Archaeological Soil Micromorphology

Avtorji v prispevku predstavijo novo, doslej neznano, revolucionarno tehniko za izdelavo lukenj v kosteh. Ob tej priliki povzamejo tudi celotno debato o musterjenski piščali iz Divjih bab I in zaključijo, da je domneva o umetnem nastanku lukenj v musterjenski piščali verjetnejša od katere koli druge domneve.

Summary.  Lake Luokesas in Lithuania has become the centre of attention in northern European wetland archaeological research after the discovery of two Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pile dwellings. Their unique location, chronology and building techniques have the potential to revolutionise our understanding of important aspects of wetland communities in later prehistoric Europe.

The lack of vertical stratigraphic sondages and open area excavations constitutes a challenge to understanding Mauritanian urbanism. This makes the characterization of the spatio-temporal evolution of Mauritanian towns a difficult task. Systematic excavations carried out in Tamuda by several research teams in the twentieth century provided vertical and horizontal views of Mauritanian urbanism. Our study offers, for the first time, a high-resolution geoarchaeological analysis of Tamuda’s urban sequence (third through first century BC). The microfacies analysis, by means of micromorphology and µ-XRF of Spaces E18 and E20 of the Eastern Quarter revealed a complex interaction of deposits and site formation processes that resulted from changes in everyday urban life. In this respect, the overlap of different construction phases and the alternation of episodes of active use and abandonment is highly significant. This study examines the functional characterization of urban spaces, includin...

Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar overlooking the Río Quípar, a Río Segura tributary, is an upland rock-shelter 75 km north of the Mediterranean coast and 110 km west of the Segura river-mouth. It contains undisturbed sediment 5 m deep assigned by magnetostratigraphy to >0.78 Ma (Matuyama magnetochron). Optically stimulated sediment luminescence dating implies ≥0.5 Ma and mammalian biochronology (notably, of Arvicolid rodents) indicates >0.7-<1 Ma. Remains include an "Acheulian" limestone "hand-axe," and small chert, limestone or quartzite artifacts, knapped on site, often by bipolar reduction or repetitive centripetal flaking of small discoidal cores. Secondarily-flaked ("retouched") artifacts include small irregular chert fragments, resembling chert at an adjacent conglomerate outcrop according to laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry of 19 lanthanide elements, though some chert may have been obtained from up to 30 km away. Faunal remains and pollen are compatible with mild (plausibly MIS-21), damp, fluvio-lacustrine environments. Evidence of fire in a deep, sealed layer includes thermally-altered, lustreless and shattered chert, and both charred and white calcined fragments of bone. Taphonomical analysis and electron microscopy of bone fragments attribute discolouration to burning, not to post-depositional mineral staining. Sediment geochemistry and thin-section micromorphology have been undertaken. FTIRS, TL and ESR analysis of chert and bone imply firing temperatures of about 500ºC at least. Drawing on findings from Cueva Negra, the purpose of this paper is to offer an interpretation of Palaeolithic activity from the perspective of hominin cognitive versatility, techno-manual dexterity, and palaeoeconomic extractive behaviour in long-vanished Western European pal-2 AA.VV. 2

This short paper reports on the absolute dating of a bone tool found in the Late Glacial Moervaart lake, NW Belgium (Crombe et al., 2012). A collagen sample, which was pretreated by means of a cross flow nanofiltration, yielded a radiocarbon date of 8671 ± 43 BP (RICH-20191). This situates the bone artifact in the first half of the 8th millennium cal BC, when the Moervaart area was densely occupied by Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers.

