Archaeology of shell middens

Nuovi scavi sono stati svolti nel settembre 2022 presso il sito del Neolitico Medio di Molino Casarotto (Vicenza, Italia). Il sito era già stato scavato da L. Barfield e A. Broglio (1969-72), con l’individuazione di tre “aree di abitazione”. I nuovi scavi hanno interessato una porzione mai scavata della c.d. II area di abitazione, ed hanno riaperto parte dei vecchi scavi per esporre un focolare. Sono state effettuate quindici nuove datazioni radiocarboniche. Le principali evidenze dei nuovi scavi sono (a) un allineamento di pali che costituisce il limite nord delle strutture e degli strati antropici della II area di abitazione, contemporaneo all’infissione di pali con probabile funzione di bonifica (4705-4613 cal a BCE); (b) un’area con residui di piastre scottate derivanti dallo smantellamento di focolari; (c) un nuovo focolare circolare con più rifacimenti (4670-4543 cal a BCE). La sezione del focolare della II area di abitazione, già esposta negli scavi 1969-72, ha permesso di vedere che esso è in realtà una sovrapposizione ripetuta di focolari strutturati e scarichi (4604-4371 cal a BCE). Vengono inoltre illustrati i materiali ceramici, la litica, le faune, ed un’ascia in eclogite a granati.

Among growing indications of human occupation in the coastal regions of southern and southeastern Arabia extending into the Neolithic and beyond, this study introduces new archaeological evidence, namely bifacial arrowheads and trihedral points, suggesting human presence at the Saruq Al-Hadid site in the fringe of Rub' Al Khali during the mid-Holocene period. Human activities in the site are dated to the 'Dark Millennium' and Bronze Age. We suggest that Contexts 10 and 8 are an extension of the activities of the Horizon IV, located 20 m to the West. This is evidenced by the similarity in the simple reduction strategies applied in both to produce microliths, which are dated in both as well to the Wadi Suq and Late Bronze Age periods. However, there is a notable difference in bone density, with Horizon IV exhibiting higher density. Moreover, the almost complete absence of end products in Contexts 10 and 8 contrasts with their prevalence in Horizon IV. And the absence of final products in Contexts 10 and 8, with their high percentage in the Horizon IV. Taken together, these indications, coupled with the low density of lithics in Contexts 10 and 8 as well as those unearthed in area F, suggest that Horizon IV was the focal point of activities during the Wadi Suq period and the Late Bronze Age.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is used in this study to delineate the extent and internal structure of a large late Holocene buried shell matrix site at Thundiy, Bentinck Island, northern Australia. Shell matrix sites comprise a key component of the coastal archaeological record. The extensive nature of many shell matrix sites presents challenges for archaeological sampling regimes. While large-scale excavation is undesirable and impractical, limited test pits often represent only a tiny fraction of large shell deposits and are rarely considered representative. This study transforms GPR data into three-dimensional models which form the basis of deposit volume estimates. Volume estimates are evaluated against excavation data to test their accuracy. Results demonstrate that this novel methodology can generate accurate three-dimensional representations of buried shell matrices and highly accurate volume estimations with error margins of 3.5%±7%. It is recommended, though, that more inclusive error margins of 19.5%±17% are used to account for potential error, especially where results cannot be verified. This greater understanding of the extent and structural variability of deposits can be utilised to create robust sampling strategies for excavation. The methodology could also be further employed to enhance comparative regional studies and to add to conservation and management practices of buried shell matrix sites. If applied more widely this methodology will not only benefit our understanding of shell matrix deposits but also the wider archaeological record of coastal regions worldwide. geophysics; shell matrix; ground-penetrating radar; shell midden; Australian archaeology Highlights  GPR data were used to create volume and 3D models of buried shell matrix deposits  Volume estimates were evaluated against excavation data  GPR volume estimates found to be accurate within 3.5%±7%

Sampling issues represent a persistent problem in shell matrix research, particularly for large shell deposits. When small samples are taken from large buried deposits it is almost impossible, under current research practices, to understand how representative that sample is of the overall deposit. This case study tests a novel method for creating a better understanding of the buried deposits from which excavated samples are taken, thereby allowing for improved sampling strategies and a better understanding of how representative those samples are of the overall site. The case study employs two geophysical survey methods, ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity, to investigate buried shell deposits under experimental conditions. The survey results were used to create volume estimations and three‐dimensional (3D) models of buried shell deposits. This method is novel to shell matrix research and the current case study was designed to test the viability of the method un...

