Semitella,an Italian Bell-Beaker (Final Copper Age) animal burial ground

The Italian Bell-Beaker (Final Copper Age) has been widely studied, yet little is known about its archaeofaunas. Reported are the results of the analysis of the archaeofauna from Semitella, which is one of the largest and most important Bell-Beaker sites in Italy. The site yielded an intentionally buried bovine skeleton and contained many pits, scattered throughout the excavated area. These pits may have originally contained the corpses of the animals whose bones are represented in the sample. The hypothesis is that Semitella was a sort of cemetery for animal carcasses, or a dumping ground where carcass discards and animal cadavers were thrown or buried. A careful taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses were therefore mandatory. The study confirmed the hypothesis. It in fact revealed a poorly diversified, selected fauna, dominated by domestic taxa, matched to a strikingly low incidence of bone surface modifications, which is the expected state of bones that have been rapidly subtracted to biostratinomic agents. The accumulated evidence indicates that Semitella was a dumping and/or a burial ground for animal corpses in the surroundings of a nearby settlement. The assemblage's final arrangement is the result of floodings that removed the disarticulated skeletal parts scattering them downstream. What remains unresolved is whether, or not, the burials were connected with ritual practices.     

Obsidian from the Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic eastern Maghreb. A view from the Hergla context (Tunisia)

In the present paper, it is shown that in the Hergla area (eastern Tunisia), obsidian was present from the early to at least the late sixth millennium cal BC. The presence of cores indicates that obsidian knapping was at least partly carried out in situ. The origin of these obsidians was determined from their elemental composition, by comparison with those originating from western Mediterranean potential sources, including analyses of new samples from the nearby Pantelleria Island. All obsidians were measured following the same protocol, by particle induced X-ray emission or by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersion spectrometry. All the Hergla obsidians were found to originate from the Balata dei Turchi sources of Pantelleria. A review of the present body of knowledge on eastern Maghreb suggests, in spite of the still very preliminary data available, that Pantelleria was almost its unique provider of obsidians from the Epipalaeolithic to and during the Neolithic. However, the relative importance of the two main Pantellerian sources of Balata dei Turchi and Lago di Venere as providers of obsidian to eastern Maghreb remains to be investigated.     

The use of SEM-EDS,PIXE and EDXRF for obsidian provenance studies in the Near East: a case study from Neolithic Çatalhöyük (central Anatolia)

In this paper we evaluate the relative analytical capabilities of SEM-EDS, PIXE and EDXRF for characterizing archaeologically significant Anatolian obsidians on the basis of their elemental compositions. The study involves 54 geological samples from various sources, together with an archaeological case study involving 100 artifacts from Neolithic Çatalhöyük (central Anatolia). With each technique the artifacts formed two compositional groups that correlated with the East Göllü Da? and Nenezi Da? sources. The non-destructive capabilities of these methods are emphasized (albeit with certain analytical limitations in the case of SEM-EDS), suggesting important new techniques for Near Eastern obsidian provenance studies.     

Ancient DNA,a Neolithic legging from the Swiss Alps and the early history of goat

Ancient DNA from a Neolithic legging (1st half of the 3rd millennium BC) found at Lenk, Schnidejoch (2750 m a.sl.) in the Swiss Alps has demonstrated, that modern distribution of genetic variation does not reflect past spatio-temporal signatures. The legging was made from the skin of a domestic goat (Capra hircus), belonging to the caprine haplogroup B1, which is marginal in Europe today, but represents a third highly diverse goat haplogroup entering Europe already in the Neolithic. Population expansion of lineage B therefore happened more than 4500 years ago, but their members were at some point almost completely replaced by goats of today's common A and C haplogroups.     

