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This study analyzed multi-channel seismic reflection data from Lake Van, Eastern Anatolia, to provide key information on the structural elements, deformational patterns and overall tectonic structure of the Lake Van basin. The seismic data reveal three subbasins (the Tatvan, northern and Ahlat subbasins) separated by structural ridges (the northern and Ahlat ridges). The Tatvan basin is a tilted wedge-block in the west, it is a relatively undeformed and flat-lying deep basin, forming a typical example of strike-slip sedimentation. Seismic sections reveal that the deeper sedimentary sections of the Tatvan basin are locally folded, gently in the south and more intensely further north, suggesting a probable gravitational “wedge-block” instability, oblique to the northern margin. The northern subbasin, bounded by normal oblique faults, forms a basin-margin graben structure that is elongated in a northeast-southwest direction. The east-west trending Ahlat ridge forms a fault-wedged sedimentary ridge and appears to offset by reverse oblique faults forming as a push-up rhomb horst structure. The Ahlat subbasin is a fault-wedged trough fill that is elongated in the west-east direction and appears as a horst-foot graben formed by the normal oblique faults. The northeast-southwest directed northern ridge is a faulted crestal terrace of a sublacustrine basement block. Its step-like morphology, in response to the downfaulting of the Tatvan basin, as well as its backthrusted appearance, indicates the normal oblique nature of the bounding faults. The lacustrine shelf and slope show distinctive stratigraphic features; progradational deltas, submerged fluvial channels, distorted and collapsed beddings and soft sediment deformation structures, characterizing a highly unstable nature of shelf caused by strong oblique faulting and related earthquakes. The faulting caused uplift of the Çarpanak spur zone, together with the northeastern Erek delta, deformation of deltaic structures and subsequently exposing the shelf and slope areas. The exposed areas are evident in the angular unconformity surface of the Çarpanak basement block with the northeastern Erek delta and thinned sediments. The uplift resulted in the asymmetric depositional emplacement of the southeastern delta that is controlled by a series of ramp anticlines/low angle reverse faults. The Deveboynu subbasin and Varis spur zone form wide fault-controlled depressions with thick sediments that are elongated in the north-south direction. These subbasins appear as a small pull-apart boundary formed by normal oblique faults at the western end of the southeastern delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable finds from the trans-Holocene archaeological record excavated at Hogup Cave, Utah, helped define our understanding of Great Basin prehistory. However, many scholars doubt the integrity of the site's depositional sequence and resulting chronological interpretations. To resolve these concerns, we produce several Bayesian chronological models combining 14 new radiocarbon dates with the results of past dating efforts. We first present an examination of the excavation and previously derived dates, finding that several of the most anomalous dates can be accounted for by details in the excavation's field notes. We then report our new dates and construct an initial Bayesian chronological model to serve as a framework for three increasingly complex models synthesizing old and new dates from the site. The best-supported model divides the site's stratigraphy into four occupational phases: Strata 1 through 7 (9790 to 6490 cal B.P.), Stratum 8 (5840 to 3330 cal B.P.), Strata 9 and 10 (2870 to 2760 cal B.P.), and Strata 11 through 16 (2610 to 360 cal B.P.). This result raises several questions to direct future research and dating efforts at Hogup Cave and serves as a model for reevaluating complex stratigraphic sequences in western North America and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puntutjarpa Rockshelter was the first archaeological site excavated in the Australian desert. Dug between 1967 and 1970, the archaeological sequence was originally interpreted as a continuous record spanning the last 10,000 years BP. With a new series of radiocarbon and OSL dates we show that Puntutjarpa primarily contains a mid-Holocene deposit with a veneer of last millennium material and a thin underlay of terminal Pleistocene evidence. We show that over the last 12.0 kyr, there were three discrete phases of site-use at Puntutjarpa – 12.0–9.7 kyr, 8.3–6.2 kyr and ∼1.1–0 kyr – each with differences in the nature and intensity of occupation. This removes key field evidence for the ‘Australian Desert Culture’, a concept that has increasingly become an anomaly since the 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fragment of an Egyptian statue of Djehutihotep found at Megiddo by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (OI) has been long known. It was found with three uninscribed Egyptian statue fragments reused in the foundations of Temple 2048, attributed to Stratum VII, which was dated by them to the Late Bronze Age IIB, 13th-12th century BCE. A recent reevaluation of the stratigraphy of the cultic area of Megiddo (OI: Area BB; TAU: Area J) based on new excavations, however, demonstrates that the foundation of Temple 2048 should be assigned to Stratum XII dated to the early Middle Bronze Age II. The new dating of the findspot of the Djehutihotep statue fragment narrows the window of time for the arrival of the statue at Megiddo to the lifetime of Djehutihotep, supports a high chronology for the Middle Bronze Age, and demonstrates direct contact between Egypt and Megiddo in the Middle Bronze Age I. This paper reviews the new data on the archaeological context and reevaluates the implications of Djehutihotep at Megiddo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Bronze Age in the southern Levant has long been a period subject to chronological debate, discussion, and dissension. Despite the common use of conventional dates and correlations, there is in reality little consensus regarding the dates for either the beginning or the end of the period, with the result that its duration also remains in flux. Such chronological imprecision also results in an equal lack of clarity regarding the synchronisms and connections between the southern Levant and the regions and cultures around it, particularly in regard to ancient Egypt. The increasing availability of radiocarbon dates from secure stratigraphic locations, as well as the absolute chronology that results from them, however, now emphasizes the need to reevaluate the traditional and conventional synchronisms, contacts, and connections between these cultures and highlights the importance of understanding the significance of these changes in chronology for examining development in the southern Levant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the preliminary results of an analytical study on domestic pottery samples originating from the Copper Age sites of Casetta Mistici, Tor Pagnotta, Osteria del Curato-Via Cinquefrondi, Torre della Chiesaccia and Valle dei Morti, all of which are located in the Rome area (Latium, Italy). The aim of this research is to define the compositional features of the ceramic pastes and to reconstruct the main technological choices characterising pottery production in these contexts. The importance of these archaeological sites lies in their geographic position, being located in an area bounded by the Tiber and Aniene rivers and the Colli Albani volcano, and in their stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the mid-fourth to the end of the third millennium bc. This research, based on a petrographic and chemical investigation of pottery samples, led to the distinction of eight petrographic groups that reflect