Het oostelijk deel van West-Friesland was in de midden- en late bronstijd (ca. 1600-800 v. Chr.) een dichtbevolkt gebied met vele boerendorpjes. Door de goede conserveringsomstandigheden is de... Show moreHet oostelijk deel van West-Friesland was in de midden- en late bronstijd (ca. 1600-800 v. Chr.) een dichtbevolkt gebied met vele boerendorpjes. Door de goede conserveringsomstandigheden is de regio een schatkamer van de overblijfselen uit die tijd. In deze studie zijn oude opgravingsgegevens uitgewerkt en vertaald naar nieuwe inzichten in de inrichting en ontwikkeling van dit indrukwekkende prehistorische cultuurlandschap. Een van de opvallende resultaten van dit onderzoek is dat de nederzettingsterreinen vaak vele generaties bewoond zijn, maar tegelijkertijd een dynamisch karakter hebben. Continuïteit was er op locaties waar een huisplaats is ingericht: nieuwe boerderijen werden vaak generaties lang op dezelfde plaats als de voorgangers gebouwd. Maar we zien ook dat huisplaatsen die generaties lang bewoond zijn geweest, op een zeker moment werden opgegeven en een andere functie krijgen. Door de lange bewoningsduur van terreinen en goede conservering en herkenbaarheid van grondsporen, zijn de Westfriese vindplaatsen bij uitstek geschikt om deze dynamiek in beeld te brengen. Veel beter dan elders in Nederland is het mogelijk inzicht te krijgen in de keuzes die men in de bronstijd heeft gemaakt bij de inrichting van het landschap. Dat maakt deze studie een ijkpunt voor bronstijdonderzoek in Nederland, maar ook in Noordwest-Europa. Show less
The research contained in this dissertation explores the origins of fire making in prehistory, focusing primarily on the fire use practices and fire production capacities of Neandertals. The... Show moreThe research contained in this dissertation explores the origins of fire making in prehistory, focusing primarily on the fire use practices and fire production capacities of Neandertals. The dissertation is comprised of four peer-reviewed articles published in the journals Quaternary International, PLoS ONE, Journal of Archaeological Science and Scientific Reports, respectively, which are flanked by an introductory and synthesis chapter. The early chapters confront the debate surrounding the prevalence of fire use by Neandertals and discuss avenues by which we, as archaeologists, can better understand how fire use manifests in the Palaeolithic archaeological record. The latter chapters seek to provide a means for identifying artefactual evidence for fire making by Neandertals, ultimately presenting a series of French Middle Palaeolithic tools that exhibit use traces suggesting they were employed as fire starters, making these the earliest evidence for the regular production of fire by humans currently known. Show less
This dissertation is a study of archaeological remains left behind by nomadic communities in the Black Desert, situated in the northeast of modern Jordan. Between the Hellenistic and Early Islamic... Show moreThis dissertation is a study of archaeological remains left behind by nomadic communities in the Black Desert, situated in the northeast of modern Jordan. Between the Hellenistic and Early Islamic periods - roughly the late 1st millennium BC and the 1st millennium AD - the Black Desert was frequented by nomadic communities who are best known for the Safaitic inscriptions and rock art they left behind on the basalt boulders that characterise this desert environment. These remains, however, provide an incomplete view of those who carved them, and this study aims to provide new information on these nomads by studying the rich and well-preserved archaeological remains they left behind. It specifically focuses on stone-built architecture, notably burial cairns found often on hilltops and ridges, and enclosures situated at campsites used by nomads. These features are studied through archaeological methods such as remote sensing, field surveys and excavations. The study makes clear that in addition to textual and pictorial carvings nomadic communities invested significantly in their surroundings through the construction of elaborate and long-lasting structures. These served various social and economic purposes on the short and long term. The study thus provides an alternative view on nomad-landscape interaction in anntiquity. Show less
The present study explores the role of water in the ancient Roman city of Ostia.In antiquity, Ostia was situated at the intersection of the Tiber River and the Mediterranean Sea, and acted as one... Show moreThe present study explores the role of water in the ancient Roman city of Ostia.In antiquity, Ostia was situated at the intersection of the Tiber River and the Mediterranean Sea, and acted as one of the harbour cities of Rome for several centuries.This study investigates how water was acquired, used, and drained away in Ostia, and how these systems changed over time. To achieve a high level of resolution, three city blocks (insulae), were selected as case studies: III, i; IV, ii; and V, ii.to contextualize these hydraulic systems, the present study developed a new methodology, the Roman Water Footprint. The method was inspired by 21st century ways of understanding how and why water is used in modern cities. These modern insights have indicated that sustainable water usage is based not only on advanced hydraulic technology, but also includes environmental factors, and a strong cultural factor.The results of the study indicate that Roman water usage was much more diverse and flexible than has been previously appreciated.By placing Roman water systems into dialogue with the methodologies of modern sustainable water research, this study forms an initial bridge between modern and ancient approaches to water and urbanism. Show less
