maiuri campaign to the Herculaneum Conservation Project

Abstract

This article looks at two periods in the history of the archaeological site of Herculaneum (Italy) and the role of the archaeologist there. Amedeo Maiuri was in charge of the first major excavation campaign that uncovered the site from 1927 to 1961, but was also responsible for the site's restoration, presentation and maintenance. Much can be learnt from his approach, particularly with regard to site management – a fixed team of specialists continuously cared for the site – and his creation of what was effectively an open-air museum. The second example looks at the author's experiences with the Herculaneum Conservation Project, where the emphasis is on conservation interventions rather than excavation, but where the archaeologist has an important role in the conservation team and also has the opportunity to make new archaeological discoveries. The article concludes that the role of the archaeologist must evolve to include a professional responsibility for archaeological heritage that extends beyond its excavation.     

Rolling to Mechanisation: Excavations at Lymm Slitting Mill

An archaeological excavation at Lymm slitting mill in Cheshire was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North in 2005 as a key component of the Lymm's Life Project, which was financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The slitting mill was established in the second quarter of the 18th century, and was one of a group of important iron-working sites in the area that were managed by a local Quaker family. The remains probably represent the best surviving example of a slitting mill in England, and one of a very small number that has been subject to archaeological study and consolidation. The slitting mill had been excavated by a local group between 1968 and 1974, although the site was eventually backfilled before a detailed survey was produced and a full synthesis of the results was never published. This paper discusses the archaeological work undertaken on this important early mechanised iron-working site, and places it in its context of 18th-century slitting mills in north-west England.     

Sublime Cascades: Water and Power in Coalbrookdale

Abstract

The Coalbrookdale Watercourses Project took place between 2000 and 2006, and comprised the most extensive renovation of the water-power system in over a century. Ironbridge Archaeology undertook historical and archaeological investigation as part of the project. The archaeological work was closely integrated into the engineering programme, and the results of excavation and research were able to inform conservation. This paper outlines the historic origins of the waterpower system in Coalbrookdale, and describes the archaeological work undertaken during the project. The results of the work suggest that the basic layout of the original 16th- and 17th-century system is preserved in the present-day arrangement of culverts, sluices and pools. This inter disciplinary project has provoked new ways of looking at this apparently well-known landscape of industry.     

Archaeological Sites as Self-Sustained Resources for Economic Regeneration: Towards the Creation of Living Archaeological Parks on the Islands of Kythera and Antikythera

Abstract

This paper argues that less known archaeological sites on marginalized or non-touristic areas can contribute to the formation of local economies that can benefit from alternative heritage tourism and public participation in the archaeological excavation process. The discussion of a proposal for turning two archaeological sites on the Greek islands of Kythera and Anitkythera respectively (Paleokastro and Kastro) into living archaeological parks serves as an example that highlights the possibilities for the creation of self-sustainable heritage projects that need not rely on direct state funding.     

Looting and vandalism around a World Heritage Site: Documenting modern damage to archaeological heritage in Petra’s hinterland

Abstract

In 2012 the ancient city of Petra celebrated the 200th anniversary of its Western re-identification. The Brown University Petra Archaeological Project (BUPAP) has sought to document the northern hinterland of Petra through a multi-component methodology that includes intensive field survey, feature documentation, and limited test excavations. The iconic site of Petra has a long and storied history, and it is a site that presents many challenges to archaeologists and cultural heritage managers. During a series of test excavations, meant to ground truth locations earmarked by the overlapping intensive field survey and feature documentation, several patterns of looting were identified. These instances of looting were often paralleled by observed vandalism that defaced archaeological heritage, within and outside the Petra Archaeological Park, with archaeological artifacts being sold to tourists at nearby shops. This study provides crucial documentation of these processes of vandalism and looting recorded over the last three years. We propose that only through continued monitoring can local authorities be provided with ample evidence calling for additional cultural heritage protection.     

