Although subfossil oaks preserved in alluvial deposits represent an invaluable archive of dendrochronological information, Eastern Europe has remained largely unexplored in this regard. In this study, we investigated subfossil oak remains from the Zapadnaya Dvina (Daugava, Dzvina) River, flowing through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia. Subfossil oak trunks were collected from two sites located in the upper (near the town of Zapadnaya Dvina, Russia) and middle (the Luchosa River, Belarus) reaches of the Zapadnaya Dvina River, comprising 545 and 68 specimens, respectively. A total of 61 radiocarbon dates were obtained from both sites. The earliest subfossil oak was deposited 5800 +/- 80C years BP, while the most recent samples dates to the 20th century. Four absolutely dated tree-ring chronologies spanning 250-1762 AD were developed through dendrochronological analysis and cross-dating with oak chronologies from neighboring regions. These chronologies were further validated by wiggle-matching radiocarbon measurements of individual tree rings. In addition, six floating treering chronologies covering the 2nd and 1st millennia BC were constructed and radiocarbon dated. Together, these chronologies encompass nearly the last 4000 years, with only short gaps of up to 300 years. Continued sampling of subfossil oaks from riverine deposits in the region is expected to bridge these intervals, ultimately enabling the construction of an absolutely dated multi-millennial oak tree-ring chronology for Eastern Europe.

A series of fluorinated bicyclic fused compounds, containing fragments of pyridine and 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-thiazine 1,1-dioxide were synthesized via one-pot substitution of halogen atoms by N-nucleophiles in polyfluorinated precursor. Formation of the heterocyclic moiety was proceed as a two-stage process starting from Br replacement at the side chain followed by intramolecular aminodefluorination. The structures of some of the obtained heterocycles were confirmed using X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, their inhibitory activity against influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) virus in MDCK cell culture was evaluated and compound-leader was found.

In this study, we present new medieval oak tree-ring chronologies developed on the base of subfossil wood collected from the Luchosa and Chernitsa riverine sediments, as well as samples from archaeological excavations and buildings in Vitsebsk and Polotsk (Northern Belarus). Two absolutely dated tree-ring chronologies for 586–1351AD and 1410–1647AD were built. Dates have been confirmed via comparison with subfossil, archaeology, and historical oaks chronologies from the neighboring regions. It was shown that medieval Baltic tree-ring chronologies include wood from the Zapadnaya Dvina basin. Newly built chronologies can be used for dating and provenancing of oak wood originating from European archaeological sites, historical buildings, and natural archives.

Dog burials are known from Egypt from the Predynastic period from c. 3500 BC onward and continue into the Roman era. Different burials have been interpreted in a variety of ways: companion/pet/working animals, associated with divinities, and as guardians. This paper presents a unique interment of a single human and a group of dogs found in the cemetery of Deir el-Banat in the Fayum (Egypt), which can be interpreted as either a religio-magical protective deposit for the cemetery, or a religio-medical one, involving the sacrifice of several animals.

In dogs of native breeds (“Hmong,” “Phu Quoc,” and “Zang Soi”), the features of behavior pre-adapted to interaction with humans and formed in the process of directional selection have been revealed. Behavioral characteristics (contactiveness, activity, playfulness, reaction to the unexpected appearance of an unfamiliar object, and abrupt sounds) were used to evaluate the dogs’ suitability for training for use as service detector dogs. It was shown that native dogs even without directional selection can show high indices of activity and contact with a human, similar to those found by the authors earlier for European breeds. Indicators of playfulness and reaction to unfamiliar objects and sharp sounds are formed only in the process of directional selection. The “Zang Soi” dog recommended for breeding and use as detection dogs turned out to be the closest to the European breeds in terms of activity and contactiveness indices.

The data set presented represents 15 years of collection. It contains tree-ring width measurements from 64 sites of living trees and ten historical chronologies based on archaeological and construction wood up to year 572 CE, altogether 2909 tree-ring series and more than 450000 measured and cross-dated tree rings. It covers the vast territory of European Russia, including its forested northern and central parts, and the Northern Caucasus mountains. The potential use of these data include climatic reconstructions of regional and hemispheric scale, dendrochronological dating of historical and cultural wood, ecological and remote sensing studies.