specific choices in pottery production. Moreover, the analytical results provide indications about the prehistoric pottery production of the Rome area in relation to the ceramic recipes used, the pastes that were obtained and their sourcing areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the influential work of Michael B. Schiffer on formation processes has been published in 1987, much has advanced on the part of environmental formation processes also known as N-transforms. Most new knowledge is the result of research conducted by geoarchaeologists. On the theoretical level, a huge leap forward was made with the realization that occupation deposits are artifacts of human activity. The focus of formation theory thus shifted from the artifact to the deposit. Methodological innovations and a geoarchaeological tool-kit, notably including the contextual technique of micromorphology, followed. Empirical studies of archaeological occupation deposits contributed new spatial and stratigraphic knowledge and understanding. A holistic middle-range methodology termed geo-ethnoarchaeology was developed, whereby macroscopic and microscopic artifacts are studied together with their associated sediments in ethnographic contexts, providing contextual (social) information about the relationship between artifacts and the surrounding sediments as archaeological assemblages form. This method is especially powerful when sequentially dated abandoned settlements or features are studied to provide mechanistic understanding of assemblage and/or site formation through degradation. Because geo-ethnoarchaeology is based on general chemical, biological and physical laws, the resultant mechanistic models are applicable globally, for any time period, culture, and environment. The new tools and mechanistic understanding by which N-transforms are currently studied, provide means to more reliably interpret the archaeological record, which is crucial for the credibility of archaeology. Therefore, when studying archaeological assemblages one should utilize the tool-kit developed by geoarchaeologists to first assess the states of preservation of the various material assemblages (macroscopic and microscopic), as it should be borne in mind that assemblages identified to be well-preserved will produce the most reliable archaeological interpretation. The theory and method of geoarchaeology have matured enough to allow responsible archaeological research into the meaning of spatial and temporal (stratigraphic) patterns at any given site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new paleoecology record from the El Palmar Cival adds to the emerging geoarchaeological record of El Zotz, Guatemala. El Palmar's 3 m stratigraphic record began in the Archaic period before 1500 B.C. at or just before initial Maya impacts. From the lowest level, Late Archaic organic deposition, with evidence for diverse tropical forest and a steady water table, transitioned to Early Preclassic clay deposition, decreased forest taxa, three known food taxa, and more economic species. Clay deposition continued through the Preclassic, with occasional organic and high charcoal deposition, increasing maize, and other possible economic pollen. Classic El Palmar saw a new land use type with continued disturbance evidence but diverse and greater forest cover. Human impacts continued, leaving high amounts of disturbance taxa, charcoal, and the highest maize pollen level, concomitant with lower deposition rates, δ13C evidence of increased, diverse tropical forest taxa and organic sediments. El Zotz Aguada's Early Classic to Postclassic sediment record overlaps this, with maize and squash pollen evidence changing to Classic period copal tree pollen dominance. Both records indicate the maximum quantity of C4 taxa derived organic matter was about 40%, leaving at least half from C3 taxa such as tropical forest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Cenomanian cover of the Palaeozoic Mouthoumet Massif (southern Corbières, Aude, France), on the southern flank of the Bézu anticline, shows accumulations of large platy corals. However, while being already presented in stratigraphic, palaeoecological and sedimentological contexts, these organisms have not been the subject of a palaeontological study. The coral fauna encompasses 16 species of the families Leptophylliidae, Microsolenidae, and Siderastraeidae and is here presented in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fortified site of Kyzyltepa in the Surkhandarya Valley of southern Uzbekistan is one of the largest Iron Age settlements in northern Bactria. The site consists of a monumental public building, referred to as the Citadel, and a lower city surrounded by a circumferential wall equipped with projecting towers. Recent excavations have clarified the site's spatial organization and occupation history. The work has revealed five occupation levels overall and four building phases within the Citadel. The excavations correct the earlier assumption that the site was founded in the pre-Achaemenid period and continued to be occupied until the Achaemenid period. The new excavations suggest that the site was established in the Achaemenid period and that it was abandoned during the early Hellenistic period. The work also reveals that the Citadel and the fortification system at the site were built in phases, rather than at one time, as previously thought. The presence of both Achaemenid and Hellenistic levels, as well as the site's location and its peculiar building history, make Kyzyltepa unique. The excavations clearly show for the first time the stratigraphic transition from the Achaemenid to early Hellenistic period in ancient Bactria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the excavation of a grave at Mahtoutabad. near Konar Sandal South, Kerman, Iran, one of the protohistoric cemeteries plundered in the Jiroft area since 2001. This grave, at present, is the only scientifically excavated and published burial of the Bronze Age urban civilization of the Halil Rud valley, famous for the outstanding quality of its looted chlorite artefacts. Among the furnishings of the grave were animal bones and food offerings, ceramics, and stone and copper items. The objects set the grave in a coherent cultural and chronological framework, around 2400-2200 BC. Micro-stratigraphic recording provided information on the funerary practices. These latter included notably the consumption of the meat of an ovicaprine. As different parts of the animal were found in different locations of the stratified mortuary structure, the feast can be synchronized with different steps of the funeral and burial processes. A re-opening of the grave, for shifting part of the skeleton to a different, secondary burial, remains unexplained. Considering the effects of a wide range of post-depositional processes, we explore possible symbolic implications of the grave's spatial patterns'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marco Gonzalez, on the south-west end of the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize, has well-preserved Maya archaeological stratigraphy dating from Preclassic times (ca. 300 B.C.) to the Late Classic period (ca. A.D. 550/600 to 700/760). Although later occupations are recorded by house platforms and inhumations (Terminal Classic to Early Postclassic), and use of the site continued until the 16th century A.D., intact stratigraphy is rare in these cases owing to a greater degree of disturbance. Nonetheless, understanding site formation entails accounting for all processes, including disturbance. The site’s depositional sequence—as revealed through soil micromorphology and chemistry and detailed here—has yielded critical information in two spheres of research. As regards archaeology and the elucidation of Maya activities on the caye over time, soil micromorphology has contributed beyond measure