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Search Results (313)

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Keywords = archaeological interpretation

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16 pages, 4116 KB  
Article
Evaluating Subsurface Risk for Archaeological Heritage Through Ground-Penetrating Radar Surveys: The Case Study of Bisya and Salūt Archaeological Site (Sultanate of Oman)
by Mauro Mele, Michele Degli Esposti, Mauro Giudici, Alessandro Comunian, Ahmed Mohammed Al Tamimi, Ayoub Shahlub Al Aufi and Andrea Zerboni
Heritage 2025, 8(10), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8100399 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 495
Abstract
We present the results of a Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey conducted at the archaeological site of Bisya and Salūt (Sultanate of Oman), aimed at assessing archaeological risk associated with the planned infrastructural development of the site. The survey employed a dual-frequency GPR system [...] Read more.
We present the results of a Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey conducted at the archaeological site of Bisya and Salūt (Sultanate of Oman), aimed at assessing archaeological risk associated with the planned infrastructural development of the site. The survey employed a dual-frequency GPR system with a survey rugged cart to adapt to the varying conditions of the area. The survey was designed around a scale-adaptive grid strategy, across three sectors, combining medium- and low-definition acquisitions over broader areas to identify zones with low archaeological potential, with a high-density grid near previously excavated structures. Data interpretation was integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial mapping, allowing the definition of a parametric risk indicator for subsurface archaeological potential derived from radar facies characterisation and point-by-point anomaly analysis along GPR profiles. Within the area of higher density, the method successfully mapped buried alignments suggestive of anthropogenic features. The results confirmed the effectiveness of GPR as a predictive tool for archaeological prospection, particularly when combined with spatial analysis. Overall, this study highlights the feasibility of incorporating non-invasive methods into heritage protection strategies, contributing to the sustainable development and planning of archaeological landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Archaeological Heritage)
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23 pages, 338 KB  
Article
Digital Archaeology Underwater: Ethical, Epistemic, and Climate Challenges for a Collaborative Future
by Caio Demilio and Filipe Castro
Heritage 2025, 8(9), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8090383 - 16 Sep 2025
Viewed by 839
Abstract
This article explores the converging challenges and opportunities at the intersection of underwater cultural heritage, digital archaeology, and participatory science. In an era of accelerated climate change, data fragmentation, and rapid technological advancement, underwater archaeology is being reshaped by the rise of generative [...] Read more.
This article explores the converging challenges and opportunities at the intersection of underwater cultural heritage, digital archaeology, and participatory science. In an era of accelerated climate change, data fragmentation, and rapid technological advancement, underwater archaeology is being reshaped by the rise of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data governance, and the growing role of public archaeology. We argue for an ethical and epistemologically inclusive framework that recognizes the importance of co-authorship, data transparency, and multisensory narratives in interpreting submerged sites. Drawing on case studies from Latin America and Europe, this article demonstrates how socio-technical networks, collaborative models, and culturally sensitive ontologies offer a pathway toward a decolonized, accessible, and sustainable archaeology. This paper concludes with recommendations for integrated public policy and citizen-driven heritage protection, highlighting digital archaeology’s transformative potential in the Anthropocene. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic 3D Documentation of Natural and Cultural Heritage)
27 pages, 12108 KB  
Entry
Two Geophysical Technologies Used in Archaeological Research Simplified and Explained
by Philip Reeder
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030151 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 817
Definition
The geophysical techniques ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) are commonly used data collection methodologies in numerous disciplines, including archaeology. Many researchers are now, or will be in the future, associated with projects that use these geophysical techniques, but who [...] Read more.
The geophysical techniques ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) are commonly used data collection methodologies in numerous disciplines, including archaeology. Many researchers are now, or will be in the future, associated with projects that use these geophysical techniques, but who are not well versed in the instrumentation, its function, related terminology, data interpretation, and outcomes. This entry outlines the general approach and background for completing this type of research, dissects the methodology from a completed geoarchaeological project that uses both GPR and ERT, and provides concise definitions and explanations for all facets of the methodology. Based on this methodology, 21 terms or concepts related to GPR are explained in detail, as are 26 terms or concepts related to ERT, and visual representations of some of the terms and concepts are further illuminated via 11 figures. There are also 133 references linked to the various concepts and terms presented in this entry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Earth Sciences)
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22 pages, 1093 KB  
Article
Composite Female Figurines and the Religion of Place: Figurines as Evidence of Commonality or Singularity in Iron IIB-C Southern Levantine Religion?
by Erin Darby
Religions 2025, 16(9), 1181; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091181 - 13 Sep 2025
Viewed by 505
Abstract
Much attention has been paid to female, pillar-based figurines from Iron II Judah, and the veneration of a major goddess in that territory. Similarly, female figurines throughout the Levant have largely been treated as evidence of goddess-worship, writ large. While the focus on [...] Read more.
