Geospatial Archaeology

This research speaks to the enduring question of the Pink and White Terraces’ survival, New Zealand’s Eighth Wonder of the World. Unlike northern hemisphere calcium carbonate terraces, these were of siliceous sinter (silica). This gave a surprising softness to the terrace basins which were also transradiant. Sunlight reflected and refracted through the basins, and this, combined with the falling mineral waters, gave Victorian bathers a unique nude bathing experience. The Terraces were buried by ash from the nearby Mount Tarawera eruption in 1886. Government surveyors had failed to survey the Terraces and thus they could not be located after the eruption and were assumed to be lost. This plunged the population into mourning for their national treasure. Here, we examine the reports of Māori and colonist, reporters and tourists who travelled into the Tarawera eruption landscape and reported what they saw and guessed about the missing White Terrace shown in Figure 1.

Debate continues over the silica sinter Pink and White Terraces, thegreatest tourist attraction ofthe southern hemisphere. The 1886 Tarawera eruption may or may not have destroyed them by burial or eruption. This research compiles surviving sinter. The volume is unexpectedly tiny, which bears on the debate. A database was developed including photography. A forensic approach was taken to atmospheric conditions which affected visibility. The eruption ejected ~ 0.5 km³ ash. Pink and White Terrace and other sinter occupied ~0.0003 km3–0.0004 km3of this. Finding sinter amongst the ejecta was unlikely. The probability of finding terrace sinter is ~0.03%–0.04%. This helps explain the small amount, presuming it existed. Many samples were unverified or lost. Surviving post-eruption samples are few. The scarcity is consistent with the terraces being buriedand/orthe vagaries of sample collection

This research examines the archaeological discoveries in the sub-Carpathian sector of the Bistrița Valley, focusing on understanding the patterns of human settlement and occupation from the Upper Paleolithic to the Late Iron Age. The study analyzes 29 archaeological sites across 19 localities in the Neamț and Bacău counties, employing an interdisciplinary approach that combines geographical, geological, and archaeological data.
The research methodology incorporates modern digital tools, including Google Earth Pro for geographical analysis, Aeon Timeline for chronological mapping, and Zotero for bibliographic organization. The study explores three main vectors: physical-geographical, historical-chronological, and gnoseo-bibliographic, to construct a comprehensive understanding of prehistoric human settlement patterns.
Key findings reveal a strong correlation between geographical features and settlement choices, with prehistoric communities predominantly establishing settlements on terraces 30-100 meters high, particularly in the Cracău-Bistrița Depression. The research identifies distinct settlement patterns across different historical periods, from Neolithic communities preferring elevated terraces to Iron Age settlements expanding into the plains. The study also documents a significant archaeological hiatus between the Late Eneolithic and Early Bronze Age, possibly related to Indo-European migrations.
The research concludes that geographical determinism played a crucial role in prehistoric settlement choices, with communities selecting locations based on access to water resources, protection from floods, availability of construction materials, and agricultural potential. This study contributes to the understanding of prehistoric human behavior and settlement patterns in the sub-Carpathian region of Romania.
Keywords: Bistrița Valley, prehistoric archaeology, settlement patterns, geographical determinism, Romanian prehistory

Spatial anonymization of address points is critical to fields such as public health. There have been recent concerns about applications of geomasks that did not guarantee the level of k-anonymity theoretically expected. An analysis of the problem and a potential solution were previously proposed: Adaptive Areal Elimination (AAE). The present paper expands on AAE and proposes a modified version, Adaptive Areal Masking (AAM). A benchmark comparison of both methods is conducted, which shows that AAM outperforms AAE in most configurations tested. The discussion attempts to identify the application cases for which AAE might still be preferable and addresses documentation needs with both methods.