Australia's coastal zone contains a diverse range of cultural heritage places. They are, however, negatively impacted by a multitude of natural and cultural factors. Currently there are few robust site monitoring programmes that focus on identifying the causes and directions of change in the coastal zone and the impacts that these changes have on heritage places. With case studies from Queensland, we outline and evaluate a number of potential approaches to coastal monitoring. They range from localised but inexpensive combinations of anecdotal observations coupled with geoindicators, to the use of more recent and sophisticated technologies such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing. We also propose there is a need to establish cooperative information data sharing arrangements in Australia for coastal monitoring studies.

Offshore island colonisation and use around the northern Australian coastline in the mid-to-late Holocene is associated with expanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and intensifying land-use activities. However, few explicit tests of the long-term effects of shellfish forager decision-making and associated impacts on intertidal ecosystems in these newly colonised island environments have been undertaken. We report morphometric analyses on two key reef flat Great Barrier Reef shellfish species, strawberry conch Conomurex luhuanus (n=360) and top shell Rochia nilotica (n=45), from two late Holocene archaeological shell midden assemblages on Lizard Island, northeast Queensland. Human foraging pressure was assessed through reconstructions of population age structure across time, highlighting the importance of determining size-at-age habitat preferences and species behaviour patterns when assessing long-term anthropogenic impacts on shellfish populations. Results show no evidence for resource depression across the late Holocene which is broadly in keeping with previous findings at other locales on the Great Barrier Reef, but contrary to expectations of resource intensification models. We conclude that the rich and abundant resources of reef flat environments were resilient to relatively low intensity and likely episodic Indigenous foraging. This sustainability contrasts with the scale and impacts of intensive industrialised harvesting in the historic period.

Isotope signals derived from molluscan shell carbonates allow researchers to investigate palaeoenvironments and the timing and periodicity of depositional events. However, it cannot be assumed that all molluscan taxa provide equally useful data owing to species-specific biological and ecological traits. The Mud Shell, Geloina erosa (Lightfoot, 1786) (syn. Polymesoda coaxans, syn. Polymesoda erosa), an infaunal mangrove bivalve, is a common component of archaeological deposits along Australia's tropical north coast and throughout the Indo-West Pacific. The ubiquity of G. erosa has led to numerous researchers incorporating this taxon into interpretations of associated deposits, particularly in the generation of radiocarbon chronologies and as a palaeoenvironmental proxy. Despite this, concerns have been expressed regarding the impact of G. erosa physiology and ecology on associated geochemical signals. Adaptations allowing the survival of this species within its highly changeable mangrove environment may introduce complexities into radiocarbon and environmental data archived within its shell. This study combines local environmental and hydrological data with isotopic analysis (δ 18 O, δ 13 C, and 14 C) of live-collected specimens to explore the interpretability of geochemical proxies derived from G. erosa. Results suggest a number of factors may impact geochemical markers in unpredictable ways, eroding the usefulness of associated interpretations.

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.

La presencia de depósitos arqueológicos en contextos dominados
por la sedimentación eólica es frecuente en áreas costeras y en algunos sectores continentales. La dinámica de esta sedimentación presenta algunas características recurrentes y otras disímiles de acuerdo al marco geomorfológico del que se trate, pero en cada caso se verá expresada, junto a otros factores, en los procesos de formación del registro. En este estudio se comparan conjuntos arqueológicos en formas eólicas móviles y fijas, procedentes de localidades del centro y sur de la Argentina, con el fin de obtener un panorama de las semejanzas y diferencias involucradas. Tal comparación se efectúa a partir de siete variables geoarqueológicas que afectan propiedades espaciales y temporales del registro arqueológico, entre ellas, la génesis y dinámica de la acumulación eólica, los procesos de incorporación al sustrato de la evidencia cultural, el desarrollo de suelos y discontinuidades erosivas, las condiciones geoquímicas de preservación y los factores de perturbación. Como
resultado, el trabajo avanza en una caracterización comparativa que permite generar expectativas respecto a algunas propiedades que presentará el registro arqueológico en los sitios ubicados en esos contextos, lo cual colabora en su estudio e interpretación.