During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 30 to 16.5 ka ago), the Great Adriatic-Po Region (GAPR) was deeply affected by the spread of glaciers from the Alps to the southern foreland and by the dropping of the sea level to ~ -120 m amsl. The combination of these two events triggered the aggradation of the Great Po Plain (GPP), a vast flat area between the Alpine chain, the Italian Peninsula and the north-western Balkan Peninsula, physically and ecologically featured through a range of palaeogeographic and palaeoecological conditions. The low-elevated Prealpine sectors and the Alpine foothills supported more extensive forest stands, due to increased orographic rainfall. These were open boreal forests which persisted throughout the LGM, while open woodlands, steppes, semideserts and wetlands occupied the lowlands. A complex ecogradient, including both an Alpine and a continental timberline, is documented by the fossil records at the NE Alpine border, with a larch-pine forest-steppe belt, in contact with steppes and loess areas extending in the plain, on the dry extreme of the gradient. Still, edaphic wetlands occupied the waterlogged silty soils in the lowlands. Other areas, marked by active geodynamic processes, supported semideserts, i.e. grooves of xerophytic herbs and shrubs. Enhanced aridity and the development of deflation areas, prompted the accretion of loess cover at the northern and southern margins of the GPP. Fauna recorded the gradual disappearance of mammoth, woolly rhino and giant deer, together with cave bear. Gravettian and Epigravettian hunter-gatherer groups inhabited the GPP, although their presence and settlement dynamics at the margins and across this region has long been questioned. As a matter of fact, a handful of
archaeological sites composes a patchy record of the peopling of the plain itself. At the northern rim of the GAPR, characterized by a well-developed karst region, several caves and rock shelters record the presence of hunters of bisons and horses at the margins of the GPP and ibexes and cave bears in some hilly landscapes. Nonetheless, evidence of contacts across this area is provided by the exploitation of chert sources and by stylistic and technical similarities in the lithic industries. The work resumes the currently available multidisciplinary data and adds new
petroarchaeological evidence for reconstructing the settlement dynamics of the Gravettian – Epigravettian hunter-gatherers in this vast region up to the early Late Glacial, when the Prealpine and the Apennine foothills, along with the Dinarids, were persistently settled.

Geoarchaeology began to develop in Latin America during the 1990s, driven by geoscientists with a keen interest in this interdisciplinary field. In the 21st century, geoarchaeology has continued to grow significantly in the region due to its increasing importance in enhancing archaeological interpretations. This discipline provides a contextual framework for understanding site stratigraphy and formation processes, addressing critical questions such as whether a site is in situ or has been reworked, the significance of material associations, and the temporal resolution of assemblages, among other topics. These contributions make geoarchaeological studies essential for any archaeological research. Consequently, this discipline should be an integral part of the
undergraduate curriculum for professional archaeologists. However, due to traditional approaches in the field, geoarchaeological content—if included at all—remains scarce in Latin American universities, even in programs oering long-term degrees in Anthropology or Archaeology. This represents a significant gap that must be addressed in the near future. Since 2012, GEGAL (Grupo de Estudios Geoarqueológicos de América Latina) has worked to promote and advance geoarchaeology, striving to shape the discipline with a distinct Latin American perspective. Despite ongoing challenges, geoarchaeological research in Latin America today demonstrates considerable diversity, high quality, and growing international recognition.

Six foyers expérimentaux ont été construits pour évaluer la capacité de la micromorphologie à identifier un remaniement anthropique de structures de combustion et à établir une base de référence de conditions expérimentales pour calibrer les conditions micromorphologiques. Après utilisation, les foyers ont été soit balayés, soit balayés et le matériel jeté, soit piétinés, ou une combinaison des trois. Un examen micromorphologique a montré que ces processus produisent des caractéristiques distinctes aisément identifiables à une échelle microscopique. L'application de cette expérimentation à des structures, en relation avec de la combustion, du site paléolithique de Hohle Fels (Allemagne) ont montré que l'examen micromorphologique de dépôts anthropiques -soutenu par des observations expérimentales -apporte un contexte important au sein duquel évaluer d'autres classes d'artefacts. Mots clés : micromorphologie, processus de formation des sites, structures de combustion, Hohle Fels Taphonomie des résidus organiques brûlés et des structures de combustion en milieu archéologique (actes de la table ronde, 27-29 mai 2008, CEPAM

Studies of the rural landscapes around the Nabataean/Roman city of Petra in Jordan have tended to assume a developmental trajectory based on that of the urban centre. Recent archaeological investigations at the site of Umm Huwaiwitat, however, shed light on the longer-term histories of human occupation and land use in the region north of Petra. Excavation has revealed Late Neolithic deposits formed by the burning of animal dung and the disposal of ash. These deposits underlie walls, today serving as agricultural terraces, which date to at least the Early Bronze Age. Umm Huwaiwitat therefore provides a microcosm of the long-lived and constantly reworked agricultural landscapes of the Middle East.

