Identifying pottery clay from rice fields: an example from southern Luzon,the Philippines

The general type of clay used by potters can often be identified from attributes of the finished ceramic vessel or sherd. This information is important for compositional and sourcing studies and may also shed light on the variables influencing clay choice such as social, economic, and landscape use patterns. Rice paddies are one type of clay source that are readily identifiable in archaeological ceramics. This paper describes rice paddy clays gathered during ethnoarchaeological studies of traditional potters in Paradijon, southern Luzon, the Philippines. We analyze the effects of clay processing and vessel manufacture on these clays and find that the most diagnostic attribute of paddy soils, the iron oxide mottling, is retained in finished vessels.     

The origin of overpressure in 'old' sedimentary basins: an example from the Cooper Basin, Australia

Overpressure in ‘old’ sedimentary basins that have not undergone rapid, recent sedimentation cannot be easily explained using traditional burial‐driven mechanisms. The last significant burial event in the Cooper Basin, Australia, was the Late Cretaceous deposition of the Winton Formation (98.5–90 Ma). Maximum temperature in the basin was attained during the Late Cretaceous, with cooling beginning prior to 75 Ma. Hence, overpressure related to rapid burial or palaeomaximum temperatures (e.g. hydrocarbon generation) must have developed prior to 75 Ma. Retaining overpressure for 75 Ma in ‘old’ basins such as the Cooper Basin requires extremely low seal permeabilities. An alternative explanation is that overpressure in the Cooper Basin has been generated because of an increase in mean stress associated with an increase in horizontal compressive stress since Late Cretaceous times. Structural observations and contemporary stress data indicate that there has been an increase in mean stress of approximately 50 MPa between Late Cretaceous times to that presently measured at 3780 m. The largest measured overpressure in the Cooper Basin is 14.5 MPa at 3780 m in the Kirby 1 well. Hence, disequilibrium compaction driven by increasing mean stress can explain the magnitude of the observed overpressure in the Cooper Basin. Increases in mean stress (tectonic loading) may be a feasible mechanism for overpressure generation in other ‘old’ basins that have undergone a recent increase in horizontal stress (e.g. Anadarko Basin).     

Using provenance data to assess archaeological landscapes: an example from Calabria, Italy

Ceramic provenance studies have helped archaeologists examine trade and exchange in multiple scales, the organization of production, and even vessel function. Yet, they may go even further, to provide a venue for the examination of past people’s perception of their landscape. To do so, a methodology is needed that links the choices prehistoric potters made, as reflected in their ceramics, with the choices their landscape could afford them, as reflected in the extent and distribution of local clays, and the physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics of these clays. Using the region of Bova Marina in southwestern Calabria as a case study, we have combined a raw materials survey with field and laboratory experiments, along with chemical and mineralogical analyses of the collected sediments to understand the distribution and the physical, chemical and mineralogical variability of locally available clays and provide baseline data against which prehistoric ceramic materials from the region may be compared. We show that the local sediments can be divided into three major units, based on their macroscopic, mineralogical and chemical characteristics, that correspond well with the major geological units outcropping in the study area. While two of these units have internally consistent properties, the third is variable.     

How and why we should encourage undergraduate geography students to participate in the Erasmus programme

Studying or working abroad during the course of an undergraduate degree has been associated with many positive outcomes and benefits. Despite this, there is scant literature on the role higher education institution (HEIs) play in encouraging outgoing student mobility. There is subsequently limited practical guidance for individuals within HEIs wishing to increase student participation in mobility programmes. Using evidence from the existing literature, and primary research conducted for a PhD study, this paper addresses this gap and offers guidance for encouraging students' participation in the European region action scheme for the mobility of university students (Erasmus). This paper focuses on the mobility of geography students who underperform in terms of participation in the Erasmus programme.     

