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I recently read an article entitled "Patina is not the indicator of great age" published in The Central States Archaeological Journal that claims that copper artifacts from the Old Copper Culture (circa 4000-2000 BCE) sometimes lack any patina. However, articles published in The Central States Archaeological Journal do not appear to be peer-reviewed. I am wondering what the oldest copper artifact is that any of you have encountered that lacks any patina.
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It is true, the patina forms after a few years and therefore it doesn’t indicate antiquity.
I don’t know of any pre-protohistoric copper or bronze objects without patina.
In some countries, moreover, it was the rule to remove the old patina (it is not done in Italy)
I don’t know the journal and the article and therefore I cannot evaluate the reliability of the text.
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Correct. All birds are dinosaurs (specifically, avian dinosaurs), but not all dinosaurs are birds. Pterodactyls are not dinosaurs; they are flying reptiles from the same era.
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Maybe impossible to discern yet, an Egyptian plover can maybe clean a Crocodile's mouth without getting eaten.
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Of the living birds, the birds of the infraclass Palaeognathae are the closest to alligators: Ostriches, Rheas, Tinamous etc....
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I would like to open a discussion on my latest paper Ten reasons why Central Asia had to be the original homeland of Indo-Europeans, Gauls and Balkan peoples 04-24, which you can find on RG at :
Central Asia seems to me better suited than the Pontic steppe as the original homeland of the Eurasian original language, aswell as Indo-European language, taking into account linguistics, ancient scripts, genetics, archaeology, history, religion, thespread of agriculture, the PIE vocabulary relative to the horse, the wheel and the chariot, the development of long-distancetrade along the future Silk Road. The richness of mountain and river vocabulary also supports a PIE original homeland locatedin mountains with rivers rather than in the steppes. The Pontic steppe would be only a secondary homeland of IE languages. I welcome comments from researchers.
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Thanks Alexander
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Archaeology is generally the study of the past through material culture especially those that have been excavated employing scientific means. What does the term past refers to in the archaeological fraternity, what time has to elapse inorder to call it past hence relevant for archaeological studies especially in studying material culture acquired through excavations?
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This is a very tricky question to answer, indeed, as aspects of archaeological investigation have been progressively moving forward in time over the past decades. For, while for a long time, World War II remains were not considered of archaeological interest, they are these days. What's more, the most recent archaeological niche that I'm aware of is that of the archaeology of gaming, which brings the field into the 1980's, when game computers were starting to enter certain households.
As such, it's best to think of "the archaeological past" as a fluid and flexible concept, without clearly defined boundaries - a concept that moves forward in time with us to explore elements of our shared history that society takes an interest in, yet which course has previously not been put into writing and which developments are explored through the physical study of the material culture associated with it. This is to say that excavation is less of a defining characteristic of archaeology and its study of our past than is involvement of actual material relics/physical cultural traces, with the field differentiating itself from historical research exactly through involvement of the material record versus purely the written one. As such, one may even, as has been done by the Dutch national Museum of Antiquities, study the development of tooth brushes through the ages, up to the modern time.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that the concept of archaeology also wildly differs from country to country, with some considering it part of anthropology - that is, completely merging it with studies of cultures from the present-day - and others taking a more historical approach, relying more heavily on written records. The above perspective is one derived from the Dutch view on archaeology and may, furthermore, in true post-processualist manner, not even be a view held by all archaeological schools in the Netherlands - notwithstanding my personal belief that it does.
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It just came to my mind that in China, based on the literature I've read, there is information that ancient Chinese people in the Song dynasty in 1054 AD provided evidence that they saw the Crab Nebula supernova explosion, which was recorded in their documents.
Based on this, did the ancient people of Indonesia also see the same Crab Nebula supernova explosion in 1054 AD? Given the presence of the Crab Nebula in the Taurus constellation and close to the Celestial Meridian line. Then, is there any evidence in ancient inscriptions or manuscripts around 1054 AD in Indonesia that mention this supernova event?
If you have some references related to data sources either inscriptions or ancient manuscripts in Indonesia, I kindly ask you to share them with me, as I am interested in researching this further.
Thank you.
Best Regards, Nabila
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As mentioned above, the answer could be affirmative. See the paper: Stephenson, F. R. & Green, D. A. (2003) reporting the ancient sources for the observation from Asia too: Stephenson, F. R. & Green, D. A., "Was the supernova of AD 1054 reported in European history?", Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage (ISSN 1440-2807), Vol. 6, No. 1, p. 46 - 52 (2003).
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Civil engineering plays a vital role in shaping our physical environment, from constructing bridges and roads to designing water systems and skyscrapers. However, beyond its utilitarian functions, civil engineering also intersects with the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage. This special section aims to explore how civil engineering techniques, principles, and innovations contribute to the protection, restoration, and interpretation of cultural heritage sites worldwide. It delves into the symbiotic relationship between engineering advancements and the preservation of our shared cultural legacy.
Main Topics to be Included:
  • Historical Structures Preservation: This topic focuses on the techniques and methodologies employed by civil engineers to preserve and restore historical buildings, monuments, and archaeological sites. It covers aspects such as structural assessments, material conservation like composites (FRP, FRCM, TRM, SRG, etc.), and adaptive reuse strategies.
  • Infrastructure Adaptation: Civil engineers often encounter the challenge of integrating modern infrastructure with existing cultural heritage sites while preserving their integrity. This section examines case studies and best practices for adapting infrastructure projects to mitigate their impact on cultural heritage.
  • Innovative Conservation Technologies: Advances in civil engineering technology have revolutionized the field of cultural heritage conservation. This topic explores innovative tools and methodologies such as 3D scanning, Building Information Modeling (BIM), drone surveys, and virtual reality applications in documenting, monitoring, and preserving cultural heritage sites.
  • Sustainable Heritage Management: Sustainable development principles are increasingly integrated into cultural heritage management practices. Here, the focus is on how civil engineers contribute to sustainable heritage management through eco-friendly construction techniques, energy-efficient solutions, and green infrastructure initiatives.
  • Community Engagement and Stakeholder Collaboration: Civil engineering projects involving cultural heritage sites often require close collaboration with local communities, government agencies, and heritage preservation organizations. This topic examines strategies for fostering community engagement, promoting cultural tourism, and ensuring the participation of diverse stakeholders in decision-making processes.
  • Challenges and Opportunities: Preservation efforts face various challenges, including environmental degradation, urbanization, and insufficient funding. This section discusses the challenges encountered in the conservation of cultural heritage and explores opportunities for innovative solutions, interdisciplinary collaborations, and international cooperation.