Much attention has been paid to female, pillar-based figurines from Iron II Judah, and the veneration of a major goddess in that territory. Similarly, female figurines throughout the Levant have largely been treated as evidence of goddess-worship, writ large. While the focus on goddesses and fertility has been critiqued by contemporary scholarship, the prevalence of female terracotta figurines remains a productive ground for critical inquiry. There is still no consensus explaining the dissemination of female figurines throughout Levantine states during the Iron IIB-C and how to interpret the similarities and differences among these corpora. Do the similarities that distinguish the Levantine figurines from those of other regions indicate a widespread diffusion of similar praxis across Levantine religion? Do the unique features of figurine design, technology, and deposition that demarcate the corpora of one Levantine state from another provide evidence for a “religion of place” on a more local scale? How should scholars approach iconographic similarities when interpreting the use and function of figurines in different locales? In an attempt to address these questions, this paper uses Levantine composite female terracotta figurines as a test case to explore the way archaeological data both support and impede a geographically contextualized approach to religious praxis. Full article
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16 pages, 4803 KB  
Article
Finite Element Simulation of Amphora Dispersion in the 4th Century BC Shipwreck off the Island of Žirje, Croatia: A Case Study in Maritime Archaeology
by Šimun Sviličić, Smiljko Rudan and Irena Radić Rossi
Heritage 2025, 8(9), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8090373 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 322
Abstract
This study presents a finite element-based numerical simulation of a shipwreck scenario at the 4th-century BC underwater archaeological site near the island of Žirje, integrating engineering analysis with archaeological interpretation. The site is notable for the wide scattering of amphorae across the seafloor. [...] Read more.
This study presents a finite element-based numerical simulation of a shipwreck scenario at the 4th-century BC underwater archaeological site near the island of Žirje, integrating engineering analysis with archaeological interpretation. The site is notable for the wide scattering of amphorae across the seafloor. A scaled model, based on the well-documented Kyrenia shipwreck, found off the coast of Cyprus, was developed to approximate the estimated parameters of the Žirje vessel, incorporating reduced dimensions, an adjusted freeboard, and a total deadweight of approximately six tons. The finite element model of the ship, its cargo, and the seabed was developed using LS-DYNA R11.1. software. Instead of fluid modelling, the study employed explicit dynamic analysis with a rigid seabed, gravitational loading, and automatic contact to reduce computational cost. A series of parametric simulations explored the effects of roll, yaw, and varying gravitational forces on the sinking behaviour and cargo dispersion. Results indicate that only certain non-uniform sinking conditions, combined with seabed currents, accurately replicate the archaeological distribution of the amphorae. This approach underscores the value of integrating finite element analysis (FEA) with archaeological data to generate digitally supported hypotheses, demonstrating how numerical reconstruction can enhance the interpretation of complex underwater archaeological sites. Full article
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20 pages, 3324 KB  
Review
Changing Tastes: A Review of Later Prehistoric and Norse-Period Marine Mollusc Exploitation in Scotland’s Western Isles
by Matt Law and Jennifer R. Jones
Quaternary 2025, 8(3), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat8030049 - 9 Sep 2025
Viewed by 471
Abstract
This paper examines the exploitation of marine molluscs in the Western Isles of Scotland, from the Bronze Age to Norse periods (2500 BCE–1266 CE). Through analysis of shell assemblages from thirteen archaeological sites, we investigate changing shellfish exploitation practices across time and space. [...] Read more.