数字近景摄影测量在秦始皇陵百戏坑考古中的应用研究

既要保留遗迹在不同阶段的信息资料,又不影响发掘研究工作的继续进行,一直是考古工作者探索研究的问题。为配合秦始皇陵百戏俑坑的考古发掘工作,为后续考古研究和文物遗迹的保护提供必要的基础信息资料,针对大场景考古发掘现场,通过数字全站仪对文物挖掘现场布设的一定数量控制点进行观测获取其三维点位坐标。利用非量测数码相机获取现场多航带序列影像,通过数码相机检校、自动空中三角测量、影像特征提取与影像匹配、数字微分纠正等数字近景摄影测量方法,获取反映发掘现场文物分布情况的数字高程模型(DEM)和正射影像(DOM)数据。在生成的正射影像图上进行文物轮廓线条的提取,获得发掘现场文物的正射投影矢量图。实现文物位置、形状及分布的平面量测。实验证明:该方法不仅可大面积、快速获取文物挖掘现场文物分布的正射投影平面图,实现考古数字制图,而且能保证一定的精度。具有较高的推广应用价值。     

重庆市万州区武陵中嘴遗址发掘报告

2003年2月,云南省文物考古研究所为配合三峡工程建设,对位于重庆万州区武陵镇的中嘴遗址进行了考古发掘。本次发掘的遗存以隋唐时期为主,出土了陶器、瓷器以及其他遗物,从中透射出渔业活动是当时当地居民生产生活的一个重要方面,同时也可看到当地文化与周边文化的交流。     

Integrating archaeology,archaeometry and geology: local production technology and imports at Paola (Cosenza,Southern Italy)

This paper documents a comprehensive study of coarse wares for table use, serving, washing and cooking, found at the archaeological site of Paola (Cosenza, southern Italy). Major aims of the study were to group local products and imports and to determine technological features of local products. Results were obtained through a combination of archaeological (stratigraphy and ceramic typology), chemical and mineralogical–petrographical techniques (ICP-OES, ICP-MS, INAA, XRF, OM, SEM-EDS and EMPA). Data integration revealed that the coarse wares found at Paola were produced locally or imported over short (Calabria region), medium (Campania, Pantelleria, Sicily) and long distances (Greece and Africa). The local production focused on basins, stewpots, pitchers, bowls, pans, casseroles and lids, sometimes imitating African, or Pompei (Campania) or San Foca (Puglia) typical shapes. The production technology of local ceramics used a sandy–clayey blend of materials collected in the immediate vicinity of the archaeological site, fired at intermediate (about 800 °C) to low (around 650–750 °C) temperatures and used a Fe-rich clayey compound as a red ceramic coating. From a technological perspective, the Paola example arise new questions about table wares produced with clay bodies typical of cooking wares.     

Between rocks and a hard place: prehistoric funerary practices at Wādī Ḍebayʿān,northern Qatar

Archaeological survey by the Qatar National Historic Environment Record Project (QNHER) in 2009, led to the discovery of a Neolithic flint scatter, a settlement and an ancient, raised shoreline associated with higher, mid‐Holocene sea levels at Wādī ?ebay?ān, north‐western Qatar (Al‐Naimi et al. 2010, 2011; Cuttler, Tetlow & Al‐Naimi 2011). The QNHER project is a collaboration between Qatar Museums and the University of Birmingham, which over the past five years has developed a national geospatial database for the recording of archaeological sites and historic monuments in Qatar. A significant aspect of the project involved archaeological survey and excavation in advance of major construction projects. Between 2012 and 2014 excavations at Wādī ?ebay?ān revealed a burial of a typology previously unknown in Qatar, the unmarked graves (Cuttler, Al‐Naimi & Tetlow 2013).     