  • Ethical Considerations: Civil engineers working in cultural heritage preservation must navigate complex ethical dilemmas, including questions of authenticity, cultural appropriation, and the balance between conservation and development. This topic addresses the ethical considerations inherent in engineering interventions at cultural heritage sites.
  • Case Studies and Success Stories: Finally, this section presents compelling case studies and success stories that highlight the transformative impact of civil engineering in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. These real-world examples showcase best practices, lessons learned, and inspirational projects from around the globe.
Through this comprehensive exploration, "Engineering the Future, Honoring the Past: Cultural Heritage in Civil Engineering" aims to foster a deeper understanding of the critical role civil engineers play in safeguarding our cultural heritage for future generations.
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Sometimes very different cultures have surprisingly similar responses to conserving cultural heritage significance while replacing worn out fabric using the same materials and methods - two examples of this can be found in Japan - 900-year-old wooden temples; and the UK - Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. In both cases on-going maintenance over time using traditional methods and materials has resulted in replacement of fabric without losing the cultural heritage significance of the item. A more modest example would be wooden truss bridges in Australia.
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I recommend the brilliant interview of Dr Titus Kennedy by Dr. Sean McDowell who is a professor at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
How strong is the archaeological evidence for Jesus? What are the top 10 discoveries? In this video, he talks with Dr. Titus Kennedy, an archaeologist, Biola professor, and author about his book Excavating the Evidence for Jesus
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William Mayor Well, that is very exciting. I'd love to read an ARC if you are allowed to send those out.
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My textbook is about social-science interviewing - and nothing to do with Archaeology.
(And I dont know what the overall population of items numbers are, in terms of which I've got more than 99%).
Perhaps there's 400 items overall in Qualitative Social research, and only 002 in Archaeology?
The professionalism of the ResearchGate statistics as researched and as presented is not completely convincing.
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Wow, congrats, on the high rating for your textbook in Qualitative Social Research: hoover, the score in Archaeology may be influenced by factors such as the specific content, target audience, or the evolving landscape of archaeological reteach. understanding the reasons behind the score in Archaeology could involve examining reviews, considering changes in the field, or seeking feedback form readers and experts in that domain.
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Hello!
I am currently researching labor investment costs in Fremont stone bead production, and I am planning on setting up an experiment where I test stone bead production techniques in order to understand labor costs in the production of beads in Fremont society. I have run into a bit of a barrier in my literature review where I cannot find very many resources that cover the topic of stone bead production in the Great Basin, let alone stone bead production within the Fremont material record. There are plenty of papers about shell bead production and trading, but not as many for stone beads. I am primarily looking for any previous studies that may have already covered the topic of stone bead production or any previous experiments testing labor investment in bead production. I am also looking for any ethnographic data on stone bead production techniques, similar to what has been observed in the Fremont material record. Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you!
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You probably already have this reference, but a very small discussion of turquoise compared to shell (summaries on pp. 22-23; 66-68, 93)is in: Jardine, Cody Brooke, 2007. Fremont Finery: Exchange and Distribution of Turquoise and Olivella Ornaments in the Parowan Valley and Beyond. M.A. Thesis, Department of Anthropology, Brigham Young University, Provo.
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How misleading is the recorded history of music?
The historians normally recorded positive historical events of the powerful kings. What musical events did happen among ordinary people that we know nothing about? To what extent have the victorious nations hidden the music of the defeated nations?
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We will probably never know with enough certainty because of the lack of data. One example would be the music of the native cultures in Mexico, firstly because it was more of an oral tradition, and secondly because there's little to none physical register of the musical practices of these people
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May I ask why the website (Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology) has been inaccessible recently? ( https://jaha.org.ro/index.php/JAHA
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Maybe you want to email the administrator of the website.
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Can you recommend me some papers about human body biomarkers preserving in soil for archeological studies?
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Human occupation typically increases the concentration of elements like K in soil because they are present at appreciable concentrations in plants.
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  1. Is the attention paid to the field of archeology and its importance less than in the past?Considering humanity's view of the future and the solution of the upcoming issues such as Corona 19, does archeology still have its importance in recognizing the past?
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In Iraq, the destruction of archaeological sites has been a prominent phenomenon since 2003 until now, as a result of many factors, including internal political problems, the ISIS war, religious institutions, and urban expansion.
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I am a Ph. D. Research Scholar, and I require collaboration for research activity in the field of Neolithic-Megalithic Cultures of Kashmir valley. The collaborative research includes scientific exploration, Site catchment analysis, ethnoarchaeology, documentation, and trial trenches in the valley of Kashmir. I can manage the logging, traveling, and food for the collaborators. But, I need the equipment for scientific exploration, documentation, and mapping.
Interested research scholars can email at aadil.hist15@gmail.com for more details.
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Dear Abdul Adil Paray I am interested in the role of Central Asia in the diffusion of Eurasian languages and megalithism, you can read my paper Best regards, Xavier
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Researchers in this domain answer...
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Machine learning (ML) is rapidly being adopted by archaeologists interested in analyzing a range of geospatial, material cultural, textual, natural, and artistic data. The algorithms are particularly suited toward rapid identification and classification of archaeological features and objects. The results of these new studies include identification of many new sites around the world and improved classification of large archaeological datasets. ML fits well with more traditional methods used in archaeological analysis, and it remains subject to both the benefits and difficulties of those approaches. Small datasets associated with archaeological work make ML vulnerable to hidden complexity, systemic bias, and high validation costs if not managed appropriately. ML's scalability, flexibility, and rapid development, however, make it an essential part of twenty-first-century archaeological practice. This review briefly describes what ML is, how it is being used in archaeology today, and where it might be used in the future for archaeological purposes.
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Before you put me in the same category as Von Daniken, hear me out.
When the ice spread across Europe, it basically annihilated everything and changed the landscape. New valleys and fjords later emerged where there had been none.
My reason for asking such a speculative question is partly related to the extraordinary age of the Göbekli Tepe site in Turkey, and the fact that in order to raise such structures skills are needed which presuppose organized learning of some sort.
Today archaeology has moved down at almost a molecular level. And I thought this might make it possible to search for clues of what preceded the ice-age in a new way. So, the question is does the evidence exist, and is any search feasible?
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Along the coast of France, during the last ice age when the Cosquer cave was inhabited by a prehistoric society, the level of the sea was 120 meters lower than it is today. If the oceans were that much lower than today, because of Glacial formation isn't it possible for the The Yonaguni Monument to have been carved out of rock by human hands?
Is the Göbekli Tepe site in Turkey a one off, did it just appeared out of no where. The Sahara desert hasn't given up any of it's secrets, nor the Jungles of Africa or the southern Americas nor the ice covered polar poles. Any pre-glacial civil structures found along the western coast of North America has been pulled under the earth's crust and turned into metamorphic rock.