ABSTRACTPast human population dynamics play a key role in integrated models of understanding socio-ecological change over time. However, little analysis on this issue has been carried out for the prehistoric societies in the Lower Danube and Eastern Balkans area. Here, we use summed probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to investigate potential regional and local variation population dynamics. Our study adopts a formal model-testing approach to the fifth millennium BC archaeological radiocarbon record, performing a region-wide, comparative analysis of the demographic trajectories of the area along lower Danube River. We follow the current framework of theoretical models of population growth and perform global and regional significance and spatial permutation tests on the data. Specifically, we investigate whether populations on both sides of the Danube follow a logistic pattern of steady growth, followed by a major decline over time. Finally, our analysis of local-scale gro...

ABSTRACTPast human population dynamics play a key role in integrated models of understanding socio-ecological change over time. However, little analysis on this issue has been carried out for the prehistoric societies in the Lower Danube and Eastern Balkans area. Here, we use summed probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to investigate potential regional and local variation population dynamics. Our study adopts a formal model-testing approach to the fifth millennium BC archaeological radiocarbon record, performing a region-wide, comparative analysis of the demographic trajectories of the area along lower Danube River. We follow the current framework of theoretical models of population growth and perform global and regional significance and spatial permutation tests on the data. Specifically, we investigate whether populations on both sides of the Danube follow a logistic pattern of steady growth, followed by a major decline over time. Finally, our analysis of local-scale gro...

Archaeologists increasingly use large radiocarbon databases to model prehistoric human demography (also termed paleo-demography). Numerous independent projects, funded over the past decade, have assembled such databases from multiple regions of the world. These data provide unprecedented potential for comparative research on human population ecology and the evolution of social-ecological systems across the Earth. However, these databases have been developed using different sample selection criteria, which has resulted in interoperability issues for global-scale, comparative paleo-demographic research and integration with paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental data. We present a synthetic, global-scale archaeological radiocarbon database composed of 180,070 radiocarbon dates that have been cleaned according to a standardized sample selection criteria. This database increases the reusability of archaeological radiocarbon data and streamlines quality control assessments for various types ...

Some of the archaeological discoveries made decades ago need scientific reassessments. In this paper, the authors focus on a small hoard of bronze items found in the mid-20 th century in the locality of Ștefan cel Mare (Neamț County). The hoard comprised five metal items, of which only three bronze sickles were preserved. Unfortunately, this small hoard ascribed to the Late Bronze Age has not benefitted from enough discussions in the literature; some synthesis works even omitted it. The items within the hoard were analysed to determine the elemental composition; they were provided with a new graphic representation and discussed against the background of other discoveries ascribed to the Noua culture setting (Late Bronze Age) from the microzone where they were found. According to the data preserved, the small hoard of bronze items was identified at the feet of a rocky massif. This highlights the particular character of this intentional hoard of metal items in a place with a specific symbolism for Bronze Age communities.

Archaeologists increasingly use large radiocarbon databases to model prehistoric human demography (also termed paleo-demography). Numerous independent projects, funded over the past decade, have assembled such databases from multiple regions of the world. These data provide unprecedented potential for comparative research on human population ecology and the evolution of social-ecological systems across the Earth. However, these databases have been developed using different sample selection criteria, which has resulted in interoperability issues for global-scale, comparative paleo-demographic research and integration with paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental data. We present a synthetic, global-scale archaeological radiocarbon database composed of 180,070 radiocarbon dates that have been cleaned according to a standardized sample selection criteria. This database increases the reusability of archaeological radiocarbon data and streamlines quality control assessments for various types ...

Această lucrare reprezintă o sinteză a cercetărilor etnoarheologice asupra zonelor
salifere din România, desfășurate în cadrul a trei proiecte naționale (UEFISCDI) în perioada
2007-2019. Cercetările cu caracter interdisciplinar au vizat exploatarea izvoarelor de apă sărată
și a aflorimentelor de sare. Pe plan teoretic, investigațiile au generat o clasificare a așezărilor
umane în funcție de această resursă minerală și un model radial de aprovizionare cu sare a
comunităților umane, aplicabil în timpul arheologic.
Abstract. This work represents a synthesis of the ethnoarchaeological research on the saliferous
areas in Romania, carried out within three national projects (UEFISCDI) in the period 2007-2019.
The interdisciplinary research was focused on the exploitation of salt springs and salt outcrops.
On the theoretical level, the investigations generated a classification of human settlements
according to this mineral resource and a radial model of salt supply to human communities,
applicable in archaeological time.

