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The emergence of the Middle Palaeolithic, and its variability over time and space are key questions in the field of prehistoric archaeology. Many sites have been documented in the south-eastern margins of the Massif central and the middle Rhône valley, a migration path that connects Northern Europe with the Mediterranean. Well-dated, long stratigraphic sequences are essential to understand Neanderthals dynamics and demise, and potential interactions with Homo sapiens in the area, such as the one displayed at the Maras rock shelter ("Abri du Maras"). The site is characterised by exceptional preservation of archaeological remains, including bones dated using radiocarbon (14C) and teeth using electron spin resonance combined with uranium series (ESR/U-series). Optically stimulated luminescence was used to date the sedimentary deposits. By combining the new ages with previous ones using Bayesian modelling, we are able to clarify the occupation time over a period spanning 200,000 years. Between ca. 250 and 40 ka, the site has been used as a long-term residence by Neanderthals, specifically during three interglacial periods: first during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 7, between 247 ± 34 and 223 ± 33 ka, and then recurrently during MIS 5 (between 127 ± 17 and 90 ± 9 ka) and MIS 3 (up to 39,280 cal BP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dispersal of Homo sapiens across Eurasia during MIS 3 in the Late Pleistocene is marked by technological shifts and other behavioral changes, known in the archaeological record under the term of Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP). Bacho Kiro Cave in north Bulgaria, re-excavated by us from 2015 to 2021, is one of the reference sites for this phenomenon. The newly excavated lithic assemblages dated by radiocarbon between 45,040 and 43,280 cal BP and attributed to Homo sapiens encompass more than two thousand lithic artifacts. The lithics, primarily from Layer N1-I, exist amid diverse fauna remains, human fossils, pierced animal teeth pendants, and sediment with high organic content. This article focuses on the technological aspects of the IUP lithics, covering raw material origin and use-life, blank production, on-site knapping activities, re-flaking of lithic implements, and the state of retouched lithic components. We apply petrography for the identification of silicites and other used stones. We employ chaîne opératoire and reduction sequence approaches to profile the lithics techno-typologically and explore the lithic economy, particularly blade production methods, knapping techniques, and artifact curation. Raw material analysis reveals Lower Cretaceous flints from Ludogorie and Upper Cretaceous flints from the Danube region, up to 190 km and 130 km, respectively, from Bacho Kiro Cave, indicating long-distance mobility and finished products transport. Imported lithic implements, were a result of unidirectional and bidirectional non-Levallois laminar technology, likely of volumetric concept. Systematic on-anvil techniques (bipolar knapping) and tool segmentation indicate re-flaking and reshaping of lithic implements, reflecting on-site curation and multifaceted lithic economy. A limited comparison with other IUP sites reveals certain shared features and also regional variations. Bacho Kiro Cave significantly contributes to understanding the technological and behavioral evolution of early Homo sapiens in western Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately reconstructing past human population dynamics is critical for explaining major patterns in the human past. Demand for demographic proxies has driven hopeful interest in the "dates-as-data" approach, which models past demography by assuming a relationship between population size, the production of dateable material, and the corpus of radiocarbon dates produced by archaeological research. However, several biases can affect assemblages of dates, complicating inferences about population size. One serious but potentially addressable issue centers on landscape taphonomy — the ways in which geologic processes structure the preservation and recovery of archaeological sites and/or materials at landscape scales. Here, we explore the influence of landscape taphonomy on demographic proxies. More specifically, we evaluate how well demographic proxies may be corrected for taphonomic effects with either a common generalized approach or an empirically based tailored approach. We demonstrate that frequency distributions of landforms of varying ages can be used to develop local corrections that are more accurate than either global corrections or uncorrected estimates. Using generalized scenarios and a simulated case study based on empirical data on landform ages from the Coso Basin in the western Great Basin region, we illustrate the way in which landscape taphonomy predictably complicates "dates-as-data" approaches, propose and demonstrate a new method of empirically based correction, and explore the interpretive ramifications of ignoring or correcting for taphonomic bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we provide