Balancing the Elements: An Archaeological Story

In this piece of short fiction, readers will explore the experiences of four American archaeologists as they complete an archaeological excavation impacted by laws at the local (Massachusetts State) and national (federal USA) level. All four archaeologists are in various stages of their careers in archaeology and find themselves working together for the same privatized Cultural Resource Management (CRM) firm on an unexpectedly complex and sensitive site excavation. Here readers are urged to consider how archaeologists’ previous experiences (both personal and professional) impact site excavations, and how, in turn, each project leaves an impression on an archaeological professional moving forward. They are further invited to relate the experiences of the archaeologists in the story to their own—possibly very different—experiences. While site context is key at every excavation, is the human context equally relevant?     

Sourcing Volcanic Millstones from Greco-Roman Sites in Albania

Abstract

Provenience studies provide insights concerning trade in various goods, such as millstones. This is the first attempt to source millstones from Albania. Thirty-one vesicular volcanic millstones, predominately from the Greek and Roman periods, were obtained from two sites, 21 from Apollonia and ten from Butrint. The purpose of this study was to determine the provenience of these millstones using textural, mineralogical, and chemical data. The compositions of the samples were compared to those of vesicular volcanic sources in the central and eastern Mediterranean. Eight viable sources were initially identified based on major element chemistry; these were ultimately reduced to three based on trace element provenience studies. All of the Apollonia and five of the Butrint millstones have chemical signatures similar to those of Sicilian sources (the Iblean Fields and Mt. Etna). The remaining five Butrint millstones are chemically similar to stones from quarries other on the Cycladic island of Melos other than Rema (another Melian quarry), suggesting that Melian sources were exploited earlier than previously thought. The results of this preliminary study indicate there was no preference for a given source region at a particular time in the past. They also provide a baseline for future provenience studies of millstone trade patterns in Albania.     

Sailing the Pepper Wreck: a Proposed Methodology for Understanding an Early 17th-Century Portuguese Indiaman

Discovered in 1993 at the mouth of the Tagus River, the SJB2 shipwreck—or ‘Pepper Wreck’—was tentatively identified as the Portuguese Indiaman Nossa Senhora dos Mártires, lost on its return voyage from Cochin, India, on 14 September 1606. Following archaeological excavation and a tentative reconstruction of the ship's hull and rigging, the next step is the study of its structural strength and sailing characteristics using the tools of modern naval architecture. This paper presents a methodology for investigating the sailing and structural characteristics of the ‘Pepper Wreck’, combining archaeological, iconographic and contemporary written sources with modern naval architectural calculations. © 2005 The Authors     

Report on the pottery from Tell Sufan in Nablus,Palestine

ABSTRACT

This research report aims to give detailed information on the pottery from the 1999 and 2013-16 excavation campaigns taking place at the Tell Sufan site in Nablus, Palestine. These were conducted by the Department of Antiquities at An-Najah National University (ANU) in Nablus. It is of note that this ancient pottery has never previously been the subject of research nor has any literature been published on it. Our methodology consists in: analysing the pottery by identifying it, typifying it, and giving it a function; providing chronological information on the site; comparison of the pottery with that from other sites in Palestine, using archaeological information from the site; and contextualising our findings with other historical and archaeological studies. Examination of the functional use of the pottery allows us to demonstrate human activity at the Tell Sufan site, giving information on the most prosperous phases of occupation in regard to economic aspects, through the late Bronze Age, Iron Age and Byzantine-Early Islamic periods.     

On the challenges and benefits of indoor archaeology: 15 years at the Archeodome (Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village,South Dakota)

Abstract

Field archaeology is normally associated with outdoor excavation and exposure to the natural environment. Archaeological excavations have adapted to a wide spectrum of these conditions, but the recent prominence of archaeological sites as tourist attractions and educational facilities has occasionally led to dramatically different environments for the archaeological recovery, interpretation, and preservation of evidence, including facilities that permit indoor excavation. This article explores 15 years of experience at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village in South Dakota. An “Archeodome” covering part of the site represents a non-traditional excavation and preservation environment that presents considerable benefits and challenges for archaeologists. The structure provides the basis for evaluating the nature of indoor excavation within its archaeological and educational context and provides a cautionary note for archaeologists, heritage groups, tourist boards, and others interested in the preservation of archaeological sites. Though this article focuses on the Mitchell site, the information reported has broad implications for sites where structures cover archaeological deposits.     