Увазі шановного читача пропонуємо видання про здобутки української археологічної науки часів Незалежності нашої держави. Під одну обкладинку ми зібрали для Вас найцікавіші результати археологічних досліджень на пам'ятках від найдавніших часівзаселення людиною теренів сучасної України, до ранньомодерного часу. Тож, книга складається з кількох основних частин, що відповідають окремим хронологічним періодам, до яких увійшло майже 50 нарисів. Для археологів, істориків, краєзнавців і всіх, хто цікавиться минулим нашого краю. УДК 902(477)"63/65"(0.027.3)

En este trabajo realizamos una aproximación a la evolución de la industria pesquero‑conservera de la ciudad de Cádiz en época fenicio‑púnica y presentamos tres nuevos contextos asociados al periodo de transformación de estos complejos productivos durante el proceso de integración de Gadir en la órbita política y económica del mundo romano. Así, los nuevos hallazgos producidos en la calle Huerta del Obispo, en el antiguo Teatro Cómico y en la calle Campo del Sur 16‑18 de la ciudad de Cádiz, contribuyen a enriquecer el conocimiento de este interesante momento de transformación hasta la consolidación del modelo romano de producción concretado en el concepto de cetaria altoimperial.

Conquering new territories: when the first black boats sailed to Masirah Island ViNceNt chArPeNtier, JeAN-frANçois berGer, réMy crAssArd, federico borGi, GourGueN davtian, Sophie méry & Carl S. phillipS Summary Along the 150-km coastline of Masirah, 127 archaeological sites were discovered through surveys carried out in January-February 2012. The island is the largest off the Sultanate of Oman and possesses great archaeological potential, especially for the Neolithic period, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Shell middens, some of which are very large, and many small workshops are related to the production of ornaments in shell or stone. The site of Ra's Dah (SM-10) has proved to be the oldest identified Neolithic occupation in Oman today. Finally, more than 250 km south of Ra's al-Hadd, the discovery of two Early Bronze Age sites, dating to the Umm an-Nar period, considerably increases the area of the 'Magan Civilization', and with it that of the diffusion of goods from the Indus Civilization.

The paucity of well-preserved and dated Pleistocene human remains impedes investigation of demographics and interactions in Late Pleistocene populations in Southeast Asia. Here, we report TBH1, an exceptionally well-preserved approximately 35-year-old male skeleton dated 12 500-12 000 years before present that provides rare insights into these debates. Superior preservation permitted detailed testing of different models of biological affinity and recovery of the earliest mitochondrial DNA evidence from Vietnam. Morphometric analyses indicated an affiliation with extant Southeast Asian Island populations, but with closest overall affiliation with regional Late Pleistocene data. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing showed unambiguous clustering within the M macrohaplogroup and a relationship with the early hunter-gatherer populations of South and Southeast Asia. While osteological analysis indicated good health during life, localized trauma to an accessory cervical rib was detected together with a small quartz flake with characteristics of a micropoint-an exotic technology within existing paradigms-in the immediate superio-posterior thoracic region. A case for a premortem timing for this injury, inflicted by the artefact, is presented. The trauma and subsequent infection are the likely cause of death and, to our knowledge, the earliest indication of interpersonal conflict from mainland Southeast Asia.

Age Before Present (ka) 175 South Coast MSA ~164 -52 (Southern ) African Coastal Foraging Record Can we relate early coastal foraging adaptation of the MSA to increasing forager complexity in the LSA? To do this we need records where those adaptations & technologies meet or overlap. West Coast MSA ~130 -60 (?) KEH-1 East Coast LSA ~37 -8 LSA ~10 -LSA ~15 -This gap in the record is a problem.

Age Before Present (ka) 175 South Coast MSA ~164 -52 (Southern ) African Coastal Foraging Record Can we relate early coastal foraging adaptation of the MSA to increasing forager complexity in the LSA? To do this we need records where those adaptations & technologies meet or overlap. West Coast MSA ~130 -60 (?) KEH-1 East Coast LSA ~37 -8 LSA ~10 -LSA ~15 -This gap in the record is a problem.

