The standardized pricking probe surveying and its use in Archaeology

In this paper we present the so-called standardized pricking probe surveying technique and demonstrate its usefulness in an archaeological study. The buried target is a Palaeochristian sepulchral chapel, which had already been excavated 82 years ago, then re-buried and forgotten.     

The taphonomy and palaeoenvironmental implications of the small mammals from Karain Cave,Turkey

The small mammal accumulations in the Pleistocene deposits of Karain Cave are investigated to identify the predators and possible biases in the fossil assemblages. Seven small mammal assemblages are studied in chronological order from two chambers of the cave, the main chamber E and the side chamber B. The lowermost level within the whole sequence is Proto-Charentien, which corresponds to an early stage of the Middle Palaeolithic. The main part of the material belongs to Middle Palaeolithic layers. The most important aspect of the fossil record in the cave is the human occupation without any interruption through the Pleistocene to Holocene. The small mammal fossil evidence in the cave denotes the presence of opportunistic predators throughout the sequence with one exception, and these produce balanced samples of small mammal faunas in the habitat. The lack of bias in the small mammal faunas allow the interpretation of local environments, showing that partial steppe and arid conditions existed during deposition of the lowermost levels of the Middle Palaeolithic in Karain Cave and that these shifted into more temperate and wooded habitat in the upper levels. Evidence from the side chamber indicates some differences, with a more open grassy environment. In the Mediterranean part of Anatolia the temperate and moist conditions in the Middle Palaeolithic were superseded by more arid conditions in the Upper Palaeolithic, followed by a decrease in steppe conditions during the Epi-Palaeolithic period.     

Radiocarbon dating of the bronze age bone pins from Eurasian steppe

Bone catapult and hammer-headed pins played one of very specific roles in funerary offerings in the Bronze Age graves uncovered in the Eurasian Steppes and the North Caucasus. Scholars used different types of pins as key grave offerings for numerous chronological models. For the first time eight pins have been radiocarbon dated. ¹⁴C dating of bone pins identified the catapult type pin as the earliest one. They marked the period of the Yamnaya culture formation. Then Yamnaya population produced hammer-headed pins which became very popular in other cultural environments and spread very quickly across the Steppe and the Caucasus during 2900–2650 cal BC. But according to radiocarbon dating bone pins almost disappeared after 2600 cal BC.     

汉阳陵地下博物馆遗址表面白色物质分析研究

土遗址表面泛白与保存环境湿度有很大关系,在干燥的环境中保存的土遗址常发生表面泛白现象.汉阳陵外藏坑展示厅是我国首个全封闭式的地下展厅,展厅内13号遗址坑内湿度(RH)常年100%,在这样高湿的环境中遗址表面仍然泛白严重.为了说明汉阳陵土遗址表面泛白原因及白色物质来源,本工作利用XRF、FT-IR、XRD和离子色谱对13号坑遗址表面白色样品元素组成、离子和物象组成进行了分析.结果表明,白色物质主要成分为石膏(CaSO4·2H2O),根据白色物质离子色谱的分析结果推测泛白原因可能为土壤可溶盐的迁移富集的产物.     

Early Human Decapitation, 11,700–10,700 cal bp,within the Pre‐Pottery Neolithic Village of Tell Qaramel,North Syria

The process and timing of skull removal remains poorly understood by researchers. New archaeological and skeletal analysis from two skeletons from the early Pre‐Pottery Neolithic site of Tell Qaramel, northern Syria, highlights that Neolithic villagers used stone tools to physically decapitate the dead. Drawing upon cutmarks on the axis and the mandible from primary and secondary burials, we employed a scanning electron microscope to document how Neolithic people cut the ligament and its surrounding connecting tissues that bind the cranium with the bones of the axis and the mandible. The position of the cutmarks, especially at the top of the odontoid process of the axis, illustrates the complexities of intentional skull removal. From these and associated burial data, we illustrate that Levantine Neolithic people had specific practical codes for the sequence of skull removal, but given variation in the decomposition of the human body, at times, villagers had to use flint tools for skull removal. This study provides evidence of some of the world's earliest examples of intentional decapitation within human communities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Underwater Archaeology in Colombia: Between Commercial Salvage and Science

International Journal of Historical Archaeology - This article summarizes the progress and current state of underwater archaeology in Colombia over the past three decades. It also presents the...     

Anatomical and Biomechanical Aspects of the Horse Spine: The Interpretation of Vertebral Fusion in a Medieval Horse from Wroclaw (Poland)

The investigation were carried out on the medieval horses thoracic and lumbar spine excavated between 2009‐2011 by the Institute of Archaeology, University of Wroclaw at New Market Square in Wroclaw (Wratislavia, Breslau), capital city of the Polish province of Lower Silesia. The pathological changes, like: ankylosis of the zygapophyses, fusion of the vertebral bodies and arches and the interspinal space calcification were observed. The X‐ray examination was done. During medieval artefact interpretation the biomechanical aspect of horse's locomotor system was taken into consideration. The archaeozoological material was compared with modern horse's spine (with similar pathological changes and known history of disease). The analysis proved, that the observed osseous reaction was a result of the long‐lasting inflammation. Such a disease appearance accompanies chronic inflammatory state of errector muscles of the spine. It is typical for those horses utilised for the saddle. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Violencia y género en Los comendadores de Córdoba de Lope de Vega

This article studies the correct generic framing of an early work of Lope de Vega,Los comendadores de Córdoba, which has attracted recent criticism, in part because the structure of tragedy is undermined by numerous laughable and grotesque elements. It therefore seems to be a play characterized by failure to follow the path of a specific genre. This article tries to overcome this problem by studying the relationship between gender and violence.