Didn't the World's space program use satellite penetrating radar to map the world surface and they found buried structural signs of human construction everywhere?
A 25,000-year-old Ice Age structure made from the bones of 60 wooly mammoths has been unearthed in Russia. Any wooden structures found in jungle settings have probably rotted away, long ago. But prehistoric caves are found all over the world, showing signs of human occupation.
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I posted a pre-print paper on Mayan Geometry and the 5,12,13 Triangle on ResearchGate.
(PDF) Mayan Geometry and 5,12,13 Triangle (researchgate.net)
I would like to open a discussion on the topic addressed in the paper in regard to:
- Is the collection of presented examples scientifically sound
- Is a verifiable geometric pattern an adequate tool to consistently identify repeating patterns
- Is the geometric method adequate to develop a classification index to eliminate the ambiguity of results in terms what is a coincidental, intentional or circumstantial finding.
Key words: Mayan Archaeology, Archeoastronomy, Geometry, Pattern matching
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Good luck
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Thanks to micromorphological analyses, glass crafts were identified at three different sites in Switzerland (2 x Medieval, 1 x Iron Age). What was surprising, however, was that at all three sites, in addition to ashes, charcoal, small glass drops and fragments of the oven constrution, guano from chickens was detected with striking regularity. For me, this raises the question of whether guano (from chickens) might have had a specific use in glassmaking. Does anyone have any idea what guano might have been used for in glass craft?
Many thanks in advance!
David
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ليس لديه اي معلومات بهذا الخصوص
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I am looking for articles about using GIS for the mapping of natural risks on archaeological sites.
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By comparing photos and analyzes at different times
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I am trying to research the history/archaeology of the late Pazyryk and the period when the Xiongnu invaded Altai.
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New book by K Linduff and K Rubenson "Pazyryk Culture Up in the Altai", Routledge, Abingdon and New York 2022
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This wall is part of the Caliph’s Palace in Samarra, an archaeological building in the ninth century. It is one of the most prominent Islamic buildings in Iraq.
The building has been neglected for over 15 years,
Two photos, one showing the entire building, and the other showing the effect of high humidity.
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Thank you very much for your suggestion.. But we have an ancient building that cannot make holes in the walls.
I will try to access the indicated site.
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Along the North American Pacific Northwest and West Coasts, what is the strongest archaeological evidence for a late Pleistocene human colonization of the Americas from 14,000-13,000 cal BP?
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Genetic evidence, particularly Y-chromosome phylogenies, rules out the scenario of multiple pre-14 kya migrations that you are positing (unless you think #s 1-6 left no descendants, which is possible if improbable). You are looking at those archeological sites uncritically.
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We always tend to show that there is a link between the archaeological discoveries and ancient religious facts, especially in countries such as Egypt, Israel and other parts of the world.
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Religious stories are nothing but symbols of real historical facts... Archaeological investigations revealed some of them...
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For example: Iran falls within the Middle East arid zone, with some 13% of the country receiving less than 100 mm mean annual rainfall, an additional 61% receiving less than 250 mm and only 9% receiving more than 500 mm.
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A lot comes together for the Earth orbiting the sun to let us know there is a mystery before us if we look at the archaeology of Earth’s astronomy. Thus, does a lot come together considering the archaeology of other star systems as well that can indicate to its intelligent life that they are part of something larger than themselves, as well. We can infer the existence of a planet around a star we cannot see, but can we say something about the archaeology of its people as well. I treat this a bit in Archeology of Other Star Systems at
The paper is at:
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Or you can download it below....
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Dear Ian,
Thank you for raising the question among a broad range of scholars. A few of us, social scientists, have been raising questions like this and trying to create a predictive science of how humans will live in space and how human cultures will adapt in various ways, which include the cultural issues from the perspectives of anthropology. It is interesting to see how you are raising this question about other intelligent forms of life in different environments, which comes at the question of culture from a different perspective. You might want to try raising this question among the "Astrosociology" group (which you should be able to find easily in a search) and the "Astropolitics" group (which has a journal). I have reviewed the anthropological perspective, including the issue of culture that you raise, with a review of the literature up to the time of the article and of a work that included many fields that was new at the time (2011). For many reasons, the field hasn't developed sufficiently to answer your questions and you may have to try on your own, using the existing work as a springboard, but just raising the question helps the field and perhaps promotes future collaborations. Here is where you can find my piece. “The Cultural, Social and Political Dynamics of Living in Space,” (Review Essay using “Living in Space: Cultural and Social Dynamics, Opportunities and Challenges in Permanent Space Habitats,” ed. by Sherry Bell and Langdon Morris, as a take-off point), Astropolitics, April, 2011, Vol 9, No. 1, 84-111.Best, David
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Kindly reply this specialised query, if you have any such information.
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As indicated by Mohammed O. Al-Amr it is no longer a legit journal, it is hijacked. See for all arguments why, the following discussions here on RG:
In short: when it comes the journal “PalArch's Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/ Egyptology” it is clear that Scopus is ‘struggling’ with this journal https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21100286805you can see this by looking at the coverage that looks odd (just click on ‘Scopus content coverage where you can see that between 0-3 papers a year are indexed).
Best regards.
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Entomophagy is practiced in various parts of Oaxaca, however, it's history is unclear. While its place in central Mexico is more evident, it has been difficult to find data and information on its practice in Oaxaca, and in particular where chapulines (toasted grasshoppers) might fit. Grateful for any insights.
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Research has been performed on the history of coffee (plantation, trade, consumption) in modern times, but little seems available with regards prehistoric times. I am aware of just one paper by Hilderbrand, et al. (2010) - https://www.jstor.org/stable/40930991 - which mentions two partial seeds of Coffea arabica found at Kumali rockshelter in southwest Ethiopia in layers dated after 1740 BP.
Is there any other research available?
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Visit:
Article The origin of cultivated Coffea arabica L. varieties reveale...
Article Unveiling a unique genetic diversity of cultivated Coffea ar...
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We're accustomed to thinking that tool use is what distinguishes us from our non-human cousins, but is that really true? We see other species using "tools" and crude technologies so I don't think it is the defining factor. Perhaps it's actually the use of clothing that is the greatest difference. I'd like to know if anyone has done research in what I will call sartoriology.
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Clothing or creation of body covering probably correlates with the loss of body hair and the necessity of keeping warm. At the same time, perhaps, the use of fire began as a source of warmth. So the use of clothing and fire together perhaps sets humans apart.
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I am interested in differential diagnostic procedures on skeletal remains for a possible diagnosis of Nail-Patella syndrome.