Ergosterol (5, 7, 22-ergostatrien-3β-ol) as a potential biomarker for alcohol fermentation in lipid residues from prehistoric pottery

In this paper we explore the potential use of ergosterol (5, 7, 22-ergostatrien-3β-ol) as a possible biomarker for yeast and alcohol fermentation, applying the analytical technique previously used routinely in Swedish archaeology for the analysis of lipid residue in prehistoric pottery. Taking note on the connection between brewing, baking and agriculture the frequency of vessels showing gas chromatography mass spectrometry traces of this compound in lipid residues from a clearly agricultural Bronze Age/Early Iron Age population was compared with the same signal in a clearly non-agricultural Neolithic foragers pottery population. The result shows a small but statistically significant difference between the two populations, indicating a connection between the presence of ergosterol in lipid residues from pottery and agriculture. The results are also discussed in terms of varying cleanliness, degradation, deposition conditions and contamination. Suggestions for future research include the use of a more sensitive analytical protocol in order to improve detection limits and to include materials from clear agricultural Neolithic vessel populations.     

陕西千阳尚家岭秦汉建筑遗址初识

The architectural site dating to the Qin-Han Dynasty in the Shangiialing site of Qianyang County, is one of the best preserved building remains in the Qian River Valley during this time period. This architecture might have been used for near 200 years from the Late Warring States Period to the Middle Western Han Dynasty. Recent archaeological works provide significant information to further understanding of the style and characteristic of this building and to how it was renovated and reconstructed under the historical background of ＇ban cheng qinzhi ＇ （The Han Dynasty inherited systems from the Qin Dynasty）. Since the site is situated on an east-west major communication route, this architecture might have served as a ＇ligong bieguan ＇ （resort palace）, or functioned as a courier state and storage house simultaneously.     

想象历史的方法——从成都平原商周时期出土的象牙说起

在距今3000年前的三星堆遗址和金沙遗址出土的大量具有鲜明的区域特色和民族特点的青铜器、金器、玉器、陶器等遗物和高耸的城墙、规模宏大的"宫殿式"建筑遗存及反映其严重社会分层的墓葬等遗迹现象,显示其已进入了成熟的文明社会;三星堆"祭祀坑"和金沙遗址"祭祀区"大量象牙、鹿角及獠牙的出土,反映出成都平原商周时期早蜀社会发达的物质文明以及其优越的生态环境,同时也昭显了人类过度性的开发和拓殖是成都平原商周时期温暖湿润的生态环境消失或破坏的一个重要的原因。     

永安遗址两座砖雕墓的考古发掘

2006年吉林省考古研究所在永安遗址发掘两座彩绘圆形砖雕墓葬。从墓葬结构和出土文物判断其年代大致为晚唐五代时期。这两座墓葬的发掘为研究唐宋时期砖雕墓葬提供了新的实物资料。     

试论夏家店下层文化石城

夏家店下层文化石城主要分布在冀、蒙、辽三省、自治区交界处,对于其用途,有不同认识。本文在较全面梳理夏家店下层文化石城发现的基础上,探讨了夏家店下层文化石城的类型及其用途。总起来说,夏家店下层文化石城作为聚落单位来看,包含有服务于该城的祭祀遗存,但不能掩盖其强烈军事防御功能的本质。如果将夏家店下层文化石城作为一个整体来看,呈带状分布的全部石城就构建起了护卫中心区域的外围整体防御体系。     

成都市新都区新石器时代晚期土坑墓提取与保护

2008年1月,成都文物考古研究所与成都市新都区文物管理所在对一新石器时代晚期聚落遗址进行的考古发掘中,清理出土了二座竖穴土坑墓,其中M1墓葬人骨基本完整,具有较高的研究价值,但因年代久远和有害环境的影响,骨质已粉化,不便于直接提取人骨。为了有效地保护这一新石器时期人类骨骸,为后期的科学研究保存下这一珍贵的实物资料。决定采取套箱法对整座土坑墓进行提取的方式保护人骨,经过多方试验,确定采用A305黏结剂修复骨架裂纹,用GSA-102保护剂,B365作加固进行保护。经观察表明,本次土坑提取与保护取得了良好效果,并制定了一套科学的保护方案。该土坑墓的成功提取和科学保护,为今后在潮湿环境中的古遗址保护提供了可供借鉴的经验。