to what we have been able to distinguish as material remains of cultural activity. Detailed descriptions of the nature of the material remains has in turn helped us to clarify or alter interpretations based on artefacts that have been identified or sediments characterised according to traditional recovery techniques. The other major sphere in which soil micromorphology and chemistry play a critical role is in assessment of the environmental impact of human activity, which enables us to construct and test hypotheses concerning how the site formed over time; what materials and elements contributed to the character of the sediments, especially in the formation of a specific Maya Dark Earth type that is developed from carbonate rich deposits; and how the modern surface soils acquired the appearance of a Dark Earth, but essentially differ from them. In terms of agricultural soil sustainability, the Marco Gonzalez surface soil is neo-formed by a woodland vegetation drawing upon the nutrients and constituents present in both the Dark Earth and underlying better preserved stratified deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on intense and differentiated activities identified at Mersa/Wadi Gawasis. Topics discussed include stratigraphic characteristics and fire-related structures; pottery evidence from the excavation area; and ceramic finds and pottery types characteristic of the lowest layers.

This paper reconstructs an alternative planimetric and structural history of al-Aqṣà mosque in the pre-crusader period and reassesses the chronology. In particular, it proposes reading the plan of the first Aqṣà, which emerged from Hamilton's excavations, as oriented towards the east rather than the south, thus having an astronomical orientation like other 7th-century and early 8th-century mosques. The identification of the eastern wall rather than the southern as the qiblī wall would mean the aisles would not be perpendicular but rather parallel to it, thus indicating an arrangement usually found in Umayyad mosques. It follows that the precocious appearance of the transept and the aisles perpendicular to the qiblī wall in the second Aqṣà would result from the re-orientation to the south of the previous structure. This change is interpreted as connected to the introduction of the concave miḥrāb and its axial relationship with the Dome of the Rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Pleistocene/Holocene Tiber delta succession represents the most recent and one of the best preserved, high-frequency/low-rank depositional sequences developed along the Latium continental margin of the Italian peninsula. Several previous studies have established a robust data set from which it has been possible to describe the stratigraphic architecture of the entire Tiber depositional sequence from the landward to seaward sectors and over a distance of 60 km. The Tiber depositional sequence shows many characteristics found in other Late Pleistocene to Holocene deltaic and coastal successions of the Mediterranean area. The stratigraphic architecture of the Tiber depositional sequence is controlled mainly by glacioeustasy, although factors such as tectonic uplift, volcanism and subsidence, exert an influence at a local scale. The resulting depositional model allowed discussion of some important points such as: (1) the genesis of the Tiber mixed bedrock-alluvial valley, extending from the coastal plain to the innermost portion of the shelf, recording (i) multiple episodes of incision during relative sea-level fall, and (ii) a downstream increase of depth and width of the valley during the base-level fall and the subsequent base-level rise; (2) the different physical expression of the Tiber depositional sequence boundary from landward to seaward, and its diachronous and composite character; (3) the maximum depth reached by the Tiber early lowstand delta at the end of the sea-level fall is estimated at ca 90 m below the present sea-level and not at 120 m as suggested by previous works; (4) the backward position of the Tiber late lowstand delta relative to the deposit of early lowstand; (5) the change of the channel pattern and of the stacking pattern of fluvial deposits within the Lowstand Systems Tract, Transgressive Systems Tract and Highstand Systems Tract. All of these features indicate that the Late Pleistocene/Holocene Tiber delta succession, even if deposited in a short period of time from a geological point of view, represents the result of the close interaction among many autogenic and allogenic factors. However, global eustatic variations and sediment supply under the control of climatic changes can be considered the main factors responsible for the stratigraphic architecture of this sedimentary succession, which has been heavily modified by human activity only in the last 3000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples of prehispanic rock art from Oyola's archaeological site, near the city of Catamarca, Argentina have been analyzed using micro-Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDS and BSD, and optical microscopy. These samples are representative of diverse figures and non-painted surface of one of the caves at the site: Oyola 7. The pigments employed in the rock art were fully characterized. The red colors are confirmed to be red ochre (hematite) and clay. White areas of the painting have been identified as gypsum whereas black pigment is attributed to graphite. In addition, it was demonstrated that all the samples analyzed, including underlying strata, contain large amounts of calcium oxalate as the mineral whewellite. Because of the distribution along the sample, it was conclude that the presence of this compound is due to biodeterioration produced by microorganisms, fungi, algae or lichens. Moreover, a methodology to differentiate black painting layers from carbon deposition layers from bonfires and to characterize them is presented. These results have a great impact in both chemical and archaeological sciences because allow an interdisciplinary approach bringing relevant information about relative and absolute dating. Finally, the information collected with this methodology establish a sound basis to develop complementary studies between the wall and painting stratigraphies with archaeological excavations resulting in a new and fundamental tool henceforth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, calcareous nannofossils are identified for the first time in the uppermost Triassic sequence of the Lombardy Basin (Southern Calcareous Alps, Italy). Two zones are recognized, namely the NT2b (latest Triassic) and the NJT1 (earliest Jurassic). Two species resulted to be good markers to constrain the TJB interval: Prinsiosphaera triassica and Schizosphaerella punctulata. Nannofossil data are calibrated with C isotopic chemostratigraphy obtained for carbonate and organic matter. Size reduction of P. triassica and a decline in the abundance of Triassic nannofossils are detected soon after the "precursor Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE) and culminated during the "initial negative CIE" characterized by lowest nannofossil abundances and small-sized P. triassica. The extinction of Triassic nannofossils occurred in distinctive steps within the "initial negative CIE", while the Jurassic S. punctulata is first observed at the base of the "main negative CIE". The latest Triassic nannofossil decline in abundance, size reduction and extinctions, represent a progressive deterioration associated to the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) volcanism. Our findings are consistent with nannofossil changes at supraregional scale and indicate that the massive CAMP flood basalts were preceded by initial volcanic pulses. We speculate that a combination of climate change, fertilization and ocean acidification started to influence the calcification process prior