This paper illustrates how new techniques of machine assisted learning (ML) can be used to extract useful information from historical plans for archaeological research. Historically collected data can be leveraged by ML, going beyond standard georeferencing and manual digitising procedures (see McCoy 2017). The paper presented here is on the easier end of the spectrum – finding the location of pā sites recorded in the 1920s based on textual labels and specific symbols. We argue combining this data with light detection and ranging data (LiDAR) adds another way to confirm the information contained in historical maps and extends the ML approach even further. We demonstrate the combination of data from LiDAR and historical geological maps from 1920-30s based on research by Hartley Travers Ferrar still provides a way to find important places in the past to preserve them for the future. Brook and Ferrar (2019:54) state “Ferrar’s geological legacy is ongoing”, but it is perhaps unexpected that this extends to archaeological survey especially in the Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau regions relating to both Māori and European family history. Ferrar’s maps remain a useful snapshot of the social geography of these places and are a major resource for heritage professionals. Advances in GIS and related disciplines have only increased the value of these and other historic plans allowing archaeologists to continue Ferrar’s interest in exploring the natural and cultural heritage landscapes in Aotearoa-New Zealand.

In the landmark book Māori Warfare, Vayda (1960) used oral traditions and historical documents to characterize conflict in New Zealand as a cycle of fights over prime agricultural lands driven by population pressure. We examine the archaeological evidence for when Māori warfare took on the character described by Vayda, specifically when were there fortifications across the landscape leaving few opportunities for expansion to unfortified lands to counter food-shortages. We present a critical review of research relevant to the nature and motivations of conflict and the results of excavations we conducted in the Bay of Islands region. We find that Vayda's cycle of warfare is first evident around AD 1650, more than a century after the first fortifications were constructed in AD 1500. Explaining the origins of conflict requires a more nuanced model of environmental, cultural, and historical factors that shaped the degree and frequency of conflict.

New Zealand was first settled by Māori soon after 1200 CE, however the age, and so the social and environmental contexts of the rock art they made remains uncertain. We report the first attempts at the direct dating of New Zealand rock art through radiocarbon analysis focusing on the return of an unexpectedly early date. Historical information and pigment testing indicates that the particular figures that returned the early date were retouched with modern crayons. We report the use of portable X-ray fluorescence to identify rock art figures that have been retouched in this way. Results emphasise the need to consider historical information in future assessments of material for dating Māori rock art. Note: BP denotes an uncalibrated radiocarbon date, and cal BP a calibrated radiocarbon date. Unless otherwise stated, all radiocarbon dates discussed here are calibrated against SHCal13 (Hogg et al., 2013) in OxCal v4.3.2 (Bronk Ramsey, 1995) and presented at 68.2% probability.

The greatest geoscience and tourist attractions in the southern hemisphere were the Pink and White Terraces, the lost Eighth Wonder of the World. British, American and European tourists bypassed local calcareous terraces, for the sea voyage to New Zealand where the siliceous terraces astonished a global audience. Their allure remains. In 1886, the Mount Tarawera eruption buried the terraces. They were not officially surveyed, hence no one knew for certain, where they lay. Debate over their survival continued until the 1940s.

