This study presents new evidence for the early use of lime mortar during the Early Iron Age at the Piscina Torta site (Ostia, Italy), situated on the earliest Holocene beach ridges in the southern Tiber delta. The site, which was earlier described as a briquetage site, dates from between the late 8th and 6th century BCE and consists of a large complex of dumps, holding kilns and working floors. Lime mortar-like materials were abundantly present in these dumps and used in the construction of some kilns and working floors. To assess their nature, truly lime-based mortars or natural indurated marl, we performed petrographic and geochemical analyses on these materials, and on lime mortars experimentally produced using local marl from the Piscina Torta palaeochannel, which is the only nearby source of high-carbonate sediment in this part of the Tiber delta. The experiments showed that the marl begins to calcine effectively above 800 degrees C, developing characteristic lime mortar features between 900 degrees C and 1100 degrees C. Some archaeological materials indeed showed diagnostic microscopic features of lime mortar, including micritic binder, lime lumps, reaction rims and lack of birefringence, demonstrating that the marl had undergone the complete lime cycle (calcination, slaking and carbonation). Moreover, the analyses confirmed the origin of the archaeological mortar-like materials, being these marls. Our study provides the first evidence to date for the intentional production and use of lime mortar in central Italy, predating the widespread use of this technology in the Roman world. The results also imply that the Piscina Torta site was a multifunctional production site with a variety of kilns and activities, underscoring the technological sophistication and multipurpose nature of the site.
Venus preserves the remains of landers and probes from 15 space missions concentrated between 1965 and 1985. These artifacts and sites represent the earliest material traces of direct human interaction with the surface of the planet and are therefore of considerable historical significance. However, the extent to which material left on the Venusian surface is preserved remains poorly understood. They were deposited or impacted within one of the most extreme surface environments in the Solar System, characterized by temperatures of similar to 460 degrees C, atmospheric pressures of similar to 92 bar dominated by supercritical CO2 and chemically reactive gases. Additionally, the Venusian environment includes active surface processes such as volcanic, seismic, and mass-movement events. For these reasons, it is commonly assumed that Venus's surface environment would rapidly erase anthropogenic material remains. This study assesses the preservation state of Venusian space heritage by adopting the theoretical and methodological framework of planetary geoarcheology. First, we provide an archeological catalog of all known Venusian landing and impact contexts. Next, we draw from available geological and geomorphological datasets to qualitatively evaluate preservation conditions of these contexts. Finally, we provide an in-depth case study focused on atmospheric effects on the Pioneer Venus Day Probe (1978). Our study suggests that, despite the harsh conditions and ongoing physical and chemical alterations that may indicate unfavorable preservation conditions, Venusian space heritage may exhibit a high potential for long-term preservation favored by slow geological processes and global climatic stability. Further, as demonstrated below, while specific construction materials, such as beryllium, Kapton, and silicone-based components, are likely to have been heavily degraded or destroyed, the majority of materials used in the main structure and in various probe subsystems, including titanium, ceramic, and aluminum, are likely to be preserved, albeit oxidized, corroded, and potentially deformed. These findings challenge prevailing assumptions about preservation conditions on Venus and establish the planet as a key case study for planetary geoarcheology, space archeology, and heritage.
Late Holocene coastal dynamics in the Lesser Antilles remain poorly documented at the site scale, obscuring links between shoreline change and pre-Columbian settlements. We integrate hyperbaric coring, RTK-DGNSS mapping, granulometry, FTIR, portable-XRF, biosedimentological analysis, and AMS 14C dates to reconstruct the palaeoshoreline history of the submerged pre-Columbian site of Fond Banane, Martinique. Sedimentary archives record a stable vegetated barrier (Unit IV, 1191 BC-AD 991) bearing artifacts dated AD 654-775 (Middle Ceramic period), overlain by mangrove peat (Unit III, AD 991-1154), reworked continental/marine facies (Unit II), and the modern infratidal pocket beach (Unit I). The cultural layer now lies 3.14 m below present sea level, 2.7-3.1 m deeper than regional relative-sea-level models, implying approximate to 2.3-3.3 mm year(-)& sup1; tectono-volcanic subsidence over the last millennium. Elemental and sedimentological analysis document episodic contemporaneous high-energy events that accelerated erosion and artifact dispersal. The resulting micro-regional late-Holocene RSL curve quantifies geodynamic forcing that could have submerged other Caribbean coastal settlements and underscores the growing vulnerability of underwater heritage to combined subsidence and relative sea-level rise in the context of globally accelerating ocean levels. Our multi-proxy workflow provides a transferable template for reassessing insular occupation models across the tropics in the context of marine transgression.