a concise historical summary tracing the evolution of radiocarbon dating techniques in Mexico and Central America. We explore the contributions of early pioneers who first employed radiocarbon dating methods, leading to the establishment of a Mexican accelerator mass spectrometry laboratory. The study highlights its pivotal role in shaping chronological frameworks for archaeological investigations in Mexico. Additionally, we describe two noteworthy case studies—Chiquihuite Cave and Golondrinas Chasm—as exemplars of successful applications of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian analysis in contemporary archaeological practices in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beluga whales play a critical role in the subsistence economies and cultural heritage of Indigenous communities across the Arctic, yet the effects of Indigenous hunting on beluga whales remain unknown. Here, we integrate paleogenomics, genetic simulations, and stable δ13C and δ15N isotope analysis to investigate 700 y of beluga subsistence hunting in the Mackenzie Delta area of northwestern Canada. Genetic identification of the zooarchaeological remains, which is based on radiocarbon dating, span three time periods (1290 to 1440 CE; 1450 to 1650 CE; 1800 to 1870 CE), indicates shifts across time in the sex ratio of the harvested belugas. The equal number of females and males harvested in 1450 to 1650 CE versus more males harvested in the two other time periods may reflect changes in hunting practices or temporal shifts in beluga availability. We find temporal shifts and sex-based differences in δ13C of the harvested belugas across time, suggesting historical adaptability in the foraging ecology of the whales. We uncovered distinct mitochondrial diversity unique to the Mackenzie Delta belugas, but found no changes in nuclear genomic diversity nor any substructuring across time. Our findings indicate the genomic stability and continuity of the Mackenzie Delta beluga population across the 700 y surveyed, indicating the impact of Inuvialuit subsistence harvests on the genetic diversity of contemporary beluga individuals has been negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron spin resonance coupled with uranium-series dating (ESR/U-series) of carbonate hydroxyapatite in tooth enamel is the main technique used to obtain age determinations from Pleistocene fossils beyond the range of radiocarbon dating. This chronological information allows to better understand diachronic change in the palaeontological record, especially with regard to the evolution of the genus Homo. Given the relative paucity of human teeth at palaeontological and archaeological localities, ESR/U-series is widely applied to the teeth of ungulate species. However, the accuracy of ESR/U-series ages is greatly affected by the incorporation of uranium in the enamel during burial in sediments. It has been shown that uranium content is positively correlated with an increased degree of atomic order in carbonate hydroxyapatite crystals, the latter determined using infrared spectroscopy. Here we present a reference infrared spectral library of tooth enamel from African ungulates, based on the grinding curve method, which serves as baseline to track the diagenetic history of carbonate hydroxyapatite in different species and thus select the best-preserved specimens for dating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently in NW Europe little is known about the human response to the extensive cold reversal at the end of the Pleistocene, the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,850 till ca. 11,650 cal BP), mainly due to the poor chronological resolution of the archaeological sites belonging to the Ahrensburgian Culture. Here we present a series of 33 radiocarbon dates performed on the seminal cave site of Remouchamps, situated in the Belgian Meuse basin. Combined with a revision of the available radiocarbon evidence along the southern North Sea basin (Belgium, southern Netherlands, western Germany), it is suggested that the first half of the Younger Dryas, characterized as extremely cold and wet, faced a significant population reduction. Repopulation started around the middle of the Younger Dryas, from ca. 12,200 cal BP onward, probably in response to a slight climatic improvement leading to somewhat warmer summers. This might be considered a prelude to the subsequent population boost of the Early Holocene (Mesolithic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work provides a review of the state of knowledge of woolly rhinoceroses in Poland. We compile research results from the 19th century to the present day and consider the collected data not only quantitatively, but above all qualitatively. Here we present a list of 215 sites from Poland where the remains of the woolly rhinoceros have been found. Studies of woolly rhinos from Poland usually employ small samples. Our compilation of data also reveals that there is currently no basis for drawing conclusions regarding the geographical distribution pattern of the species in Poland. Only a small number of works have focused on matching the places where remains occurred