Archaeology of the Ljubljanica River (Slovenia): early underwater investigations and some current issues

Abundant archaeological evidence and specific geomorphologic features make the upper course of the Ljubljanica River running through Ljubljana Moor (Slovenia) one of the most interesting rivers in Europe. Roman bronze vessels and iron weapons found by chance in the Ljubljanica at Vrhnika, the ancient Nauportus, led the director of the Provincial Museum in Ljubljana, Karel Dežman, to devise a large scale plan for an underwater survey of the riverbed. This, one of the first modern research projects of underwater archaeology was executed in 1884 with the help of divers from the Austro-Hungarian naval base in Pula. Investigations by the Group for Underwater Archaeology and the activities of amateur divers from 1979 onwards revealed distinctly structured distributions of underwater finds on several sites in the upper course of the river indicating possible sacred places with votive offerings and funeral sites, as well as other non-ritual concentrations.     

Officer Country: Clothing and Personal Items From Cantonment Wilkinson (11PU282) in Southern Illinois

Abstract

Cantonment Wilkinson (11PU282) was a large but temporary U.S. Army post located on the banks of the Ohio River in present-day Pulaski County. Occupied by over 1,000 soldiers and their dependents for 18 months in 1801–1802, the post was abandoned in late 1802, with the post buildings subsequently occupied by Cherokee Indians and Euro-American squatters. Excavation of seven features at this site by SIUC archaeologists in 2003–2005 recovered a large artifact assemblage associated with the U.S. frontier army. This assemblage is particularly important in that it provides information on the poorlydocumented clothing and other items of the U.S. Army in the transitional period between the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The presence of officer-related silver, silver-plated, and gilded buttons within the clothing assemblage suggests that the features excavated by SIUC were primarily filled with refuse associated with the officers of the post rather than the enlisted men. The recovery of two unique personal items—a gold earring and an amber glass bead—attests to the minor presence of high-status officer's wives and possibly Cherokee Indians or other Native Americans at the post.     

甘肃岷县占旗寺洼文化遗址发掘简报

岷县占旗遗址是甘肃岷县洮河沿岸新发现的一处寺洼文化遗址,该遗址共发现各类墓葬66座,以及房址、灶坑、灰坑、祭祀遗存等遗迹近20处。出土器物包括陶器、铜器、石器、骨器和装饰品等。占旗遗址墓葬层位清晰,时代序列鲜明,出土器物丰富多样,特别是铜器,制作精美,形制独特。岷县占旗遗址的发现,对于进一步认识寺洼文化的特点具有重要意义。     

河北省迁西县东寨遗址发掘简报

<正> 东寨遗址位于河北省唐山市迁西县罗屯乡东寨村西750米处的一沙丘东坡之上。大秦铁路由此东西穿过,此遗址地处燕山南麓低山丘陵地区、西南面向甚宽阔的滦河河谷,四周的沙丘系滦河的第二级阶地堆积物。遗址西南距县城。30华里,西邻西寨村(图一)。 该遗址在1990年3月,由河北省文物局文物普查队在普查中发现,同年9月为了配合大秦铁路建设工程,河北省文物研究所派员对东寨遗址进行了抢救性发掘。发掘面积为112.2平方米,获得了一批新石器时代早期遗物。现将有关情况简要报告如下:     

Geoarchaeological investigations at the Topper and Big Pine Tree sites,Allendale County,South Carolina

The Topper and Big Pine Tree sites are located along the central Savannah River in South Carolina. Both sites contain significant Clovis horizons and the Topper site is reported to contain a pre-Clovis assemblage characterized by a smashed core and microlithic industry. The stratigraphic position of the early assemblage at Topper is indeed below Clovis and radiocarbon and luminescence ages support its pre-Clovis age. However, the human origin of the proposed artifacts has not been conclusively proven. The late Quaternary stratigraphic sequence developed for this segment of the Savannah River provides support for a regional pattern of river metamorphosis over the last 50,000 years in southeastern U.S. streams.     

河北昌黎渟泗涧细石器地点

<正> 淳泗涧细石器地点发现于1990年,91年10月,河北省文物研究所会同秦皇岛市文物管理处,昌黎县文物保管所对该地点进行了为期一个月的试掘。试掘面积25平方米,共发现400多件石制品,没有发现动物化石。 一、地理位置与地层 该地点位于昌黎县城东北2公里处,距其东南的淳泗涧村约0.5公里,地理坐标;E119°10′N39°44′,海拔65米。该地点背靠燕山余脉亮甲山,南为平原,京山铁路在地点南部穿过。其东南约14公里处即为渤海(图一)。 淳泗涧南为饮马河,东北为东沙河,两河向东注入渤海。地点附近的山前地带为饮马河的支流,支流两岸有两级阶地发育。二级阶地紧靠山脚,由于洪水冲刷以及山脚下基岩中泉水     

河北三河县刘白塔新石器时代遗址第二次试掘简报

刘白塔遗址位于三河县河右岸二级台地,试掘面积50平方米,清理灰坑3个。出土遗物有陶器、石器两类;陶器中泥质陶多红陶和红顶陶钵、碗、盆。夹砂陶多折沿弧腹圜底釜和直口直腹盂。陶器组合反映出的文化特征与同为河流域典型的上宅文化明显不同,而与河南后岗一期文化相近似。     