In this research the authors propose the Great Line of Life, which reframes the cultural link between present and past in the archaeological practice of the Mixteca Alta. Through the different... Show moreIn this research the authors propose the Great Line of Life, which reframes the cultural link between present and past in the archaeological practice of the Mixteca Alta. Through the different examples that are discussed, the importance of the knowledge and perceptions of the contemporary dwellers for the interpretation of the pre-colonial past can be seen. This research is presented as alternative archeology that seeks to decolonize the discipline. This archeology proposes to be flexible, relational, multi vocal and holistic. This way of doing archeology in the Mixteca is relevant because, on the one hand, it allows the parameters in which this practice has been classified to be broadened and, on the other, it reinforces the identification of contemporary societies with the pre-colonial past. Likewise, its importance lies in the fact that it is based on ethics and respect for Indigenous Peoples and shares the search for a better quality of life. Show less
Painstaking research in Dutch and Portuguese archive materials, so far poorly assessed on the topic of social relations, reveals intense and intricate associations between different European... Show morePainstaking research in Dutch and Portuguese archive materials, so far poorly assessed on the topic of social relations, reveals intense and intricate associations between different European individuals both in terms of ethnicity and social strata. Despite their supposed "nationality" and religion, Dutch and Portuguese colonists were able to accommodate linguistic differences, engaged in inter-confessional marriages and illicit liaisons and, together with French, German and English individu-als, served in the colony’s militia. Economical interactions between Dutch and Portuguese preceded the formation of Dutch Brazil since agents were involved in an array of material exchanges in Europe and in Portuguese America. After 1630, this did not change much. On a daily basis, historical actors extended credit, borrowed money, operated in retail trade, the sugar and dye wood industries, as well as in the slave trade. Long before Dutch rule in Brazil, individuals were able to exploit Dutch and Portuguese legisla-tion to defend their interests. Following the conquest of Recife, the WIC succeeded in imple-menting Dutch legislation in the colony, enforcing Dutch laws and legal procedures. Dutch and Portuguese alike were able to resort to courts of law to solve their disputes and faced judg-ment under the different codes after breaking the law. Show less
Imprint of Action investigates the sociocultural impact of archaeology through public activities. These activities provide an ideal setting for research, as they represent a structured point of... Show moreImprint of Action investigates the sociocultural impact of archaeology through public activities. These activities provide an ideal setting for research, as they represent a structured point of encounter between the public and archaeological heritage; in analysing them, aspects of people’s connections to the past are revealed. As such this research forms an integral part of the NEARCH project (2013-2018). As a basis for analysis, survey data from three large-scale case studies – ‘DOMunder’ (Netherlands), ‘You(R ) Archaeology’ (Cross-Europe), and ‘Invisible Monuments’ (Greece) was used. The analysis and interpretation of the case studies is based on a newly created methodological framework which finds its roots in the broader culture and arts sector. Results shows that activities encourage participation and interaction, which engenders sociocultural impacts on participants, most notably in knowledge increase, skill development, social relations, and happiness. Imprint of Action is the first large-scale study focussing entirely on sociocultural impact in archaeology and, as such, is explorative in nature; it provides unique insights into the workings of interaction and participation in archaeological events, and openly shares qualitative and quantitative research data with the expanding field. Show less
A mosaic is the only image which can do justice to museums in the Caribbean. They are as diverse and plentiful as the many communities which form the cores of their organizations and the hearts of... Show moreA mosaic is the only image which can do justice to museums in the Caribbean. They are as diverse and plentiful as the many communities which form the cores of their organizations and the hearts of their missions. These profoundly social museums adopt participatory practices and embark on community engagement processes in order to embed themselves firmly in contemporary Caribbean societies. This dissertation presents 195 Caribbean museums and the results of a unique research project. It begins with a macro view of 195 Caribbean museums and their participatory practices and continues by zooming in to a micro level to explore the dynamics of community engagement processes in two case studies. The Kalinago Barana Autê in Dominica shows the ongoing process of an indigenous grassroots initiative that became a governmentally owned museum. The Bengal to Barbados exhibition in Barbados reveals the complex dynamics of a co-curation project by a heterogeneous migrant community. By giving voice to grassroots museums, this dissertation shifts the museological discussion away from the usual suspects to consider topics such as the ephemeral museum. Recognizing the different forms the museum can take, it becomes apparent that people everywhere in the world need museums, create museums, and visit museums.The 195 museums studied in the course of this dissertation research are accessible through a separate appendix. This appendix can be read as a catalogue of these museums, whereby each museum is recorded individually. The appendix is accessible online through the Leiden University Respository via: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/76575 Show less