This paper examines the exploitation of marine molluscs in the Western Isles of Scotland, from the Bronze Age to Norse periods (2500 BCE–1266 CE). Through analysis of shell assemblages from thirteen archaeological sites, we investigate changing shellfish exploitation practices across time and space. We consider whether these variations reflect cultural preferences, local availability and environments, or evidence of unsustainable harvesting practices. The research examines not only dietary contributions but also explores potential non-food uses of shells, as well as providing insights into coastal environment exploitation. While limpets (Patella spp.) remained consistently important throughout much of prehistory, there was a notable shift toward periwinkles (Littorina littorea), beginning in the Late Iron Age and continuing into the Norse period. This transition appears to reflect a combination of cultural preferences and local ecological availability rather than simple resource depletion. The study highlights the value of standardised methodological approaches to shell analysis and the importance of considering individual and community agency in the interpretation of zooarchaeological assemblages. Full article
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33 pages, 21287 KB  
Article
Interactive, Shallow Machine Learning-Based Semantic Segmentation of 2D and 3D Geophysical Data from Archaeological Sites
by Lieven Verdonck, Michel Dabas and Marc Bui
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(17), 3092; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17173092 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 981
Abstract
In recent decades, technological developments in archaeological geophysics have led to growing data volumes, so that an important bottleneck is now at the stage of data interpretation. The manual delineation and classification of anomalies are time-consuming, and different methods for (semi-)automatic image segmentation [...] Read more.
In recent decades, technological developments in archaeological geophysics have led to growing data volumes, so that an important bottleneck is now at the stage of data interpretation. The manual delineation and classification of anomalies are time-consuming, and different methods for (semi-)automatic image segmentation have been proposed, based on explicitly formulated rulesets or deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs). So far, these have not been used widely in archaeological geophysics because of the complexity of the segmentation task (due to the low contrast between archaeological structures and background and the low predictability of the targets). Techniques based on shallow machine learning (e.g., random forests, RFs) have been explored very little in archaeological geophysics, although they are less case-specific than most rule-based methods, do not require large training sets as is the case for DCNNs, and can easily handle 3D data. In this paper, we show their potential for geophysical data analysis. For the classification on the pixel level, we use ilastik, an open-source segmentation tool developed in medical imaging. Algorithms for object classification, manual reclassification, post-processing, vectorisation, and georeferencing were brought together in a Jupyter Notebook, available on GitHub (version 7.3.2). To assess the accuracy of the RF classification applied to geophysical datasets, we compare it with manual interpretation. A quantitative evaluation using the mean intersection over union metric results in scores of ~60%, which only slightly increases after the manual correction of the RF classification results. Remarkably, a similar score results from the comparison between independent manual interpretations. This observation illustrates that quantitative metrics are not a panacea for evaluating machine-generated geophysical data interpretation in archaeology, which is characterised by a significant degree of uncertainty. It also raises the question of how the semantic segmentation of geophysical data (whether carried out manually or with the aid of machine learning) can best be evaluated. Full article
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18 pages, 5260 KB  
Article
Algorithmic Design in Architectural Heritage: Innovation in Virtual Reconstruction of the Roman Forum Transitorium in Musti, Tunisia
by Jakub Franczuk and Krzysztof Koszewski
Heritage 2025, 8(9), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8090362 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 543
Abstract
Digital technologies significantly influence architectural heritage perception, preservation, and presentation, particularly in reconstructing fragmented archaeological sites. This study explores innovative applications of algorithmic design, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and interactive visualisation through the virtual reconstruction of the Roman Forum Transitorium in Musti, [...] Read more.
Digital technologies significantly influence architectural heritage perception, preservation, and presentation, particularly in reconstructing fragmented archaeological sites. This study explores innovative applications of algorithmic design, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and interactive visualisation through the virtual reconstruction of the Roman Forum Transitorium in Musti, Tunisia—a complex historical site influenced by Numidian, Roman, and Byzantine cultures. The research integrates algorithmic modelling, digital surveying, and cloud-based collaboration, employing software tools such as Archicad, Rhino, Grasshopper, and Virtual Tour platforms. Central to this approach is a parametric, hypothesis-driven methodology, enabling the iterative exploration of multiple reconstruction scenarios informed by historical sources, architectural analyses, and scanned archaeological fragments. Immersive technologies enhance user engagement, allowing for the transparent exploration and interpretation of the site’s historical uncertainties. The results highlight the effectiveness of algorithmic methods in managing interpretative variability, offering flexible, academically rigorous, and publicly accessible virtual reconstructions. By emphasising the hypothetical nature of digital reconstructions and interactive visualisations, this research contributes meaningfully to digital archaeology, demonstrating how innovative algorithmic approaches can bridge academic scholarship and broader heritage preservation practices. Full article
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29 pages, 11362 KB  
Article
Climates of Change in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia: From Scientific Data to Applied Knowledge
by Paul J. Lane, Freda Nkirote M’Mbogori, Hasan Wako Godana, Margaret Wairimu Kuria, John Kanyingi, Katelo Abduba and Ali Adan Mohamed
Heritage 2025, 8(9), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8090352 - 29 Aug 2025
Viewed by 536
Abstract
This paper outlines the implementation and core results of a combined archaeological, historical, and ethnographic study of the histories of well construction and water management among Boran, Gabra, and Rendille pastoralists in arid and semi-arid areas of Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia. Co-developed [...] Read more.