This study presents a preliminary provenance investigation of chert artifacts from the Neolithic site of Gorjani in Slavonia (eastern Croatia), aiming to assess the existence of long-distance procurement or exchange networks in the western Balkans. The site's lithic assemblage, which predominantly consisted of cherts, was analyzed through macroscopic classification and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for high-precision geochemical fingerprinting. The results reveal five visually and compositionally distinct chert groups, several of which display macroscopic and geochemical correspondences with chert source locations in northern Bosnia. These matches suggest that part of the Gorjani assemblage was produced from raw materials transported over distances exceeding 100 km, demonstrating the integration of Slavonian communities into broader regional interaction networks. The findings provide new geoarcheological evidence of long-distance chert movement in the Neolithic western Balkans and highlight the role of Bosnian sources as major suppliers of high-quality stone tools. Beyond its regional implications, the study underscores the effectiveness of combining macroscopic and geochemical approaches in tracing prehistoric resource territories. The results contribute to a growing understanding of Neolithic connectivity, mobility, and the organization of material exchange across southeastern Europe.
Investigations of a 3000 m2 shell-dense island surrounded by mangroves off the coast of Culasawani, a very lightly inhabited part of northern Vanua Levu Island in Fiji, suggest it is likely to be a 'midden island' rather than a (tsunami) wave deposit. Building an island that reaches 60 cm above mean high tide, the shell-dense deposit (70%-90% shell) averages 20-40 cm thick and appears unstratified, characteristics that initially suggested that it was a wave deposit. Subsequent investigations included four 1 & times; 1 m test pits and showed all shellfish remains in the island sediments to be from edible species and associated with pottery fragments. Ten radiocarbon ages cluster around a median age of 1190 cal BP (760 CE/AD) with a range of 1530-910 cal BP (420-1040 CE/AD). The clustering of these ages and the nature of the shellfish remains lead to the preferred interpretation of this shell-dense island as a true 'midden island', created either by people living on/above the site or by people who processed shellfish there before transporting its flesh elsewhere for consumption. If the Culasawani island is a midden island, then this is the first to be recorded in the South Pacific west of Papua New Guinea.
The sediment infill deposits of the Lower Commerce Valley in the Seine estuary, located near the Roman city of Juliobona (now Lillebonne, Normandy), provide valuable data on environmental changes during the Holocene, including sea-level changes, sediment supply and anthropogenic influences. A 10-m deep sediment core was collected from the valley deposits, and a multidisciplinary geoarchaeological approach was applied, combining geophysical surveys, dating, sedimentological and diatom analyses. The results reveal a succession of marine to fluvial sediment sequences. At the base, a marine to estuarine environment was identified and then subjected to increasing fluvial contributions. A tipping point is recorded between the fourth and second centuries bce (ca. 2400-2100 cal. BP) with the establishment of a brackish environment, indicating the progressive disconnection of the valley from marine influences. From the second century bce, the Lower Commerce Valley appears to have been fluvial-dominated, with no marine influence. This implies that the environment to the south of the Roman city was under freshwater influences. These new geoarchaeological data show no evidence of clogging of the estuarine valley during the Roman period, challenging previous hypotheses linking the decline of the city to the silting up of the valley.
Recent investigations in Apalachee Bay, in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, have focused on a suite of newly discovered raw material reduction localities, expanding the existing data set of archaeological sites in this renowned submerged landscape. One particular site, 8Je1796-Clint's Scallop Hole, is the most thoroughly examined such site in the Gulf of Mexico at present. This quarry is an outcrop of high-quality Suwannee chert, which occurs sporadically throughout this region of Apalachee Bay. The site was likely inundated similar to 4000 calendar years ago (calBP), though aspects of the lithic toolkit are suggestive that it may have been used since the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene. The analysis of this assemblage also provides data important to the study of submerged landscapes in general. First, 8Je1796 proves that even in areas believed to have experienced the full energy of sea level transgression, archaeological sites can survive with intact features. Second, as a logistical locality, the site provides insight into raw material selection, primary reduction, and human behavior in the region. Finally, this site highlights that, using sea level as a terminus ante quem age, quarry sites offshore are more useful than their terrestrial counterparts due to more finite chronological placement.