I am interested in consulting published studies on skeletal remains of individuals with possible Nail-Patella syndrome
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Hi,
I am preparing an inventory of the archaeological monuments that meet with the following three criteria:
1. It should be a piece of sacred architecture, which is equipped with an inner shrine (naos, garbhagriha, sanctum sanctorum) that is square in shape.
2. Should be prior to c. 460 CE (based on primary evidence / other scientific factors)
3. Region: West Asia, South Asia
Please ignore the query if you are not too sure of the dating.
Thank you in advance!
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The answer is on the same site
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Which country and university is the best one to study environmental archaeology?
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I am studying mobility and socio-cultural interactions among palaeohistorical hunters-fishers-gatherers in the Laurentian part of the Subarctic. My main research hypothesis is that rivers and watersheds are "vectors" that had a structuring role on mobility and social interactions. Since I am interested in examples that has been documented around the world, can you recommend me ethnographies, archaeological publications or researchers that have studied watershed in order to understand cultural or sociological phenomena?
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Dear Olivier,
You may want to have a look on the paper of my former colleagues Tomaž Podobnikar:
Kind regards,
Balázs
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You can take help from religious books also but my concern is archaeology as a science and taught subject.
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I think it is going to start very soon.
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My apologies for cross-posting but this is an issue that is close to my heart. The University of Sheffield in their wisdom are proposing to close the Archaeology Department for the sole reason they are not making money!
The department has been a leading institute for prehistory research and has trained hundreds archaeologists in environmental archaeology and anthropology over the years. It is a vibrant community that has been reduced to 11 teaching staff but the University is run by accountants...
Please support our fellow archaeologists at Sheffield by signing this petition.
Also please disseminate this information through your networks. #SaveSheffieldArchaeology!
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Hi both,
I don't think the Department is not making money, not at all. In fact, as far as I know, the economic figures have not been disclosed by the university. I think the University Executive Board believes they could make more money investing in STEM departments as lecturers cost the same but these typically attract more students. There also a more systemic problem with the UK government reducing funds for arts and humanities departments. I wonder which model of education (and society) are they promoting. In any case, Archaeology at Sheffield is a very successful department and it is probably generating much more money than it requires.
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A. DARWINSM, three age system and genetics
B. SYMBOLYSM, post modernism and radiocarbon dating.
C. CULTURE history, processual and post processual explanation.
D. NATURAL and cultural transformation processes.
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Probably option C, those are what we would call "archaeological theories" that set the floor to explain what we find in the archeological record by integrating them into a set of principles that explain the evolution and behavior of human societies.
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An area where significant "dating inflation" seems to have gotten hold is Early Neolithic Archeology. For example, I hold the theory that Gobekli Tepe is not a Pre Pottery Neolithic A/B site. See for example my paper here (one among a number of papers I have written on the topic of Gobekli Tepe):
(15) (PDF) A Primer on Gobekli Tepe (researchgate.net)
It is common practice in Science, to provide alternative theoretical perspectives when writing on a topic. However, rarely one comes across such practice in the field of Archeology. Instead, a diverse set of groups seems to accept this dating inflation unquestionably, because it apparently suits their (different) ideological perspective(s).
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Thanks for your reply Edmond; I'll take a look at your citations and will write to you my reactions. Again, I appreciate the time you took to write your response to my Q.
Greetings from Florida
Have a nice day!
Dimitrios Dendrinos
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A consistent problem facing Epipaleolithic and Neolithic Archeology, especially in regions like Europe and Asia Minor (Anatolia) and also in other regions of Eurasia, is the proper naming of archeological sites, and archeological artifacts. Such sites and artifacts have been (and are) assigned names in the modern era that have either very little or nothing to do with the names given them by their original builders and creators. As a result, they carry unneeded cultural baggage by the countries they claim them. Gobekli Tepe (and many other "Tepes") as well as Western European sites like "Stonehenge" for example, are cases in point.
In Astronomy, scientific names are used to refer to celestial objects, like for instance the New General Catalogue (NGC) system. Such cataloguing takes away popular and irrelevant names (given by ancient cultures, thus carrying cultural baggage) like for example the "Constellation of Orion", an association of stars that bear little actual relationship to each other, except that they carry the pareidolia they offered to those cultures that gave them that name.
It is high time to have such a system in Archeology as well. What do scientists of Researchgate.net think about this idea? I would be interested in hear their views. Thanks.
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"Evolves", where are you going?
Lou
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Not all authors consider rock art as an artistic expression.
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Rock art, ancient or prehistoric drawing, painting, or similar work on or of stone. Rock art includes pictographs (drawings or paintings), petroglyphs (carvings or inscriptions), engravings (incised motifs), petroforms (rocks laid out in patterns), and geoglyphs (ground drawings).
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How can I download free radar images using archeology and explore radiographs a few centimeters deep?
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Depends. Contact source or primary researchers first. Most will likely send you for free. Institutions and centers often charge a fee.
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Can anyone recommend me a topic for research in the environmental archaeology?
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You may think of studying palaeo-environment and how human have affected the same in yours study area, may be identified/ shortlisted base don previous literature. Similarly, in identified study area, you may study how climate change has taken place and further how man or more precisely anthropogenic activities have affected its pace.
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For bioarchaeology research.
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Tim, Thank you for your answer and the article. Can I write you a private message for more details? Anna
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Due to the lack of access to my university's laboratories and equipment I'm exploring the efficiency of FTIR in the characterisation of bone samples from reviewing literature as opposed to practical experimentation.
Most of the advantages FTIR over other techniques have been stated to be:
- its speed and ease of analysis
- the low cost of the instrument as compared to other (Raman spec, etc)
- the availability of spectral databases
- its non-destructive character
I am slightly wary of bringing up FTIR in discussions about non-destructive techniques since it requires the preparation of pellets from the sample together with KBr. Even with the ATR attachment, FTIR appears to require the preparation of hard solids into powder for proper crystal penetration - thus, not entirely non-destructive.
I realise the definition of the term is not clear-cut in analytical sciences but do you have any experiences with FTIR-ATR and the analysis of bones or teeth? How have you prepared your samples, and have you found any benefits for using this technique as compared to other?
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Dear.,
Using FTIR-DRIFT is different from ATR MIR spectra. using FTIR, sample's powder is used but in ATR may suspension is used.
The conventional methods of analysis are laborious, slow, costly, harming environment, consuming lot of chemicals, and need more samples preparation.
Compared to conventional methods, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using Fourier Transform Infra Red in the range of Mid Infra-Red spectra (2.5 to 16 micrometer) is much easier, rapid, not need much sample preparation, no need for chemicals and this method is environment-friendly.