Unlike floors that have been given a lot of attention in archaeological research, the study of roofs is long neglected. Here, we present a study of modern abandoned and burnt mud brick structures, conducted in southern Israel and northern Greece. Using macroscopic observations and interviews together with micromorphology, mineralogical, phytolith, and phosphate analyses, we show that roofs should be sought in close proximity to floors. We show that roofs practically seal activity remains on floors; thus, the importance of identifying roofs in the archaeological record lies mainly with the ability to estimate the integrity of floors and floor assemblages. While human behavior and maintenance practices are major factors in the deposition of primary activity remains on floors, the timing of roof collapse determines how well activity remains will be preserved. In addition, we show that the roof plays a major role in the degradation process of mud structures as wall degradation is enhanced after the collapse of the roof resulting in accumulation of mud brick degradation material on top of the collapsed roof. As most roofs in antiquity seem to have been composed of degradable vegetal materials, we found that not only they leave little evidence for their presence, but they also mix with vegetal activity remains. We therefore use the accumulation of mud brick debris as an indicator for the location of degraded roofs. Using microstratigraphy for the identification of both floors and roofs is significant in order to locate activity remains in the archaeological sedimentary sequence and to evaluate their state of preservation.

Significance This article provides original results on the formative conditions of sheep domestication in the Near East. To our knowledge, none of the results has been published before, and the results are expected to be of wide interest to archaeologists, biologists, and other professionals interested in evolutionary and cultural processes of animal domestication.

The introduction of sheep to the U.S. Southwest in A.D. 1598 and their embrace by non-colonized Diné (Navajo) communities over the next 150 years represents a unique cultural shift in Indigenous North America whose effects can still be seen today. Because the early history of this process remains poorly understood, the Early Navajo Pastoral Landscape Project (ENPLP) was developed to explore incipient pastoralism's role in early Diné society. This paper reports a minimally invasive methodology for identifying Gobernador Phase (ca. A.D. 1625-1760) Navajo sheepherding sites in northwestern New Mexico through the identification of calcitic dung spherulites in archaeological soil samples associated with likely corral/pen enclosures. Dung spherulite-focused approaches have been successfully employed at dozens of sites worldwide, and the results of the ENPLP Phase 3 analyses suggest that this approach does work in the early Navajo context, although there are a series of potential limiting factors.

Klasies River Main Site, located on the Tsitsikamma coast of South Africa, is a complex of caves and rockshelters featuring well-stratified deposits that span MIS 5e through the Holocene. The Middle Stone Age (MSA) anthropogenic layers yielded diverse findings, including early Homo sapiens remains, artifacts such as stone and bone tools, and plant and faunal specimens. Geoarchaeological analyses at the site
have a long history, with micromorphology recently conducted in several areas.

This research explores the use of Micro-CT analysis for identifying suspected plant remains, particularly species of the genus Morella, and examining their visibility and distribution within micromorphological
blocks. Morella species are small trees and shrubs that belong to the Myricaceae family. They are known ethnobotanically as both processed and raw food, food enhancers, materials for wax production, and
even as medicinal plants or as fire starters. This study presents the initial findings of a combined methodological approach using Micro-CT scanning alongside archaeobotanical, experimental, and petrographic methods for plant identification.

Modern reference seeds from three Morella species were scanned using a Nikon XT H 320 microtomographer, followed by segmentation and 3D modeling. Archaeological samples from the Hoowieson’s Poort deposits were subsequently analyzed. Preliminary results indicate a substantial
presence of Morella seeds within the scanned sediment block. These findings suggest that Micro-CT analysis can significantly enhance our ability to detect and interpret plant use in geoarchaeological samples that were previously difficult to examine. By providing a high-resolution, interdisciplinary method for plant identification, this approach offers opportunities for understanding the discrete depositional environments of individual seeds.

The Apennine foothills at the southern limit of the Po Plain consist of a belt of coalescent, gravelly, alluvial fans trending to the north, towards the depocenter of the plain. Their aggradation is generally considered to have been controlled by climate and linked to the glacial periods of the Middle and Upper Pleistocene. At the transition from the Upper Pleistocene to the Holocene, aggradation of most of the alluvial fans stopped and their surface was subject to weathering, which resulted in deep, rubified Alfisols (Sols bruns fersiallitiques). These developed mainly during the Boreal and Atlantic periods. Beginning in the Sub-Boreal period, fine-textured alluvial deposits buried the distal margin of the alluvial fans and the soils developed on them. These deposits consist of fine-sized sediments of overbank facies, organised in fining upward sets and intercalated by buried Entisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols. The accumulation of alluvial sediments on the alluvial fans, after the prevailing weathering on their top, indicates a main change in the pedo-sedimentary processes and is related to the climatic change that occured between the end of the Postglacial Hypsithermal period and the beginning of the Neoglacial period. The soils on top of the alluvial fans and in later alluvial deposits show intensive human use and occupation from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age, and witness a significant change in land exploitation during the Atlantic/Sub-Boreal transition. During the Neolithic (Atlantic period), agricultural practices linked to shifting agriculture had minimal impact on the vegetation mantle and were limited to the plain areas. By contrast, during the Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age (Sub-Boreal period), a rather different mode of land use was adopted, as the result of the newly introduced transhumant pastoralism. Deforestation through slash and burn techniques was very intense and widespread, extending far beyond the boundary of the plain, deep inside the mountain range, affecting the Po Plain and the adjoining Apennines. This case study presents an argument for seeing climate change and human activity (deforestation by fire, agriculture and pastoralism) as synergic phenomena that shaped the prehistoric landscape.