to the "initial negative CIE". Nannoplankton extinctions were not simultaneous and might imply limited capacity for adaptation in the early stages of evolutionary history. However, originations of new taxa soon after the disappearance of Triassic forms suggest the ability to rapidly overcame extreme stressing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shellmound formation processes are greatly influenced by human inputs associated with an intensive exploitation of marine and estuarine resources. The complex stratigraphy of shellmounds has been difficult to decipher and few studies have focused on the microstratigraphic record of midden formation, especially in European Mesolithic contexts. Cabeço da Amoreira is a long-known Mesolithic shellmound located on the shores of the Muge River, a tributary of the Tagus River in central Portugal. The abundance of shellfish refuse favors an intricate and laterally variable stratigraphic succession of layers and lenses, which results in an extensive artificial mound. Here, we use micromorphological and microfacies analysis to investigate aspects pertaining to site formation, and the nature of individual anthropogenic activities at the site. This methodology allowed for a distinction between primary activities (e.g., discrete shell tossing events, trampled occupational surfaces, and activity areas), and secondary position of the sediments in intentionally raked-up and dumped deposits. Nondepositional hiatuses and discrete geogenic sedimentation are associated with periods of abandonment. The complex superposition of events seen at Cabeço da Amoreira underlines the role of micromorphology for the identification of behavioral signatures and its relevance in deciphering shellmound adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fanta Stream site is an archaeological and paleontological locality in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The site contains a rich assemblage of fossil mammals and Acheulean artifacts of approximately 600 ka located in a rare high-altitude context. A ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey was conducted in order to provide three-dimensional imaging of the subsurface, which the authors use to interpret the geometry and distribution of fossil-containing stratigraphic units. Utilizing the stream's natural cut bank exposure, we calibrate GPR data to known geologic units through radar facies analysis. Shallow, high-amplitude coherent reflection geometries are attributed to volcanic tuff deposits, as these units exhibit subparallel continuous reflections consistent with planar stratified sedimentary deposition. Deeper, discontinuous reflection packages are interpreted as conglomeritic, fossil-containing deposits. The results of the GPR survey outline the location of the Fanta Stream's paleodepositional features as well as suggest the extent of fossiliferous stratigraphic units for use in future excavations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbidites deposited in confined mini-basins may demonstrate extremely complex stratigraphic architectures. We hypothesize that particulate organic matter preserved in turbidites will not be randomly distributed and may be used to assist the identification of architectural elements. An integrated sedimentological and palynological study was conducted on confined turbidites in the Peïra Cava sub-basin of the Eocene to Oligocene Grès d'Annot system, SE France; this provides a natural laboratory, where certainty in the stratigraphy allows confidence in sampling of sub-environments. Elements reflect deposits from high and low density flows including: thin-beds that onlap the basin margin and heterolithics spread across the basin; base of slope megabeds; and thick-beds that have a proximal to distal expression from south to north across the basin. One hundred samples were collected from logged sections across the basin, with 10 g of mudstone per sample being processed for a count of three hundred pieces of organic matter. Both allochthonous terrestrial and relatively autochthonous marine matter were recovered, with results showing a progressive fining of material from proximal to distal areas. Base of slope megabeds and proximal ponded thick-beds are dominated by dense humic matter, medial areas become dominated by light plant material, and distal samples are dominated by amorphous matter, interpreted as a result of density sorting of organic matter in turbidity currents. Exploratory ordination analysis and fuzzy cluster analysis were used to examine these results. Based on this study, we provide evidence of density fractionation of organics in turbidity currents, which is implied to be a major control on the distribution of particles in deep-marine depositional systems. This allows a palynofacies classification scheme to be developed to recognise architectural elements, which may be applied to sub-surface samples to assist the characterization of deep-water mini-basin architecture, understanding of which is crucial for hydrocarbon exploration and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Athenian Basin is a very interesting area from an archaeological point of view, since it is inhabited from Neolithic time. The human impact on the landscape is shown by the ancient constructions such as the Long Walls and the canalization of the rivers in the area of the Athenian Basin and Piraeus. The aim of the study is to detect the paleogeographical evolution of this area. In order to manipulate all the available information obtained from literature review (topographic maps, geological maps, ancient maps and references) and the stratigraphic data from 227 boreholes from the Athenian Basin, a GIS database was established. After the interpretation of the stratigraphy from the boreholes, six lithostratigraphic units were defined. Maps and 3D models were designed to represent the succession of the lithostratigraphy of each period. Paleogeographic maps were created in order to represent the landscape for each lithostratigraphic unit of the Athenian basin, and extract results for the temporal and spatial changes of the paleo-landscape and the involvement of the human impact on the depositional process in the Athenian Basin during Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of analyses carried out on the paintings on the rock-hewn walls of the Forty Martyrs church at Şahinefendi in Cappadocia (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a central region of Turkey, performed during conservation work from 2007 to 2012. The micro-samples were investigated by spectroscopic, micro-stratigraphic and scanning electron microscopy analysis in order to study the painting technique, the materials and the degradation products. The micro-stratigraphic analysis showed a white, sometimes pinkish, plaster. Micro-Raman analysis, performed on cross-sections of the mortars, enabled the detection of calcite, gypsum, anhydrite and calcium oxalate. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy revealed a similar composition among all investigated phases, aside from minor differences such as the presence of diatoms in the second and third phases and of biotite, lime lumps and plants fragments in the fourth one. Apart from traditional pigments of medieval wall paintings, micro-Raman analysis revealed the presence of lead-based compounds and jarosite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate the applicability and the effectiveness of texture attribute analysis of 2-D and 3-D GPR datasets obtained in different archaeological environments. Textural attributes are successfully used in seismic stratigraphic studies for hydrocarbon exploration to improve the interpretation of complex subsurface structures. We use a gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) algorithm to compute second-order statistical measures of textural characteristics, such as contrast, energy, entropy, and homogeneity. Textural attributes provide specific information about the data, and can highlight characteristics as uniformity or complexity, which complement the interpretation of amplitude data and integrate the features extracted from conventional attributes. The results from three archaeological case studies demonstrate that the proposed texture analysis can enhance understanding of GPR data by providing clearer images of distribution, volume, and shape of potential archaeological targets and related stratigraphic units, particularly in combination with the conventional GPR attributes. Such strategy improves the interpretability of GPR data, and can be very helpful for archaeological excavation planning and, more generally, for buried cultural heritage assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cone penetration tests (CPT) and drilling results are used to characterize the Middle Belgium loess sequence. A two scale study has been realized in the Hesbaye region (Belgium). The study on a regional scale was performed along a 18 km long section of the highspeed railway LiègeBrussels. About 230 tests were compiled. Results show the loess thickness is very variable and can locally reach 20 m. Tertiary deposits become continuous and they rapidly thicken from Waremme to the West. The lower surface of the Tertiary deposits is characterized by a 0.3% apparent dipping to the NW. The dipping likely results from the Ardenne Massif uplift. The local scale study focuses on the site of Remicourt located along the highspeed railway. 24 CPT tests have been carried out very close to a series of archaeological trenches. The analysis shows penetrometers are able to define some stratigraphic markers within the loess layer. The most identifiable marker is stratigraphically located around the transition between the Humiferous Complex of Remicourt and the Rocourt Pedocomplex. The lensshape of the loess ridge is also confirmed by the penetrometers' interpretation. Furthermore, the 3D morphology of each stratigraphic marker can be estimated. These results offer interesting perspectives for the investigation of the loess sequence related to archaeological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disconformity and lag deposit that separates the Tallahatta and Lisbon Formations along Pigeon Creek near Red Level, Conecuh-Covington Counties, Alabama contains osteichthyan remains belonging to: Pycnodus sp.; Lepisosteus sp.; Albula sp.; Egertonia isodonta Cocchi, 1864; Cylindracanthus rectus Agassiz, 1843; Sphyraena sp.; Triciurides cf. T. sagittidens Winkler, 1874; Scomberomorus sp.; Ariidae gen. indet.; Ostraciidae gen. indet., and cf. Beryciformes. This fossil osteichthyan assemblage is similar to other contemporaneous nearshore faunas found throughout Alabama, the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, and elsewhere throughout the Northern Ocean Basin. The accumulation and concentration of osteichthyans between the Tallahatta and Lisbon Formations is the result of third order eustatic sea level fluctuation and reflects a complex taphonomic history of exhumation, transport, and reburial across a shallow, middle Eocene shelf. Wide spread distribution of osteichthyan genera found in the Pigeon Creek assemblage demonstrates the continuity of shallow marine shelf environments of the Northern Atlantic Ocean Basin during the middle Eocene and the utility of osteichthyans in regional and transatlantic stratigraphic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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As far as the Neolithic period is concerned, Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya have revealed a good number of Neolithic sites on the evidence of surface finds. The typo-technology of the tools recovered of from these finds showed uniformity throughout Khasi-Jaintia hills. The paper focuses briefly on the findings from two excavated sites; the site of Lawnongthroh, which was briefly reported in an archaeological journal, and a report from an ongoing excavation at Myrkhan Neolithic Sites, both located in East Khasi hills district of Meghalaya. The sites have been dated through AMS and conventional C14 dates. Lawnongthroh is a habitation site and the site of Myrkhan showed a mixture of both a factory and habitation site. The two site offer closer insight on the typo-technological pattern of Neolithic materials from the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeology and Fire Investigation do not appear to have much in common on the surface. Scratch beneath however, and the similarities begin to reveal themselves. Both disciplines require the investigation of physical remains by employing an analytical approach in order to reconstruct sequences of events. Before recovery employing an archaeological stratigraphic recording method at fire scenes, provides the opportunity for a sequential recording of both debris layers, recording objects and their relationship to the immediate environment. This approach is particularly pertinent in Fire Investigation, as the recovery of evidence can lead to destruction in cases of fragile evidence and remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic information systems (GIS) are generally used in archaeology to analyze sites where finds were collected using precise plotting methods. In order to assess the suitability of GIS analyses for excavations where georeferenced information on finds are lacking, we have developed a method for reconstructing the site archive by 'back-plotting' finds for the Early to Mid-Pleistocene strata at the site of Wonderwerk Cave, for which only relative locational data (square and depth) are available. We used a digital archive comprising the location data for all finds previously excavated from the site (fauna, flora, lithic artifacts, and geological materials), to construct 3D visualizations of the stratigraphy, stratigraphic relations distant from the existing witness sections; create virtual sections at any transect through the site; and examine vertical and horizontal find associations. Our study shows that this is a valid approach that facilitates improved temporal and spatial analyses of excavations lacking precision-plotted data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011, an engraved limestone block was found in the cave of Arlanpe ( Lemoa, northern Iberian Peninsula). One of the figures represented on it was identified as a schematic feminine representation similar to those of the Gönnersdorf- Lalinde style. The stratigraphical position of the block is not totally clear owing to severe disturbance in the Upper Pleistocene deposits located near the entrance sector of the cave. Nevertheless, the most probable stratigraphical correlation is with Level I, which has been dated to the beginning of the Middle Magdalenian. This finding extends the distribution range of this kind of representation to the northern Iberian Peninsula, where, up to now, only two other, less clear, Gönnersdorf- Lalinde style representations have been found. It also extends its chronological range, pushing it back to the beginning of the Middle Magdalenian. In this paper, we present the archaeological context of the engraved block, followed by a detailed description of technological and stylistic features. These data will be used to discuss the implication of this discovery for an understanding of the origins, expansion and diffusion of this kind of feminine representation across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renovation of the San Francisco de la Alhambra Parador hotel in Granada (Spain) involved preserving the archaeological remains of its Arab baths. The methodology included researching the history and documentary evidence of the baths, extensive archaeological excavation of the site with structural and stratigraphic analysis of the remains, characterisation of