Archaeological evidence suggests that middle Holocene hunter-gatherer-fisher (HGF) populations set up camps on coastal shell ridges of Sri Lanka. From the middle to late Holocene,  coastal  areas  were  subjected  to  several  localized  episodes  of  marine transgression  and  regression  due  to  sea  level  oscillation. During  highstands  the Godavaya hill in southeastern Sri Lanka was a coastal headland jutting into the Indian Ocean between two submerged coastal embayments. We present an analysis of data collected  from  the  rescue  excavation  conducted  in  2014  at  the  Godavaya  mid-Holocene  coastal  HGF  camp  site,  including  supporting  information  from  surveys conducted on the surrounding coastal landscape. Through studying the stratigraphy of the profile walls of the gravel pits adjacent to the Godavaya hill, we summarize the geological  process  associated  with  site  formation,  contextualizing  the  prehistoric cultural  phases.  The  analysis of  thelithic  and  faunal  remains  recovered  from  the Godavaya  midden  refuse,  provide  insights  to  middle  Holocene  coastal  adaptations that suggest the existence of multiple sub-ecosystems abundant in aquatic resources. This  abundance  may  have  been  a  key  pull-factor  that  attracted  HGF  groups  to aggregate  along  the  shorelines  during  the  sea-level  highstands  allowing  a  relatively higher density of occupation, as evidenced by numerous encampments along former bay  beaches.  Based  on  the  presence  of  previously  excavated  human  burials  at Godavaya  hill,  similar  to  the  burials  found  at  interior  shell  ridge  habitations,  and support from ethnographic analogy, we propose that inhumation of the dead may have created  an  ancestral  link  to  the  locality,  forming  a  sense  of  territorial  right  and ownership.IntroductionThe Mid-Holocene habitation site at Godavaya (6° 6' 28" N, 81° 3' 4" E) on the left bank of the Walawe River in the Southeastern (SE) coast of Sri Lanka first came to light in  2008  when  archaeologists  from  the  Department  of  Archaeology,  Sri  Lanka  and  the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, (DAI), Germany observed patches of lithic debitage on a small hill overlooking the Indian Ocean. The ensuing test excavations unearthed a mid-Holocene  human  burial  containing  a  skeleton  of  an  adult  individual  in  a  flexed posture (Lankadeepa,2008). The site was revisited in the summer of 2013 during the first season  of  the  Bundala  Archaeological  Survey  Project  (BASP);  an  international collaborative research program (comprising of researchers from the UB Social Systems GIS laboratory at the Department of Anthropology, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology (PGIAR), University of Kelaniya, and the  Department  of  Archaeology,  Sri  Lanka)  focused  on  understanding  middle  to  late Holocene  Hunter-gatherer  Fisher  (HGF)  adaptive  systems  along  the  SE  coast  of  Sri Lanka.

AI generated manuscript
The assertion that all Nassarius shells from Middle Stone Age (MSA) contexts were used exclusively as jewelry oversimplifies the archaeological and functional complexity of these artefacts. While symbolic interpretations are well-documented (d'Errico et al., 2005; Henshilwood et al., 2004), artefacts can and often do hold multiple roles-ritualistic, symbolic, and functional-sometimes within the same cultural context. Ethnographic parallels demonstrate that objects valued symbolically can also serve practical purposes, particularly in subsistence activities (cf. Lombard, 2024). The chronological argument-that stone tidal fish traps date only to the last 2,000 years-does not preclude the existence of earlier fishing technologies. Stone-walled fish traps are indeed a later, durable form of capture technology (Parkington & Poggenpoel, 1971), but net-based systems with perishable components could have been in use far earlier. The absence of direct net remains from the MSA is more plausibly explained by taphonomic loss than by non-use. Perishable plant fibres, leather thongs, and organic netting materials are rarely preserved outside exceptional conditions.