This book presents a useful GIS procedure to study settlement patterns in landscape archaeology. In several Mediterranean regions archaeological sites have been mapped by fieldwalking surveys,... Show moreThis book presents a useful GIS procedure to study settlement patterns in landscape archaeology. In several Mediterranean regions archaeological sites have been mapped by fieldwalking surveys, producing large amounts of data. These legacy site-based survey data represent an important resource to study ancient settlement organization. Methodological procedures are necessary to cope with the limits of these data, and more importantly with the distortions on data patterns caused by biasing factors. This book develops and applies a GIS procedure to use legacy survey data in settlement pattern analysis. It consists of two parts. One part regards the assessment of biases that can affect the spatial patterns exhibited by survey data. The other part aims to shed light on the location preferences and settlement strategy of ancient communities underlying site patterns. In this book, a case-study shows how the method works in practice. As part of the research by the Landscapes of Early Roman Colonization project (NWO, Leiden University, KNIR) site-based datasets produced by survey projects in central-southern Italy are examined in a comparative framework to investigate settlement patterns in the early Roman colonial period (3rd century B.C.). Show less
There is little evidence of the routes connecting Amerindian communities in the Caribbean prior to and just after 1492. Uncovering possible canoe routes between these communities can help to... Show moreThere is little evidence of the routes connecting Amerindian communities in the Caribbean prior to and just after 1492. Uncovering possible canoe routes between these communities can help to explain the structure, capabilities, and limitations of the physical links in their social and material networks. This book evaluates how routes connecting islands indicate the structure of past inter-island networks, by using computer modeling. Computer modeling and least-cost pathway analysis is a popular approach for analyzing the physical connection between sites in archaeology. Over the past three decades researchers have explored several theories and methods to analyze least-cost pathways on landscapes. Land-based least-cost efforts have outpaced the number of works evaluating optimal travel routes across the sea’s surface. Perhaps as a result, no community standard for using computer- and GIS-based methods to model canoe or sailing routes exists. Although methods used in previous research often focus on determining the time-cost and success of specific routes, these measures have been calculated or judged in different ways. One way this book adds to the discussion of seascape modeling is by focusing on inter-island voyaging, or the process of maintained connections between island sites, a technique rarely explored in sea-based least-cost pathways analysis. Show less
The amount of 3D modelling applications in archaeology has increased enourmously over the last decade. 3D recording techniques allow researchers to quickly and accurately document... Show moreThe amount of 3D modelling applications in archaeology has increased enourmously over the last decade. 3D recording techniques allow researchers to quickly and accurately document archaeological evidence, and 3D reconstructions have created new possibilities to communicate the results to a larger public. In this latter case, however, numerous scholars have expressed their concern regarding the ethics of such digital representations, since they give prominence to a crystallized image of the past. The study presented here aims to make a practical contribution to a new understanding and use of 3D reconstructions, namely as “laboratories” to test hypotheses and visualize and evaluate alternative interpretations. In order to do so, an analysis of visual reconstructions of the early and late modern period is presented first, followed by a discussion of current applications of 3D digital reconstructions, with a special focus on cityscapes. Lastly, the implementation of a research-driven, intellectually transparent and GIS-based 3D reconstruction is proposed for the urban site of Koroneia, in Boeotia, Central Greece. With a strong focus on the automation and iteration of the reconstruction process, our 3D visualization provides an intuitive insight into hidden relationships and associations among data, and allows the creation and evaluation of alternative reconstruction hypotheses. Show less
This research investigates the changing landscape and land use in two case studies of the coastal villages of St. Kitts and the Kalinago Territory of Dominica. By integrating human and ecological... Show moreThis research investigates the changing landscape and land use in two case studies of the coastal villages of St. Kitts and the Kalinago Territory of Dominica. By integrating human and ecological aspects of agrarian landscapes, this research analyzes how land degradation or land change impacts cultural ecosystem services, that ultimately disrupts community wellbeing. First, as a primary goal, the research focus is established together with local communities or stakeholders, identifying both direct and indirect causes of landscape change. Second, by using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, but grounded in local participation, the research indicates that landscape change never happens in a vacuum but rather, it is always a part of a larger socio-political context and historical background that must be considered. In both case studies, there remains emphasis on the tangible, as results not only lead to new directions in landscape research but also deliverables used by community stakeholders for continued land sustainability. By investigating the synergies of nature and community within landscape change, this research proposes that local communities assert local agency. This moves away from how local communities fit into global phenomena of land change, to how communities can assert their diversity within a global process. Show less