the materials used in its construction, detection of pathologies and an evaluation of the conservation strategy required. The multidisciplinary approach to archaeology has contributed new information about the structure of the baths and their evolution over time. This data has formed the basis of a project to restore the site that involved de-restoration and restoration of the baths and a critical analysis of the techniques used to restore it at various stages of its history. Our aim was to restore the baths as part of the Alhambra and Generalife complex in Granada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross sections are frequently used in the stratigraphic study of pictorial structures. Thanks to cross sections, it is possible to study and record original and non-original strata that may provide important information regarding the artist's technique and later restoration processes. This information helps conservators design different strategies in processes such as cleaning. However, it is often in cleaning where the advantages and limitations of cross sections become obvious. When dealing with a complex structure, cross sections may not be enough to record in a comprehensive and accurate manner all the strata removed during cleaning. In some cases, the conservator may obtain during cleaning a great amount of stratigraphic information that is not visible in the cross sections. Therefore, it may be necessary to resort to other recording systems, such as the stratigraphic unit recording sheet and the stratigraphic diagram, which are frequently used in archaeological stratigraphy. This article demonstrates how cross-section analysis was combined with stratigraphic study during the cleaning of two panel paintings to gain an improved understanding of their complicated layer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major stratigraphic units of the Fort Cooper Coal Measures (FCCM) have been reviewed, and an internal coal seam architecture using 500 wireline logs in the Bowen Basin, southeast Queensland has been developed. The subdivisions of the coal measures include the Burngrove Formation, Middle Main Seam and Fair Hill Formation in the northern Bowen Basin. To the south of the basin, the Middle Main Seam is interpreted as the stratigraphic equivalent of Black Alley Shale Formation. The Yarrabee Tuff forms the top boundary of the coal measures and is distributed basin-wide except over the southern Denison and southern Taroom troughs. Accessory tuffs beneath the Yarrabee Tuff aided seam level correlation. The geometries of coal seams have been analysed for each morphotectonic zone of the Bowen Basin using gravity data, which highlight high and low topographic sites. The Collinsville Shelf in northwest of the Bowen Basin comprises thick and merged Burngrove and Fair Hill formation coals that split towards northeast in the Nebo Synclinorium and southeast in Taroom Trough. Coal seams split into daughter seams from north to south and are named as first, second or third order, based on the number of splits that occurred. First- and second-order splitting occurs at the boundary of the Nebo Synclinorium and Collinsville Shelf, at the Narrows of Nebo Synclinorium and Comet Ridge. Further, third- and fourth-order splitting occurs at the boundary of the Comet Ridge and Taroom Trough. Splitting zones found at the junction of morphotectonic zones are related to a change in subsidence. In addition, the association of split seams with coarse grain-dominated interburden reflects increased accommodation in low-lying areas such as the Nebo Synclinorium and the troughs. Thick and coalesced coal seams are associated with shelves and ridges of the basin reflecting low accommodation sites. Hence, the variation in the coal seam architecture of FCCM responds to the subsidence associated with different morphotectonic zones of the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of the study of artifact lithic assemblages recovered from systematic excavations of shell middens on the northern coast of Santa Cruz (Patagonia Argentina), are presented. The characteristics and composition of lithic assemblages are analyzed to discuss functionality and integrity of the archaeological sites, and also to evaluate general trends of the technological organization of human groups that inhabited the area. This work represents an initial approach to the interpretation of the archaeological record of coastal shell middens from the study of lithic artifact assemblages recovered in stratigraphic contexts. The evidence from the artifact assemblages allows discussion of the activities that hunter gatherers carried out on shell middens, as well as issues of technological organization of manufacture of stone artifacts and the strategies related to exploitation of lithic raw materials in the study area. Coastal shell middens are places were multiple activities were performed. Regarding lithic technology, the manufacture and maintenance of stone tools, the use thereof, and the discarding of tools and debitage are the activities most represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1973 Yohanan Aharoni published a polemic against criticism of Israeli excavations by supporters of the Wheeler-Kenyon method of excavation. He claimed that a unique 'Israeli method' of excavation was invented during the large 1950s' excavations at Hazor, allegedly equal or even superior to the Wheeler-Kenyon method. Following Aharoni, the 'Israeli method' became an accepted fact. Some archaeologists repeated Aharoni's story and harmonised the encountered difficulties and contradictions. However, critical analysis shows that such a method never existed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published ages of >50 ka for occupation at Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II) in Australia's north have kept the site prominent in discussions about the colonisation of Sahul. The site also contains one of the largest stone artefact assemblages in Sahul for this early period. However, the stone artefacts and other important archaeological components of the site have never been described in detail, leading to persistent doubts about its stratigraphic integrity. We report on our analysis of the stone artefacts and faunal and other materials recovered during the 1989 excavations, as well as the stratigraphy and depositional history recorded by the original excavators. We demonstrate that the technology and raw materials of the early assemblage are distinctive from those in the overlying layers. Silcrete and quartzite artefacts are common in the early assemblage, which also includes edge-ground axe fragments and ground haematite. The lower flaked stone assemblage is distinctive, comprising a mix of long convergent flakes, some radial flakes with faceted platforms, and many small thin silcrete flakes that we interpret as thinning flakes. Residue and use-wear analysis indicate occasional grinding of haematite and woodworking, as well as frequent abrading of platform edges on thinning flakes. We conclude that previous claims of extensive displacement of artefacts and post-depositional disturbance may have been overstated. The stone artefacts and stratigraphic details support previous claims for human occupation 50–60 ka and show that human occupation during this time differed from later periods. We discuss the implications of these new data for understanding the first human colonisation of Sahul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the stratigraphic and quantitative distribution of dinoflagellate cysts and other palynomorphs from a shallow marine Eocene section drilled from borehole No. 230 (NE Ukraine) resulted in an updated age-assessment of regional formations and a reconstruction of the major transgressive-regressive trends in the North Ukrainian palaeosedimentological province. Based on dinocyst age-diagnostic events, the