安徽肥西塘岗遗址发掘

塘岗遗址是安徽省江淮之间具有新石器和商、周时代文化遗存并存的重要遗址。遗址位于安徽省肥西县南岗镇鸡鸣村牌坊自然村北岗地上,占地面积约35900平方米。2006年3～8月,安徽省文物考古研究所对遗址进行了抢救性的科学发掘。该遗址最早地层堆积属于新石器时代中期,共发现了7个房址和一些其他遗迹,出土遗物包括陶器、石器。该遗址的发掘,首先推动了江淮之间古人类居住环境的研究,其次对于研究本地区考古学文化与周边地区考古学文化之间的相互关系提供了第一手的宝贵资料。     

Ground stone tool production and use in the Late Upper Palaeolithic: The evidence from Riparo Dalmeri (Venetian Prealps,Italy)

Abstract

The site of Riparo Dalmeri yielded numerous flint, bone, and shell artifacts, as well as faunal and botanical remains, which are evidence of the Late Upper Palaeolithic (or Late Epigravettian culture, ca. 16,000–12,000 cal b.p.) occupation of the Alps region. The importance of the site is related to the discovery of 267 stones painted with anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, and geometric designs. Here we report on ground stone tools from Riparo Dalmeri investigated by means of an integrated technofunctional and experimental approach to reconstruct their production and use. The results support the hypothesis that the ground stone artifacts were employed in specialized activities (e.g., hide treatment, flintknapping) as well as in the production of some of the painted stone artifacts.     

赤水“桥上桥”与生态环境变迁

本文考证了渭南、华县之间的赤水河“桥上桥”的建造年代及形成原因。通过对有关历史资料深入研究,确证下桥始建于清初(1667年),上桥则建于清朝中叶(1832年)。赤水河中上游的过度垦殖和植被破坏带来的生态环境恶化造成了下游河床泥沙淤积,形成了地面悬河,原赤水桥为泥沙淹塞,失去功能,故不得不在桥上建桥。桥上桥的形成是当地生态环境变化的结果和标志。     

Increasing data (INAA) on Ecuadorian obsidian artifacts: preliminary provenance and a clue for pre-Columbian eastward trade

In this work we carried out INAA major (Na, K, Ca and Fe %) and trace (ppm) elements (plus Mn by FAAS analysis) of 15 obsidian samples (waste flakes) coming from an unknown archaeological site (¹⁴C-AMS age of 1425 AD) located on the south-eastern flank of the back-arc Sumaco volcano (to the east of the Cordillera Real) and from two already known pre-Columbian archaeological localities: La Florida (Quito) and Milan (Cayambe). Literature compositional data of the Ecuadorian obsidian outcrops provide some constraints on the provenance of the analyzed waste flakes, even though different methods of analyses make comparisons a difficult task. Concerning the obsidian artifacts of La Florida and Milan, they come from the well known Sierra de Guamanì obsidian sources (Cordillera Real). By contrast, the obsidian fragments of the Sumaco settlement show some compositional characters compatible with obsidian erratic pebbles recently discovered in some river banks of the Amazonian foothills draining the easternmost flanks of the Antisana volcano in the Cordillera Real as well. In this way, the obsidian artifacts found at the Sumaco site reinforce the opinion that Ecuadorian source inventory is not yet exhaustive. Although the Antisana volcano seems to be the best candidate to find out additional primary outcrops of obsidian sources, it cannot be also excluded that sub-Andean and Amazonian people directly took advantage from obsidian secondary sources (e.g. river banks), rather than procurements from primary outcrops in the Cordillera Real. The new archaeological findings at the Sumaco volcano are really of paramount importance in tracing the ancient routes of a possible obsidian eastward trade toward the Amazonian region.     

河南灵宝市西坡遗址2001年春发掘简报

西坡遗址位于河南省灵宝市阳平镇西坡村西北 ,地处铸鼎原中部偏东 ,北距黄河约6公里 ,南约 2 5公里即为小秦岭北坡。遗址坐落于自西南向东北倾斜的黄土塬上 ,海拔 4 6 0米～ 4 72米。汇入黄河一级小支流沙河的夫夫河和灵湖河分别自遗址的东西两侧北流而去 ,优越的自然环境为古文化的发育提供了重要的基础。遗址跨西坡、许家、南涧、北涧等四个自然村 ,四周多为断崖。虽然现代村庄与道路等对遗址造成了一定程度的破坏 ,但现存面积仍达 4 0万平方米 ,为铸鼎原及其周围古遗址中规模较大者之一。(图一 )2 0 0 1年 3月～ 5月 ,由河南省文物考古…     

The Role of Ethnogenesis and Organization in the Development of African-Native American Settlements: an African Seminole Model

Archaeological research on a nineteenth-century settlement called Pilaklikaha addresses gaps in the theory of African-Native American everyday life, community composition, and social relations. By integrating analyses of human organization and cultural transformation, it is possible to construct dynamic sociocultural scenarios for African Seminole settlements that existed in what became Florida. In this region, residents and visitors encountered diverse world views that originated in Africa and the Americas. African Seminole cultural beliefs and practices were the product of both newly created and ancestral traditions. The ways that these beliefs were practiced affected a broad range of exchanges in the spheres of kinship, spirituality, ceremonialism, politics, economics and anti-slavery resistance. Within these realms, people of African and Native American descent recognized the importance of autonomy, cooperation, and alliance.     

