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
As part of the VIDI 'Cultural innovation in a globalising society: Egypt in the Roman world', this research explores manifestations of Egypt in the material culture of Augustan Rome. This period... Show moreAs part of the VIDI 'Cultural innovation in a globalising society: Egypt in the Roman world', this research explores manifestations of Egypt in the material culture of Augustan Rome. This period was a crucial turning point for the urban landscape of Rome, which was characterised by cultural diversity. Previous studies focus primarily on Greek influences on the development of Augustan material culture, while Egypt remains neglected or simply categorised as exoticism or Egyptomania. This research, in contrast, set out to investigate whether or not __Egypt__ constituted an integral part of Augustan material culture during this period. By comprising for the first time a comprehensive and interpretative overview of manifestations of Egypt in Augustan Rome __including public monuments, paintings, and architectural elements as well as pottery, gems, and jewellery from private contexts__ a wide variety of case studies could be conducted, among which object reappraisals as well as new finds and contextual analyses were featured. By focusing on the archaeological data, this study demonstrates that Egypt was not an exotic Outsider in Rome, but constituted a remarkably diverse part of Roman material culture and the Augustan urban landscape, and was integrally part of the inherently flexible Augustan material culture repertoire. Show less
This is a decolonial study about Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) pictorial manuscripts (codices), Mexico. The aim is the understanding of their cultural values through a holistic and diachronic way, studying... Show moreThis is a decolonial study about Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) pictorial manuscripts (codices), Mexico. The aim is the understanding of their cultural values through a holistic and diachronic way, studying living and historical-cultural heritage of Mixtec People, based on the re-integration of cultural memory and cultural continuity, linking the past and the present through the Mixtec language (or Sahan Savi) and from its own perspective. The final aim is the re-appropriation of this knowledge by the Ñuu Savi communities themselves. 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
Plants and peoples’ connections intertwine in multiple histories, often captured in textual accounts and illustrations, such as the Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (1648) and the Libri Picturati (c.... Show morePlants and peoples’ connections intertwine in multiple histories, often captured in textual accounts and illustrations, such as the Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (1648) and the Libri Picturati (c. 1640). These materials originated in the colonial context of Dutch Brazil and circulated among naturalists, physicians, merchants, and wealthy collectors for centuries. Today, we looked at these collections to identify the documented flora. With an ethnobotanical approach, we analyzed whether these plants are still used the same way in Brazil, their origins, and how they were collected. This study pays attention to the Indigenous and enslaved peoples living in the colony, whose rich corpus of botanical knowledge was appropriated within Western epistemologies and used in the colonial enterprise in Brazil, and beyond. Show less
By the turn of century, increasing interest in archaeology in Jordan had resulted in more excavations and explorations of archaeological sites, and an increase in the number of monuments and... Show moreBy the turn of century, increasing interest in archaeology in Jordan had resulted in more excavations and explorations of archaeological sites, and an increase in the number of monuments and antiquities being revealed. In response, it was necessary and urgent to establish museums in which to display such remains, aesthetically and historically and to ensure their protection. This was achieved over a fairly short period of time, and museums have the role of displaying and safeguarding the collection in its custody. However, a preliminary check gave the impression that most museums in Jordan do not have the necessary human and material resources to perform this function satisfactorily. In recent years, museum science experienced a strong advancement, in particular when dealing with issues of indoor environment, and models of requirements have been designed. This thesis aims to describe, analyse and discuss the current situation of a number of selected museums in Jordan, with a focus on aspects of indoor environment. It intends to be an inclusive study that would provide recommendations and suggestions, hopefully enabling official senior level museum staff to address these needs, and work to improve them in order to portray a good image of Jordan and its historical legacy. It has been noticed that, at present, some artefacts are suffering deterioration and damage due to uncontrolled environmental conditions and mishandling by untrained staff; if this situation is not addressed promptly it may well lead to the destruction of these valuable and vulnerable objects. For this reason, a study of the processes of deterioration is required, prior to any recommendations concerning conservation treatments. In fact, excavated archaeological objects can be conserved and stabilized by a combination of instruments, whether these objects are on display or kept in storage. Therefore the indoor museum environment should be controlled and the staff properly trained to deal with objects adequately. These are basic necessities to ensure that museums and staff are able to fulfil the role of a modern museum, i.e. to be a sustainable social and educational resource. Show less
As museums face more scrutiny and are being demanded to decolonize, there are opportunities for Dominican museums to adopt a critical perspective and turn their collections and exhibitions into... Show moreAs museums face more scrutiny and are being demanded to decolonize, there are opportunities for Dominican museums to adopt a critical perspective and turn their collections and exhibitions into connections to our cultural past, present, and future. Nevertheless, specific research on archaeological collections in the Dominican Republic, the earliest hub of the European invasion, conquest, and colonization of the New World, has been scarce. This qualitative study explored how communities can be engaged to critically analyze museum narratives that perpetuate colonial ideas of Caribbean Indigenous extinction, which contribute to a disconnection from Indigenous heritage collections. Findings suggest opportunities for connections by improving access through the design of education and exhibition initiatives and the representation of cultural practices in ways that are important to the communities. This study provides future scholars with practical suggestions for designing community connections with Indigenous heritage institutions while creating multi-vocal engagements and inclusive meeting points for cultural self-determination. Show less
