Maritime archaeologists, historians and heritage managers have struggled to position maritime and underwater cultural heritage (MUCH) in the sub-Saharan African heritage context. Management of... Show moreMaritime archaeologists, historians and heritage managers have struggled to position maritime and underwater cultural heritage (MUCH) in the sub-Saharan African heritage context. Management of MUCH resources, based on Western legal systems, has focused almost exclusively on shipwreck sites. Management strategies have been implemented to stop treasure hunting and limit the damage caused by salvage activities. The application of internationally accepted MUCH management practices has, however, failed to engage the publics of many African nations. This has meant that the application of regulatory strategies has been a challenging task which has ultimately failed to successfully manage MUCH resources or engage sub-Saharan communities. This research proposes, applies and assesses alternative management and engagement models at several southern-African case study sites, and contributes towards establishing a new approach to MUCH. The approach examines the context in which the heritage resource exists, including the socio-political and economic environments, as well as the available mechanisms in place, and available, for research and management. It considers the scope of MUCH in a regional context and seeks to establish some preliminary guidelines for management strategies built on local relevance and buy-in. Finally, it offers a management approach that is beneficial to both professional practitioners and community leaders. Show less
There is a cluster of Early Iron Age (800–500 BC) elite burials in the Low Countries in which bronze vessels, weaponry, horse-gear and wagons were interred as grave goods. Mostly imports from... Show moreThere is a cluster of Early Iron Age (800–500 BC) elite burials in the Low Countries in which bronze vessels, weaponry, horse-gear and wagons were interred as grave goods. Mostly imports from Central Europe, these objects are found brought together in varying configurations in cremation burials generally known as chieftains’ graves or princely burials. In terms of grave goods they resemble the Fürstengräber of the Hallstatt Culture of Central Europe. Fragmenting the Chieftain presents the results of an in-depth and practice-based archaeological analysis of the Dutch and Belgian elite graves and the burial practice through which they were created. It was established that the elite burials are embedded in the local burial practice, while it appears that those individuals interred with wagons and related items warranted a more elaborate funerary rite, most likely because these ceremonial and cosmologically charged vehicles marked their owners out as exceptional individuals. Furthermore, in a few graves the configuration of the grave good set, the use of textiles to wrap grave goods and the dead and the reuse of burial mounds show the influence of individuals familiar with Hallstatt Culture burial customs. Show less
The Netherlands is a maritime nation with a rich past. this is reflected in the many archaeological sites still present in the seabed and that are often well preserved. This underwater cultural... Show moreThe Netherlands is a maritime nation with a rich past. this is reflected in the many archaeological sites still present in the seabed and that are often well preserved. This underwater cultural heritage - consisting of shipwrecks, bridges and quays, amongst others, is under threat. However, the resource also offer chances for a better understanding of our past and our current society. It can even help us to make predictions of the future. If we want to be able to do this, than it is necessary to deal with this underwater cultural heritage in a responsible way. This thesis uses the Western Wadden Sea - the former Texel Roads - as a case to show what is threatening underwater cultural heritage, how these threats can be mitigated and in which ways the underwater cultural heritage can be used a a scientific resource, but also for enjoyment and commemmoration. Show less
The large body of Abbasid ceramics (c. mid 8th – mid 10th century) that this research has examined was found on the multi-period settlement hill (Gözlükule) in Tarsus (southern Turkey) during... Show moreThe large body of Abbasid ceramics (c. mid 8th – mid 10th century) that this research has examined was found on the multi-period settlement hill (Gözlükule) in Tarsus (southern Turkey) during the 1935-1948 excavations directed by Prof. Hetty Goldman (Princeton Institute of Advanced Study, USA). In early Islamic times, Tarsus was one of the most important garrison cities on the militarized Arab-Byzantine frontier, from where the Muslims raided into Byzantium. By focusing on the early Islamic phase of the Gözlükule mound through the pottery evidence from this period, this study has sought to trace archaeologically the impact of the Arab occupation in this site. The key question of this thesis was how and to what extent the ceramics of the old Gözlükule excavations could be compared with the production, distribution and consumption of similar pottery finds from other sites of the Abbasid period. Being the first full archaeological discussion of this ceramic corpus, this study has not only shown substantial improvement on previous work but it has also covered an important gap for Islamic archaeology in southern Turkey. Show less
