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ABSTRACTTo accurately replicate highly complex, flaked stone artifacts using the same raw materials as the original artifacts is a challenge for any present-day flintknapper. Replication of individual bifacial points from a Bronze Age burial mound in Wales led to further study of the artifacts. Integrating experimental replication, technological analysis, x-ray fluorescence, and geometric morphometry, we conducted a study of the bifacial points from the Breach Farm site. Results revealed two technological traditions; the technological details of the production sequences; possible use of a source of Greensand chert in France as raw material on both shores of the English Channel; no evidence of practical use or post-depositional damage; and the considerable expertise of the flintknapper(s). This study suggests contact across the English Channel involving people from Armorica (France) by trade or tribute, and it supports interpretations of production of these artifacts for mortuary contexts rather than functional use as arrowpoints.

We are a group of archaeologists, anthropologists, curators and geneticists representing diverse global communities and 31 countries. All of us met in a virtual workshop dedicated to ethics in ancient DNA research held in November 2020. There was widespread agreement that globally applicable ethical guidelines are needed, but that recent recommendations grounded in discussion about research on human remains from North America are not always generalizable worldwide. Here we propose the following globally applicable guidelines, taking into consideration diverse contexts. These hold that: (1) researchers must ensure that all regulations were followed in the places where they work and from which the human remains derived; (2) researchers must prepare a detailed plan prior to beginning any study; (3) researchers must minimize damage to human remains; (4) researchers must ensure that data are made available following publication to allow critical re-examination of scientific findings; and (5) researchers must engage with other stakeholders from the beginning of a study and ensure respect and sensitivity to stakeholder perspectives. We commit to adhering to these guidelines and expect they will promote a high ethical standard in DNA research on human remains going forward.

ABSTRACTIn this paper we present a review of previous research carried out at the Alice Boer site coupled with new data regarding its lithic industry and ages. Our data suggest that the site, once believed to be at least 14,000 years old, most probably was occupied no earlier than 8000 years ago. The lithic material, comprising both bifacial and unifacial formal artifacts, can be associated to the Rioclarense industry. This industry is now well described and was dated elsewhere (at Caetetuba site) as early Holocene. Therefore, in spite of not being as old as originally thought, Alice Boer can be considered to relate to the late Paleoamerican occupation of South America from a cultural point of view.

ABSTRACTWe present in this article the description of a bifacial point found in the municipality of Boa Ventura de São Roque, in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. Given that it is a piece of exceptional size, made with a complex manufacturing technique, we made a metric description and analysis of the knapping technique of this artifact, in order to compare it with other similar artifacts found in Brazil.

Dentre as inúmeras informações possíveis de se obter a partir da análise de artefatos ósseos, uma delas é a identificação das espécies e partes anatômicas utilizadas para a confecção desses artefatos. No território brasileiro, quatro espécies de cervídeos são comumente encontradas nas regiões sul e sudeste: Mazama americana, Mazama gouazoubira, Ozotoceros bezoarticuse Blastocerus dichotomus. Ao longo do Holoceno, ossos e galhadas dessas espécies de cervídeos foram utilizados no lascamento lítico, na produção de pontas ósseas e espátulas, entre outros artefatos. Estudos preliminares dos artefatos ósseos recuperados de três sítios arqueológicos de grupos caçadores-coletores do sudeste e sul do Brasil - sítio Lapa do Santo (MG), sítio Tunas (PR), e sítio Garivaldino (RS) - demonstram uma preferência por ossos de cervídeos para a confecção desses artefatos.

DNA recovery from ancient human remains has revolutionized our ability to reconstruct the genetic landscape of the past. Ancient DNA research has benefited from the identification of skeletal elements, such as the cochlear part of the osseous inner ear, that provides optimal contexts for DNA preservation; however, the rich genetic information obtained from the cochlea must be counterbalanced against the loss of morphological information caused by its sampling. Motivated by similarities in developmental processes and histological properties between the cochlea and auditory ossicles, we evaluate the ossicles as an alternative source of ancient DNA. We show that ossicles perform comparably to the cochlea in terms of DNA recovery, finding no substantial reduction in data quantity and minimal differences in data quality across preservation conditions. Ossicles can be sampled from intact skulls or disarticulated petrous bones without damage to surrounding bone, and we argue that they should be used when available to reduce damage to human remains. Our results identify another optimal skeletal element for ancient DNA analysis and add to a growing toolkit of sampling methods that help to better preserve skeletal remains for future research while maximizing the likelihood that ancient DNA analysis will produce useable results.