Abstract A well-preserved late Hellenistic workshop in the agora of Kos provides a rare opportunity to examine pigment production embedded in a multicrafting setting. Excavations of a room in the eastern stoa have revealed fire-structures, Egyptian blue pellets, a range of mineral earth pigments, litharge rods, lead slag, tools and other production debris, demonstrating both pigment manufacture and lead metallurgy within a single workshop space. This archaeological evidence points to an alternative mode of Egyptian blue production, one that departs from procedures described in ancient literary sources and those inferred from other archaeologically known workshops.
Abstract This article works towards an artistic approach to the mortuary sphere, centred around the twin concepts of curation and aesthetics. It focuses on the early Mycenaean period, between c. 1700 and 1400 bce on mainland Greece, a period characterized by a wealth of burial evidence and an absence of textual sources. In what follows, I use one case study to explore the applications and outcomes of this artistic approach: the Dendra tholos in the southern Peloponnese. I examine the selection of specific visual and material properties for deposition, the placement of objects in relation to the bodies of the deceased and the resultant visual impression of the burial context for the Mycenaean mourner. My aims are twofold: to emphasize the role of deposition as a creative action in this period and thus to rethink current interpretations of early Mycenaean art and burial, and to reintroduce ‘art’ as an important analytical tool not only for archaeological objects, but also for archaeological contexts. I see this artistic approach, with its focus on the aesthetics of bodily adornment and presentation, as broadly applicable across time periods and places, both within and beyond Greece.
Abstract This study examines mortuary assemblages from the Xichagou site in Liaoning, China, dated to c. 200–1 bc . A quantitative analysis of grave goods from 63 burials, employing multi-dimensional scaling and k-means cluster analysis, yields several key findings. First, the graves can be divided into three distinct groups: one characterized by blue glass beads; another by bronze buttons and a greater diversity of artifacts; and a third by weapons and comparatively modest assemblages. We interpret these groups as expressing identities along horizontal and vertical social dimensions. Second, within each group, variation in the quantity and diversity of grave goods suggests fine-grained social and wealth differentiation. Third, the artifacts used for identity and status display consist largely of portable ornaments acquired through exchange across extensive geographic regions. The observed patterns suggest that intragroup differentiation and exchange networks were mutually reinforcing: as individuals elaborated social distinctions, demand for non-local luxury goods intensified, while access to such networks enabled and structured these distinctions. These findings caution against treating the Xichagou population as a homogeneous ethnic entity and instead underscore the intertwined processes of intragroup differentiation and intergroup interaction.
Abstract This paper advocates a decolonial approach to archaeological practice in Sudan by systematically integrating folklore and community epistemologies. Traditionally, Sudanese archaeology has been shaped by colonial legacies, Eurocentric frameworks and the marginalization of local knowledge, resulting in alienated communities and vulnerable heritage sites. Paradoxically, indigenous oral traditions, place names, guardian beliefs and community custodianship have often served as powerful, albeit informal, protective mechanisms for these sites. Drawing on fieldwork from the Third and Fifth Cataract regions, this study demonstrates how folklore can guide survey and site identification, provide relative chronological markers and functional hypotheses and serve as vital informal protection for monuments. This integration moves beyond viewing local knowledge as supplementary data, instead recognizing it as a distinct and equally valid epistemology. The paper proposes methodological, institutional and legislative reforms to empower local communities as active co-producers of knowledge. By embracing pluriversal pasts and local narratives, Sudanese archaeology can foster more inclusive interpretations, counter illicit exploitation and achieve sustainable, culturally legitimate heritage conservation, ultimately shaping decolonial futures for the Middle Nile Valley and beyond.
Abstract This article examines the material dimensions of subaltern agency within the colonial landscape of New Kingdom Nubia (1550–1070 bce ), focusing on metal artefacts from mortuary contexts in Debeira, Lower Nubia. Drawing on portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of artefacts excavated during the UNESCO Nubian campaign, the study reveals significant variation in alloy composition across elite and subaltern burials. These patterns reflect differential access to metallurgical resources structured by colonial hierarchies and shifting administrative regimes. By integrating compositional data with burial architecture, object typologies and chronological indicators, the analysis foregrounds how subaltern communities engaged with restricted materials in contextually specific ways. Rather than passive recipients of colonial imposition, these groups navigated material constraints with discernment, offering insights into the complex interplay between colonial power, access to resources controlled by colonial structures, and local social interactions. These findings contribute to broader anthropological debates on materiality, colonial encounters and the theorization of agency in contexts of structural inequality.