We present new data on regional correction factor (Delta R) conducted for Chukotka, the Commander Islands, and the western Aleutian Islands and summarize data previously published for the other parts of the region. Paired radiocarbon dates of coeval marine and terrestrial materials from the archaeological site Kaniskak were obtained in Chukotka, and one such pair was analyzed from Shemya Island (western Aleutians). Three samples of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) bones of known collection date were used for the Commander Islands. In conjunction with previously published data, the new results showed that Delta R estimates conducted for the five regions of the northern Pacific do not differ statistically. Delta R assessments combined for archaeological sites resulted in probability density curves of the same shape as that of marine organisms. Comparison of Delta R estimates made with various species of marine animals showed that sea otters and small fishes residing within coastal waters throughout their life histories are better suited for Delta R measurements than migrating seals, on the one hand, and the shells of sedentary organisms, on the other. The study provides additional support to the hypothesis that the northern Pacific is characterized by the same reservoir offset, which we estimate as 525 +/- 75 yr.

ABSTRACTWe present an overview of the beginning and early years of radiocarbon dating in Russia. Achievements of several major scholars in this field from Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Moscow and Novosibirsk are briefly described. The existing and closed Russian laboratories are also mentioned.

An effective strategy for the synthesis of new polyfluoropyridine derivatives, which are valuable building blocks in the synthesis of potentially biologically active fluorine-containing compounds, has been developed. A series of fluorinated derivatives of 4-(vinylthio)pyridine have been synthesized, starting from pentafluoropyridine and 2-mercaptoethanol via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of fluorine atoms and elimination process. The obtained derivatives with NHAlk-substituents at position 2-, are of interest as new heteroaryl vinyl sulfide components that can be used in the synthesis of more complex fluorine-containing structures. The possibility of oxidation of tetrafluoro-4-(vinylthio)pyridine to the corresponding heteroaryl vinyl sulfone has been demonstrated. It was found that the resulting tetrafluoro-4-(vinylsulfonyl)pyridine reacted with cycloheptanamine under basic conditions to form a heterocyclic framework containing fragments of pyridine and 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-thiazine 1,1-dioxide.

New oak tree-ring chronologies for European Russia built with subfossil oak wood excavated from the alluvial deposits of the Zapadnaya Dvina (Daugava) River and archaeological samples from Novgorod and Vyazma are presented. They have been matched with the nearest absolutely dated tree-ring chronology constructed in Polotsk (Republic of Belarus) and dated to the periods AD649-1382 (Zapadnaya Dvina), AD 1059-1386 (Novgorod), and AD 1074-1306 (Vyazma). Dates have been further confirmed via comparison with subfossil oaks from Smarhon (Republic of Belarus) and Baltic 1 chronology as well as by radiocarbon dating. Newly built medieval chronologies can be used for dating and provenancing of oak wood originating from archaeological sites and natural archives.

— The vegetation history of the Alсan Creek peat deposit on Shemya Island (the Near Islands of the Aleutian Arc) has been reconstructed. We chose this flat island because there are no volcanoes on it and they have less impact on the vegetation. The sedge tundra dominated until 7000 years ago. Then it was replaced by mire with a noticeable participation of Sphagnum and Equisetum during the Holocene warming maximum 7000–5000 years ago. Forb sedge-grass meadows spread about 4700 years ago as a result of a local change in humidity. As a consequence of cooling and leaching processes, heather tundra began to dominate in the inner part of the island about 3400 years ago.

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359021660018

The article discusses the results of dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of tree rings of oak tomb boards and elements of the coffins of the Vyazma medieval cemetery in Smolensk Region. The study compares the results of dendrochronological, calibrated radiocarbon dating and simulated wiggle-match dating. As a result of this work, the first absolutely dated tree-ring chronology by oak for the archaeological sites of the European Russia was developed with a total span of 233 years (1074-1306). In the geographic network of absolutely dated dendrochronological oak scales developed for Europe, the Vyazma tree-ring chronology is its easternmost point. The purpose of the article is to provide the scientific community with a tree-ring oak chronology that can be used in dendroarchaeological, dendroclimatological and dendroecological studies. The developed chronology demonstrates a stable relationship with the tree-ring chronologies by oak originating from alluvial deposits of the rivers Western Dvina and Vilia near the town of Smalson (North-West Belarus).