Combined archaeological and pedogenetic study allows reconstructing the history of early habitation in Moscow Kremlin (Moscow, Russia). The area is confined to the third terrace of Moskva River with Podzols as native soils formed in fluvioglacial sandy deposits under virgin broad-leaved forests with conifers. From the Early Iron Age (1500–2000 BP) to the 12th century, alternating stages of agricultural land use and abandonment resulted in human-induced transformation of natural ecosystems into agricultural landscapes. Agricultural land use provoked soil erosion that lead to truncation of the upper soil horizons. Sediments deposited due to slope erosion and mineral materials transported by ancient people enhanced initial lithic discontinuity of soil parent material. Ancient agricultural practices included melioration of soils by mineral and organic fertilizers. During the Early Iron Age the pasture was fertilized by ash and limed by crushed dolomite. Melioration of the 12th century i...

This study introduces new macroscopic and microscopic evidence for identifying archaeological animal penning areas: phosphatic crusts. Despite the importance of herding activities for reconstructing the social, economic, and ecological aspects of ancient communities, evidence for animal penning areas has traditionally relied on faint architectural traces or microscopic indicators that are often challenging to identify in the field. By employing a multidisciplinary approach that combines field observations, geoarchaeology, lipid biomarker, and microbotanical analyses, this research examines the phosphatic crusts recently identified at the Middle Bronze Age (1650-1300 BCE) site of La Muraiola di Povegliano (Verona, northeastern Italy). The analyses uncover the processes behind phosphatic crust formation, highlighting the key role of the concentration of animal ejecta in the cementation of the deposit by nanocrystalline partially carbonated hydroxylapatite. This multi-proxy approach further demonstrates that phosphatic crusts serve as crucial archives for investigating the use of space, livestock management (e.g., free grazing/confinement, livestock species, foddering), and human-animal-environment interactions.

During the preventive archaeological excavation in the cellar of the site of petite Rue des Bouchers in the historical centre of Brussels (Belgium), the waterlogged remains of a thirteenth century AD sunken byre (potstal) were discovered. The exceptional preservation instigated a multiproxy approach, including micro-archaeology, micromorphology, phytolith and endoparasite egg analysis on thin sections, palynology and the study of plant macroremains on the fill of the structure. Beyond permitting to detail the content and the multiple origins of the fill (including excremental waste and urines, fodder and bedding material, plaggen and/or soil sods, household and construction waste), this study also provides detailed insights into the foddering customs, hygienic conditions within the stable, and the health status of the animals kept. On a more general scale this study documented late medieval farming practices in Brussels, more specifically the need to collect substantial amounts of manure to add as fertilizer onto the cultivated poor sandy soils.

This paper presents the results of a stratigraphic and micromorphological analysis of selected sediment samples of Tiber River's alluvial succession. The study is aimed at investigating the source of the significant sedimentary and hydrologic processes that in the 6th-5th century BCE raised the alluvial plain by several meters. The results suggest that, in addition to local inputs, the documented alluviation in archaic Rome is indicative of regional changes in land cover and an increase of erosion more broadly in the Tiber catchment. The micromorphological study shows the occurrence of microcharcoals associated with evidence of accelerated soil erosion ("papulae") in the 6th century alluvial deposits, and suggests that such regional changes should be associated with deforestation activities in support of urban development.

In Scandinavia, archaeological investigations have made much progress in detailing the characteristics of the earliest towns. Yet, understanding of urban stratigraphies remains limited, and this gap hampers our ability to define site formation processes and develop contextual palimpsests of town life at a formative time of urban development. This paper presents the results of a multi-scale analytical program applied to developer-led excavations of a medieval guild house and a paved street in the centre of Odense, Denmark, using soil micromorphology, trace elemental geochemistry (ICPMS) and radiocarbon-based Bayesian modelling. By integrating excavation and microstratigraphic data, our analysis shows that: (1) the use of space in the early medieval city was more dynamic than hitherto expected; (2) the guild house had separate spaces with floors that were maintained and re-laid several times; and (3) domestic waste was used to raise street levels in 1078-1162. This study also demonstrates the viability of integrating geoarchaeological methods, especially soil micromorphology and geochemistry, in developer-led excavations to aid and enhance the interpretation of complex urban stratigraphies.