In het gebied tussen de Oude Rijn en de Nieuwe Maas in de huidige provincie Zuid-Holland bevond zich gedurende de eerste drie eeuwen van onze jaartelling het bestuursdistrict van de rurale... Show moreIn het gebied tussen de Oude Rijn en de Nieuwe Maas in de huidige provincie Zuid-Holland bevond zich gedurende de eerste drie eeuwen van onze jaartelling het bestuursdistrict van de rurale gemeenschap van de Cananefates (de civitas Cananefatium). De vorming van deze gemeenschap, alsmede de veranderingen die binnen de identiteit van deze groep plaatsvonden zijn onderzocht door middel van een systematische analyse van de aanwezige archeologische resten. Om de rol van de Romeinse staat in deze processen te duiden, zijn ook de stedelijke en militaire gemeenschappen in de analyse betrokken. Op deze manier is een overzicht ontstaan van een landschappelijke en administratieve regio waarbij aspecten als de interactie tussen de verschillende groepen, het karakter van de rurale gemeenschappen en het contrast met andere rurale groepen langs de grenzen van het Romeinse rijk bestudeerd konden worden. Show less
The stable isotope ratios of carbon (d13C), nitrogen (d15N) and sulphur (d34S) are measured to examine human diet, social stratification, mobility and animal husbandry practices. Three locations... Show moreThe stable isotope ratios of carbon (d13C), nitrogen (d15N) and sulphur (d34S) are measured to examine human diet, social stratification, mobility and animal husbandry practices. Three locations comprising four sites from the Yellow River Valleys of north China are investigated: Nancheng (Hebei Province), Xishan (Gansu Province), Liyi and Shanren (Shaanxi Province), and this work represents one of the largest and most detailed isotopic research projects ever conducted in China. This thesis focused on time periods and cultures that were previously underrepresented, in the literature such as the early Bronze/Iron Ages to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). Further, this thesis found new evidence concerning dietary patterns, social stratification (or lack thereof), animal husbandry practices and human mobility during these formative pre-Qin Empire periods. Show less
The aim of this book is to offer a fresh approach to the history and archaeology of the Cyclades in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine Early Middle Ages in light of current archaeological... Show moreThe aim of this book is to offer a fresh approach to the history and archaeology of the Cyclades in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine Early Middle Ages in light of current archaeological investigations. It is an attempt to interpret human-environmental interaction in order to “read” the relationship between islands, settlements, landscapes and seascapes in the context of the diverse and highly interactive Mediterranean world.It offers an interdisciplinary approach, which combines archaeological evidence, literary sources, and observations of the sites and microlandscapes as a whole, using the advantages offered by the application of new technologies in archaeological research (Geographic Information Systems). The islands of Paros and Naxos are used as case-studies. The author traces how these neighbouring insular communities reacted under the same general circumstances pertaining in the Aegean and to what extent the landscape played a role in this process. Show less
This thesis explores the value of cultural and archaeological heritage through a focus on multinational corporations (MNCs) across industries and their involvement with cultural heritage. Research... Show moreThis thesis explores the value of cultural and archaeological heritage through a focus on multinational corporations (MNCs) across industries and their involvement with cultural heritage. Research to date has focused mainly on industries where MNCs have a direct impact on cultural or archaeological heritage through their operations: for example, in the extractive and construction industries, and the tourism and financial sectors. A cross-industry survey is largely absent, therefore leaving a gap in the knowledge related to private-sector stakeholder engagement with cultural heritage beyond these industries. This research makes a first step to fill this gap by providing a global, cross- sectoral analysis of MNCs’ involvement with cultural heritage. The research brings forward two new findings for the field of cultural heritage management. First, it shows that extensive private-sector involvement with cultural heritage comes from a wider range of sectors than has been previously assumed (namely, the automobile, alcohol, consumer-electronics, and high technology sectors). Second, through case-studies it expands the understanding of the value of cultural heritage for MNCs as a proactive strategy - related for example to the marketing and brand value - rather than as a reactive strategy stemming directly from legal or ethical responsibilities. Show less