AbstractCombined archaeological, ecological, and geologic research on Chuginadak and Carlisle Islands in the Islands of Four Mountains (IFM) probed questions about the sustainability of human settlements over the past 4000 years in the face of geologic, ecological, and social hazards. We use a human ecodynamics approach to frame the investigation and present original archaeological evidence from this poorly known region of the remote Aleutian Islands. Several village sites occupied during the last four millennia are clustered in locations that were not damaged by earthquake-induced tsunamis; however, new geologic evidence indicates that at least one volcanic eruption forced humans to abandon one or more prehistoric village sites. Combined archaeological, ecological, and geologic analyses demonstrate resilient Unangax̂ occupations of the IFM through long-term climate change as well as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions with occasional community vulnerability to volcanic eruptions.

Abstract We present the results of multiproxy study of a peat deposit from Carlisle Island (the Islands of Four Mountains, Aleutians). Vegetation on the initial stage of the peat is characterized by heath vegetation dominated by Ericales indicating cold conditions at 7300–6100 cal yr BP. The appearance of Betula and Alnus is the result of long-distance transportation attributable to strong winds at this time. Sedge-grass (Cyperaceae and Poaceae) communities began replacing heath vegetation at 6100 cal yr BP because of the climatic amelioration. C/N ratios and pollen spectra remain relatively stable at 6100–2450 cal yr BP. For the CR-03 peatland, volcanic tephra contributed significantly to the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectral data. Volcanic input created overlap of an aluminosilicate signal with carbohydrate vibrations. Significant changes occurred at approximately 2450 cal yr BP when there is the some evidence of cooler and wetter conditions of the Neoglacial. High values of δ15N observed at 7100–7000 cal yr BP reflect the fertilizing effect of seabird nesting colonies. A decrease in δ15N ca. 6900 cal yr BP may indicate initial settlement on Carlisle Island corresponding with harvesting seabirds. Human predation continued until a series of volcanic eruptions, which deposited Okmok II and CR-02 tephra layers at ca. 2000 and 1050 cal yr BP, respectively.

AbstractThis first zooarchaeological analysis for the Islands of Four Mountains (IFM), Aleutian Islands, Alaska, provides data about local hunter-gatherer resource exploitation over three thousand yr. The majority of zooarchaeological material represents faunal resources that were harvested within several kilometers of villages. Our analysis shows that IFM subsistence system was shaped by the small size of these islands, which is mostly true for all of the Aleutian Islands. The archaeological middens indicate that Aleuts readily exploited new resources when they became available, expanding their dietary niche. Despite human harvesting, most faunal populations remained stable; however, Aleuts overexploited the storm-petrel colony on Carlisle Island.

Using six paired terrestrial and marine organics collected in the Islands of Four Mountains, Alaska, we present a new regional correction factor, Delta R (495 +/- 20 yr), for the eastern Aleutians. We compare our Delta R with previous North Pacific marine corrections. Using the Delta R for the eastern Aleutians, we calibrated the radiocarbon dates of 80 human skeletons recovered from village site Chaluka and cave burials at Ship Rock and Kagamil Islands. These burial places contain two morphologically and genetically distinct humans-an early form called Paleo-Aleut and a later form called Neo-Aleut. Researchers have contested (1) the timing of Neo-Aleut movements into the Aleutians, and (2) Neo-Aleut interactions with Paleo-Aleuts. Our recalibrations indicate that the oldest Paleo-Aleut burial (1135 BC) occurred at Chaluka and the youngest Paleo-Aleut cave burial occurred at Kagamil during the fourteenth century (AD 1305). Neo-Aleuts buried their dead at Chaluka by AD 1375. The oldest definitive Neo-Aleut cave burial occurred during the fifteenth century (AD 1420) at Ship Rock. Eastern Aleuts buried their dead in caves for centuries, with the youngest Neo-Aleut buried at Kagamil circa AD 1865.