Buchak Formation is attributed to the mid-upper Lutetian; the Kiev Formation is assigned to the Bartonian-?lowermost Priabonian; finally, the Obukhov Formation is dated Priabonian. The Buchak Formation accumulation reflects the first major transgressive episode in the North Ukrainian Province; the accumulation of the lower Kiev Formation corresponds to the maximum of regional marine transgression, while the palynological assemblages from the upper Kiev Formation indicate a protracted regression. The beginning of the Obukhov Formation accumulation corresponds to the last marine transgressive cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that most larger Australian vertebrates were extinct by 40 ka. The reliability of <20-ka radiocarbon (14C) ages on charcoal stratigraphically associated with sthenurine (short-faced) kangaroo tooth fragments from Seton Rockshelter, Kangaroo Island, have therefore proven contentious. Some researchers have argued these fossils were in situ, while others have claimed they were reworked. To address this we obtained new 14C ages on bones from the site. These bone ages are not only consistent with earlier charcoal ages, but are in near-perfect stratigraphic order, providing strong support for the site's stratigraphic integrity. Our analyses indicate units aged 21−17 ka were primarily accumulated by Tasmanian devils ( Sarcophilus harrisii) and owls ( Tyto species), after which humans became the primary accumulation agent. The tight chronology, faunal trends and current lack of evidence for older layers from which specimens could have been reworked suggest the sthenurine remains may be in situ. However, because attempts to directly date sthenurine material failed, we cannot confidently assert that they survived to this time. Therefore, Seton Rockshelter may be best excluded from the Pleistocene extinction debate until the site can be re-excavated and more conclusive evidence collected, including more complete or directly datable sthenurine remains. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new data on the stratigraphy, dating and tephrochonology at the most important Paleoindian sites in the Basin of Mexico. These include: a) Peñon Woman III, with the oldest directly radiocarbon dated human remains (10,755 ± 75 BP); b) Tlapacoya, with two human crania dated to just over 10 ka BP; c) Tocuila, an important mammoth site with incorporation of fossils and suggested bone tools within the Upper Toluca Pumice (UTP) lahar (volcanic mudflow). The Tocuila site also includes potential evidence for a layer associated with the Younger Dryas meteorite airburst, with charcoal, iron microspherules, micro-tektites (melted glass) and volcanic ash, dated to 10,800 ± 50 BP and d) the Santa Isabel Iztapan mammoths I and II with lithics of Scottsbluff, Lerma and Angostura types and obsidian prismatic blades but lacking the characteristic fluted Clovis type points normally associated with mammoth kills and butchering and dated after the Pumice with Andesite (PWA) layer between 14,500 BP and 10,900 BP, before the Younger Dryas interval. These results show that these lithic traditions in Central Mexico are older than in the Great Plains of USA. Several tephra markers are recognised in the sites that help to constrain the stratigraphy and dating of the archaeological sequences. However tephra reworking in marginal lake sites is present and has been carefully considered, especially for the PWA tephra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, terahertz (THz) technology has gained in importance and visibility as an emerging technique to be applied in a variety of fields. Since 2006, noninvasive THz time domain spectroscopy (TDS) imaging technology has been proposed for the study of artworks. When applied to panel paintings, THz-TDS imaging makes it possible to fill in the information gap on these artworks between two diagnostic imaging techniques, namely IR reflectography and X-ray radiography, because it provides useful data on the internal physical structure of non-metallic objects without touching the artworks investigated. The resulting noninvasive cross-section image of the object is acquired by extracting the reflected pulse from a particular interface of two media that have different refractive indexes. In this paper, we used a portable THz-TDS imaging system to acquire THz images on a laboratory panel painting and on two artworks, namely the Badia Polyptych (c. 1300-1) by Giotto di Bondone in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the San Giovenale Triptych (1422) by Masaccio in the Masaccio Museum at the Pieve (Parish Church) of San Pietro at Cascia di Reggello, near Florence. This was the first application of THz-TDS on masterpieces that is part of conservation – restoration projects focussed on acquiring data on the materials and techniques used by the artists and the state of conservation of the paintings, as well as on testing the potentials of an application of the new emerging THz-TDS imaging technique for the art conservation field. In particular, the data acquired noninvasively on the panel paintings provided useful information on the internal structure of the paintings and on their conditions, as well as a tentative chemical composition of the works or some of their parts. Lastly, this paper offers some basic information on the application of the THz-TDS imaging technique to panel paintings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The central lowlands of the Hunter Valley are rich in Holocene-aged open stone artefact concentrations but, to date, very few verified traces of Pleistocene occupation have been found there. The central lowlands would have been a reasonably attractive place to live, so logic suggests that there should be Pleistocene sites. Given the geomorphic and soil formation processes that have operated over the potentially long period of Aboriginal occupation of the central lowlands, however, it is likely that most archaeological materials older than ca 10,000 years have been either completely removed or widely dispersed across the landscape and are no longer recognisable as discrete Pleistocene-aged assemblages. Sand bodies have the greatest potential to contain older sites, but in most, if not all, cases their stratigraphic integrity has been compromised, principally by bioturbation. Understanding the landscape history over the last 90,000 years is the key to understanding why finding Pleistocene sites in the Hunter Valley has proven to be so difficult. Geoarchaeological evidence which illustrates this difficulty is presented from sites in three deposits of probable Pleistocene to early Holocene age-two in sand bodies and one in colluvium. On one sand body (the Warkworth sand sheet) there is contestable evidence for traces of pre-LGM occupation beginning more than ~23,000, possibly 50,000, years ago, but on the other (the Cheshunt dune) there is no evidence of occupation beyond the mid-Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the external forearc of southern Peru (Arequipa region), the sedimentary facies and the stratigraphic architecture of the Cenozoic Camaná Formation are presented in the context of tectono-eustatic controls. The Camaná Formation is defined as ~500 m thick coarse-grained deltaic complex that accumulated in a fault-bounded elongated depression extending from the Coastal Cordillera in the east to the offshore Mollendo Basin in the west and likely up to the Peruvian Trench. Based on the analysis of facies associations, we propose a refined stratigraphic scheme of the Camaná Basin fill. The Camaná Formation was formerly divided into the Camaná "A" and Camaná "B" units (CamA and CamB, respectively). We reinterpret the stratigraphic position and the timing of the CamA to CamB boundary, and define three sub-units for CamA, i.e. sub-units A1, A2, and A3. Each depositional unit shows individual stacking