Community Archaeology in Proto-Historical Tel Bareqet,Israel: School Children and Agency for Active Public Engagement in Cultural Heritage Projects

Abstract

Community archaeology has become very popular over the past decade, and community archaeology projects are yielding interesting results in many regions around the globe (Merriman, 2004). These projects seem to be gaining academic importance as well, and are considered by some people to be vital to the survival of archaeology as a whole (Marshall, 2002: 218).

Still, community archaeology projects often stir debate regarding their importance, role, and existence. A major theme of these discussions is the role played by the community. In particular, the question is often raised of what role, if any, should be given to non-professional local populations in a project's scientific decision-making.

The current article aims to present the controversy between two types of archaeological practices, 'archaeology from above' and 'archaeology from below' (Faulkner, 2000) through the examination of a community archaeological project in which schoolchildren constitute the community participants. The site of the excavation is Tel Bareqet, a 5000-year-old (Early Bronze Age II, c. 3050–2700 BCE) urban settlement located in central Israel. On the one hand, the excavation strives to maintain the highest scientific standard; on the other hand, it depends upon the participation of unskilled young people in the excavation process.

This article presents obstacles that have been encountered in this excavation, and describes the methodological framework that has been developed in order to overcome these obstacles and continue carrying out a successful community archaeology project.     

潮湿环境模拟考古土遗址夯筑支顶加固效果评估

为研究潮湿环境土遗址加固效果评估方法,在杭州地区进行现场模拟探方加固实验,并对加固后坑壁的波速、含水率、相对水平位移进行监测,对加固的模拟探方稳定性做出评估,以望通过采用科学定量手段评价土遗址夯筑支顶加固效果,为土遗址夯筑支顶加固效果评估提供参考。试验结果表明:模拟探方坑壁表层含水率随深度的增加而升高,含水率变化量逐渐减小;加固后坑壁土体初始强度随深度的增加而提高,且后期硬化过程也较上部区域快,土体强度随时间在逐渐增加;夯筑后坑壁前四五天位移值逐渐增大,且位移值随深度的增加而升高,后期趋于稳定。研究表明,基于变形监测技术评估夯筑体整体稳定性科学合理,基于表层含水量和波速变化评估夯筑土体强度变化是较好的手段。评估结果可为其他潮湿地区土遗址夯筑加固效果评估方法提供参考。     

江苏苏州市木渎春秋城址

2010年,对江苏苏州市木渎古城进行发掘,发现五峰村北城墙和城壕遗迹、新峰村南水门遗迹,以及东、西城墙遗迹等,出土遗物有原始瓷器、陶器等。初步推断北城墙修建于春秋晚期,南水门使用时期为春秋晚期。木渎古城应是一座春秋晚期具有都邑性质的城址,木渎古城的发掘为探索吴国都城所在提供了重要线索。     

3D geometrical modeling of excavation units at the archaeological site of Tell ‘Acharneh (Syria)

3D geometric modeling consists of representing geometric and spatial relationships of volumetric objects. We think it could be helpful in the context of archaeological excavation units representation and analysis. This article presents a procedure developed to generate 3D models from GPS positions taken at the top and the bottom of the excavation units boundaries on the archaeological site of Tell ‘Acharneh (Syria). It shows and discusses two geometrical modeling approaches (voxel and tetrahedral) used in the Gocad 3D modeling tool. Once excavation units are geometrically modeled, it is possible to refer them within a trench or the entire archaeological site, to handle them in various ways (zoom, rotation, translation), to perform on them 3D spatial analysis such as volumetric calculus or intersection computation, to make various kinds of queries such as to find out excavation units that have a certain number of artefacts, to generate sections anywhere in the 3D model, and finally to publish it with VRML (Virtual Reality Modular Language). As well as improving data analysis techniques, we think that if this 3D modeling operation can be done during the excavation, it could greatly help archaeologists to plan more efficiently their daily excavation strategy.