Chronological and archaeofaunal data indicate that settlement of the earliest, low-density populations on California’s Northern Channel Islands was conditioned by variables other than those a􀀀ecting later, high-density populations. We use a variant of the Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) with considerations for low population densities to model early settlement on Santa Rosa Island (SRI). Early in time, individuals could have maximized their per-capita resource return at the mouth of any of SRI’s 19 major drainages, so it was not necessary to distribute themselves in only those habitats with the highest potential return rate. Instead, while some individuals targeted high-ranked habitats, others settled at low-ranked habitats along the south coast that traditional IFD model variants predict would be first settled later. These habitats may have been targeted for other, less often considered environmental characteristics that might have been less important during periods characterized by higher population density or resource stress, perhaps including protection from prevailing northwesterly storms. During the relatively dry Middle Holocene, when population density increased and there was a greater focus on the high-ranked northwest coast, settlement intensity on the south coast did not increase and may have decreased. Later, as settlement at high-ranked habitats in-filled to the point that traditional IFD models predict the lowest-ranked habitats should be settled, there is evidence of population growth and reoccupation on the south coast. This study has implications for understanding initial colonization of new geographic areas, including larger regions in which the settlers did not have complete knowledge of all potential
settlement locations.

In 2019, the Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation, together with archaeologists and community rangers, set out to challenge the idea that the Undara lava tubes of Far North Queensland, Australia were places Aboriginal people avoided in the past. Our initial motivation was for Ewamian cultural values to be included in park planning, alongside the natural values. Over 12 months, a team of archaeologists and community rangers conducted surveys in Undara Volcanic National Park and carried out a small test pit excavation at Darcy Cave. So far, we have surveyed 15 tubes, 12 containing cultural material, and found evidence of at least 1000 years of human occupation. Our research demonstrates the value and challenges of Indigenous archaeologies in an under-investigated part of northern Australia.

In 1566, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived at Mound Key, the capital of the Calusa polity. What he saw there was unlike anything else he would encounter in La Florida, a capital teaming with people and complex architecture that was essentially a terraformed anthropogenic island constructed mostly of mollusk shells situated in the middle of Estero Bay. The Calusa literally raised this landscape-51 ha in area-from the sea and built a complex canal system to the capital's interior. The capital and its outlying towns did not practice large-scale agriculture, but rather relied upon harvesting and management of aquatic resources. Here, I outline the nature of urban processes at the settlement. From this evaluation, I argue that there are many similarities between the settlement and other urban areas of research, particularly in other parts of the Americas. I explore how the occupants of Mound Key worked through some of the experiences of urban processes present via collective action, specifically regarding waste management, transparent governance, and sustainability.

This study analyzes the color variation of Micropogonias furnieri otoliths from Brazilian shell middens to assess seasonality. Results show 73% white growth lines in spring/summer and 70% opaque lines in autumn/winter, correlating with temperature

This report details the archaeological investigations undertaken during the construction of the new South Dunedin Library. The investigations provide an insight into the development of South Dunedin Flat from an almost unmodified natural state as a low-lying salt marsh covered in scrubby vegetation in the mid-nineteenth century, through the first attempts to drain and utilise the land, to the development of the main commercial thoroughfare of South Dunedin, and finally to the 21st century redevelopment of the site to provide a new library for the area. It is notable that the earliest evidence of human activity that was found, a drain cut into the original topsoil, was constructed to manage the ground water that still dominates discussion of the future of the low-lying South Dunedin Flats as the challenges of seal level rise and climatic instability loom large, especially after the 2015 floods that affected large parts of the flat

Advances in archaeological knowledge are achieved through the sharing of facts and interpretations, especially through networks amongst scholars building on each other's research. If past research is ignored, then it seems what comes after may be doomed to fail. Archaeologists Mortimer Wheeler and Stuart Piggott were both part of the Golden Generation that worked towards a professionalization of archaeological practice in Britain in the early decades of the twentieth century. Both also dabbled in the archaeology of South Asia just prior to the end of the Colonial State. This chapter explores the basis of Piggott's and Wheeler's shared view of how to practice archaeology, and how their approach and politicized interpretations were imposed onto Indian archaeology. They formed a network of two, trusting in each other and imbued with colonial power. Their ability to silence criticism stems from their belief that only the colonial power knows best, and that their way of excavation was superior. In the end, their interpretations were disproven, yet their influence on the development of excavation techniques today in the subcontinent is still given credit, when in fact, credit should be given to John Marshall and the indigenous archaeologists he trained.

Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were an important food resource for native peoples of the northern Gulf of Mexico, who deposited waste shells in middens. Nitrogen (N) stable isotopes (d 15 N) in bivalve shells have been used as modern proxies for estuarine N sources because they approximate d 15 N in suspended particulate matter. We tested the use of midden shell d 15 N as a proxy for ancient estuarine N sources. We hypothesized that isotopic signatures in ancient shells from coastal Mississippi would differ from modern shells due to increased anthropogenic N sources, such as wastewater, through time. We decalcified shells using an acidification technique previously developed for modern bivalves, but modified to determine d 15 N, d 13 C, %N, and % organic C of these low-N, high-C specimens. The modified method resulted in the greatest percentage of usable data from midden shells. Our results showed that oyster shell d 15 N did not significantly differ between ancient (500-2100 years old) and modern oysters from the same locations where the sites had undergone relatively little land-use change. d 15 N values in modern shells, however, were positively correlated with water column nitrate concentrations associated with urbanization. When N content and total shell mass were combined, we estimated that middens sequestered 410-39,000 kg of relic N, buried at a rate of up to 5 kg N m À2 yr À1 . This study provides a relatively simple technique to assess baseline conditions in ecosystems over long time scales by demonstrating that midden shells can be an indicator of pre-historic N source to estuaries and are a potentially significant but previously uncharacterized estuarine N sink.

Bandar Jissah is a sheltered cove on the eastern side of the Muscat Capital Area of the Sultanate of Oman that was occupied from at least the Neolithic period (5th-4th millennia BC) through the Late Islamic era. Following investigations by the Uerpmanns and Paul Yule in the 1980s-90s and limited excavations by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture in the 2000s, salvage excavations were conducted by the authors at Bandar Jissah in 2009 under the direction of Prof. Gregory Possehl. These test excavations at the Neolithic shell middens and the Iron Age settlement uncovered a substantial quantity and variety of seashells that suggest the exploitation of marine resources for both subsistence and craft working. In this paper, presented in honor of a scholar who began his career studying seashell crafting, a diachronic view of sea shell extraction and use is detailed from one small area of the Oman Peninsula

GUILAINE J., LEMERCIER O. (2025) – Le Campaniforme est-il de l’âge du Bronze ? in C. MARCIGNY, C. MORDANT dir., L’âge du Bronze en France (2500 à 800 avant notre ère), vol. 2. Synthèses thématiques, Paris, Inrap / CNRS (recherches archéologiques 29), p. 44-48.

This collection of current research on the Channel Islands reflects many of the recent trends and enduring issues of hunter-gatherer archaeology. These include such topics as research approaches, demography, settlement organization, interaction, and ritual. It also presents an opportunity to reflect upon the state of research on the islands and the broader context of investigations into these topics. This chapter will discuss some of the topics presented in this volume as well as suggest ways to place the islands in wider theoretical and regional arenas.

Curry (22Ok578) is a single-mound, Native American archaeological site located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. Curry Mound was constructed between ca. A.D. 1300 and A.D. 1450. This was determined through analysis of Curry’s ceramic assemblage and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating of flotation samples from the 2006 excavation by Nicole Palmer, curated at the Cobb Institute of Archaeology’s Curation Facility. A chronology for construction of the mound was created through the comparison of nineteen AMS dates and the analysis of over 800 ceramic sherds. The construction of the Curry Mound occurred in two stages, Mound Stages I and II, between ca. A.D. 1300 and A.D. 1450. AMS dates from off the mound provide evidence of a later occupation from ca. A.D. 1500 to A.D. 1600. The occupational history of this site ties into the broader regional history of the Black Prairie in Mississippi between the middle Mississippian Period and early Contact period, providing a greater understanding of Mississippi’s Native American history.