News and Commentary on the Illicit Traffic in Antiquities

Abstract

The results of a high-power microwear analysis of stone artifacts from the Magdalenian site at Verberie, France, are reported in this study. Both retouched and unretouched implements were examined, and the various use-wear traces that were found are briefly discussed. The relationship between tool morphology and function, the use of unmodified lithic artifacts, and microwear traces indicative of hafting are described. In addition, some hypotheses are advanced regarding specific activity areas at the site. It is concluded that the unretouched component of the lithic industry comprised a large part of the Magdalenian toolkit at Verberie.     

山西吉县柿子滩遗址第九地点发掘简报

该地点出土的石器以锤击法打片、压剥法第二步加工和小型石片石器为主,刮削器、尖状器、砍砸器石器组合和细石叶压剥技术等代表了北方细石器文化的特征。出土的石磨盘、石磨棒、颜料块和研磨石等为研究旧石器时代晚期文化向新石器时代早期文化的过渡和华北地区原始农业的起源提供了资料。     

河南西峡老坟岗仰韶文化遗址发掘报告

老坟岗遗址位于西峡县西4公里的五里桥乡封湾村老坟岗村北的岗地上,是1963年公布的首批省级文物保护单位。这里四周环山,属豫西南伏牛山系,山间有一条通往陕东南的要道。遗址是一处半岛形台地,东100余米即312国道,西与山丘相连,老灌河支流丁河在遗址东300米由西北向东南流过,河面宽阔,水量充沛。遗址所在台地东西长180、南北宽约150米,     

A Neolithic Voyage

Examination of stone artefacts from Maiden Castle, Dorset, led to the identification of a Neolithic saddle-quern which originated in central Normandy. While stone axes from Brittany and jadeitite axes from the Alps have long been known from central southern England, the quern is the largest and heaviest Neolithic import yet identified. It has a bearing on the debate about indigenous or immigrant origins for the Neolithic, but also re-opens the question of the type of boat that plied the Channel at this early period. It is argued that logboats, for which there is evidence, should not be overlooked in favour of skin-boats for which there is none.
© 2009 The Authors     

The paleolithic site of Longwangchan in the middle Yellow River,China: chronology,paleoenvironment and implications

The Longwangchan Paleolithic site, situated on the Yellow River terraces in the Hukou area, Shaanxi province, China, was found in 2003–2004, and two areas (Localities 1 and 2) of the site were excavated in 2005–2008. Abundant stone artifacts including microliths, a grinding stone fragment and a shovel, with some animal bones and shells, were recovered from Locality 1. In this study, the cultural deposits from Locality 1 were dated using radiocarbon and optical dating techniques, and the sediment properties of the deposits were analyzed. The results show that the age of the deposits ranges from 29 to 21 ka and most of them were deposited between 25 ka and 29 ka. This indicates that corresponds to late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and early MIS 2. During the human occupation period, the climate in this area became colder and drier. Sediments from beds where the grinding slab and the shovel were found were dated to ∼25 ka, which is the oldest among the grinding stones found in China. The microliths and the grinding stone are important evidence for an incipient socio-economic process that eventually led to the regional transition from hunting-foraging to farming.     

云南省弥渡县合家山出土铜器的技术研究

一、合家山地理位置及出土器物概况合家山地处云南西部弥渡县红岩乡东部,1995年,该地共出土铜器45件(报道了44件,实地考察45件),石、陶范23件以及陶质的残坩埚和风管,因这批材料未经科学发掘,无地层和出土物关系,故报道中根据器形、纹饰的情况将时代定为春秋晚期至战国中期,并推测这是一处青铜时代的冶铸遗址[1]。     

The Great Hall of the Bishop's Palace at Hereford

Abstract

In the Summer of 2005 the authors directed the excavation of a flat stone setting with a boat-shaped central depression at Skamby, Kuddby parish, Östergötland, Sweden. The stone setting covered a small and poorly preserved boat inhumation, dated by the artefacts recovered to the early Viking period (9th century AD). This is the first excavation of a boat inhumation in the province of Östergötland. The paper reports on the excavations including the discovery of an exceptional collection of 23 amber gaming pieces, which provide a new perspective on Viking-period gaming. The data from this boat grave are considered in relation to the rest of the Skamby cemetery, which remains to be investigated. Judging from a topographical survey of the ridge surrounding the excavated area, and from metal-detector finds recovered from the surrounding fields, the Skamby cemetery appears to be a high-status burial ground divided into two zones, one comprised of boat inhumation graves, the other of circular stone settings likely to cover cremation graves. The results of the excavation lead to a revised picture of boat burial as an élite mortuary rite in southern Sweden during the late 1st millennium AD.