This current dissertation explores several ideas about the construction of the Nahua intellectual tradition in 19th century-Mexico. Initially, the argument of this dissertation focuses on... Show moreThis current dissertation explores several ideas about the construction of the Nahua intellectual tradition in 19th century-Mexico. Initially, the argument of this dissertation focuses on examining the intellectual tradition among Indigenous Peoples in Mesoamerica after the European invasion of the Americas. As a result of the Spanish colonization of Mesoamerica, Indigenous Peoples in the capital of New Spain continued developing their own intellectual tradition by following two possible paths. One group of indigenous intellectuals decided to continue with their intellectual production outside of the Spanish colonial institutions. A second group of indigenous intellectuals opted for continuing with their intellectual labors under the sponsorship of the colonial authorities. In this way the intellectual tradition of the Nahua people continued during the entire colonial period. However, during the first decades of the 19th century, with the issuing of the Constitution of Cadiz and the independence of New Spain, the indigenous intellectual phenomenon within the established institutions in Mexico City changed dramatically, but it did not cease. This dissertation explores the changes that Nahua intellectuals who worked within colonial institutions in Mexico City experienced during the first decades of independent government, and examines how they continued with their indigenous intellectual tradition. Show less
In Ayuuk worldview time is generated by the movement of stars and sun, which make their way through the sky and the worldview. Thanks this movement, both light and darkness as well as heat and... Show moreIn Ayuuk worldview time is generated by the movement of stars and sun, which make their way through the sky and the worldview. Thanks this movement, both light and darkness as well as heat and cold are distributed over the surface of the earth. Here the intervention of other divine beings plays an important role, such as water, rain, wind, thunder, and lightning, which lead to different climatic and meteorological conditions. From this perspective the world, the sun, moon, and stars are seen as animated beings with a sacred character. Also, the time that they generate, and the space in which this occurs, are considered sacred. The relationship between time ans space is conceived whithin the Ayuuk culture on a vertical line with a direction of movement that goes from top to bottom, in which the events thah have already occurred remain below and what is still to come is above. The cultural perception of the course of time can be represented as a spiral, wich starts from the center of the world and moves from right to left (counter clockwise in) continously rotating through the four major directions of the universe (east, north, west and south). Show less
The present work is the result of the profound teaching and discussions with the late Luis Reyes García, professor of the University of Tlaxcala (Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala), who first... Show moreThe present work is the result of the profound teaching and discussions with the late Luis Reyes García, professor of the University of Tlaxcala (Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala), who first sparked my interest in the study, analysis, transcription, and translation of Nahua texts and documents. Professor Reyes always encouraged his Tlaxcalan students to study and appreciate the rich cultural legacy found in the archives of the state’s local communities. In the present work, several parts are joined together, as pieces of a puzzle. First, the teaching of Professor Reyes García on the oral and archival history of the people of Tlaxcala, the knowledge about the discourses, narratives, and ceremonies that are still carried out in my family, and the worldview of the Naua and Totonac tlamatque (wise people) through their own eyes, hearts, and mouths. Secondly, what was shared with me by Dr. Maarten Jansen and Aurora Pérez at Leiden University: the worldview of the ñuu savi (Mixtecs) and other Mesoamerican peoples, a crucial aspect in order to appreciate the interdependence of our shared heritage. Show less
This study examines ritual, masked theater and community life in the mountains of China’s Guizhou Province from the perspective of religion, art, social history, and material culture. I... Show moreThis study examines ritual, masked theater and community life in the mountains of China’s Guizhou Province from the perspective of religion, art, social history, and material culture. I specifically document apotropaic religious practices with a long historical pedigree, informed by China’s major religious teachings of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. Evidence drawn from fieldwork and the examination of local ritual texts demonstrates that these religious categories are helpful as guideposts for studying Guizhou’s popular religious life, but they are insufficient in defining and understanding what we find on the ground where traditional belief structures and practices still exist. Show less
