THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION, who were the people who were buried at the early medievalNorth Sea emporia? Conclusions about the mercantile character of the North Sea emporia are often based on... Show moreTHIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION, who were the people who were buried at the early medievalNorth Sea emporia? Conclusions about the mercantile character of the North Sea emporia are often based on portablematerial culture. In recognition of the fact that it is difficult to draw conclusions about the identities of people basedon finds assemblages, two pilot projects have been completed that involved bioarchaeological analyses of cemetery pop-ulations associated with these sites. The first of these, the Investigating the Dead in Early Medieval Domburg project,undertook multi-disciplinary analyses of the (very small) surviving burial population from the mostly destroyed sitesin the Domburg area (Netherlands), combining isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating, biological anthropology, dendro-chronology, and provenancing and study of previous use of coffin wood. The second, the Medieval Migrants of theNorth Sea World project, inventoried available isotopic evidence for human remains from emporia sites in England,the Netherlands and Scandinavia, alongside contextual archaeological information. This paper presents both projects,providing the detailed information from Domburg in its wider, international context, and highlighting the need for acomprehensive research agenda to fill current gaps in our understanding of early medieval emporia populations. Show less
The dynamics of the transition between late Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (AMHs) are the subject of intense debate: the location and duration of the coexistence of these two hominins,... Show moreThe dynamics of the transition between late Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (AMHs) are the subject of intense debate: the location and duration of the coexistence of these two hominins, as well as their relation and cultural exchanges that could have occurred during this transitional period also known as the Middle Palaeolithic to Upper Palaeolithic Transition.Timing these hominins is crucial in archaeology and paleoanthropology. The precise chronological position of the different cultural facies, as well as the human remains associated with them, are therefore key elements that delineate the chronological framework within which Neanderthals and AMHs could have interacted. While there is increasing evidence of admixture and co-existence of the two hominin species in central and eastern Europe, Belgium might show a different scenario: radiocarbon analyses, using the compound specific radiocarbon dating approach (CSRA) made on bone implements related to the Late Mousterian and the Early Aurignacian as well as late Neanderthal remains, highlight a hiatus in the occupation of the territory. Our new data tend to confirm that Neanderthals and AMHs did not coexist in this region. It seems that in northwest Europe, Neanderthals evolved and went extinct without any influence from modern humans. Show less
The reliability of the frequently cited date of the Avellino eruption of mount Vesuvius and the general problems connected with tephra dating are discussed. Moreover, the possible effect of tephra... Show moreThe reliability of the frequently cited date of the Avellino eruption of mount Vesuvius and the general problems connected with tephra dating are discussed. Moreover, the possible effect of tephra toxicity is mentioned. Show less
The work of Fernand Braudel (1949) should have revolutionized the way archaeology conceptualizes temporal scales and builds chronological narratives. Even though Braudel’s general views did impact... Show moreThe work of Fernand Braudel (1949) should have revolutionized the way archaeology conceptualizes temporal scales and builds chronological narratives. Even though Braudel’s general views did impact archaeological theory deeply, his three different time-scales, together with insights into duration as the inner dialectic between different temporalities, remain neglected in archaeological practice.Nowadays, ceramic chronology building in archaeology still relies on two main variables: time-space and pottery styles. This book aims to challenge this paradigm and propose a new way for narrating vital chronologies. The point of departure for this endeavor consists of a longue durée geographical unit, the valley of Juigalpa, in central Nicaragua. Through a view of materials—and especially ceramics—as complex and embodied palimpsests, as the bundling of unfolding traces; a chronology including five different intervals based on ceramic technologies is presented, from the first traces of human practices in 300 CE through to the present. Show less
Direct radiocarbon dating of human remains is crucial for the accurate interpretation of prehistory. Yet given the scarcity of prehistoric human remains, direct dating is often too destructive for... Show moreDirect radiocarbon dating of human remains is crucial for the accurate interpretation of prehistory. Yet given the scarcity of prehistoric human remains, direct dating is often too destructive for important fossils. The reduction of sample size necessary for dating bone is therefore of great interest to archaeologists, but the confounding factors of molecular preservation and contamination present great challenges to the radiocarbon dating community.This dissertation explores the reduction of sample size for radiocarbon dating Palaeolithic bone at the pretreatment and 14C measurement stages. Methodological tests were carried out on a selection of archaeological bones spanning the breadth of the radiocarbon method at varying levels of preservation. Our standard pretreatment protocol for ~500 mg bone was refined for <100 mg bone. Collagen extracted from solid pieces of bone (rather than powdered bone) and a reduced duration of the gelatinisation stage improved collagen yields for small samples. The quality of the extracted collagen was evaluated based on the yield, elemental and stable isotopic values and the obtained 14C measurements. Show less
his thesis aims to improve the chronology of the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in France through the radiocarbon dating of bone collagen samples. This requires accurate... Show morehis thesis aims to improve the chronology of the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in France through the radiocarbon dating of bone collagen samples. This requires accurate calibration of the radiocarbon time scale for this time interval, reliable extraction of collagen from prehistoric bones and accurate AMS radiocarbon dating. The recent developments in radiocarbon calibration beyond 26,000 cal BP, which have resulted in the formulation of an internationally agreed calibration curve spanning back to 50,000 cal BP, are discussed in the introductory section of this thesis. The methodological section of this thesis presents the results of experiments undertaken to establish an optimal procedure for extracting collagen from bone samples for radiocarbon dating. The main objectives of these experiments were to remove contamination from the organic bone fractions, which generally results in younger ages, and to avoid the incorporation of exogenous carbon in the laboratory through careful cleaning of the equipment. In order to achieve these aims, a suite of bone pretreatment methods were adopted and the resulting collagen extracts were sent for dating to different laboratories. The radiocarbon ages obtained from two test bones cover large ranges, which fall significantly beyond measurement error. This may be due to differences in both pretreatment methods and in the set-ups of different AMS facilities. The research undertaken for the present thesis has allowed the author to establish a protocol of laboratory procedures that produces consistent ages for bone collagen older than 30,000 cal BP This protocol was implemented at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) and, in chapter 7 of the thesis, it is adopted to establish a chronological framework for the site of Les Cottés in France. This site has an almost uninterrupted sequence spanning from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic, including Mousterian, Châtelperronian and Aurignacian occupations. The AMS radiocarbon determinations obtained from bone collagen samples, pretreated according to the quality criteria developed in this thesis, accurately date not only the different human cultures which succeeded each other at Les Cottés, but also the climatic episodes and oscillations which characterized the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition. This case study demonstrates that AMS radiocarbon dating of mammal bone collagen can be reliably used for establishing the chronology of sites older than 30,000 14C years BP and with well-preserved deposits. Show less