Eight juxtaposed structures dating to the Middle Bronze Age (1650-1550 cal BCE) were exposed during rescue archaeological work in Oppeano (Veneto region, NE Italy). The site, named 'Oppeano 4D', was waterlogged and, as such, exhibited exceptional preservation of organic materials, including wooden structural remains and plant remains in the internal accretion deposits within each structure. In the

Four soil toposequences served as the basis to calculate the accumulation of soil organic matter, transformation of pedogenic Fe and Al and net losses of the main elements (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Al, Mn and Si) by means of mass-balance calculations. Elemental losses due to deglaciation and exposure to the weathering environment were calculated. These mass balance calculations indicate that extensive mineral weathering resulted in significant leaching losses of Si, major base cations, and Al (particularly from the upper horizons). Dominant duration identified with mass-balance analysis include desilication and loss of bases.

Soil is viewed as an open system with additions, losses, translocations and transformations of materials. The purpose of this research is to assess the geochemical mass-balance and weathering intensity of Vertisols (Typic Haplusterts) and Entisols (Lithic Ustorthents) developed in a Quaternary-age basaltic toposequence under semi-humid conditions in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. We used mass-balance analysis with a view to measuring elemental gains and losses along with alterations concerning soil forming processes. For this end, geochemical properties, elemental mass-balance changes and certain physicochemical features were identified to benchmark the weathering levels of the profiles. Lithic Ustorthents are distinguished by having a rough texture along with a low organic substance ingredient, whereas Typic Haplusterts have a high clay texture with low bulk density and slickenside features. X-ray diffraction showed that smectites were the prevailing minerals inside the Ty...

The present article discusses the integration of urban geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical data of a series of Dark Earth deposits situated in the alluvial valley of the Senne River in Brussels, Belgium. Due to their homogeneous character, their interpretation is a huge challenge for archaeologists. Through a caseby-case approach, a detailed picture of the sequence of different activities and (semi-) natural events, leading to the build up of Dark Earth at each individual site has been obtained. Among the activities, agricultural practices and waste management, which are rarely archaeologically recorded in urban contexts, have been identified. Despite being situated in a valley context, none of the sites presented an excellent preservation of the organic plant remains. However, through the integration of geoarchaeological and botanical data, the taphonomical history of the botanical remains could better be understood, allowing us to document the evolution of the environment surrounding the sites. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the botanical study of Dark Earth units can also provide valuable information on vegetal consumption, in particular fruits. On a broader scale, this integrated geoarchaeologial and archaeobotanical study sheds some light on the process of urbanisation of the Senne alluvial valley between the 11the12th and the 16th century AD.

This study uses the National Institutes of Health ImageJ software to investigate the colour variation and degree of compaction in paleosols developed on 3500–2600 BCE layers of volcanic ash in the excavation site for the new Chiaia Metro Station at Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli in downtown Naples. Plough marks on the paleosols indicate agrarian activity during a 700-year period. The darkening toward the top of the paleosols, especially around root-like stringers extending down from the surface, is due almost exclusively to alteration of glass in pumice particles to clay minerals. Feldspar crystals in the same ash show no signs of alteration. One set of plough marks appears to be too regular and closely spaced (<12 cm) to have been formed by multiple passes with a single-bladed stick plough, raising the question of whether a multiple-pronged plough could have been used, even though no archeological evidence indicates their use at that time. Bent crystals of biotite indicate that the ashes underwent compaction. The preferred orientation of mineral grains indicate that all of the ashes underwent about 12% compaction, regardless of proximity to a ploughed surface. We conclude that the compaction was due to load pressure rather than to agrarian activity.