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I am interested in the process of transmitting technological knowledge from one generation to another in hunter-gatherer societies. What bibliographic references related to this topic do you recommend?
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Sam Lin makes an excellent set of points about learning in traditional societies, particular in regard to hunter-gatherers where accurate scientific knowledge about environments and their common and unusual variations are critical to the success of this economic form of human adaptations. The importance of experiential learning cannot be overstated in the current intellectual debates about how transmission is accomplished. I wish to comment on the use of the term "mythical stories". In my opinion and experience, the continued use of the term "myth" is generally a under appreciation of the empirical scientific knowledge of traditional populations. Elsewhere on RG I have recounted scientifically accurate "stories" about natural events that are couched in metaphors in traditional languages, and may sound quaint or uninformed in translation to fieldworkers who have not learned the language of a particular population (referenced in my 1 March answer here). I have had many such experience in my work with the Pume of Venezuela, where I would ask informants about some of their behaviors, and had to wait up to 1.5 years for them to provide a detailed answer beyond "because" (as I've mentioned on RG before, this is the automatic response to a child's kind of question of ignorance, even by young adult anthropologist or greyhead). I want to recount an interesting Australian example, from the problematic divulgences of Richard Gould in his book 1969 book Yiwara: Foragers of the Australian Desert. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Gould offended some (many?) Ptjantjara, Ngatajara, and other Aboriginal peoples for including photographs of sacred elements in a waterhole, and possibly some of his descriptions of the events surrounding a teaching went at this location. I wish to recount what I feel is the important learning event that was described, and discuss the use of the term "sacred" by traditional populations that includes practical environmental knowledge. I have spoken extensively with Dick Gould about this event, He identified the visit to the Pukura waterhole (pp. 120-128, as an example of the importance of experiential environmental learning and he agrees that what he described in Yiwara as a set of "ritual" activities is really just science as we conceive of it, although it includes a level of cultural importance that can be approximated by some of our anthropological and popular terms implying r"religious" significance, but is not mythological. Gould begins this discussion referencing Norman Tindale's point that alleged "myths" about landscape features and initiations were practical teaching. When they arrived at the waterhole, Gould describes the men clearing off the vegetation grown around it, adding mud from within the waterhole all around its banks, and then coat it with red ochre. As they removed mud from the bottom of the waterhole that , they also retrieved 47 stones and sticks from within the waterhole. These objects were discussed in detail, they had individual stories. These objects were then replaced at the bottom f the waterhole. What was accomplished at Pukura was to stabilize the margins of this waterhole and dredge sediments that had accumulated in it to re-establish its maximum capacity. The 47 objects retrieved were markers of the maximum base of the pool. The activities associated with this event are not "myth', they were mnemonics about what needed to be done to accomplish environmental stewardship of a critical resource. The stories, dances, songs, costumes, etc. associated with not only Australian Aboriginal practices such as this but in many societies are "sacred" in a sense that maintaining a healthy, functioning environment for hunting & gathering is a critically important cultural practice. I believe that many traditional people identify a number of practices as sacred or part of their "religious" life because they understand that (at least now in what we hope is a more tolerant social milieu that does no denigrate practices outside of the more common Abrahamic, Buddhist, Shinto, and other religions of larger populations) these are afforded a certain level of protection, whereas their own views on environmental stewardship have been run roughshod by outsiders for centuries. Only relatively recently have forest managers in Australia recognized that Aboriginal practices of fire management prevent larger, destructive fires. Recent research by Bliege-Bird, Bird, and Codding have demonstrated that smaller fires also create more productive post-fire mosaic environments with more diverse resources (as following recovery, smaller fires create a patchwork of different recovery flora & fauna compared with more monolithic and less diverse succession in the wake of more extensive fires. Traditional peoples are very wise to identify the terms outsiders might respect as the vessel for much of their profound, empirically-based scientific knowledge. Like their kinship systems, Australian Desert peoples have an amazingly diverse set of complex practices that perpetuate the details of environmental variation, distribute that knowledge among a dispersed and interacting set of "different" language population groups, and have developed to make life possible for tens of thousands of years in an extremely challenging kind of environment. Many so-called "initiation rituals" are a forms of making certain that a diversity of environmental knowledge is maintained in a cultural system; another way that humans are able to feed on high value foods and use hunting & gathering as a viable and economic practice even into the 21st century. Learning in traditional societies is infinitely more complex than our modeling expectations about simplistic transmission of information about how to make particular tools or maintain "cultural norms". They actual practices are situationally responsive, constantly updating new information, may cover vast areas depending of the kinds of geography we look at (and that diversity can only be minimally sampled even in long-term ethnographic fieldwork), and have a much greater temporal record of utility than the "schooling" or "apprentice" perspectives that dominate our current modeling approaches to transmission of cultural knowledge. To use a popular culture analogy, the calculus-like complexity of these systems make Mr. Spock's 3-D chess (and many of our modeling assumptions) look like tiddlywinks. Science is astonishing when we confront our own ignorance about how the world works. We must encourage our students to go to the field and explore what is still practiced that can help us better understand the real-life concerns of foragers about managing economic options that are critical to such successful life ways, and will help us more informatively develop models to address what is challenging in archaeological research of past human activities and cultural maintenance of their profound scientific knowledge.
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I spent the past few months interning as an independent researcher at the Field Museum in Chicago. Here, I spent my time observing the design procedure that leads up to the creation of a context-focused exhibition. The term culminated with a paper at the end on the nature of objects in such exhibitions. I'm currently looking for places which can help me review, edit, and publish this work. Any direction would be helpful!
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Some journals will accept conceptual papers, i.e. not based on empirical data collection. But you would still need to draw on the academic literature.
Here is my recommended structure for a conceptual paper:
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Keenly looking suggestions about the prospect and challenges of scientific study in Heritage, Indigeneity and Folklore Studies (HIFS) at the educational institution around the world.
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Contrary to what we're taught, tradition is not a static thing. Times change, generations change, and what we know changes. The most stable aspect of any tradition may be its ability to change, making it able to accommodate changing times, changing generations and changing information. Otherwise, no matter how old and once revered, a tradition can disappear like a magician's bouquet, to resurface if--and only if--it becomes timely and relevant again.
If this were not true, we would all still be sacrificing animals on hilltops to reach the ears of our various gods; on the other hand, we can retain a tradition by reinterpreting it. Eighty years ago the majority of people in the USA believed that the story of Adam and Eve was the natural history of the world. Some still do. But the mainstream no longer does, and has retained the tradition by reinterpreting it as an allegory, or poetry, about the beginning of time and the fate of mortals. Where we locate the sacred realm (in the celestial dome or the womb of the earth), our aesthetics, assumptions, aspirations and animosities will shape every aspect of our expressive behavior, and every mark we leave on earth.