Thank you to National Geographic Society, Centro INAH Sonora, Randall McGuire, and Elisa Villalpando for permitting this research to be conducted. Additional thanks to Rachel Cajigas for sharing her previous research, Joshua Jones for assisting with initial grid setup, and Carlos Tejerizo and Juanita Sandoval for aiding in data collection. Finally, thanks to Hortencia Zavala for keeping us well fed every evening. Discussion & Future Research • Photogrammetric images, once fully processed, will produce high quality maps of La Playa • Additional UAV flights in December of 2017 provide images of areas missed during the April 2017 fieldwork • The area of geophysical remote sensing at La Playa has more than doubled since Cajigas' geospatial work. • Two circular features in Area 5 represent possible pit structures. Further features may be represented in Area 7. Linear anomalies may represent possible prehistoric irrigation canals. • As part of Proyecto La Playa, possible features will be targeted for test excavations.

Archaeologists increasingly use large radiocarbon databases to model prehistoric human demography (also termed paleo-demography). Numerous independent projects, funded over the past decade, have assembled such databases from multiple regions of the world. These data provide unprecedented potential for comparative research on human population ecology and the evolution of social-ecological systems across the Earth. However, these databases have been developed using different sample selection criteria, which has resulted in interoperability issues for global-scale, comparative paleodemographic research and integration with paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental data. We present a synthetic, global-scale archaeological radiocarbon database composed of 180,070 radiocarbon dates that have been cleaned according to a standardized sample selection criteria. This database increases the reusability of archaeological radiocarbon data and streamlines quality control assessments for various types of paleo-demographic research. As part of an assessment of data quality, we conduct two analyses of sampling bias in the global database at multiple scales. This database is ideal for paleo-demographic research focused on dates-as-data, bayesian modeling, or summed probability distribution methodologies.

Thank you to National Geographic Society, Centro INAH Sonora, Randall McGuire, and Elisa Villalpando for permitting this research to be conducted. Additional thanks to Rachel Cajigas for sharing her previous research, Joshua Jones for assisting with initial grid setup, and Carlos Tejerizo and Juanita Sandoval for aiding in data collection. Finally, thanks to Hortencia Zavala for keeping us well fed every evening. Discussion & Future Research • Photogrammetric images, once fully processed, will produce high quality maps of La Playa • Additional UAV flights in December of 2017 provide images of areas missed during the April 2017 fieldwork • The area of geophysical remote sensing at La Playa has more than doubled since Cajigas' geospatial work. • Two circular features in Area 5 represent possible pit structures. Further features may be represented in Area 7. Linear anomalies may represent possible prehistoric irrigation canals. • As part of Proyecto La Playa, possible features will be targeted for test excavations.

Archaeologists are tasked with balancing a call to open data practices and maintaining confidentiality of sensitive archaeological site locations. Low-resolution mapping and data aggregation are the methods most commonly used to hide site locations; however, we understand little of the effectiveness of these practices. Trends in geomasking, obscuring observed geographic points,to anonymize public health data are suggested as a source of methods for sharing archaeological site data. Archaeologists have available to them a number of geomasking methods that balance open data and site security in different ways. Low-resolution mapping at several scales and random direction with fixed radius, random perturbation donut, and Gaussian donut techniques are tested on a set of archaeological site locations. Random perturbation donuts resulted in the best balance between obscuring archaeological locations and conveying observed spatial patterning. Researchers should carefully consider how they convey archaeological location data, as commonly used low-resolution scales may not provide the desired level of obscurity. Researchers should also be explicit as to how and why their methods of site visualization are chosen.

Archaeology in New Zealand is generating ever-increasing amounts of data and information relating to all manner of the heritage, but it is not being systematically captured. All could benefit from expansion of the scope of current databases, creation of new databases and improved integration. As digital data are now the main outcome of many CRM projects, the curation and sustainability of that data is a major priority.

The paper tackles the spatio-temporal patterns of Neolithic and Copper Age settlement dynamics in the Western Carpathian Basin and Eastern Alps with spatially-explicit use of radiocarbon dates. It focuses on the spatial process of spread, movement, aggregation and segregation in the time frame between 8500 and 5000 cal BP. The distribution of Neolithic and Copper Age sites in the study area is clustered and patchy. The first Neolithic settlements appear as isolated islands or enclaves which then slowly expand to fill neighbouring regions. After 6300 cal BP the study area experienced a significant reduction in the extent of settlement systems associated with the Late Neolithic
to  Copper Age transition.