This paper outlines the implementation and core results of a combined archaeological, historical, and ethnographic study of the histories of well construction and water management among Boran, Gabra, and Rendille pastoralists in arid and semi-arid areas of Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia. Co-developed with representatives from different local communities from the outset, this project sought to document the spatial distribution of different types of hand-dug wells found across the study areas, their associated oral histories and, if possible, establish through archaeological means their likely date of initial construction. Concurrent with addressing these academic objectives, this project aimed to train a cohort of local heritage stewards in archaeological, historical, and ethnographic data collection and interpretation, equipping them with the necessary skills to monitor sites of heritage value and further record additional elements of the tangible and intangible heritage of the study areas. This paper discusses the archaeological work that the community trainees participated in, the strategies developed with them to create wider awareness of this heritage, and its implications for identifying ways to ”weather” climate change in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Archaeology of Climate Change)
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23 pages, 12718 KB  
Article
Insights into Gamma-Ray Spectrometry of Building Stones in the North Temple of the Great Ball Court, Archaeological Zone of Chichen Itza, Mexico
by Alejandro Méndez-Gaona, Vsevolod Yutsis, Rubén Alfonso López-Doncel, Claudia Araceli García-Solís and Alfredo Aguillón-Robles
Buildings 2025, 15(16), 2949; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162949 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 572
Abstract
Non-destructive tests are especially useful for the assessment of building stones and their deterioration in built cultural heritage. Gamma-ray spectrometry is a non-destructive test that has not been applied extensively in these types of constructions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to [...] Read more.
Non-destructive tests are especially useful for the assessment of building stones and their deterioration in built cultural heritage. Gamma-ray spectrometry is a non-destructive test that has not been applied extensively in these types of constructions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to show the results of gamma-ray spectrometry for limestone characterization and deterioration assessment. This study was conducted in the North Temple of the Archaeological Zone of Chichen Itza and several outcrops in the area. Gamma-ray spectrometry data were corrected for attenuation caused by the moisture content in rocks to calculate the real radioelements concentrations using linear regression, with interpretation based on their mobility resulting from chemical weathering processes. The results obtained with gamma-ray spectrometry were corroborated by laboratory analyses, demonstrating that stones from the North Temple are more weathered than rocks from the outcrops, and that some limestones have clasts derived from terrigenous sources, causing them to show slightly higher radiation, which can be distinguished easily with gamma-ray spectrometry, even when lithology cannot be recognized in plain sight. Gamma-ray spectrometry proved to be useful for limestone characterization, and data obtained can be correlated with parameters from other analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Cultural Heritage)
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21 pages, 418 KB  
Article
Resistance of an Emerging Community: Early Christians Facing Adversity
by Miguel-Ángel García-Madurga
Histories 2025, 5(3), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/histories5030038 - 16 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1030
Abstract
Situated at the intersection of social history and psychology, this study examines how early Christian communities in Bithynia-Pontus navigated the persecution narrated in Pliny the Younger’s Epistle X 96. Through systematic textual analysis of Latin and Greek sources—triangulated with comparative evidence from Tacitus [...] Read more.