Non-invasive archaeological exploration in stratigraphically complex rural settings: an example from Ferento (Viterbo, Italy)

This paper presents the results of a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey conducted in the rural area of the ancient city of Ferento near Viterbo (Northern Latium, Italy), where the visible ruins testify an uninterrupted history from the Etruscan to the Medieval period. The soil covering the ruins has been intensively ploughed, cultivated and used for pasture over the centuries, and is characterised by a high content of clay minerals. In this scenario, the use of GPR is particularly difficult due to both possible ‘false positive anomalies’ and strong signal attenuation. In order to reconstruct the geometrical shape and size of the geophysical anomalies related to a medieval dwelling, multi-profile GPR data were collected in two different areas, using radar equipped with 250-MHz antennas. 2D and pseudo-3D migrated maps were created and signal velocity analysis was performed to estimate the target depths. Despite the clayey-calcareous material, the results show a good signal penetration and allow a clear reconstruction of the shape of the buried ruins, confirming that the anomalies are due to medieval buildings located at a depth in agreement with what was observed on the archaeological stratigraphy. Furthermore, our study suggests that in radar data interpretation, caution should be used if the surveyed area was subjected to prolonged and intensive agriculture.     

The integration of chronological and archaeological information to date building construction: an example from Shetland,Scotland, UK

This paper presents new chronological data applied to the problem of providing a date for the construction of a prehistoric building, with a case study from the Old Scatness Broch, Shetland. The innovative methodology employed utilises the combination of radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates with the archaeological information, which includes the stratigraphic relationships of sampled deposits, context information, and evidence relating to the formation of the deposit. This paper discusses the scientific validity of the dates produced, and the advantages that the methodology employed at this site offers for archaeological interpretation. The combined dating evidence suggests that the broch at Old Scatness is earlier than the conventionally accepted dates for broch construction. More broadly it shows the value of integration of the specialists at the planning stages of the excavation. The application of a Bayesian statistical model to the sequences of dates allowed investigation of the robustness of the dates within the stratigraphic sequences, as well as increasing the resolution of the resulting chronology. In addition, the value of utilising multiple dating techniques on the same deposit was demonstrated, as this allowed different dated events to be directly compared as well as issues relating to the formation of the sampled deposit. This in turn impacted on the chronological significance of the resulting dating evidence, and therefore the confidence that could be placed in the results.     

Size prediction in archaeomalacology: the Common Mussel,Mytilus edulis L., as an example

There are numerous size prediction formulae in archaeomalacology but (like almost all zooarchaeological formulae) only a few account for allometric growth (shape change with size change, which is almost universal in complex animals) and employ the standard methods developed by statisticians to ensure reliable predictions. A general technique for generating formulae that predict organism size from dimensions of their archaeological remains is presented, using an organism that is badly preserved archaeologically (the Common Mussel Mytilus edulis). Allometric growth is fully accommodated, and standard statistical methods and software are used. Several dimensions can be used for prediction, and poor predictors are identified and discarded. Predictions can be tested for consistency between heterogeneous conditions, for statistical soundness, and whether prediction errors are within tolerable limits.     

Fracture mineralization and fluid flow evolution: an example from Ordovician–Devonian carbonates,southwestern Ontario,Canada

Petrography, geochemistry (stable and radiogenic isotopes), and fluid inclusion microthermometry of matrix dolomite, fracture‐filling calcite, and saddle dolomite in Ordovician to Devonian carbonates from southwestern Ontario, Canada, provide useful insights into fluid flow evolution during diagenesis. The calculated δ¹⁸O_fluid, ΣREE, and REE_SN patterns of matrix and saddle dolomite suggest diverse fluids were involved in dolomitization and/or recrystallization of dolomite. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of dolomite of each succession vary from values in the range of coeval seawater to values more radiogenic than corresponding seawater, which indicate diagenetic fluids were influenced by significant water/rock interaction. High salinities (22.4–26.3 wt. % NaCl + CaCl₂) of Silurian and Ordovician dolomite–hosted fluid inclusions indicate involvement of saline waters from dissolution of Silurian evaporites. High fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures (>100°C) in all samples from Devonian to Ordovician show temperatures higher than maximum burial (60–90°C) of their host strata and suggest involvement of hydrothermal fluids in precipitation and/or recrystallization of dolomite. A thermal anomaly over the mid‐continent rift during Devonian to Mississippian time likely was the source of excess heat in the basin. Thermal buoyancy resulting from this anomaly was the driving force for migration of hydrothermal fluids through regional aquifers from the center of the Michigan Basin toward its margin. The decreasing trend of homogenization temperatures from the basin center toward its margin further supports the interpreted migration of hydrothermal fluids from the basin center toward its margin. Hydrocarbon‐bearing fluid inclusions in late‐stage Devonian to Ordovician calcite cements with high homogenization temperatures (>80°C) and their ¹³C‐depleted values (approaching ?32‰ PDB) indicate the close relationship between hydrothermal fluids and hydrocarbon migration.     