This study presents a microanalytical, geoarchaeological study of Quebrada Jaguay (QJ)-280, a Terminal Pleistocene-Holocene coastal site in southern Peru. Combining micromorphology, & micro;XRF and & micro;FTIR, we develop a site formation model that also reassesses site use and forager behaviour. Micro-contextual data provide new insights into sedimentation, taphonomy and human activity, revealing short-term, seasonal occupations with evidence of spatial shifts in site function and maintenance. Geomorphological observations indicate that the site, originally part of an active alluvial fan, became more stable during times of human occupation. Preservation, however, is compromised by several post-depositional processes. We observe bioturbation, as well as diagenesis of the faunal and botanical remains by mineral formations, highlighted by the combined contextual application of micromorphology and & micro;XRF mapping. A notable stratigraphic feature, the 'indurated layer', is shown to result from salt action. The salt formation is a product of the setting on the arid coast and pedogenic processes, challenging its use as a chronological marker in the areas preserved for our study. Lastly, our findings suggest QJ-280 functioned as a repeatedly used, short-term camp within a broader mobility system, contributing new perspectives to early coastal lifeways in western South America.
This paper presents the results of minero-petrographic and chemical analyses of pottery and potential local raw materials from Ustica, a small volcanic island off the coast of Palermo (Sicily), inhabited during the Middle Neolithic. Typologically, the pottery shows cultural connections to the Bicromica and Serra d'Alto traditions, linking Ustica to Sicily and Southern Italy, as well as to the Late Neolithic Diana pottery from the Aeolian Archipelago. The archaeometric study aims to determine whether the island's inhabitants during the 5th millennium BCE engaged in the exchange of ceramics in addition to obsidian and chert. This research investigates raw material sources, technological knowledge, and pottery-making traditions on the island by analyzing the compositional, textural, and structural characteristics of the ceramic assemblage. The experimental results indicate the use of local raw materials from areas near the archaeological site and provide insights into firing techniques, helping to establish the petrographic and chemical profiles of the ceramics. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of Neolithic pottery production in the central Mediterranean.
Numerous buildings, monuments, and infrastructural works in Verona were constructed during the Roman period using stone, a material abundantly available from quarrying areas located relatively close to the city. Petrographic investigations conducted by Transmitted Polarized Light Optical Microscopy (TPL-OM) and complemented by colorimetric analysis on over 30 samples collected from urban buildings revealed a predominance of Middle-Late Mesozoic (MLM) local limestones, specifically Rosso Ammonitico Veronese (RAV), Maiolica, and Scaglia Rossa. These materials outcrop in the nearby Valpolicella and Valpantena areas, located approximately 20 and 12 km from the city, respectively. The widespread use of these MLM limestones in Verona from the late first century BC is particularly notable, as they were predominantly employed for the monumentalization of the city. These materials were commonly used in large ashlars, paving slabs, and decorative architectural elements. Rosso Ammonitico, in particular, was especially prized for its marble-like appearance, hardness, and durability. MLM limestones gradually replaced the local Eocene calcarenites (Pietra di Avesa, Pietra Galina, and Marne di Priabona) and Miocene calcarenites, as well as the imported Oligocene limestones from Berici Hills and Eastern Lessini (Pietra di Vicenza), which had been used in the earlier phases of Verona's architecture. Although these stones were more easily sourced and workable, they were characterized by lower mechanical performances (e.g., resistance to mechanical compression). The adoption of MLM limestones reflects deliberate construction and economic choices, indicating both a preference for more resistant materials and the city's increasing capacity to invest in costlier resources during the Imperial period. This study investigates the stone extraction and processing cycle of these limestones, aiming to identify their quarrying areas, transportation routes, and architectural applications in Roman-era Verona.