We have to trust people to recreate the past, interpret the present and shape the future in their own best interest--no outsider knows better what that is. To best respect tradition, we have to stand back and watch it change, and seek in those changes, the spirit and mentality of the people who generate, modify and maintain these traditions over time, free of molestation from those who purport to know better than they.
Its only when powerful outsiders interfere in the process of a peoples' own strategic and creative changes in tradition, or try to take over; to guide, shape, change, or prevent change in tradition, that harm is done. Instead, stand by. Watch. And learn. Speak out when powerful interests try to take over a peoples' traditions to suit their own interests and agendas. Then let life happen, let tradition adjust, and learn what we can from the changes. Some things will inevitably be lost, yes--but some will always be gained. Watching and learning would be us at our most respectful and creative. If it seems an imperfect solution, its still most likely the best we can do.
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Hello,
recent exposure of an early 17th-century burial in south-central New Mexico has uncovered a wooden cross (length c. 30cm) in direct association with that burial. Due to the local arid climate we had to cover the cross after only about 30 mins to prevent desiccation breakage and thus had to postpone analysis of the burial context. Given the extreme scarcity of such objects we would really like to preserve the cross as much as possible. Is there anyone out there with experience in applying perhaps a PVA compound (or other stabilizer) to terrestrial wooden objects in situ? Again, the issue is the extreme aridity and resultant rapid fragmentation of the exposed object.
Thanks much for any suggestions, Michael
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Wowie-ka-zowie!!
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WAC2020 SESSION 18 – CALL FOR PAPERS
THEME: F. IDENTITIES AND ONTOLOGIES
15. Archaeologies of Identity
Organisers: Gail Higginbottom, Cecilia Dal Zovo, Felipe Criado-Boado
Instituto de Ciencias del Patrimonio (Incipit)
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Direction (CSIC)
**Feel free to download our flyer and share (click on title)**
Invitation
We invite you to participate in our session. This session wishes to address approaches and interpretations that determine in what ways megaliths & earthworks first became phenomena in particular regions and/or why they didn´t. Connected to this is whether or not people saw themselves as affiliated groups. Indeed, we also want to know why some regions chose one of these phenomenon and not the other within the same temporal span, or gave one precedence over the other. The building of megalithic monuments is a worldwide, time-transcending phenomenon, hundreds of thousands were erected across the World, with some places like the Korean Peninsula holding about 30,000 dolmens. The fact that they still exist in situ, highlights their past and continued relevance in the Cultural Landscape today; it also highlights their on-going collective identities. A similar story is attached to earthworks like mounds, ditches, embankments and pathways and their combinations. Megaliths & earthworks are clearly a dominant form for creating a materiality of social & spiritual engagement across the World. Is it possible that similar material practices mean shared worlds in some regions, and how might we differentiate between this and co-vergent evolution? As these monuments continued to develop through time, it is possible that so too did their meaning(s). Or is this rationale only an assumption, and indeed rather misguided? With such deliberations, this session, then, also wishes to see evidence that might answer this for us, too, or indeed provide evidence for the stability of a cultural practices, meaning and identity through time. Perhaps there is macro and micro evidence that displays stability but the micro reveals the forms of change within local communities. We are seeking works that present ideas related to these themes and which seek to answer questions such as these, or indeed, by default, have done so.
Keywords: Megaliths, Earthworks, Cultural Landscapes, Social engagement, Shared Worlds
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An interesting and inspiring subject, good luck!
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Hi All,
I'm looking for small source samples of Obsidian from the Northern US (Idaho, Wyoming, Montana) or from British Columbia, Canada. Would be willing to pay shipping. Ideally would be collected with field photos and GPS data if possible.
Thank you
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FredErick,
are you offering obsidian from Ghana? if you’ve got some I’ll take it I guess...
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Hello everyone, so I'm trying to create a least cost-benefit map and factors for least cost-benefit are very varied like slope, elevations, region vegetations and etc. I must say I'm very confused between these varied factors and I just want to make sure that I choose the correct and suitable factor in my map. although I want to create several maps of least cost-benefit but i want to ask you: what is the best factor for least cost-benefit for reaching a site to another in a region like southeast Iran?
if you are unfamiliar with the region and topography of southeast Iran, I must say that it's just like the most regions in Baluchistan of Pakistan with low hills in east of the region and high mountains in west. the vegetations of regions is also similar.
so if anyone could help me, i will be so grateful. thank you.
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Hi! If there is land-use continuity (what you need to be sure about.... ususally archaeology is recorded right in the modern villages/settlement spots.. rather due to built-up change and infrastructure then due to the fact that the patterns show 'realistic' archaeological land-use opportunities) you can integrate the NDVI in your friction surface by recalculating the value of the vegetation density:
produce your NDVI map with a remote sensing software (eg multispec, find the guidance for the channel recalculation attached. Download the multicpec software here: https://engineering.purdue.edu/~biehl/MultiSpec/
in your GIS, you can recalculate the values of your raster image to any range you like and finally create no-movement corridors (high values) and potential movement corridors (low values). I am not sure that high vegetation areas would enable movement though...
adding all your raster values to one final raster would result in a friction surface.
in general, you might want to have a look at these books for technical guidance (C/L) and a methodical overview (P):
Conolly/Lake:
Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology (Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology)
Parcak:
Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology
Good luck
Michael
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Every profession has its own way of how to solve a problem (see my article https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319644185_Thinking_like_an_engineer and my question https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_to_think_like_an_engineer ). They may be some overlap in the way they think, but the thinking methods are distinctly different.
The way archaeologists think is fascinating. They find a button in a dig and tell you which cloth the button belongs to, what was the color and material and who wore it. Even if the person who wore it had a hole in the seat of his pants. Amazing; all from a single button- as it looks from the outside.
From the inside, archaeologists say that their deduction is based on other historical finds and facts, not on a single button. Thus, you should expect that two archaeologists infer entirely different things from that single button; drawing from their baggage.
If an engineer or a medical doctor attempt to spin a yarn, they need a lot of data and well verified and grounded theory. There is a methodology, known as evidence-based practice, which uses a lot of data and calculations to establish a fact. There is little room to inject opinion. By the way, this known as “expert opinion”
Archaeology, engineering, law, and medicine are all fact-based profession. Thus, they can benefit from each other practice.
Question is can we borrow ideas from archaeology and short cut the deduction process in their profession?