Occupation and Job Location Patterns: an Analysis of the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area

The main findings of this analysis of the job location patterns by occupational groups in the Toronto CMA are as follows:

• 1 The geographical distribution ofjobs of the different occupational groups varied considerably in the Toronto CMA, the principal pattern being relative centralization of white-collar jobs and relative decentralization of blue-collar jobs. Skilled clerical-sales-services workers faced the greatest degree ofjob concentration in the cbd.
• 2 The jobs of similar occupational groups by collar type were located near one another, so that relatively homogeneous work areas were created. These conclusions, of course, apply specifically to the Toronto CMA in 197 1. But, although the urban structure of the Toronto CMA will have changed to some extent since 1971, the process of structural change is a fairly slow one, even in rapidly growing metropolitan areas. We suggest, therefore, that our findings should be relevant to the Toronto CMA of today.

     

Reconstructing “total” paleo-landscapes for archaeological investigation: an example from the central Netherlands

It is common procedure today to use geographic datasets to supplement archaeological investigation; however, static and modern-day data are often used rather than more accurate paleo-data. This article underscores the importance of employing such dynamic paleo-landscapes, and describes a new approach for developing richly-furnished and detailed spatial surfaces, referred to as “total” landscapes. GIS and computer simulation programs are critical to the generation of such surfaces, along with geospatial data of sufficient quality and quantity. The approach is articulated vis-à-vis a case study from the central Netherlands.     

Using finite element methods to analyze ancient architecture: an example from the North American Arctic

Developing theories of vernacular architecture in archaeology has been hindered by the lack of a defined methodology for studying ancient buildings, and the absence of information on the mechanical properties of construction materials uncommon in today's building practices. In this paper we use Finite Element Methods and recent research on the structural properties of whalebone to analyze the architecture of Thule semi-subterranean houses. These unique dwellings were constructed and used by the ancestors of Inuit/Eskimo peoples in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Little is known about how they were designed and constructed because few have ever been discovered intact. The substantial weight of whalebone roof frames suggests that some designs would have performed better than others. Poorly planned houses, or the use of whalebone in a symbolic rather than strictly utilitarian capacity, may have resulted in higher maintenance costs, thereby shortening their anticipated use life. In extreme cases, errors in design, or the failure of materials may have caused dwellings to collapse, resulting in injuries or possibly even death. We demonstrate through this case study that Finite Element Methods constitutes an effective methodology for studying ancient buildings, with the proviso that more research is needed on the mechanical properties of building materials used in the past.     

Landscapes, land use, and the history of territory formation: An example from the Puebloan southwest

Territories are spatial units that encompass the broadest range of a society's land-use behaviors as well as the history of human interactions with the natural landscape. Drawing from published documents pertaining to the North American Indian Land Claims and to the prehistory and history of land use among the Hopi Indians of Arizona, this paper integrates spatial, material, and historical variables of land use behavior (1) to formulate an empirical definition of territory and (2) to develop a generalized life history of territory formation that can be applied explicitly to the archaeological record.     

Making Italians: colonial history and the graduate education system from the liberal era to Fascism

This article explores the role of colonialism in the education of the Italian elites from the Liberal era to Fascism through a study of the teaching of colonial history in the universities. The rebirth of Italy's colonial ambitions at the end of the nineteenth century and their expansion during the two decades of Fascism resulted in the creation of new courses in ‘Colonial Sciences’ in the higher education curriculum. The development of these studies was also part of a longer-term series of changes in the Italian university system that started in the early twentieth century. Colonial History was taught in only a small number of institutions in the Liberal eras, but gained greater importance and autonomy under Fascism. An analysis of the courses, of the careers of those responsible for them and of the text books they used offers a measure of their differing impact on the education of Italian students in the Liberal and Fascist periods and reveals the models of ‘italianità’ they set out for the future ruling class.