with the geological conditions of the area and their depositional history. Moreover, the results show that the resolution of the radiocarbon dates that are currently published is insufficient to allow conclusions about the chronology of woolly rhinoceroses in Poland to be drawn. No works to date have dealt with any aspect of palaeopopulation research. The woolly rhinoceros is not present in Palaeolithic art in Poland. A summary of our knowledge of this taxon is the starting point for our multi-aspect research into this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biostratigraphic study was undertaken on a shallow borehole drilled to 90 meters in the easternmost Orinoco Delta, Venezuela. Twenty-eight samples were analyzed for palynomorphs and foraminifera. Palynomorphs were recovered in all except one sample consisting of 178 entities. Foraminifera assemblages of low diversity were recovered in 17 of the 28 samples. The analysis provides some insight into the vegetation, climate, and depositional history allowing comparisons with other Late Pleistocene to Holocene studies in the northern South America region. The Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene transition is marked by an unconformity, where the vegetation changes from a diverse flora of Mauritia flexuosa, grasses (Poaceae), ferns, and mangroves (Rhizophora, Avicennia) to one dominated by Rhizophora around 10,000 years BP. This transition also contains reworked palynomorphs and abundant black wood (inertinite), indicative of erosion and oxidation. The absence of foraminifera suggests an exposed continental shelf and lowering of sea level. The Early Holocene mangrove flora is replaced by vegetation dominated by Mauritia flexuosa, with Symphonia globuliflora, grasses, and ferns. The palynological signature for the upper 42 m of the section compares favorably with a previous study of the Holocene in the Orinoco Delta. Radiocarbon dating indicates there is an unconformity or condensed section at the vegetation change, representing as much as 5500 ± years. Foraminifera indicate an open shelf environment immediately above this horizon followed by a significant shallowing to nearshore transitional environments near the top of the section. Local climate and/or human influence may have been a factor in the abundance of Mauritia flexuosa as suggested by other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the first Spanish American lacquerwares produced by Indigenous artisans in the seventeenth century, barniz de Pasto in Colombia and Peribán lacquer in Mexico, and discusses how the evolution of the decorative motifs, techniques, and forms of these lacquerwares can establish an initial dating chronology. Over the last thirty years, a sufficient number of examples of seventeenth-century Spanish American lacquerware have come to light that are datable, whether through provenance, historical references, or radiocarbon dating, and that make possible tentative chronologies for their production. The Hispanic Society of America in New York City holds at present the most significant collection of datable pieces of barniz de Pasto and Peribán lacquerware that now provide the key dates that can serve as the basis for establishing dating chronologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-reading protocols for tuna species using annual growth zones in thin-cut transverse otolith sections have produced greater age estimates than previous methods. Lifespan estimates for yellowfin (YFT) and bigeye (BET) tuna (Thunnus albacares and T. obesus) were validated up to 16–18 years in the western North Atlantic Ocean using bomb 14C dating and the current study extends the approach to YFT and BET of the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Archived otoliths from young-of-the-year (YOY) tuna caught in the WCPO were analysed for 14C to establish a reference chronology covering 30 years (1989–2019). This YOY 14C time series exhibited strong concordance with existing coral-otolith 14C references for the tropical-subtropical Pacific Ocean and was combined as a single chronology. Otolith cores from YFT aged 1–14 years and BET aged 1–13 years from presumed annual counts were analysed for 14C. These measurements aligned with the reference chronology for the calculated hatch years for both species. These findings provide strong evidence that growth zones in thin-sectioned otoliths are deposited annually for YFT and BET of the WCPO and that age interpretation is correct using the current age reading protocol with little to no bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of comprehensive (microprobe, paleomagnetic and magnetic) studies on peats from the Tyapka peat section (Russian Far East). Radiocarbon dating placed the start of peat formation at ∼11.7 ky B.P. The principle carriers of magnetization were found to be magnetite, to a lesser extent hematite and, possibly, greigite. The relative paleointensity values obtained through calculations are in good agreement with the literature data. Intervals with negative inclinations of the magnetization vector were identified in peats, which most likely correspond to geomagnetic excursions