patterns, which are linked with particular shoreline trajectories through time. Strata of A1 form the basal succession of the Camaná Formation and consist of distributary channels and mouth bars, unconformably overlain by beds of A2. A2 consists of delta front deposits arranged in voluminous clinothems that reflect a progradational downstepping complex. A3 consists of delta front sandstones to prodelta siltstones arranged in retrogradational onlapping geometry. A pebbly intercalation in proximal onlapping A3 deposits is interpreted to reflect pulses of uplift in the hinterland. The overlying CamB unit is characterized by a thick alternation of fluvio-deltaic conglomerates and sand bars. The ages of the individual units of the Camaná Formation are not yet well defined. Based on the available information and stratigraphic correlations we tentatively assign A1 to the Late Oligocene, A2 to the Early Miocene, A3 to the late Early Miocene to early Middle Miocene, and CamB to the Late Miocene to? early Pliocene. The sub-units A1 and A2 represent a regressive systems tract, where the shoreline was forced to migrate seaward. This scenario differs from the Early Miocene eustatic sea-level rise suggesting that significant tectonic uplift along the Coastal Cordillera controlled the high sediment influx during A2 deposition. The sub-unit A3 represents a transgressive systems tract, triggering landward migration of the shoreline. This scenario is well in line with the global sea-level chart suggesting that A3 has been deposited during a phase of eustatic sea-level rise with minor tectonic activity. The fluvial deposits of CamB reflect an increased sediment flux due to uplift of the hinterland. The observed stratigraphic patterns support predominant tectonic control on sedimentation in the Camaná Basin and the established stratigraphic framework provides an essential baseline for future correlations of the Cenozoic sedimentation in the forearc area of the Central Andes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garba XIII is a new Acheulean site, recently excavated at Melka Kunture (2000 m asl), in the Upper Awash Valley of Ethiopia. The investigated archaeostratigraphic unit is located along the Garba gully and belongs to the Lower to basal Middle Pleistocene Melka Kunture Formation. In this paper, we discuss the evidence from a level discovered directly above a tuff unit recently dated to ∼1.0 Ma and stratigraphically below another tuff dated to ∼0.8 Ma. A detailed lithostratigraphic study of the exposed section is provided, as well as a paleontological analysis and chronological, ecological, and contextual information. Moreover, the analysis of the lithic assemblage allows a first evaluation of the technical and economic structure of this Acheulean production, documenting a set of innovations occurring on the Ethiopian highlands at the end of the Lower Pleistocene: the procurement of large boulders for the extraction of the LCT flake blanks right at the primary source; adoption of the Kombewa method; standardized façonnage for biface and cleaver manufacture and preference for discoid technology among small débitage methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the occupation sequence documented in the Roman house of La Fortuna (Cartagena, Spain). We use a contextual approach to study all the material culture documented in the domus. We start with a complete re-documentation of the stratigraphic record, in order to match the finds to their provenance. As a basis for this documentation, we discuss the abandonment typologies and the formation processes documented in the house. Using this framework we make a detailed examination of the artefact assemblages documented and we apply a quantitative study of the production, redistribution and consumption patterns during the different occupation phases. The ultimate objective of this paper is to provide a social and economic reading of the household activities carried out by the successive inhabitants in their own historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the analysis carried out on a polychrome wood mask from Papua New Guinea during conservation work at Pigorini Museum's restoration laboratory. The significance of this study is that no prior work has characterized the painting materials of Papua New Guinea masks both with spectroscopic and internal microstratigraphic analysis. In fact, these objects were studied especially from an anthropological or conservative point of view and the wood was wrongly defined by its visual appearance. Microstratigraphic and spectroscopic investigations discovered a refined execution technique that up to now has not been demonstrated. The stratigraphy of the painted layers demonstrates a deep knowledge of the materials and of the application techniques on the part of the Papua New Guinea people, together with the ability to foresee the aesthetic result for the artefact. The analysis of the constitutive materials and of the stylistic features supplied valid results in favour of provenance of the mask from Papua New Guinea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bayesian analysis is now routinely applied for the construction of site-specific stratigraphic chronological models. Other approaches have analyzed the chronology of phases of archaeological activity across regions. The available radiocarbon results--the nature of the samples and their associations--provide the basis for what chronological questions it is possible to address for any site or region. In dealing with regional analyses, due consideration must be made of data selection. While data selection might be a relatively self-evident consideration in the analysis of a site chronology, working with data from a larger region poses a number of specific data selection issues. Robust association between dated samples and a particular type of diagnostic material culture or site may provide one means of producing regional chronologies. However, if the activity under investigation includes a number of different cultural traits, which are related but with each having a slightly different chronological currency, defining the temporal end of data selection becomes more problematic. This article presents one approach, using a case study from the British Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, with 880 simulation OxCal models used to investigate the effect of variously defining the end of a regional archaeological phase. The results emphasize that for a regional case study, sensitivity analysis may provide a useful tool to ensure representative models; the study also highlights the importance of comparing multiple model posteriors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronological framework of European protohistory is mostly a relative chronology based on typology and stratigraphic data. Synchronization of different time periods suffers from a lack of absolute dates; therefore, disagreements between different chronological schemes are difficult to reconcile. An alternative approach was applied in this study to build a more precise and accurate absolute chronology. To the best of our knowledge, we have collected all the published 14C dates for the archaeological sites in the region from the Ebro River (Spain) to the Middle Danube Valley (Austria) for the period 1800-750 BC. The available archaeological information associated with the 14C dates was organized in a database that totaled more than 1600 14C dates. In order to build an accurate and precise chronology, quality selection rules have been applied to the 14C dates based on both archaeological context and analytical quality. Using the OxCal software and Bayesian analysis, several 14C time sequences were created following the archaeological data and different possible scenarios were tested in northern Italy and southern France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]