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19 pages, 2849 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Exploring Burial and Dietary Patterns at the Copper Age Necropolis of Selvicciola (Viterbo, Italy): New Perspectives from ¹⁴C and Stable Isotope Data

by Maria Rosa di Cicco, Simona Altieri, Noemi Mantile, Patrizia Petitti, Carlo Persiani, Anna Maria Conti, Luciana Allegrezza, Claudio Cavazzuti and Carmine Lubritto

Heritage 2024, 7(6), 3291-3309; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7060155 - 14 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1291

Abstract

The Selvicciola necropolis is a large burial site dated to the Copper Age, located on the mid-Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy, in the Fiora river valley. Despite post-depositional disturbances, 32 prehistoric tombs were found, generally in a good state of preservation, with a [...] Read more.

The Selvicciola necropolis is a large burial site dated to the Copper Age, located on the mid-Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy, in the Fiora river valley. Despite post-depositional disturbances, 32 prehistoric tombs were found, generally in a good state of preservation, with a total number of 119 individuals identified. In the present study, radiocarbon and stable isotope measurements on bone collagen are combined with skeletal data for 71 of these individuals. We aim to investigate possible changes in food practices and burial patterns throughout time. In detail, the results allowed us to define a timeframe for the use of the cemetery of at least 2000 years, with the two most ancient individuals found in tomb 17 and dated to around 3950 cal BC, assigning this a necropolis chronological investigation of the so-called Rinaldone culture. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis confirmed a predominantly agropastoral subsistence strategy for this prehistoric community. Although the plant intake consisted mainly of C3 species, we further discuss the fact that the stable isotope data suggest an increase in the consumption of C4 plants over time. The integration of radiocarbon and isotopic data with the skeletal evidence and material culture provides an interesting insight into the funerary world of this community, highlighting the importance of Selvicciola for the understanding of life in the Mediterranean at the transition between the fourth and the third millennia BC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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35 pages, 58259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Perceptions of Ancient Commerce Driven by Underwater Ancient Site Investigations: A Case Study of Xinfeng River Basin

by Song Zhang, Ming He, Guoliang Dong and Xianying Wang

Heritage 2024, 7(5), 2313-2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7050110 - 30 Apr 2024

Viewed by 943

Abstract

In the 1950s and 1960s, to address the flooding issues and power shortage that hindered national construction, the Xinfeng River hydropower plant was planned and built to prevent floods, store water, and generate electricity. Consequently, many ancient ruins in the study area were [...] Read more.

In the 1950s and 1960s, to address the flooding issues and power shortage that hindered national construction, the Xinfeng River hydropower plant was planned and built to prevent floods, store water, and generate electricity. Consequently, many ancient ruins in the study area were drowned, including ancient post roads, channels, villages, towns, bridges, and other relic sites. By checking historical data and adopting integrated underwater acoustic detection, we conducted a comprehensive cultural-relics survey on the flooded area under Wanlv Lake in the Xinfeng River Basin. A side-scan sonar detection of the underwater relics within the flooded area confirmed the spatial distribution of cultural relics in the Xinfeng River Basin. It portrayed ancient people’s production and life scenarios, outlined the migration and trade history within the region and beyond, and contributed to the enrichment of the literature and understanding of ancient shipping and trade in the basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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23 pages, 20380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prehistoric and Early Roman Period Goldwork from Northwestern Iberia: An Analytical Study of Artefacts from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña

by Óscar García-Vuelta and Xosé-Lois Armada

Heritage 2024, 7(4), 2138-2160; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7040101 - 6 Apr 2024

Viewed by 2361

Abstract

This article presents the results of a topographical and analytical study using hh-XRF of 22 gold and gilded objects from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). They are highly representative of the northwestern Iberian goldwork from the Chalcolithic (third [...] Read more.

This article presents the results of a topographical and analytical study using hh-XRF of 22 gold and gilded objects from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). They are highly representative of the northwestern Iberian goldwork from the Chalcolithic (third millennium BC) to the early Roman period (first century AD). This study contributes to our knowledge of the production techniques used in those periods, as well as their evolution over time. The collection includes some of the most representative types in this area, such as Early Bronze Age “sheet collars” and torcs from the Second Iron Age. In the case of torcs, new data are provided on one of the formally best-documented types (the Artabrian type) and on those known as “Baroque torcs” that are characteristic of the final moments of this goldsmith tradition. While pieces from the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age were made with alluvial gold, the torcs from the Late Iron Age contain variable amounts of silver and copper. Also detected is the frequent use of cores made of less precious metals, which were subsequently given a golden appearance using gilding techniques. The new data are discussed in light of our current knowledge of NW Iberian goldwork, one of the most representative of this craft tradition in Western Europe for those periods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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9 pages, 2277 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

by Maja Krzewińska, Ricardo Rodríguez-Varela, Reyhan Yaka, Mário Vicente, Göran Runfeldt, Michael Sager, Caroline Ahlström Arcini, Torbjörn Ahlström, Niklas Hertzman, Jan Storå and Anders Götherström