in the Holocene. The research constrained the duration of the geomagnetic excursions, as well as the geomagnetic field intensity behavior not typical for such variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identified for the first time in Norway, windblown yellowish-brown dust in Folldal, east-central southern Norway, fulfils physical and geochemical criteria for sensu stricto loess, including a high carbonate content. Two extant and one relict marl pond located on low-carbonate rocks are investigated. An allochthonous origin for the marl ponds is suggested and explained by the deposition of suspended clastic carbonate as loess by aeolian processes. The scattered geographical distribution of loess and the need for a calcareous source area suggest a W-SW provenance from a relict valley sandur/existing flood plain in upper Grimsdalen. The mean grain size (~22.4 µm) of the aeolian silt is in the finer range of average loess, explained by the up to 25–30 km long transport and approximately 250–300 m airborne uphill move from the suggested source area to the marl ponds. Based on age-depth modelling using 9 AMS radiocarbon dates, loess deposition occurred from ca. 10,390 to 9780 cal. yr BP (610 years). Two prominent periods of loess accumulation occurred from ca. 10,390 to 10,190 (200 years) and ca. 10,020–9950 (70 years) cal. yr BP. Loess deposition results from W-SW wintertime winds in a dry to semi-arid climate. In southern Norway, W-SW winds in winter are associated with a positive mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). From source to deposition, the response time to erode, transport and accumulate loess is suggested to be seasonal to 1 year. An immediate increase in organic production followed loess deposition as early initiation of a warmer and wetter Holocene climatic optimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronze and iron objects from the middle‐class Xiongnu burials at Tamiryn Ulaan Khoshuu were examined for technology and chronology. The bronze objects were made from copper–tin–lead alloys, mostly for ornamental purposes, while the iron objects were household items made of cast iron. Radiocarbon measurements dated the site to the 4th century bce to the 1st century ce. The results revealed two key factors: (1) Xiongnu style material culture established by incorporating various contributions from across Eurasia at an earlier date than previously supposed; and (2) the emergence of regionally stratified material culture suggesting intimate political relationships consistently maintained between geographically distant Xiongnu communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study uses data from Holocene core samples and modern death assemblages to understand how human-induced environmental change in the northern Adriatic Sea (Italy) may have affected parasite-host dynamics in the economically important bivalve Chamelea gallina. Thirty-one radiocarbon dates confirm temporal distinctness between the periods before and after the onset of significant human influence and confirm that trematode prevalence has decreased by an order of magnitude over the past ∼2 k.y. The median number of parasite-induced pits per bivalve host and parasite aggregation has also decreased significantly, signaling a substantial decrease in the effective population size of digenean trematodes. Gaussian finite mixture modeling of pit size does not support the hypothesis of parasite extinction. Combined, these results indicate the (potentially ongoing) collapse of parasite-host interactions in C. gallina in concert with human influence on the Adriatic and its transition to an “urban sea.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the San Isidro archaeological site in El Salvador, providing significant insights into the development of Preclassic settlements in the region. Through analysis of ceramic sequences, radiocarbon dating, and excavations, the study traces the site's evolution and its contextual significance within Mesoamerican and Isthmo-Colombian spheres. We report on the discovery of over 50 mounds constructed around 400 b.c., indicating the emergence of a complex social structure at that time. The unearthed artifacts, including jade objects and Bolinas-type figurines, suggest cultural exchange with often distant regions of Mesoamerica and the Isthmo-Colombian area. This research not only contributes to understanding the chronological and geographic development of San Isidro but also highlights the site's role in broader Preclassic Mesoamerican cultural dynamics. Our findings challenge existing perceptions of cultural peripherality and emphasize the need for nuanced regional studies in reconstructing ancient Central American history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiocarbon dating and Bayesian chronology modeling have provided precise dating for the rondel at Nowe Objezierze (northwestern Poland). This monument, located in the farthest reaches of the "Danubian World," sheds new light on rondels and the way they functioned. A total of 44 radiocarbon dates are now available for the site, and modeling of these (taking into account depositional processes and