Coastal wetlands have historically been portrayed as too marginal for early crop cultivation during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition due to their dynamic hydrology, low elevation, and poor drainage. However, growing evidence suggests that these environments played a crucial role in the spread of agriculture. We examined buried and submerged channel-levee systems beneath present-day Lake IJssel (the Netherlands) to investigate the spatial and temporal extent to which wetland levees provided suitable grounds for cultivation as rivers functioned while the sea level rose. The study area lies along the lower reaches of the paleo-Vecht River, one of two local rivers crossing the Swifterbant-type area, with key sites located 10-20 km inland. Integrating sedimentary geology, archaeological soil micromorphology, and radiocarbon dating of research cores, we identify buried soil horizons indicating periods of reduced sedimentation and relatively stable, dry conditions conducive to human activity. Micromorphology reveals charred plant material, ceramic fragments, and disturbed soil aggregates comparable to tilled fields at Swifterbant settlements. Radiocarbon dating places these features between ca. 4500 and 4200 BC, coinciding with upstream occupation. These findings add to growing evidence of widespread, sustained land use in these wetland environments and highlight the value of micromorphology in detecting subtle traces of human activity in landscape-scale studies.
Siliceous aggregates are a minor but diagnostically significant component of wood ash, consisting of allochthonous dust or soil particles embedded in a biogenic silica (opal) matrix. Their formation mechanism and precise origin within wood tissues, however, have remained unclear. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), we show that in the Sycamore Fig (Ficus sycomorus), the outer bark epithelial cells silicify their cell walls. Overlying this layer is a consolidated crust composed of diverse mineral particles cemented within an impure biogenic silica matrix. This crust is compositionally and structurally indistinguishable from the siliceous aggregates previously identified in archeological wood ash. We, therefore, conclude that siliceous aggregates originate on the bark surface, and infer that epithelial cells bind adhering environmental dust into a silicified matrix. Because these aggregates are more resistant to dissolution than calcite pseudomorphs, they provide a durable indicator of wood ash in archeological contexts. This information clarifies the biogenic-allochthonous interplay underlying the formation of siliceous aggregates and strengthens their interpretive value in microarchaeological studies.
The cities of Petra and Udhruh were administrative and cultural centers in southern Jordan from Nabataean through Roman and Byzantine times into the early Islamic periods (first century BCE to eighth century CE). These communities built water harvesting systems to be able to survive in this arid environment. Water harvesting was either based on the use of runoff, so-called "green water", or on subterranean collection of streamflow and groundwater and subsequent distribution, so-called "blue water". Archeological research in the Udhruh region and the nearby W & amacr;d & imacr; al-Fiqai revealed an elaborate qanat system, including subsurface water-harvesting, subsurface and covered surface distribution channels, large reservoirs, and irrigated fields. Some fields were very likely irrigated because of a direct connection to a water reservoir, but for many others, it is less obvious. In order to assess the extent of the agricultural production area, it was necessary to gain insight into the historic land use of the W & amacr;d & imacr; al-Fiqai area. An earlier study revealed soils of enwalled fields associated with a water reservoir to have relatively low soil electrical conductivity (EC) values as compared to non-irrigated soils in comparable landscape positions. Here, we propose that pedogenic carbonates (CO32-) may also serve as a proxy to identify prolonged irrigation, that is, carbonate-rich water may enrich soils in secondary carbonate, whereas low-carbonate water may deplete them. Landforms and soils were described and sampled along seven transects at W & amacr;d & imacr; al-Fiqai downstream from the remnants of two water reservoirs of, respectively, the northern and southern irrigation systems. Based on landform and surface processes, four classes were distinguished: (1) eroded, (2) recently covered with alluvium, (3) hilly or undulating, and (4) nearly level surfaces. Soils were sampled either "full-depth" or at 0-10 and 10-20 cm depth. For full-depth soil profiles, variability in Bk horizon depth in soils on nearly level surfaces suggests differential depletion of pedogenic carbonate, with irrigated fields displaying greater depths. Moreover, for all soils, EC was observed to be the best proxy for past irrigation. Based on transect analysis, fields of the northern and southern irrigation systems had significantly lower EC values than non-irrigated, nearly level, undulating, and hilly landforms. Based on these soil analyses, we estimate that the northern and southern irrigation systems supported up to 28 and 26 ha, respectively.