This thesis investigates the subsistence behaviour of Early Upper Palaeolithic (EUP) Homo sapiens based on the remains of molluscs and terrestrial fauna recovered from the Ksâr ‘Akil rockshelter ... Show moreThis thesis investigates the subsistence behaviour of Early Upper Palaeolithic (EUP) Homo sapiens based on the remains of molluscs and terrestrial fauna recovered from the Ksâr ‘Akil rockshelter (Lebanon). The results tie into the debate around the dispersal of modern humans into Europe. In this thesis, a multi-proxy chronological approach was applied providing ages for the modern human occupation and behavioural adaptations just outside Europe. At the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic groups at Ksâr ‘Akil relied mainly on terrestrial food resources, which shifted later, during the early Ahmarian, gradually to more extensive exploitation of smaller bodied taxa including the introduction of marine and terrestrial snails into the diet. Oxygen isotope analysis of marine mollusc taxa showed that shellfish exploitation was practiced in all seasons and thus played a central role in EUP foraging strategies. Equally this implies that the site was occupied during different times of the year. With regard of the implications for EUP Homo sapiens, shellfish as a dietary supplement throughout the year enhances the diet nutritionally and likely contributes to healthier populations. This in turn might have facilitated population growth and increased population density in an area that fuelled the modern human dispersals into Europe. Show less
The Western Mediterranean is a key region to understand human dispersal events within and out of the African continent as well as for the eventual replacement of Neanderthals by anatomically... Show moreThe Western Mediterranean is a key region to understand human dispersal events within and out of the African continent as well as for the eventual replacement of Neanderthals by anatomically modern humans during the Pleistocene. Central to any conclusive interpretation of archaeological and palaeoclimatic datasets that can be found in Palaeolithc caves is the establishment of a reliable chronostratigraphic framework for the investigated site. In this thesis, Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating was applied to determine the burial age of sedimentary deposits at three Palaeolithic cave sites in the Western Mediterranean - the Thomas Quarries and Rhafas, both Morocco, and Vanguard Cave, Gibraltar. Dating results were coupled with archaeological, sedimentological and geological proxy data to allow conclusive statements regarding the timing of human occupation phases and the appearance of technological innovations at the sites, local site formation processes and palaeoenvironmental conditions in the region in the past. Reliable OSL chronologies were developed for stratigraphical sequences at Rhafas and Vanguard Cave, while the applied standard single-grain dating turned out to be an inadequate technique for age determination of the Thomas Quarries sediments. Show less
This work analyzes ritual practices and knowledge related to the Mesoamerican calendar with the aim of contributing to the understanding of the use and conceptualization of this calendar system in... Show moreThis work analyzes ritual practices and knowledge related to the Mesoamerican calendar with the aim of contributing to the understanding of the use and conceptualization of this calendar system in the contemporary K’iche’ community of Momostenango, in the Highlands of Guatemala. The research presented here discusses the indigenous calendar system, forms of synergy between the Christian and the Highland Guatemalan calendar, the indigenous perception of history and continuity in time-related symbolism.Van den Akker argues that the social role of cultural anthropologists and archaeologists is to contribute to the ongoing process of cultural healing and spiritual recovery of the peoples that suffer(ed) from colonization and oppression. This study therefore places an emphasis on cultural continuity and approaches the continuation of Maya calendar practices as a possible tool for restoring breaks in social memory, which are caused by dramatic events such as colonization. Show less
The arrival of Columbus to the Caribbean in 1492 marked a milestone in world history. In both the European and the indigenous world, a set of economic, political and hierarchical networks and... Show moreThe arrival of Columbus to the Caribbean in 1492 marked a milestone in world history. In both the European and the indigenous world, a set of economic, political and hierarchical networks and relations were defined, structured and changed. To approach the transformations that took place in the indigenous world a regional archaeological investigation (coast of the Montecristi province, Dominican Republic) was combined with a theoretical framework that integrated: the concepts of taskscape and contested landscapes with statistical analysis and Geographic Information Systems, to evaluate the patterns of material culture distribution and its cultural implications. This allowed indigenous taskscapes to be defined at different spatial scales, which in turn permitted the delineation of the indigenous landscape before the arrival of Columbus. The archaeological results were compared with evidence from the early colonial chronicles and cartography for the north of the island. This comparison highlighted the spatial and material bases for the transformation of the indigenous landscape. The final results were encapsulated by two transformations of the indigenous landscape, called the Everyday Level, and the Imaginary Level. Show less