A method was developed to impregnate peat soils for the preparation of thin sections. Peat soil samples used consisted of wet tropical peat collected from Indonesia. To allow miscible impregnation without prior water replacement from the sample, polyethylene glycol 4000 was used as the impregnant because this material is soluble in water in all proportions. The impregnation procedure consisted of consecutive heat-immersion of the samples at 60 to 70'C in polyethylene glycol 4000 solutions with increasing concentrations. Consecutive impregnation for 2, 3, 4, and 5 d in 25, 50, 75, and 100% polyethylene glycol 4000 solutions, respectively, was found to be suitable for impregnating and hardening the samples. The heating temperature during the period of impregnation should be properly kept so as to avoid too fast vaporization, bubbling, or even boiling, while maintaining polyethylene glycol 4000 always under solution conditions. Immersed conditions should be maintained in order to avoid air trapping. After the impregnation was completed, the samples should be cooled slowly to allow homogeneous solidification of polyethylene glycol 4000. For the preparation of thin sections, a sliding microtome was used to obtain slices as thick as 20-30,um after coating with a cellulose adhesive. The proposed method was found to be convenient for, and applicable to the preparation of high quality thin sections of peat soils.

Documents the results of archaeological excavations at Megiddo in northern Israel, concentrating on two tombs excavated in 2016: a monumental chamber tomb from Middle Bronze III and a simpler pit burial from Late Bronze I"-Provided by publisher.

This study focuses on the geoarchaeological analysis of occupation deposits preserved at the edge of the early
medieval site of Mikulˇcice, the centre of the Great Moravian proto-state (8th–10th century CE). The combination
of soil geochemistry, grain size analyses and micromorphological observations applied to two sections and linked
with wider sedimentological and archaeological context were applied to complicated archaeological structures.
From the given data is obvious, that settling in this area was strongly influenced by the presence of increased
underground water, so repeated terrain levelling with permeable sands was the necessary maintenance, followed
by the deposition of sediments enriched by human waste, alongside episodes of soils formation. These sedimentary
deposits condition were one of the most important factors for the formation of Dark Earth, driven by
biological mixing of kitchen waste, charcoal, bone fragments, and excrements. The study presents one of the first
descriptions of Dark Earth in Czechia outside a high medieval urban context, specifically identifying it as Endostagnic
Arenic Technosols at an early medieval hillfort.

Los estudios geoarqueológicos en la cueva de Arlanpe han incluido analíticas de caracterización mineralógica, granulométrica y micromorfológica. Así se han identificado los procesos de formación del yacimiento y complementado la información arqueológica. Los procesos de erosión e infiltración de suelos formaron el registro sedimentario, cuyas características sedimentológicas permiten identificar condiciones paleoambientales relativamente húmedas y cálidas a lo largo del Paleolítico Medio Antiguo, eventualmente interrumpidas por rápidos eventos relativamente fríos, y condiciones más frías a lo largo de la secuencia del Paleolítico Superior. La micromorfología muestra que la actividad antrópica durante el Paleolítico Medio Antiguo es alternante, restos fosfáticos denotan la presencia predominantemente de carnívoros y la visita esporádica de los humanos estaría atestiguada por la presencia de restos líticos, óseos y restos de microcarbones procedentes de hogares desmantelados.

Burial conditions significantly impact archaeological deposits, possibly affecting our ability to reconstruct past human activities. This geoarchaeological study examines the informative potential of Bronze Age intra-site deposits by comparing two stratigraphic archives from a waterlogged and a well-drained context. The case studies-Oppeano 4D and La Muraiola di Povegliano-belong to the same archaeological culture, chronology, and geographical area. Both sites feature some of the best domestic evidence from the Italian Bronze Age, along with substantial anthropogenic stratifications, which are the focus of this study. Micromorphology, combined with micro-XRF mapping, reveals that in both sites domestic hearths and animal herding were the primary contributors to the formation of archaeological deposits. This study explores: (1) The formation processes of intra-site protohistoric stratigraphic sequences, which were found to be similar at both sites; (2) The role of different hydrological regimes in affecting the preservation of sedimentary evidence; (3) Practical implications for fieldwork when investigating domestic deposits in both well-drained and waterlogged contexts; (4) Suggestions for large-scale chemical mapping of intra-site deposits, using micromorphology to refine interpretations of chemical signatures. Finally, this study demonstrates that, when geoarchaeological analysis is closely integrated with field data, well-drained deposits can yield comparable insights into past human behaviours as waterlogged sites. The pristine preservation of evidence in waterlogged contexts provides a valuable reference for interpreting deposits with a lower degree of preservation, enhancing our understanding of formation processes.