The floors of sunken houses can provide important insights into how these spaces were used and into the processes that shaped them, thereby contributing to broader interpretation at an archaeological site. When the floors are homogeneous, and the palimpsest of individual occupational horizons is difficult to distinguish, a combination of analytical methods is required. The infill of the La T & egrave;ne sunken house at N & ecaron;m & ccaron;ice, Czech Republic, was analysed using a combination of sedimentology, micromorphology, geochemical analyses and frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility. The sediment is interpreted as an organic-rich, homogeneous and bioturbated former floor. Its uniform character likely resulted from moisture, the availability of suitable elements for microfauna and the absence of regular maintenance. Homogenisation processes probably took place during the occupation of the house. Occasional precipitation percolating through the roof increased moisture in the sediment, while the low light conditions inside the house prevented vegetation from growing. Based on our data, we suggest that the NE quadrant served as a storage area and that the entrance to the house was located on the SW side. Interpretation of special use depends strongly on the sampling strategy applied to the floor. They must always consider the geological substrate and its topographical position in the landscape, local climatic conditions and the formation processes associated with both the use and abandonment of the floor.
The Pyrenees have been considered a natural barrier for prehistoric populations. However, in recent years, Palaeolithic research has established connections between the two sides through the analysis of cherts. Among others, the presence of Chalosse cherts in sites on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees has proven the mobility of objects and people from the northern to the southern slope. Nevertheless, this evidence must be reinforced, and the mobility circuits must be clarified. To answer these questions and also to formulate new hypotheses that allow a deeper understanding of past human subsistence practices, we revisited the cherts from the Chalosse region. To do so, we applied a geoarchaeological approach that puts together the analysis of geological cartography through GIS, field survey, in situ descriptions of strata, non-destructive and destructive petrography, and portable geochemistry (LIBS and X-ray fluorescence). This led us to identify the most significant and promising procurement areas, characterise their cherts, and determine the chemical signature of the most relevant chert-bearing formations. This information is relevant not only to assess the importance of Chalosse cherts as long-distance tracers but also to deepen our understanding of human adaptive practices to procure, manage, and transport these cherts throughout the Palaeolithic.
Modern studies show that soil erosion results in a loss of ecosystem function, particularly fertility, and is a cause of declining agricultural yields. However, despite the well-attested high rates of soil erosion across Roman and medieval Europe there appears to have been little or no soil-associated decline in agricultural production-the soil erosion paradox. Small low-slope erodible lowland catchments offer the opportunity to examine this question when sufficient historical information is available. Here, we show that, since its disconnection from the main River Severn (UK) floodplain in the mid-Holocene, the small Hatfield Brook catchment experienced high rates of soil erosion and alluviation (similar to 2 mm year(-1)) associated with extensive catchment-bound open-field system agrarianism. Scientific and historical data both indicate increases in activity during the early medieval and medieval periods, associated with landscape control by the Bishopric of Worcester (BoW). Agricultural expansion by the church from the late 11th to mid-13th centuries AD extended further into lower valley slopes and alluviated flatlands, tilled using the heavy plough, and catchment hinterlands were further cleared of woodland via assarting, all leading to greater soil erosion. After AD 1250, the power and influence of the Bishopric of Worcester declined with arable cultivation and a move towards pastoralism leading to a reduction in soil erosion, increased slope stability and floodplain deposition. This suggests that in the low-relief erodible lowlands of Europe one solution to the erosion paradox is that most of the sediment generated by open-field cultivation was trapped in the basin and created new, flat, and highly productive agricultural land producing both a sustainable farming system and a non-linearity in the relationship between population and soil erosion. Further modelling-based research is needed though to identify the relative role of the manipulation of fertility through manuring and new land-creation.