In the landmark book Māori Warfare, Vayda (1960) used oral traditions and historical documents to characterize conflict in New Zealand as a cycle of fights over prime agricultural lands driven by population pressure. We examine the archaeological evidence for when Māori warfare took on the character described by Vayda, specifically when were there fortifications across the landscape leaving few opportunities for expansion to un-fortified lands to counter food-shortages. We present a critical review of research relevant to the nature and motivations of conflict and the results of excavations we conducted in the Bay of Islands region. We find that Vayda's cycle of warfare is first evident around AD 1650, more than a century after the first fortifications were constructed in AD 1500. Explaining the origins of conflict requires a more nuanced model of environmental, cultural, and historical factors that shaped the degree and frequency of conflict.

This paper builds upon the work of Jones and Bickler (2017) which examined the potential for LiDAR to assist in the recording and heritage management of archaeological sites in New Zealand. Here we explore multi-scalar approaches targeting archaeological features of varying sizes across typical terrain and under variable vegetation types. The reasons for this work include the difficulty of access to large areas of New Zealand either because they are remote and less likely to be developed or they remain under some form of dense vegetative coverage which may be difficult to characterise without detailed vegetation clearance. Such areas often contain archaeological sites that are difficult to locate and map in detail even when the archaeological features are large. LiDAR’s advantage, from an archaeological perspective, is that the terrain models generated can be examined using semi-automatic and machine-aided methods which are scalable for local and regional surveys. In the context of New Zealand archaeological survey, LiDAR data follows on from the highly successful aerial photography approaches undertaken by archaeologists such as Kevin Jones (Jones 1994, 1996, 2002; Jones and Tanner 2002; see also Gorbey 1967). LiDAR provides complementary information from aerial and satellite imagery, and modern techniques often combine the data from multiple sources for archaeological survey. We describe here work undertaken to identify new archaeological sites of Māori origin in the Waikato.

УДК 903(477.5)"636"(082) ББК Т4(4)я43 К-90 Культурний комплекс Кукутень-Трипілля та його сусіди. Збірка наукових праць пам'яті Володимира Круца / За редакцією Олександра Дяченка, Франческо Менотті, Сергія Рижова, Катерини Бунятян і Славоміра Кадрова. -Львів: Видавництво «Астролябія», 2015. -476 с., 225 рис.

Covering an area of nearly ten square kilometers, La Playa (SON F:10:3) is one of the most important archaeological sites in northwest Mexico.  While La Playa Las been best known for its Early Agricultural occupation, this research, funded through National Geographic, targets the poorly understood origins of the Trincheras Tradition.  This poster presents initial results of the magnetic gradiometry and photogrammetric imagery collected from the site in April 2017 as part of the ongoing binational project Proyecto La Playa.  Along with magnetic gradiometry data collection, several unmanned aerial vehicle flights with a Trimble UX5 captured photogrammetric images of the site.  This data has yielded the possible presence of irrigation canals, pithouses, and thermal features.  With erosion damaging much of La Playa, this research documents at-risk features for future excavation.

As spatial technology has evolved and become integrated in to archaeology, we face a new set of challenges posed by the sheer size and complexity of data we use and produce. In this paper I discuss the prospects and problems of Geospatial Big Data (GBD) e broadly defined as data sets with locational information that exceed the capacity of widely available hardware, software, and/or human resources. While the datasets we create today remain within available resources, we nonetheless face the same challenges as many other fields that use and create GBD, especially in apprehensions over data quality and privacy. After reviewing the kinds of archaeological geospatial data currently available I discuss the near future of GBD in writing culture histories, making decisions, and visualizing the past. I use a case study from New Zealand to argue for the value of taking a data quantity-in-use approach to GBD and requiring applications of GBD in archaeology be regularly accompanied by a Standalone Quality Report.