the results of palynological analysis) has identified plausible scenarios for its construction and use. The rondel was built around 4800 cal b.c. and operated for about three centuries. The cyclical digging and filling of ditches and the sequential establishment of new ones characterized the historical development of the site. The long duration of use of the site served as a base to analyze the potential construction technology and to propose the reconstruction of the appearance of the rondel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ca. 12,700 year-long pollen and diatom record, as well as data on lithology, geochemistry, and grain size were obtained from two sediment cores retrieved in the southwest part of Lake Ladoga. Changes in phosphorus content during the Holocene were recorded from this sequence dated by the radiocarbon method. An increase in phosphorus, loss-on-ignition and the Fe/Mn ratio was recorded during the climatic optimum of the Holocene ca. 7500–7250 cal yr BP. At the same time, pollen data showed the spread of broad-leaved forests. The peak in phosphorus in the upper part of the core associated with anthropogenic activities is smaller to the peak corresponding to the Holocene climatic optimum. This may indicate that climatic factors affect the ecosystems of large lakes more significantly than anthropogenic ones. According to our new pollen data, first human impact is recorded in Lake Ladoga sediments ca. 2580 cal yr BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ecuadorian Amazon holds more biodiversity than most other places on Earth. Palms are a particularly dominant component of the vegetation; however, it remains unknown to what degree the pattern has persisted through time. Here, we investigate the persistence of palm dominance through time and the degree to which past human activities (e.g., fire, cultivation, and forest opening) have affected changes in palm abundances across five regions of the Ecuadorian Amazon. We analyzed soil cores (40–80 cm depth) from each region for charcoal (evidence of past fire) and phytoliths (evidence of past vegetation change). The timings of fires (based on 14C radiocarbon dates), the occurrence, recurrence, and number of fires (based on charcoal presence and abundance in samples), and the amount of change in palm abundances (based on phytoliths) varied within and between the studied regions. The charcoal and phytolith results indicate the presence of low levels of past human activity at all sites. Our results show that patterns of modern palm hyperdominance found in Amazonian forests have not been persistent through time, and that even low levels of past human activities can affect palm abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive reservoir construction has fragmented more than 70% of the world's rivers, significantly impacting river connectivity and carbon cycling. However, the response of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM) to reservoir influence and its potential downstream effects remains unclear. In this study, we employed multiple analytical techniques, including Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, radiocarbon dating, and environmental factor analysis, to investigate the dynamic changes in DOM and its controlling factors under different hydrological management regimes in the LongTan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the Pearl River, which is the second largest river in China by water discharge. Our results indicate that the molecular diversity of riverine DOM is reduced in the reservoir. Oxygen‐rich and heteroatomic compounds, such as those containing nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, are preferentially removed through enhanced photo‐ and biodegradation processes in the reservoir, particularly during the storage period. This leads to DOM that is enriched with oxygen‐poor compounds and shows a biodegraded Δ14C value downstream. This study highlights that the composition of riverine DOM is significantly altered by the reservoir, but these effects could potentially be mitigated by optimizing the outlet location. Plain Language Summary: The construction of dams has significantly impacted rivers worldwide, fragmenting them and disrupting the flow of water and carbon. To understand how substances in rivers, particularly dissolved organic matter (DOM), are affected by dams and their potential impact on downstream ecosystems, we studied changes in DOM and the factors controlling these changes in the largest reservoir on the Pearl River in China, the second largest river in the country by water discharge. We found that certain compounds, such as those containing nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, are preferentially removed by natural processes in the reservoir. This phenomenon results in DOM with persistent properties that hinder its participation in downstream biogeochemical processes. Although the reservoir significantly alters riverine DOM, our results suggest that the impact of the reservoir could be mitigated by optimizing the water outlet location. Key Points: Primary production and degradation processes in the river will be