The Al Qusais prehistoric necropolis (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), dated between 1,600 and 800 BCE) is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Arabian Peninsula, given its high number of individual and collective burials, and the unique grave goods recently found. In the vicinity of Al-Qusais, a sedentary population settlement was probably established and could sustain itself through the collection of mollusks, to fishing and hunting, thanks to the location's natural resources. As of today, Al Qusais lies within a typical dune system environment, almost nine kilometers away from the coast. This research is part of a project developed by Sanisera Archaeology Institute in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, with the aim of reconstructing the past natural environment, in accordance with archaeological evidence discovered and recorded in the Al Qusais necropolis. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applied to Al-Qusais combined various sources of information with the intention of generating analytical studies, in order to understand the strategic physical location of the necropolis. Reconstructions show that, during prehistoric times, the necropolis was located just 700 meters away from an ecosystem comprising mangroves and shallow coastal waters with intermittent episodes of marine flooding.

Estimates on the extent of time-averaging and age-mixing in sediments from semi-enclosed shallow marine systems (deltas, aggrading clastic shelves, and carbonate platforms) are sparse. Yet, semi-enclosed basins are particularly important for ...

While the citizen science concept has been around for decades, its definition remains fluid in a voluminous literature on the subject. In archaeology, where the concept has had little traction, are we talking about citizens working in science as technicians, or citizens doing science as scientists? Is citizen science in archaeology a marketing rebrand of volunteerism? The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's (SERC) archaeology programme offers what may be a unique solution: a consortium of avocational and professional archaeologists in which individuals and small groups, under the guidance of the laboratory's lead investigator, develop research questions and methods, collect data, analyze, and report results, supported by team members who aid in those tasks that volunteers typically undertake in archaeology; i.e. digging, screening, and washing artefacts. These citizen scientists produce, as well as contribute to, the production of scientific knowledge. Key issues include control, authority, and variable status of participants.

Potsherds fragments or earthenware pottery are a type of archaeological evidence frequently discovered in surveys and excavations. These fragments represent pottery in many forms such as containers and crafts with decorated or plain surfaces. Earthen pottery has distinct characteristics and frequently represents the identity of a specific community. Sriwijaya was a famous kingdom in Sumatra from the 7th to the 10th century. Lampung is in the far south of Sumatra, and highland potsherds from this region are intriguing. However, the highland region is arguably not the origin of these potsherds, geologically or historically. This paper examines the origin of these potsherds through granulometric analysis and ethnography. This research shows the potsherd's granulometric from the highlands is similar to the lowlands of Lampung, and they might adopt the same technique on making pottery from 1000 to 200 years ago. The development of the pottery industry changed in the last 100 years, following the implementation of the Dutch transmigration in 1905 when the Javanese potters began to produce earthen ware techniques from their homeland. The results of this study support the idea that the lowlands have been the main suppliers of pottery for the highlands and surrounding areas, from the post-Sriwijaya era until the present.

The Al Qusais prehistoric necropolis (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), dated between 1,600 and 800 BCE) is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Arabian Peninsula, given its high number of individual and collective burials, and the unique grave goods recently found. In the vicinity of Al-Qusais, a sedentary population settlement was probably established and could sustain itself through the collection of mollusks, to fishing and hunting, thanks to the location's natural resources. As of today, Al Qusais lies within a typical dune system environment, almost nine kilometers away from the coast. This research is part of a project developed by Sanisera Archaeology Institute in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, with the aim of reconstructing the past natural environment, in accordance with archaeological evidence discovered and recorded in the Al Qusais necropolis. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applied to Al-Qusais combined various sources of information with the intention of generating analytical studies, in order to understand the strategic physical location of the necropolis. Reconstructions show that, during prehistoric times, the necropolis was located just 700 meters away from an ecosystem comprising mangroves and shallow coastal waters with intermittent episodes of marine flooding.

While it is clear that current human impact on the earth system is unprecedented in scope and scale, much less is known about the long-term histories of human land use and their effects on vegetation, carbon cycling, and other factors relevant to climate change. Current debates over the possible importance of human activities since the mid second millennium CE cannot be effectively resolved without evidence-based reconstructions of past land use and its consequences. The goal of the PAGES LandCover 6K working group is to reconstruct human land use and land cover over the past 12,000 years. In this paper, we present the first large-scale synthesis of archaeological evidence for human land use in South Asia