This thesis focuses on reconstructing the daily lives of Bronze Age farmers as well as the landscape for their subsistence practices. Doing so, Wild West Frisia analyses the separate components... Show moreThis thesis focuses on reconstructing the daily lives of Bronze Age farmers as well as the landscape for their subsistence practices. Doing so, Wild West Frisia analyses the separate components comprising Bronze Age subsistence (i.e. crop and animal husbandry, hunting and gathering) rather innovatively: instead of summarizing the known data for each subsistence strategy and drawing conclusions solely based on these observations, this study first determines what may have been... Show less
The adoption of agriculture is one of the major developments in human history. Archaeological studies have demonstrated that the trajectories of Neolithisation in Northwest Europe were diverse.... Show moreThe adoption of agriculture is one of the major developments in human history. Archaeological studies have demonstrated that the trajectories of Neolithisation in Northwest Europe were diverse. This book presents a study into the archaeology of the indigenous communities involved in the process of Neolithisation in the Lower Rhine Area (5500-2500 cal BC). It elucidates the role played by these in relation to their environmental context. This work brings together a comprehensive array of excavated archaeological sites in the Lower Rhine Area and indicates that the successive Late Mesolithic, Swifterbant culture, Hazendonk group and Vlaardingen culture societies represent a continuous long-term tradition of inhabitation of the wetlands and their margins. After demonstrating the existence of a diverse Mesolithic background to Neolithisation, the subsequent developments are studied by foregrounding the relationship between local communities and the dynamic wetland landscape. This points to long-term flexible behaviour and pragmatic choices in livelihood, food economy and mobility. For the interpretation of Neolithisation this study emphasises the persistent traditions of the communities involved. New elements are shown to be attuned to existing hunter-gatherer practices. By documenting indications of the mentalité of the wetland inhabitants, it is demonstrated that their mindset remains essentially ‘Mesolithic' for millennia. Show less
The transition from the Late Roman period to the Middle Ages in Northern Gaul remains rather obscure. Since very few written sources survived, archaeological research is the main source for the... Show moreThe transition from the Late Roman period to the Middle Ages in Northern Gaul remains rather obscure. Since very few written sources survived, archaeological research is the main source for the knowledge of Early Medieval society. Theories of deserted land after the retreat of the Romans and repopulation by Germanic mass migration were rife. During the years 2001-2010 I got the opportunity to excavate an Early Medieval burial ground with 513 graves at Broechem (B, prov. of Antwerp). For the first time in Flanders modern excavation techniques and interdisciplinary post-excavation research were applied on a Merovingian cemetery. This approach tells us more about rituals, technical features, costume traditions etc., but also provides us with information regarding the socio-economic relations and the symbolic traditions. The geographic situation of Broechem in a remote area of Northern Gaul, on a loamy sand plateau enclosed by rivers, and the presence of multi-cultural objects in the grave goods, shed light on Early Medieval society. My research explores the meaning of this cemetery in this remote region by analyzing the material culture as a reflection of social and ideological life of this community in this transition period. Show less
The Still Bay is a cultural-historic phase within the southern African Middle Stone Age, which remains critical to our understanding of modern human behavioural evolution, as well as to our... Show moreThe Still Bay is a cultural-historic phase within the southern African Middle Stone Age, which remains critical to our understanding of modern human behavioural evolution, as well as to our understanding of the biogeographic spread of different early modern human groups across the southern African sub-continent. However this phase is recognised in the archaeological record solely through the documentation of bifacial stone points (artefacts) that have a specific and complex overall morphology. Variability within this phase, and the accuracy with which the limits of it can be identified in time and in space, has received relatively little to no attention. The purpose of my thesis was to develop an objective and reliable method for identifying and interpreting morphological variability in bifacial points from the key Still Bay assemblages, and further, to test patterns documented with this method against conventional understandings of the phase. The broader central findings suggest that Still Bay point morphology varies significantly but uniformly through time, and discretely across space between bifacial point regional groupings. Therefore, treatment of the Still Bay as a culturally homogeneous entity and marker of demographic affiliation may be unreliable in a broader regional context. 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
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