significantly enhanced by the reservoirThe reservoir will preferentially remove oxygen‐rich and heteroatomic compounds in the riverThe impact of the reservoir on downstream systems is potentially controlled by establishing an ideal outlet location [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing population, food demands and climatic stressors pose an imminent threat to groundwater sustainability in regional aquifer systems globally. Limited availability of surface water and erratic/uncertain rainfall necessitates preservation of groundwater resources, which form reliable fresh water reserves in most of the arid regions. Bhuj Sandstone aquifer is one such fresh groundwater systems in Western India catering the domestic/irrigational needs for over 2 million population. Rapid groundwater depletion in this area warranted a mandatory conservation of groundwater resources for future sustainability. Nuclear techniques using 3H and 14C provide estimates of groundwater age that help in planning sustainable groundwater management. In this study, sustainability of deep groundwater was assessed using environmental radioactive isotopes (3H, 14C). Results indicate that 14C activity of the groundwater samples varies from 26 to 73.6 pMC (percent modern carbon). Considering the various biases and uncertainties present, multiple correction models were applied to obtain representative groundwater ages by incorporating stable (13C) isotope and hydrogeochemical data. The corrected and representative ages are found to range from 5.8 to 8.6 ka BP (thousand years before present). From the study it can be inferred that central Bhuj aquifer hosts paleo-groundwater while the western part is recently recharged. Therefore, over-exploitation of deep groundwater in central Bhuj aquifer may further lower the water levels and this would have long-term impact on the socio-economic development of Kutch region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the most complete paleolake‐level reconstructions for the late Pleistocene water bodies that once occupied the Dead Sea depression have been based on the combination of dating of lake sediments and terrestrial materials. However, despite these major accomplishments, there is still limited spatial control regarding the water levels, suggesting some degree of uncertainty concerning the magnitude and rate of lake‐level changes. Here, we re‐examine the late Pleistocene lake‐level changes in the Dead Sea during the transition from paleolake Lisan to the present‐day Dead Sea. We rely on systematic dating of fossil stromatolites including 84 radiocarbon and 15 U‐series ages, stable‐isotope measurements, paleobiology, high‐resolution topography, and numerical modeling to assess lake‐level changes. Our results indicate that the highstand of paleolake Lisan was of shorter duration and the transition between Lake Lisan and the Dead Sea occurred at least 5 Kyrs earlier than previously indicated. By refining the timeline and accuracy of lake‐level positions during the transition paleolake Lisan—Dead Sea, our study offers new insights into the regional and local paleo‐climatic conditions during the last glacial period in this region. Plain Language Summary: Index points, reflecting the unique position of the water levels in space and time, have been broadly used in marine realms to reconstruct past sea‐level changes. Here we study lake‐level variations using index points based on geomorphic and biological markers collected along the western and eastern coasts of the Dead Sea. Previous studies indicate that during the last glacial period (20–30 ka), the Dead Sea depression was filled by paleolake Lisan, which lasted 10 Kyrs. As it dried, dozens of paleo‐shorelines remained etched in the landscape. Lake level index points estimated from 99 radiometric ages in these paleo‐shorelines suggest that Lisan's highstand was shorter and the transition to the Dead Sea occurred 5 Kyrs earlier than previously thought. These novel results suggest an initial and wet period followed by drier conditions, altering the regional paleo‐climatic narrative during the last glacial period. Key Points: Lake paleo‐shorelines and fossil stromatolites are used to reconstruct lake‐level changes during the transition paleolake Lisan‐Dead SeaFossil stromatolites were dated using radiocarbon and U‐series applying temporal and vertical correctionsThe transition between paleolake Lisan and the Dead Sea occurred ∼5 Kyrs earlier than estimated by previous reconstructions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the discovery of a complete male skull of the marsh deer in Uruguay, marking the southernmost limit of its range. The skull was found in the departments of Canelones and Maldonado and was estimated to be around 294 years old through radiocarbon dating. Genetic analysis revealed significant genetic diversity and past population dynamics of marsh deer in the region. These findings highlight the need for habitat restoration and future rewilding strategies to protect this species. [Extracted from the article]