Eight juxtaposed structures dating to the Middle Bronze Age (1650–1550 cal BCE) were exposed during rescue archaeological work in Oppeano (Veneto region, NE Italy). The site, named ‘Oppeano 4D’, was waterlogged and, as such, exhibited exceptional preservation of organic materials, including wooden structural remains and plant remains in the internal accretion deposits within each structure. In the present article, the internal stratifications of four such huts have been studied by means of a multi-disciplinary protocol including soil micromorphology and micro- XRF mapping, the study of botanical macro-remains, palynology, and the analysis of faecal biomarkers through GC-MS. Geoarchaeological and geochemical methods allowed to define deposit components necessary for the interpretation of the botanical records. The analyses revealed that the Oppeano structures are in fact byrehouses, where small herbivores were penned and in which other domestic activities, such as cereal processing by means of fire and food preparation, took place. Analyses also revealed that the floodplain offered several different natural environments for pastures and the collection of hay and litter for animal herding. These included the wetlands surrounding the site, the ruderal areas close to cultivated fields and settlement, and mixed deciduous mesophilous and hygrophilous woodlands. The carpological record showed a marked contrast among charred remains, pertaining to food processing, and uncharred seeds, fruits, buds, and twigs that derive from herbivore dung and fodder/bedding material. The palynological record reflects this dichotomy between activities related to human diet and animal penning that took place inside the structures and further revealed traces of natural environments used for pastures.

The co-occurrence of a sharp dust peak, low lake levels, forest reduction, and ice retreat at ca. 4-kyr BP throughout tropical Africa and West Asia have been widely explained as the effect of an abrupt climate change. The detailed study of soils and archaeological records provided evidence to re-interpret the 4 kyr BP dust event linked rather to the fallback of an impact-ejecta, but not climate change. Here we aim to further investigate the exceptional perturbation of the soil-landscapes widely initiated by the 4 kyr BP dust event. Results are based on soil data from the

Could a tree survive for centuries on an oceanic island under strong human pressure? And what if the island is subject to the recurrent activity of several volcanoes? The Canary Islands archipelago, in the North Atlantic Ocean, meets both conditions. These volcanic islands have been inhabited by humans for the last two millennia ) and currently are a major tourist destination (15 million visitors in 2016). Surviving here for centuries is certainly a real challenge for any tree, since in addition to usual volcanic activity, the human arrival triggered extinctions of endemic species and disappearance of whole ecosystems. But unexpected things sometimes happen. The Teide National Park, in Tenerife island, was declared in 1954 and includes several active volcanoes, the highest of which is named Teide and peaks at 3,718 m above sea level, just 15 km away from the shoreline in the midst of the island. Park managers, concerned with preserving and recovering Teide's native flora and fauna (see Olano et al. 2017), are now directing their efforts to study the population dynamics and longevity of remaining Canary Islands junipers (Juniperus cedrus Webb. & Berthel.). Their aim is to discern whether these large shrubs, or small trees, were once able to form forests that could have covered the currently treeless landscape. In October 2018, we spent one week in the Teide National Park sampling wood cores from Canary Islands junipers with the help of park managers and rangers. Our targets were junipers located at the foot of escarpments or in flat areas at higher elevation, but in any case, accessible by foot. One of these individuals was an apparently old tree located in a barren landscape on the edge of a lava flow, out of sight from roads and walking trails, and completely isolated from other junipers (Fig. ). The tree has an extremely irregular and twisted trunk, with large dead portions and clear signs of wood rot. However, lateral sides still keep bark from ground to the top, allowing the tree to sustain a healthy canopy despite the large amount of rotten wood. Because of the venerable look of this tree, local people

This paper describes recent trials of hand-held digitial recording equipment including digital pens and digital clipboards as part of the VERA (virtual Environments for research in Archaeology) project. It examines the key issues involved in introducing such ...

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Traditionally, phytolith analyses are carried out by extraction from bulk (sediment) samples. This technique provides valuable information, not only on the morphological and/or taxonomic assignment of phytoliths, but also on their concentration (quantitative analysis). However, extraction leads to the loss of the (micro-)context in which they are embedded. Over the past 20 years, the study of phytoliths in soil thin sections has proven to be a consistent method. As phytoliths are neither removed from their sedimentary matrix nor artificially concentrated, their analysis provides information on their taphonomical history, but their morphological identification is sometimes limited. Therefore, it seems obvious that the next step to improve phytolith analysis is to combine the two approaches. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of this integration. For this purpose, we focus on the urban Dark Earth of the DIVA-site (Antwerp, Belgium), with a chronology between the end of the Gallo-Roman Empire and the 11th century AD. Three different stratigraphic units, micromorphologically recognized within the Dark Earth, have been studied. They correspond to an agricultural field, unconsolidated walking surfaces and a floor. Our results confirm the added value of combining the two methods. The possibility of observing the phytoliths in their (micro-)context allowed us to characterize each stratigraphic unit with a particular phytolith assemblage. At the same time, the information derived from the bulk samples overcomes the difficulties in the morphological identification of phytoliths in soil thin sections.