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Other people read a history book and believe it. Archaeologists read it but believe nothing until they see it in the ground. History tells us that slaves were fed by their masters and did not own firearms. Dr. Charles Fairbanks dug slave cabins and studied the documents. By the huge amount of work documented he knew they ate a lot of calories. But there wasn't that much food bought by the plantations. Gun flints were found in the cabins; slaves hunted and raised food, etc. (Other People's Garbage video).
Archaeologists can envision what could lay out of site, but not out of their minds. Edward S. Big Ed Rutsch (1936-2002) knew from a lifetime of digging on Tel New York, that one had to be absolutely sure one had reached culturally sterile subsoil. That is why he discovered the NYC African Burial Ground National Monument about 25 ft (7.5m) below West Broadway.
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Hello everyone, I want to understand the weights systems in the Bronze age in MiddleEast but what I don't get it, is the ratio of these weights and the basis for these ratios. like in the Mohenjo-Daro case, we have 2, 4, 8...1600 ratios.
so I want to know two things: 1. what is the basis for these ratios? is that just arbitrary numbers for divisions of weights or maybe it has equity for reaching these ratios?
and question 2. if in one site we got different ratios so what is the difference between Mesopotamian and Indus weight system? from my perception, it's just a difference between ratios in two civilizations just like the difference between ratios in one single site, a regular difference that not a big deal, so maybe there is no difference and we want just imagine there is!!!
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thank you very much for your answer. that was my problem, the basis of archaeological material for determining these values and ratios. now the divisions of each weights values by ratios is the lowest weight value.
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Hello, I'm looking some geological method (if there is) for dating some man made holes (archelogical one) on igneus lava dome rocks in Central Italy. The age of these rocks is around 1 million years ago.
Thank you very much, Rosanna Fantucci geologist
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Dear Mrs. Fantucci,
lichens have also successully been used.
With kind regards
H.G.Dill
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I was wondering about the geology of Egyptian tombs and karstic environments in Egypt more generally.
Are many Egyptian tombs contained within karst environments? Have speleothems ever been found formed within said tombs?
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Dear Dr. Jacobson,
There are speleothems in tomb TT 33 (mainly in room XIII), located on the west bank of Luxor (Asasif necropolis), dated to the 7th Century BC.
- Some speleothems can be distinguished on this photo (ceiling) :
- Maps of the tomb :
- Location of the tomb :
- Geological context of the Theban Necropolis (Tarawan Chalk) :
Yours sincerely,
Isabelle Régen.
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The two parts shown in the attached photo do not join but may well have been part of the same object. N.B. the subtle difference in the treatment of the cenral roundel: that of the large piece has six small dots arranged around a central dot, while that of the individual flower is blank.
The finds are mentioned in the Assessment Report for Bridge Cottage, Brixton Deverill.
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yes
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Dear researchers,
How would you perform an integral landscape analysis in archeology? What are the key components would you take in account? What are the theories behind this analysis? References are welcome!
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Hi, you can also use 'modern' data to some extent: satellite imagery to detect palaeoriver channels, potential agricultural areas and settlement spots (including flooding vulnerability). A GIS-based analysis would enhance your knowledge by multivariate landscape modelling ... an integrative approach.
check corine CLC to start with and include the riparian dataset if you are close to a river...
good luck!
Michael
PS
theories behind that:
landscape vs. environment, see e.g. Ingold, Gillings, Llobera etc.
landscape affordances, see Gibson and further Knappett, Gillings etc.
How is your archaeological database biased by modern land-use and heritage management (see van Leusen etc. ah, see Verhagen for general methods on landscape reconstruction..
and many many others...
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I raise this as a point of discussion.
Two days ago I heard a news story about newly found ca. 6,000 year old hillfort at Khirbet Abu al-Husayn in the Jordan desert.  The remarkable stonework at Goblekli Tepe are 9,000 years old.  While in Malta there are sophisticated ruins dating back to 4,000 BC.  The old tradition of civilisation arising in Mesopotamia and Egypt is looking fragile.
Is anyone working on consolidating this new archaeological evidence to redraw the time line of human history?
And what other recent archaeological finds should be added to this picture?
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Breaking News.
From what I've read of it since first posting this question, Gobleki Tepe appears to have developed a a regular ritual assembly point for hunter-gather communities. (I'm grossly oversimplifying here.) It was not a place of human settlement.
News coming on line in the past few days has now revealed the discovery of an ancient city housing 2,000+ people, close to modern Jerusalem. This city appears to have been roughly as old as Gobekli Tepe. The site apparently includes large buildings, dwelling, ritual, public function and burial places, with alleys between the buildings.
You can read about it here.
And here
The latter, and other news reports does include a photo of what looks like a bronze spearhead that is anachronistic. This may be just journalistic licence - and ignorance, or an artifact found on site during the excavations from a much later time period that overlay the much older city.
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I read in a paper that says: Dating ancient water technologies often difficult and published ages are often imprecise.
Why it is difficult to date?
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No is not difficult
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Hi,
I am graduating this year with a master in molecular biology. I am currently doing a project in ecogenomics. I am studying the Marine Group II (MGII) archaea and looking at which viruses infect them and how this virus-host interaction changes MGII genome. With this project I am doing both wet and dry lab, so also using bioinformatic tools.
I also have a bachelor in archaeological sciences, for my project I worked on lipid extraction and mass spectrometer analysis.
I always wanted to go to Mexico and for how absurd might sound for you, I am looking for a job over there.
I have no idea how and where I could look for a job in biology/archaeology there and was looking for suggestion. I do speak a bit of Spanish and I am studying more at the moment.
Every tip is greatly appreciated!
Thank you
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Dear Selene ...
اختصاصك العلمي رائع لو وظف بشكل علمي لخدمة الاثار بشكل مشروع بحثى كيفية عمل التلف البايولوجية بمادة الاثار
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Trabajo en arqueología hidráulica y me gustaría conocer su trabajo
Marcos Michel Ph D
Arqueólogo. Profesor Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. La Paz. Bolivia
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Olá Marcos,
Puedes enviarme un correo a isabeltravancas@yahoo.com y decirme que artículo tienes interes que te lo envio.
Saludos
Isabel
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I'm a Bachelor Student from the University of Puerto Rico, trying to mix both of my passions of food and Archaeology. Would love to hear from others experiences and knowledge. Please feel free to answer as you like and desire.
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Here on the limes area in Southwestern Germany there some hoards belonging to Late Antiquity containing iron bells. I think that they belonged to animals growth. There are also elder examples, maybe ated to the 3d century A.D. There is still the question how the Romans cope to degree vegetation in the foreland of the limes. Did seheep and gotas carry out this work ?