Knowledge of the Early Agricultural period (4100 to 1900 BP) has been saturated with data from sites spanning Northwestern Mexico and the American Southwest. As our understanding of the role of maize in Early Agricultural populations has grown, our understanding of the behavioral changes has also been affected. As a result, the methodologies of this study requires more than site level analyses, and integration into other crucial sites of the Early Agricultural period such as La Playa, Cerro Juanaqueña, and Casas Grandes. To understand the transition from mixed subsistence to the reliance on maize, multiple variables must be considered: ecology, stable isotope analysis, dietary variability, and behavioral changes. This article seeks to highlight the site of La Playa, in Northern Sonora, Mexico by focusing on the dependence on maize with δ13Ccollagen and δ13Capatite isotopes to evaluate the reduction of variability throughout the Early Agricultural period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ursus spelaeus, the Late Pleistocene a cave bear is known from numerous accumulations found in the fossil sector of caves situated in the Carpathian and Apuseni Mountains. In this study, we present new radiocarbon data along a profile of the Cioclovina Uscată Cave, which is situated in the South Carpathians. The data suggest that, during the entire Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) interval, the cave was serving as a shelter for U. spelaeus, with the oldest dated bone indicating an age of > 47,710 and the youngest one, an age of 31,820 ± 400 years cal BP. Histogram plots of 110 radiocarbon data from different caves of the Carpathian and Apuseni Mountains as Cioclovina Uscată, Peștera (Cave) cu Oase, Peștera Muierii, or Peștera Urșilor, respectively, show a maximum expansion of the cave bear population between 50,000 and 40,000, a decline between 40,000 and 35,000 and a partial recovery from 35,000–30,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon data of Homo sapiens remains, younger than 35,000 years cal BP, support the fact that H. sapiens accessed the same caves where the cave bear persisted to hibernate. Besides general cool conditions and restricted food sources, the presence of H. sapiens constituted an additional stress factor driving the cave bear to extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is one of the milestones in the development of human society. Many regions in the southern parts of 'the old world' demonstrating an early emergence of agriculture also witnessed the flourishing of some of the earliest cities. Recent, yet still sparse, archaeological evidence appears to indicate a relatively later time for early urbanism in central Eurasia. However, given its vital geographic location and cultural nexus between East and West, more attention should be paid to the sedentary communities and their cities in oases amid the vast droughty desert, particularly in light of the rapidly increasing number of publications on early pastoralism and related communication routes along mountain chains and rivers. This study reveals the trajectory of urbanization and its role in the establishment of an exchange network in Xinjiang's oasis region via reconstruction of the chronological sequence of the local societal history of the Baiyang River Basin along the southern piedmont of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains. A thorough archaeological investigation and refined radiocarbon dating programme was carried out and coupled with information from historical documentation within a Bayesian statistical framework. The results indicate three pulses of local urbanization during: the Early Iron Age, Tang–Yuan period, and Qing Dynasty, respectively. Combining this with evidence from other parts of Xinjiang, we re-evaluate the role of oasis urbanism in the promotion of trans-regional exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human colonization of the Canary Islands represents the sole known expansion of Berber communities into the Atlantic Ocean and is an example of marine dispersal carried out by an African population. While this island colonization shows similarities to the populating of other islands across the world, several questions still need to be answered before this case can be included in wider debates regarding patterns of initial colonization and human settlement, human-environment interactions, and the emergence of island identities. Specifically, the chronology of the first human settlement of the Canary Islands remains disputed due to differing estimates of the timing of its first colonization. This absence of a consensus has resulted in divergent hypotheses regarding the motivations that led early settlers to migrate to the islands, e.g., ecological or demographic. Distinct motivations would imply differences in the strategies and dynamics of colonization; thus, identifying them is crucial to understanding how these populations developed in such environments. In response, the current study assembles a comprehensive dataset of the most reliable radiocarbon dates, which were used for building Bayesian models of colonization. The findings suggest that i) the Romans most likely discovered the islands around the 1st century BCE; ii) Berber groups