During the preventive archaeological excavation in the cellar of the site of petite Rue des Bouchers in the historical centre of Brussels (Belgium), the waterlogged remains of a thirteenth century AD sunken byre (potstal) were discovered. The exceptional preservation instigated a multiproxy approach, including micro-archaeology, micromorphology, phytolith and endoparasite egg analysis on thin sections, palynology and the study of plant macroremains on the fill of the structure. Beyond permitting to detail the content and the multiple origins of the fill (including excremental waste and urines, fodder and bedding material, plaggen and/or soil sods, household and construction waste), this study also provides detailed insights into the foddering customs, hygienic conditions within the stable, and the health status of the animals kept. On a more general scale this study documented late medieval farming practices in Brussels, more specifically the need to collect substantial amounts of manure to add as fertilizer onto the cultivated poor sandy soils.

The first season of excavations at Kh. es-Suwweida in northern Israel revealed strata from the late Iron Age IIA consisting of a series of massive fortification walls, rooms and internal compartments with potential floors. A microarchaeological investigation was undertaken to add high-resolution contextual and compositional data to the field evidence and characterize site formation processes, construction materials and technologies, and use of environmental resources. We applied a micro-archaeological approach to study sediments and archaeological materials via micromorphology, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and micro-spectroscopy, and phytolith and pollen analysis. Two main construction technologies were identified: lime plasters produced from mixtures of pyrogenic lime and non-pyrogenic crushed chalk, and mudbricks prepared from sedimentary materials. An in situ lime constructed floor with multiple re-plastering and activity zones associated with the remains of a degraded mudbrick structure was reconstructed in one locality, and a collapsed burnt lime and mudbrick building with a wooden superstructure was reconstructed in another locality. The micro-archaeobotanical analyses identify domesticated barley, the cultural utilisation of grasses on-site, and a hinterland vegetation of open fields. The combined microarchaeological evidence enables a more detailed reconstruction of the variability in construction technologies and the sequence of collapse and degradation processes in an Iron Age settlement.

This two volume publication deals with the excavation of a wooden ship in Zeewolde in the province of Flevoland.  The ship ship went down in around 1880 in the Zuiderzee, now part of the polders of Flevoland. The 18,5 long and 4,15 m wide ship was devided into three seperate space: a forecastle, a carge hold and a living area. The forecastle was almost completely destroyed by a ditch dug in the 1970ies. That is when the shipwreck was dicovered. In 1982 a small trial excavation was carried out idenitfying the ship as a late 19th century ship carrying town refefuse. In 2019 thre other parts of the ship were excacated by the Culturel Heritage Agency together with amateur archaeologists and students maritime archaeology from different universities in the Netherlands. The excavation results show that the ship had a crew of two. They used the 3x3 m living space for coocking, eating and sleeping.  The finds suggest poor livings standards. The refuse consisted of pottery, building materials, glass, charcoal and coces, metal, animal bones, shells, objects of worked bone, wood and cork.  Part of it seems to come from quite wealthy households. The rest from a gasworks, buidlingssites, roadsweep and ashbins. Indications for the contents of cesspits are missing. The wreck represents the transport of materials such as peat from the Northern and Eastern part of the Netherlans to towns in the central and western parts. On their returnjourney the ships carried town refuse. This refuse was used to fill in holes where peat was dug out or used in road construction or dikebuilding.
The publication gives insight into the material culture of both rich and poor in the 1870ies and 1880ies.

Sur-les-Creux rockshelter is located in the Prealps of southwestern Switzerland. The sequence of deposits in the rockshelter is 80 cm thick and consists of weathered gravels in a phosphaterich matrix. A few Middle Palaeolithic artifacts and the bones of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) were recorded in the fill. We present the results of sedimentological, geochemical, and micromorphological analyses of the rockshelter sediment. All analyses suggest an endokarstic origin of the sediments. The alteration cortices of the gravels imply in situ weathering over a long period. The phosphates are essentially biogenic and have an apatitelike nature. Phosphatization and intense mixing of the sediment are attributed to cave bear (digging of lairs, input of excrements, and carcasses). Only rare carnivore coprolites (lynx) were preserved in the cave deposits.

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