In the Cusco Valley, seismic activity resulted from reactivations of the Qoricocha, Tambomachay, and Pachatusan faults in 1986, 1950, and 1650 during the Inca and Wari cultures' settlement. However, the pre-1650 seismic record is scant, with few chroniclers mentioning Inca-era earthquakes lacking precise information. Filling this void, our study centers on paleoseismological and archaeoseismological research in the Cusco Valley, emphasizing the Pikillaqta Archaeological Park from the Wari Empire era (600-1000 AD). The mysterious abandonment circa 900 AD prompts an exploration of earthquake-related effects. Archaeological signs of seismic activity at Pikillaqta reveal a distinctive NW-SE orientation unrelated to local architectural or topographic factors. Additionally, we identified debris flow deposits, up to 2.5 meters thick, within structures. Drone imagery aids debris flow mapping, determining its origin. Radiocarbon dating places earthquakes and debris flow around 776-986 AD. Paleoseismic data on Pachatusan and Tambomachay faults, intersecting at Pikillaqta, reveal two earthquakes between 770 and 900 CalAD and 856-988 CalAD. Our inference suggests these events, occurring simultaneously or in a closely successive sequence, triggered a crisis, leading to Pikillaqta's abandonment.
The Sadd al-Bint is one of the largest known ancient dams in Saudi Arabia, and yet, its construction date, function and collapse remained uncertain. This study presents the first numerical chronology for the dam, integrating radiocarbon dating, Bayesian modelling, geomorphological analysis and hydrological modelling to reconstruct its history. Results indicate a multiphase construction, with initial building between 596 and 686 CE, followed by repairs or extensions between 725 and 907 CE, and a final maintenance phase between 947 and 1015 CE. Structural and sedimentological evidence suggests that the dam's collapse was not due to poor engineering but rather prolonged lack of maintenance, leading to progressive infiltration until a sudden hydrological event triggered failure. Hydrological reconstructions confirm a maximum reservoir capacity of 12 million m(3), potentially supporting extensive irrigation at nearby al-Thamad oasis. The study brings new insights on the dating of Arabian dams, perhaps its most challenging issue, demonstrating a major hydraulic investment during the Rashidun and Umayyad periods and its continuity into the Abbasid period. The dam's strategic location and its role in regional water management suggest a broader state-driven infrastructure policy in early Islamic Arabia. These findings enhance our understanding of long-term water management strategies in northwestern Arabia and their socio-political implications.
Over the past century, archaeological investigations at the ancient city of Bubastis (Tell Basta) have revealed a complex urban landscape featuring temples, a palace, and cemeteries. However, the eastern part of the city remains poorly understood. According to Herodotus-the only historical textual source-and supported by surface finds, this area likely functioned as the main living quarter from at least the Late Period through the Roman Period. This study presents the first area-wide geoarchaeological reconstruction of the Holocene landscape and settlement history in eastern Bubastis. Using coring, electrical resistivity tomography, and direct current resistivity soundings, we identified several Pleistocene sand mounds ('Geziras') that provided flood-safe locations for key buildings and housing. Surrounding low-lying floodplain areas, regularly inundated by the Nile, were likely used for agriculture. The thickest anthropogenic deposits-up to 9.5 m-were documented in settlement area S1, reflecting dense occupation during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. In contrast, area S2 was sparsely settled and likely used for farming, benefiting from nutrient-rich floodplain sediments deposited by a nearby Nile branch. These findings highlight long-term human-environment interactions and demonstrate the value of integrated geoarchaeological approaches for reconstructing landscape and settlement dynamics in the Nile Delta.
Widgingarri Shelter 1 (WS1) is a rock shelter site within a small escarpment and preserves evidence of late Pleistocene and Holocene human activity. The site was first excavated in 1985 and again in 2022. Here, we present the stratigraphy and chronology following the latter excavation. Site context and stratigraphy were investigated through field observations of the landscape, site and soil micromorphology. A chronological framework was established from optical dating of 37 sediment samples, dated using the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals from individual grains of quartz. These datasets were combined to develop a chronostratigraphic framework for the site, which is used to present a site formation history. Four phases of site formation were identified that encompass the period between similar to 64,000 years ago and the present, including a lacuna between similar to 40,000 and similar to 23,000 years ago. The shelter space formed under a collapsed escarpment block, and the collapse likely overlapped with the period when people used this space. The sandy sediment that accumulated inside the shelter is extensively reworked. We present an approach for pairing the information obtained from single-grain OSL dating with geoarchaeological observations to disentangle the complicating effects of postdepositional sediment mixing.