The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe witnesses the local replacement of Neanderthals by Anatomically Modern Humans. During this period several “transitional” technocomplexes are... Show moreThe Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe witnesses the local replacement of Neanderthals by Anatomically Modern Humans. During this period several “transitional” technocomplexes are present that seem to combine behavioural characteristics from both the preceding Middle and following Upper Palaeolithic. These technocomplexes therefore play a critical role in our understanding of Neanderthal behavior, cognition and extinction, the dispersal of AMHs into Europe, and the interactions between Neanderthals and AMHs. Unfortunately, biological remains of the hominins responsible for the transitional technocomplexes are notoriously scarce. This dissertation proposes to utilize recent advances in mass spectrometry to identify additional hominin specimens through ZooMS screening and shotgun proteomics. Novel approaches towards de novo/error-tolerant proteomic analysis in Pleistocene contexts were developed and tested, allowing phylogenetic analysis of ancient protein sequences from now-extinct Mammalian species and hominin populations. ZooMS screening is shown to be highly successful for all included Châtelperronian sites. The discovery of additional hominin specimens at one archaeological site allowed demonstrating that ancient protein sequences can be used to differentiate between hominin populations, in this case indicating a Neanderthal affiliation. As a result, palaeoproteomics now allows studying the evolutionary relationships between hominin individuals based on ancient protein sequences. Show less
A mere day after his first footfall in the Americas, Columbus notes the broad foreheads of its inhabitants. These cranial shapes are deliberately created by applying pressure to the infant’s head... Show moreA mere day after his first footfall in the Americas, Columbus notes the broad foreheads of its inhabitants. These cranial shapes are deliberately created by applying pressure to the infant’s head after birth. Facing Society studies indigenous identities through head shaping practices against the backdrop of broader social developments in Caribbean communities before and after 1492 through a multi-disciplinary approach combining archaeology, (ethno)history, anthropology, and sociology. The first evidence of intentional cranial modification comes from the Early Ceramic Age, however by the Late Ceramic Age it was found across the Caribbean. Different regional patterns emerge in conjunction with diverging social developments. For example, the relatively homogeneous pattern of cranial modification seen in the Greater Antilles indicates a collective identity fostering social cohesion in expanding communities and connecting distant villages within the interaction sphere. The Early Colonial Period was transformative for indigenous communities and identities, and consequently caused a decline in head shaping practices. An unexpected revival was seen among the Black Carib, a community of free African descendants on St. Vincent. Traces of head shaping practices can still be found to this day demonstrating the lasting importance of indigenous social practices in the cultural mosaic of the current Caribbean. Show less
Early medieval interactions with the dead did not stop after the funeral. The graves were often reopened at a later time to examine and manipulate their contents. Archaeologists frequently... Show moreEarly medieval interactions with the dead did not stop after the funeral. The graves were often reopened at a later time to examine and manipulate their contents. Archaeologists frequently interpret this phenomena as grave robbery, an economically motivated criminal practice. But many aspects of the graves in question do not align with this hypothesis. Martine van Haperen studied over 1300 graves from 11 cemeteries in the Netherlands and Belgium with surprising results. It became clear that the diggers left many objects behind in the reopening pits and prioritized men’s graves even though these contained fewer valuable materials. Instead, they focused on removing object types with crucial symbolic roles in the funerary ritual and early medieval society at large. The high percentage of reopened graves (41%) suggests this was a socially accepted practice. Van Haperen therefore argues that reopenings were part of the normal interactions between the living and the dead, for instance in the form of an ancestor relic cult and as a way of dealing with unquiet dead. Show less
This study develops and applies a new approach to study Aegyptiaca Romana from a bottom-up, Roman perspective. Current approaches to these objects are often still plagued by top-down... Show moreThis study develops and applies a new approach to study Aegyptiaca Romana from a bottom-up, Roman perspective. Current approaches to these objects are often still plagued by top-down projections of modern definitions and understandings of Egypt and Egyptian material culture onto the Roman world. Egypt beyond representation instead argues that these artefacts should be studied in their own right, without reducing them from the onset to fixed (Egyptian) meanings. Starting from a novel focus on the materials and materiality of a selection of stone Aegyptiaca from Rome, and by combining archaeological and archaeometric perspectives, this study shows that, while Egyptianness may have been among Roman associations, these objects were able to do much more than merely representing notions of Egypt. Show less