Situated at the intersection of social history and psychology, this study examines how early Christian communities in Bithynia-Pontus navigated the persecution narrated in Pliny the Younger’s Epistle X 96. Through systematic textual analysis of Latin and Greek sources—triangulated with comparative evidence from Tacitus and corroborating archaeological data—and interpreted through Conservation-of-Resources and Social Identity theoretical frameworks, we reconstruct the repertoire of collective coping strategies mobilised under Roman repression. Our findings show that ritualised dawn assemblies, mutual economic assistance, and a theologically grounded expectation of post-mortem vindication converted external coercion into internal cohesion; these practices neutralised informer threat, sustained group morale, and ultimately expanded Christian networks across Asia Minor. Moreover, Pliny’s ad hoc judicial improvisations reveal the governor’s own bounded rationality, underscoring the reciprocal nature of stress between the persecutor and persecuted. By mapping the dynamic interaction between imperial policy and subaltern agency, the article clarifies why limited, locally triggered violence consolidated rather than extinguished the nascent movement. The analysis contributes a theoretically informed, evidence-based account of religious-minority resilience, enriching both early Christian historiography and broader debates on group survival under systemic duress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Political, Institutional, and Economy History)
15 pages, 4067 KB  
Article
Survey and Analysis of Hieroglyphic Inscriptions in the Postern of Yerkapı–Ḫattuša
by Leopoldo Repola, Giovanni Varriale, Massimiliano Marazzi, Vincenzo Morra and Andreas Schachner
Heritage 2025, 8(8), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8080321 - 11 Aug 2025
Viewed by 588
Abstract
Yerkapı, a prominent structure within Ḫattuša, the capital of the Hittite Empire (17th–12th century BC), exemplifies the sophisticated architectural and cultural practices of this ancient civilisation. The monument, encompassing a Sphinx Gate and an underground tunnel (postern) featuring 249 hieroglyphic inscriptions, is hypothesised [...] Read more.
Yerkapı, a prominent structure within Ḫattuša, the capital of the Hittite Empire (17th–12th century BC), exemplifies the sophisticated architectural and cultural practices of this ancient civilisation. The monument, encompassing a Sphinx Gate and an underground tunnel (postern) featuring 249 hieroglyphic inscriptions, is hypothesised to have served ceremonial rather than defensive purposes. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach to document, analyse, and interpret the inscriptions and their architectural context through advanced methodologies. High-resolution 3D digitisation was conducted using drones, terrestrial laser scanning, and photogrammetric techniques, enabling the creation of detailed models of the site. Specific focus was given to the postern, with comprehensive surveys delineating the geometries of the inscriptions and their spatial relationships to the Sphinx Gate. Diagnostic pigment analysis provided insights into the mineralogical and chemical composition of the red figures, further informing the interpretation of the hieroglyphs. The integration of 3D models and petrographic data allowed for the identification of previously unobservable details and facilitated a sequential reading of the inscriptions within their architectural framework. The findings emphasise Yerkapı’s function as a site of symbolic and ritual importance, thereby advancing our comprehension of Hittite ceremonial practices and establishing a methodological paradigm for the integration of digital archaeology with the study of geo-materials in the investigation of complex ancient monuments. Full article
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102 pages, 29310 KB  
Article
“We Begin in Water, and We Return to Water”: Track Rock Tradition Petroglyphs of Northern Georgia and Western North Carolina
by Johannes H. Loubser
Arts 2025, 14(4), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14040089 - 6 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1607
Abstract
Petroglyph motifs from 23 sites and 37 panels in northern Georgia and western North Carolina foothills and mountains are analyzed within their archaeological, ethnographic, and landscape contexts. The Track Rock Tradition comprises 10 chronologically sequenced marking categories: (1) Cupules/Meanders/Open Circles; (2) Soapstone Extraction [...] Read more.