Heritage 2024, 7(2), 576-584; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7020027 - 25 Jan 2024

Viewed by 3976

Abstract

In 2021, we published the results of genomic analyses carried out on the famous bishop of Lund, Peder Winstrup, and the mummified remains of a 5–6-month-old fetus discovered in the same burial. We concluded that the two individuals were second-degree relatives and explored [...] Read more.

In 2021, we published the results of genomic analyses carried out on the famous bishop of Lund, Peder Winstrup, and the mummified remains of a 5–6-month-old fetus discovered in the same burial. We concluded that the two individuals were second-degree relatives and explored the genealogy of Peder Winstrup to further understand the possible relation between them. Through this analysis, we found that the boy was most probably Winstrup’s grandson and that the two were equally likely related either through Winstrup’s son, Peder, or his daughter, Anna Maria von Böhnen. To further resolve the specific kinship relation, we generated more genomic data from both Winstrup and the boy and implemented more recently published analytical tools in detailed Y chromosome- and X chromosome-based kinship analyses to distinguish between the competing hypotheses regarding maternal and paternal relatedness. We found that the individuals’ Y chromosome lineages belonged to different sub-lineages and that the X-chromosomal kinship coefficient calculated between the two individuals were elevated, suggesting a grandparent–grandchild relation through a female, i.e., Anna Maria von Böhnen. Finally, we also performed metagenomic analyses, which did not identify any pathogens that could be unambiguously associated with the fatalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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13 pages, 4686 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diachronic Comparison of Three Historical Skeletal Series from Croatia with Regard to Mandibular Bone Quality

by Ivana Savić Pavičin, Anita Adamić Hadžić, Tadej Čivljak, Jelena Dumančić, Mario Šlaus, Tomislav Lauc and Ajla Zymber Çeshko

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 162-174; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010008 - 31 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1822

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of mandibular bone using CBCT images in archeological populations that inhabited Croatia from the medieval to the Early Modern Period. A total of 88 human skulls (45 male and 43 female) from three [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of mandibular bone using CBCT images in archeological populations that inhabited Croatia from the medieval to the Early Modern Period. A total of 88 human skulls (45 male and 43 female) from three samples (pre-Ottoman (N = 27), Ottoman (N = 32), and Vlach (N = 29)) were analyzed by using CBCT. The mental index, gonion index, antegonion index, panoramic mandibular index, degree of resorption of the alveolar ridge, and cortical index of the mandible were evaluated using the OnDemand3DApp. The results showed an expected higher value of cortex thickness in males when compared to females. Females in the younger groups had higher values of cortical thickness than those in the older age group. The Ottoman sample had significantly lower values of mandibular indices than the other two samples. There were no age-related differences in bone thickness in males, suggesting that hormonal changes have a stronger influence in females. Lower values of mandibular indices in the Ottoman sample may be an indicator of specific factors that influenced this population. Our study of bone changes in archeological populations with different living conditions may contribute to a better understanding of impact of biocultural factors on physiological and pathological processes, which are extremely complex in bone tissue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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23 pages, 5912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rediscovering Cova de la Sarsa (València, Spain): A Multidisciplinary Approach to One of the Key Early Neolithic Sites in the Western Mediterranean

by Domingo C. Salazar-García, Pablo García-Borja, Sahra Talamo and Michael P. Richards

Heritage 2023, 6(10), 6547-6569; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6100342 - 25 Sep 2023

Viewed by 2555

Abstract

Cova de la Sarsa (València, Spain) is one of the most important Neolithic impressed ware culture archaeological sites in the Western Mediterranean. It has been widely referenced since it was excavated in the 1920s, due partly to the relatively early excavation and publication [...] Read more.