The European Corded Ware Culture, and the Single Grave Culture, are mostly known by the funerary architecture and the depositions of goods. The Netherlands is no exception. Archaeological... Show moreThe European Corded Ware Culture, and the Single Grave Culture, are mostly known by the funerary architecture and the depositions of goods. The Netherlands is no exception. Archaeological excavations of domestic settlements are a recent phenomenon, and the number of excavated sites is still low. Although large-scale excavations of Single Grave Culture settlements took place in the Netherlands in the second half of the 20th century, few results have been published. The project aim to study three of these excavated sites: Keinsmerbrug, Mienakker and Zeewijk. This is the first time that three settlements were studied in its totality by a multidisciplinary team. My PhD research combines technological and functional analysis of Single Grave artefacts (lithic material, the bone and amber implements) from the three selected sites. Tools are understood as the material reflection of the technological development of the prehistoric communities, as well as the carriers of social knowledge and practices. Through the application of these methods it was possible to reconstruct economic practices at the sites and reconstruct subsistence strategies; understand the role played by tools and by sites, and improve the knowledge of the Late Neolithic in Noord-Holland and Europe. Show less
This thesis discusses three aspects of Chinese tulou heritage management. Tulou are traditional fortified multifamily dwellings prevalent in southern Fujian. It first examines the tulou... Show moreThis thesis discusses three aspects of Chinese tulou heritage management. Tulou are traditional fortified multifamily dwellings prevalent in southern Fujian. It first examines the tulou interpretation prevailing in southern Fujian. Based on building studies, oral history, genealogies and interviews, it tries to reconstruct a relatively complete landscape biography to describe the essential episodes of built environment evolution in the Hekeng River Valley. This biography highlights the part non-tulou architecture and non-agricultural economic forms have played in the evolution of the settlement environment. It then discusses the regulations and laws which may have direct impact on not only the built heritage but also the life of local lineage society. It criticizes the harsh control of the local government over local people’s built heritage and their environment in the name of heritage preservation. It then moves on to examine the roles of different stakeholders in the heritage framework concerning the use of local people’s built heritage. It explores the possibility of reaching equilibrium among all the heritage players in the form of contracts, and offers some suggestions to the stakeholders getting involved in the tulou management issues. Show less
Large scale excavations of Bronze Age settlement sites were carried out during the period of land consolidation projects resulting in a convincing model for the Bronze Age habitation of West... Show moreLarge scale excavations of Bronze Age settlement sites were carried out during the period of land consolidation projects resulting in a convincing model for the Bronze Age habitation of West-Frisia. This model envisaged settlement sites situated on creek ridges in an open almost treeless landscape. After a sudden change in climate c. 800 cal BC parts of the landscape were inundated, peat bogs developed and West-Frisia was abandoned by man. It was widely believed that this densely inhabited Bronze Age landscape was almost completely destroyed during the land consolidation projects. At the start of this century, however, it turned out that well preserved Bronze Age settlement sites still exist in West-Frisia. These sites were not only well-preserved but also situated at unexpected locations. In this thesis the palaeogegraphy is described at three scale levels. Based on an analysis of excavation results and environmental proxy data, a new model for the development of the landscape and habitation of West-Frisia during the Bronze Age emerges. For the construction of the palaeogeographical maps of Westwoud, a new approach is used, based on, amongst others, macro botanical remains. The thesis concludes with an alternative strategy for the prospection of Bronze Age sites in West-Frisia. Show less
This research strives to reveal how ideologies of race, class, and gender manifested in the the social, physical, and material landscapes of pre-emancipation colonial Saba, Dutch Caribbean. Race,... Show moreThis research strives to reveal how ideologies of race, class, and gender manifested in the the social, physical, and material landscapes of pre-emancipation colonial Saba, Dutch Caribbean. Race, class, and gender serve as facets and vectors for ideology. By viewing them as processes, their capacity to express such through their social and material environments inextricably tied to their particular temporal and spatial contexts. Through comparisons of the social and material environments of multiple, contemporaneous social contexts within Saba, common social and material vectors among these ideological facets can become apparent. In particular, this concerns: • How tensions between the “incomplete hegemony” of colonial authorities and plantation agriculture with Saban residents resulted in a dialectic between local landscapes, materiality, and ideologies of race, class, and gender. • Differentiating between slavery, free poverty, and low class in the archaeological record. • The dialectic between scale, locality, and perspective in defining and situating class and poverty. Show less