Petroglyph motifs from 23 sites and 37 panels in northern Georgia and western North Carolina foothills and mountains are analyzed within their archaeological, ethnographic, and landscape contexts. The Track Rock Tradition comprises 10 chronologically sequenced marking categories: (1) Cupules/Meanders/Open Circles; (2) Soapstone Extraction cars; (3) Vulva Shapes; (4) Figures; (5) Feet/Hands/Tracks; (6) Nested Circles; (7) Cross-in-Circles; (8) Spirals; (9) Straight Lines; and (10) Thin Incised Lines. Dating spans approximately 3800 years. Early cupules and meanders predate 3000 years ago, truncated by Late Archaic soapstone extraction. Woodland period (3000–1050 years ago) motifs include vulva shapes, figures, feet, tracks, and hands. Early Mississippian concentric circles date to 1050–600 years ago, while Middle Mississippian cross-in-circles span 600–350 years ago. Late Mississippian spirals (350–200 years ago) and post-contact metal tool incisions represent the most recent phases. The Track Rock Tradition differs from western Trapp and eastern Hagood Mill traditions. Given the spatial overlap with Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee territory, motifs are interpreted through Cherokee beliefs, supplemented by related Muskogean Creek ethnography. In Cherokee cosmology, the matrilocal Thunderers hierarchy includes the Female Sun/Male Moon, Selu (Corn Mother)/Kanati (Lucky Hunter), Medicine Woman/Judaculla (Master of Game), and Little People families. Ritual practitioners served as intermediaries between physical and spirit realms through purification, fasting, body scratching, and rock pecking. Meanders represent trails, rivers, and lightning. Cupules and lines emphasize the turtle appearance of certain rocks. Vulva shapes relate to fertility, while tracks connect to life-giving abilities. Concentric circles denote townhouses; cross-in-circles and spirals represent central fires. The tradition shows continuity in core beliefs despite shifting emphases from hunting (Woodland) to corn cultivation (Mississippian), with petroglyphs serving as necessary waypoints for spiritual supplicants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)
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25 pages, 12443 KB  
Article
Exploring Continental and Submerged Paleolandscapes at the Pre-Neolithic Site of Ouriakos, Lemnos Island, Northeastern Aegean, Greece
by Myrsini Gkouma, Panagiotis Karkanas, Olga Koukousioura, George Syrides, Areti Chalkioti, Evangelos Tsakalos, Maria Ntinou and Nikos Efstratiou
Quaternary 2025, 8(3), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat8030042 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 820
Abstract
Recent archaeological discoveries across the Aegean, Cyprus, and western Anatolia have renewed interest in pre-Neolithic seafaring and early island colonization. However, the environmental contexts that support such early coastal occupations remain poorly understood, largely due to the submergence of Pleistocene shorelines following post-glacial [...] Read more.
Recent archaeological discoveries across the Aegean, Cyprus, and western Anatolia have renewed interest in pre-Neolithic seafaring and early island colonization. However, the environmental contexts that support such early coastal occupations remain poorly understood, largely due to the submergence of Pleistocene shorelines following post-glacial sea-level rise. This study addresses this gap through an integrated geoarchaeological investigation of the pre-Neolithic site of Ouriakos on Lemnos Island, northeastern Aegean (Greece), dated to the mid-11th millennium BCE. By reconstructing both the terrestrial and submerged paleolandscapes of the site, we examine ecological conditions, resource availability, and sedimentary processes that shaped human activity and site preservation. Employing a multiscale methodological approach—combining bathymetric survey, geomorphological mapping, soil micromorphology, geochemical analysis, and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating—we present a comprehensive framework for identifying and interpreting early coastal settlements. Stratigraphic evidence reveals phases of fluvial, aeolian, and colluvial deposition associated with an alternating coastline. The core findings reveal that Ouriakos was established during a phase of environmental stability marked by paleosol development, indicating sustained human presence. By bridging terrestrial and marine data, this research contributes significantly to the understanding of human coastal mobility during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Full article
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22 pages, 63497 KB  
Article
From Earth to Interface: Towards a 3D Semantic Virtual Stratigraphy of the Funerary Ara of Ofilius Ianuarius from the Via Appia Antica 39 Burial Complex
by Matteo Lombardi and Rachele Dubbini
Heritage 2025, 8(8), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8080305 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 625
Abstract
This paper presents the integrated study of the funerary ara of Ofilius Ianuarius, discovered within the burial complex of Via Appia Antica 39, and explores its digital stratigraphic recontextualisation through two 3D semantic workflows. The research aims to evaluate the potential of [...] Read more.
This paper presents the integrated study of the funerary ara of Ofilius Ianuarius, discovered within the burial complex of Via Appia Antica 39, and explores its digital stratigraphic recontextualisation through two 3D semantic workflows. The research aims to evaluate the potential of stratigraphic 3D modelling as a tool for post-excavation analysis and transparent archaeological interpretation. Starting from a set of georeferenced photogrammetric models acquired between 2023 and 2025, the study tests two workflows: (1) an EMF-based approach using the Extended Matrix, Blender, and EMviq for stratigraphic relationship modelling and online visualisation; (2) a semantic integration method using the .gltf format and the CRMArcheo Annotation Tool developed in Blender, exported to the ATON platform. While both workflows enable accurate 3D documentation, they differ in their capacity for structured semantic enrichment and interoperability. The results highlight the value of combining reality-based models with semantically linked stratigraphic proxies and suggest future directions for linking archaeological datasets, ontologies, and interactive digital platforms. This work contributes to the ongoing effort to foster transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility in virtual archaeological reconstruction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Digital Heritage)
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