The text deals with the protection of indigenous peoples' cultural heritage in the context of the United Nations, with an emphasis on traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional... Show moreThe text deals with the protection of indigenous peoples' cultural heritage in the context of the United Nations, with an emphasis on traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional cultural expressions as one of the challenges of contemporary law. The incorporation of rights already recognised in multilateral treaties on human rights, culture and biodiversity into the intellectual property system has been the demand of Indigenous Peoples in the discussion process underway in the World Intellectual Property Organisation's Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Folklore since 2000. The topic is analysed from the perspective of indigenous peoples, as collective subjects of international rights, authors, inventors and improvers, with the capacity to create and innovate using technologies that are continuously improved in their collective context. The work examines the contemporary challenges of balancing the rights of indigenous peoples and the large commercial interests involved in granting exclusive intellectual property rights. The thesis analyses, from the contexts of different indigenous peoples, the suitability of existing tools in the intellectual property system to prevent the erroneous granting of intellectual property rights and to prevent the misappropriation of the elements that integrate the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. Show less
The Iberian Peninsula has been central to the discussion as it was considered to be a 'last refuge' for the species at a time when H. sapiens occupation spread throughout Europe. Much speculation... Show moreThe Iberian Peninsula has been central to the discussion as it was considered to be a 'last refuge' for the species at a time when H. sapiens occupation spread throughout Europe. Much speculation has centred around the idea that extreme climate fluctuations during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 like Heinrich Stadial 4 (HS-4) were possible drivers for their disappearance. In other words, the extreme warm / cold fluctuations created an uninhabitable setting for Neanderthals, helping the dispersal of H. Sapiens intoIberia. These arguments were originally based on marine and ice core records of far-reaching origin that could provide little information at the local level. At the time this evidence was sufficient, as no other records were available. In recent years, studies have presented terrestrial palaeoclimate records from Iberia during the last glacial, but more are required to adequately understand the local response to Atlantic marine influences. Moreover, few terrestrial records are connected to known archaeological sites. The research presented in this thesis provides a more comprehensive understanding of palaeoclimate change during the Last Glacial Period and the potential implications for Neanderthal / H. sapiens movements in Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this, we examine the importance of a robust and direct U-Th chronology in conjunction with establishing local, terrestrial palaeoclimate records for the coastal Iberian Peninsula during the Holocene and Last Glacial Period. Show less
This dissertation studies the indigenous Mexican game of pelota mixteca. In the first part, the possible pre-Columbian origins of the game are examined. The second part focuses on the ways... Show more This dissertation studies the indigenous Mexican game of pelota mixteca. In the first part, the possible pre-Columbian origins of the game are examined. The second part focuses on the ways in which 20th- and 21st-century globalization, labor migration and state politics of indigenism have influenced the way the game is represented and used in political discourse, both by the state and by the players itself. 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
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
This study aims to test the hypothesis that large schale constructions of the Greek Late Bronze Age (1600 - 1050 BCE), such as fortifications, were so elaborate that they may have overstretched the... Show moreThis study aims to test the hypothesis that large schale constructions of the Greek Late Bronze Age (1600 - 1050 BCE), such as fortifications, were so elaborate that they may have overstretched the economic capabilities of communities, causing the collapse of these communities. In order to do this, the costs, in labour, of certain structures are calculated. These labour costs are calculated for various sub-processes of the construction process. However, since such a calculation will never be able to provide an absolute answer, there are simply to many uncertainties and unknowns, the relative costs of the studied fortifications can inform about the scale of the required investments. To be able to make comparisons, not only fortifications are studied, but a number of domestic structures as well.The research has shown that the impressive style in which the fortifications are constructed, using massive blocks of stone, is not, in itself, an overly expensive building style. The decorative styles at certain gates, however, is an expense style and is therefore only used sparingly. The fortifications themselves are expensive endeavours, but not beyond the capabilities of communities, as long as no other major issues were being a factor simultaneously. Show less
Barrows, as burial markers, are ubiquitous throughout North-Western Europe. In some regions dense concentrations of monuments form peculiar configurations such as long alignments while in others... Show moreBarrows, as burial markers, are ubiquitous throughout North-Western Europe. In some regions dense concentrations of monuments form peculiar configurations such as long alignments while in others they are spread out extensively, dotting vast areas with hundreds of mounds. These vast barrow landscapes came about through thousands of years of additions by several successive prehistoric and historic communities. Yet little is known about how these landscapes developed and originated. That is what this research set out to do. By unravelling the histories of specific barrow landscapes in the Low Countries, several distinct activity phases of intense barrow construction could be recognised. Each of these phases contributed to how the barrow landscape developed and reveals shifting attitudes to these monuments. By creating new monuments in a specific place and in a particular fashion, prehistoric communities purposefully transformed the form and shape of the barrow landscape. Using several GIS-techniques such as a skyline-analysis, this research is able to demonstrate how each barrow took up a specific (and different) position within such a social landscape. While the majority of the barrows were only visible from relatively close by, specific monuments took up a dominating position, cresting the horizon, being visible from much further away. It is argued in this research that these burial mounds remained important landscape monuments on the purple heathlands. They continued to attract attention, and by their visibility ensured to endure in the collective memory of the communities shaping themselves around these monuments. Show less