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The 10th IALE World Congress will take place July 1st-5th 2019 in Milan, featuring the theme of "Nature and society facing the Anthropocene challenges and perspectives for landscape ecology". http://www.iale2019.unimib.it/
Have a look at our symposia SYMP4 Reconstructing the past landscapes to simulate future sustainable scenarios through multidisciplinary approaches
We accept abstracts by 25th of February!!
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Grazie Claudia per l'invito che terrò presente.
Paolo
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Because if you are, we are organizing one of the sessions
click the link below to find out more :)
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me
xxxx
Dalia
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NO!
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Have you ever encountered, during your studies, this kind of bronze crucible/melting-pot?
We found it during excavations in the northern part of Poland, on the site connected with Roman Iron Age period. We're supposing it's a crucible, because in its corner we found some kind of melted metal alloy (we're examinating it now), probably it could be lead, tin or silver. We're searching for analogies to this melting-pot in Poland but we haven't been able to find anything similar so far.
So if you have ever encountered a similar crucible, please let me know. We will be grateful for any help in this case!
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Jeśli jest Pan zainteresowany dam znać, gdy ukaże się ten tekst poświęcony znaleziskom z Kujaw.
Pozdrawiam, Bartosz Kontny
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I took these photos on a visit to Mycenae earlier this year. They were just lying in the hillside rubble next to the path somewhere between the end of the great ramp and the upper citadel and palace complex. I'm curious to know if anyone has any idea what they might be and the period to which they would belong.
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Joachim, it seems likely they were part of a generally populated area, their position indicates that, and therefore more likely to have fulfilled a domestic purpose. Other questions as well: the assumption is they are the same age as the status buildings nearby: they could be more recent, as even more recent cultures built in stone: why have they remained when other structures have disappeared?
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Hi all,
Has anyone ever come across published geochemical data on the Bartstratumb (or Bardzratumb) obsidian source from Armenia?
Does anyone have samples in their collection?
Please let me know if you do!
Many thanks,
Marie
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That's one of several names for Kel’bedzhar, Kechel Dag, and Merkasar, which lies within an area claimed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan. I haven't been there (yet), and not many geoarchaeologically-minded people have... Jim Blackman visited in the 1990s, and I have only a tiny scrap of material left from his visit. His NAA data are published in his 1998 chapter in the Big Red Book.
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Could anyone point to analogies to unusual barrow shape, of which we have only several examples in Lithuania. These are rather small in height (up to some 2 metres) but large in diameter (30-40 metres). They have flat top, something like an upside-down flat plate (see figures 1 and 2). Atop there is usually a round broad ditch and shallow rampart, and an outer ditch surrounding the whole barrow, forming something like shown in figure 3 in cross-section. Since they are all located in long-forested areas I am pretty sure they have suffered considerable changes in shape over centuries, and may have initially looked as shown in figure 4, i.e. like a barrow-on-barrow.
None has been excavated yet so nothing can be said of what (if anything) lies in them. All of them are located among usual barrows mostly dated to the Migration Period (ca. 5th-6th c. AD). So their dating is expected to be similar. At least they a very unlikely to have anything to do with the Neolithic or Bronze Age.
Maybe there exist analogies to barrows of such shape, probably in Barbarian Germanic territories?
I would be grateful for your answers.
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This way you may may be forced to put spots on a plan of what you interpret, lets say, as a burial, in a publicly available account. And the site may seem attractive, judging from the size of the barrow, to those who should not be there. Everybody thinks that the bigger the barrow the richer the burial. Maybe low probability, but we have had cases of grave robberies made by someone who seemed to be well familiar with archaeological literature. So I think if you are going to use geophysics you should be ready to excavate, too.
But at this stage, I only wish to do my best in searching something similar anywhere abroad. This could aid in working out strategies. If I get to it. If I just detect the barrow dates back to, say, 500-600 AD, this tells almost nothing new to me.
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I belong to a research team of archaeologists from the Univeristy of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) that works in the Liberated Territories of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
One of the aspects of our research focuses on the analysis of the palaeoenviroment in this region during the Pleistocene.
We've obtained some OSL samples from palaeodunes and we would like to know if someone knows a dating laboratory with experience in the analysis of this sort of environments or has worked with samples form the Sahara desert.
Thank you very much.
Link to the website of the project: http://www.kultursahar.org/
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Dear Joseba,
Professor David S.G. Thomas at Oxford
has decades of experience applying OSL in that region.
Best wishes,
Nathan
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At this very moment (2 September; 22h00, local time), the National Museum (MN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), one of the most important museums of natural history in the world, is burning in flames.
In addition to the exhibitions open to the public, the MN housed some of the largest and most important scientific collections existing in Brazil. The collections of biological items included thousands of types (insects, reptiles, birds, mammals, plants, etc.).
To the taxonomists (and other colleagues): You could say how many specimens (mainly types) collected or described by you were deposited in MN? And to what taxonomic groups (family or above) these specimens belonged?
[In 2016, a coup d’état turned Brazil in a country with no future. Now, in his final months at the head of the Government, the President Michel Temer wants also to ensure that the country erase its own past.]
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I appreciate colleagues for the comments and for the suggestions.
The Brazilian press (newspapers etc.) is biased and shallow and I don’t take it too seriously. On the other hand, article published yesterday (4/9) in The Guardian had the following title: ‘Brazil National Museum: as much as 90% of collection destroyed in fire.’ At the moment, two considerations must be made: (i) this percentage should vary greatly among the different sectors of the institution (from 0% to 100% of loss); and (ii) the fact is that no one yet knows the extent of the losses.
I don’t work in the National Museum (MN) and I don’t even live in the city of Rio de Janeiro. However, a friend of mine who works at the MN sent me today (5/9) some enlightening information (especially about the biological collections), as can be read below:
(1) The so-called Imperial Palace housed most of the collections of the MN. In this building were, among others, the Department of Entomology (except part of Diptera) and part of the collections of mollusks and arachnids. Total loss: collections of insects, including several hundreds of types (e.g., about 1.300 beetle holotypes), in addition to the collections of mollusks and arachnids (but 80% of the types of mollusks have been preserved, because they were in a building annex). The departments of Geology & Paleontology and Anthropology also stayed in this main building. Total loss: the collection of Egyptian relicts (e.g., mummies) and the social anthropology library. However, some items (e.g., meteorites) are being found and collected. The building still housed an electron microscope.
(2) Outside the Palace are the following sectors: the central library; the departments of Vertebrates and of Botany; a small part of Archaeology and some laboratories of invertebrates. All are preserved.
(3) An annex to the Palace (‘Annex Alípio de Miranda Ribeiro’) was preserved. In this building are part of the the sector of dipterology and the collections of invertebrates (except mollusks and arachnids).
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In the Early Middle Ages (the period from 6th to 12th century) animals accompanie