3D modelling of buildings in Google Earth at Batam city, Indonesia is very important for knowledge about facility, infrastructure, and others. Three-dimensional (3D) visualizations are an interesting method for representing model outcomes. This research in Tunjuk island with coordinate, at Latitude: 0.984123°, and Longitude: 104.225606°, with technical data processing, there are two alternative routes for implementation the result, and they both share the same starting stage. Visible visual measurements of the master plan that has been made has a length 141.99 m and width 54.25 m with location at Latitude 0.984593° and Longitude 104.228073°. Visible visual measurements of the master plan that has been made has a length 92.96 m and width 135.46 m with location at Latitude 0.984593° and Longitude 104.228073°. This paper presented visualization tool for supporting the joint decision making in evaluation of design/renewal proposals in Batam City, Tunjuk Island, Indonesia. 3D building using Google Earth (GE) and combining Geographic Information System (GIS) system be done officially on a sampling or auditing basis by a professional body or by researchers, or it could be done by volunteers and user groups

Fără a reveni asupra istoriei arheologiei sării în România, nici asupra recentelor descoperiri (vezi Monah et al. (eds.), 2007), acest studiu îşi propune să prezinte cercetările sistematice întreprinse începând din 2004 în cadrul proiectului interdisciplinar referitor la exploatarea izvoarelor de apă sărată din Moldova, prezentat cu prilejul manifestării ştiinţifice de la Piatra-Neamţ (Weller et al., 2007) şi ale cărui prime rezultate vor fi publicate în curând (Weller et al., 2008 b, sub tipar). Menţionăm că acest proiect franco-român, ce reuneşte competenţe diferite (arheolog, istoric, etnolog, geomatician, geomorfolog, paleobotanist şi chimist), vizează eviden ierea proceselor biochimice şi ambientale, precum şi a contextelor sociale, pe termen lung, începând cu antropizarea acestor resurse naturale, încă din neoliticul timpuriu. Obiectivul principal constă în definirea dinamicilor şi interacţiunilor dintre om şi slatine într-o zonă deosebit de bogată în izvoare de apă sărată, respectiv Moldova Subcarpatică. Aceasta prezintă un context actual de exploatare încă tradiţională (Alexianu et al., 1992;, sub tipar) şi oferă numeroase date arheologice (vezi Monah et al. (eds.), 2007), între care şi cele mai vechi forme de exploatare europeană, datată acum cu certitudine în prima jumătate a mil. VI î.Hr. . După analizarea resurselor de apă sărată (exploatate sau abandonate) şi a reconstituirii parametrilor mediului înconjurător, această cercetare urmăreşte să sintetizeze şi să modelizeze ansamblul rezultatelor obţinute (din domeniile ecologiei şi antropologiei) prin apelul la Sistemul de Informaţii Geografice (SIG). Aceasta va permite definirea teritoriilor apei sărate şi va genera unul sau mai multe modele spaţiale, care să dea seama de dinamica implantării habitatului şi a activităţilor umane în funcţie de apa sărată a izvoarelor, modele care ar putea fi testate şi pentru alte zone ori perioade.

Cercetările de teren realizate recent în partea de nord-est a judeŃului NeamŃ au avut ca rezultat identificarea unor noi situri arheologice. Obiectivul acestor cercetări a fost investigarea unor microzone pentru care datele arheologice erau lacunare. Astfel, recunoaşterile perieghetice s-au desfăşurat pe cursul unor afluenŃi ai râului TopoliŃa, sau în anumite puncte de pe Culoarul Moldovei.

Studierea unei manifestări culturale implică analiza mai multor parametri care ţin în mod special de tipul de locuire, caracteristicile inventarului material, trăsăturile paleoeconomiei şi aspecte de natură spirituală (în special comportamentul funerar).