Cova de la Sarsa (València, Spain) is one of the most important Neolithic impressed ware culture archaeological sites in the Western Mediterranean. It has been widely referenced since it was excavated in the 1920s, due partly to the relatively early excavation and publication of the site, and partly to the qualitative and quantitative importance of its archaeological remains. Unfortunately, as it was an older excavation and lacked present-day rigorous methodological approaches, this important site has been somewhat relegated to the background in the reviews about the Neolithic at the end of the 20th century. However, during the last few years, both the site itself and its archaeological remains have been the object of new studies that hopefully will return the site to the forefront of discussions about the Mediterranean Neolithic. We here present the most relevant results of the research carried out by our group (i.e., pottery study, radiocarbon dating, and isotope analysis), and contextualize them within the dense research history of the cave and the studies carried out by other colleagues with the purpose of revisiting its materials and increasing the knowledge available from the site. Radiocarbon dates on human remains show that the cave was used during prehistoric times as a funerary space longer than expected, and also sporadically afterwards. The characterization of the pottery assemblage concludes that most materials belong to the Early Neolithic. Isotopic analysis portrays an overall similar diet based on terrestrial C₃ resources throughout prehistoric times, with a possible varied dietary protein input between individuals during the Early Neolithic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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18 pages, 4674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Bone Quality in Middle Ages and Late Modern Period Human Skeletons from Latvia

by Ksenija Šerstņova, Edgars Edelmers, Maksims Zolovs and Māra Pilmane

Heritage 2023, 6(7), 5329-5346; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6070281 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1814

Abstract

The analysis of bone microstructure and histological examination currently provides valuable insights into various facets of bone biology, ancient human existence, and bone-related diseases. This study aims to scrutinize the microstructure of historic Latvian bones, with three bone element groups selected (humerus, radius, [...] Read more.

The analysis of bone microstructure and histological examination currently provides valuable insights into various facets of bone biology, ancient human existence, and bone-related diseases. This study aims to scrutinize the microstructure of historic Latvian bones, with three bone element groups selected (humerus, radius, and ulna) from a skeletal collection spanning from the Middle Ages to the Late Modern Period, procured through an archaeological excavation at St. George’s Church in Riga. To evaluate the changes in bone samples over time, two methods are utilized: (i) micro-computed tomography, used for measuring and calculating bone volume/trabecular volume (BV/TV), cortical bone and trabecular thickness, and trabecular pore diameter; (ii) immunohistochemistry (IHC) is employed to detect the presence of Runx2, OPG, OC, MMP2, TIMP2, BFGF, IL-1, IL-10, OPN, defensin-2, BMP 2/4, TGFβ factor in bone cells—specifically osteocytes. Archaeological human bone remains from the Middle Ages period in Latvia display a decline in the average bone volume to trabecular volume ratio when compared with the Late Modern Period, indicating a potential reduction in bone quality in the skeletons, potentially associated with a lower living standard during the earlier era. Comparing factors between the periods reveals a higher value of TIMP2 (p = 0.047) in samples from the Late Modern Period group, while IL-1 is higher (p = 0.036) in the Middle Ages group, which may suggest the presence of disease and diminished bone quality in the skeletons from the Middle Ages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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Review

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16 pages, 8426 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploitation, Transport, and Circulation of the Rohri Hills Chert (Sindh, Pakistan) during the Indus Period

by Paolo Biagi

Heritage 2024, 7(8), 4249-4264; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7080200 - 9 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1226

Abstract

During the third millennium cal BC, the Indus communities exploited great quantities of chert from the Rohri Hills mines in Upper Sindh for making different types of artifacts. This paper discusses the way chert was transported to the Indus Civilization centers and the [...] Read more.

During the third millennium cal BC, the Indus communities exploited great quantities of chert from the Rohri Hills mines in Upper Sindh for making different types of artifacts. This paper discusses the way chert was transported to the Indus Civilization centers and the problems related to the type, quantity, and quality of raw material and artifacts that were transported, including when, why, and where. This paper raises the question of land and water transport. Both these methods were probably used according to the landscape location of the Indus sites. Another problem concerns the landscape characteristics of the Indus Valley during the Bronze Age before the climate changes that took place around the end of the third millennium cal BC and the disappearance of the Hakra River, which was an important watercourse during the Indus phase. What do we know of the way the Indus communities exploited, transported, and circulated knappable chert? Why have the Indus settlements excavated around the Rohri Hills, the largest chert mines of the Indian Subcontinent, yielded little evidence of chert artifacts and nodules? What do we know of this important problem, which is strictly related to the everyday life of the Indus communities and their economy? Why this problem has been systematically neglected by most archaeologists despite its importance? Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Archaeology and Anthropology of the Ancient World)

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