from western North Africa first set foot on one of the islands closest to the African mainland sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE; iii) Roman and Berber societies did not live simultaneously in the Canary Islands; and iv) the Berber people rapidly spread throughout the archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present communication indicates the timeline-based on accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates - that has emerged from a sediment core originating in the Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh, India) and attempts to see if those dates broadly coincide with the changing historical signature as recorded in archaeological evidence in this tract. A comprehensive overview of vegetational and climatic changes in the forested tract of Bandhavgarh across time is under preparation, and the present study aims to report on the first scientific dates from the Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve and the rich possibilities that open up when they are juxtaposed with its archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of archaeological, historical and geoarchaeological records represents a significant contribution to research into the medieval landscape. This study focuses on the medieval field system in the deserted village of Debrné, located in northeastern Bohemia, Czechia. The village features a well‐preserved croft plužina field system, a typical historical landscape of central Europe. The main and most visible elements of the field system are the earthen field boundaries, which were the focus of the geoarchaeological investigations. Archaeological excavations in trench S1 revealed a collection of larger stones at a depth of 1 m, potentially serving a drainage function akin to the observed plužina. Additionally, a boulder paving, identified as a remnant of a path between fields, provided insights into the historical use of the area. In trench S2, positioned closer to the village's core, layers with increasing stone content were recorded at a depth of 130 cm. However, the drainage structure observed in trench S1 was not replicated. The dating of earthen field boundaries indicated the creation of the terrace in the second half of the 16th century in trench S1. In trench S2, radiocarbon dating at a depth of 70 to 80 cm ranged from 1025 to 1175 A.D., predating the first written source about Debrné. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in trench S2 suggested exposure to sunlight during the third century A.D. Archaeobotanical analysis of charred macroremains from trench S1 revealed 236 plant macroremains belonging to approximately 20 taxa, showcasing wild‐growing, collected useful species such as raspberry, blackberry and elderberry. Trench S2 yielded 23 plant macroremains belonging to 11 taxa, with similar species as trench S1. Pedological and micromorphological examinations displayed distinct layering in both trenches, showing up to six layers. Micromorphological analysis unveiled vuggy microstructures, varying grain sizes and elemental patterns, shedding light on different periods of occupation. Multidisciplinary investigations of the buried soils forming the earthen field boundaries discovered that the original soil cover comprised automorphic lixisols and cambisols, which also form under present conditions. These results underscore the importance of integrating pedological, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical and physical data to comprehend the intricate nature of anthropogenic landscape changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a multiproxy approach including the first use of 187Os/188Os, %C37:4 biomarkers, carbonate content, sedimentological grain size, geochemical X‐ray fluorescence and microfossil benthic foraminifera species combined with radiocarbon dating, measured on six cores from across the Skagerrak, in order to study the Lateglacial to Middle Holocene history of the area. A new chronostratigraphic framework is developed based on the appearance of specific benthic foraminifera species along with changes in carbonate/X‐ray fluorescence and grain size data. This allowed the correlation of cores based on a series of radiocarbon dated tie points. Analysing the cores together reveals several events recorded in the Skagerrak including: (i) an increased freshwater input (bracketed between 13.3 and 11.3 cal. ka BP) signified by radiogenic 187Os/188Os values, high %C37:4 values and an increase in sand content; (ii) the Glomma drainage event, signified by a sudden appearance of Valvulineria as well as higher %C37:4; and (iii) the opening of the Danish Straits and English Channel leading to the development of modern‐day conditions and circulation patterns in the Skagerrak, signified by the appearance of Hyalinea balthica and a fall in %C37:4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice and millet arrived in Western Japan from Korea around 3,000 years ago and spread eastwards across the archipelago in the next 700 years. However, the extent to which agriculture transformed traditional Jōmon hunter-gatherer-fisher communities is debated. Central Japan is a key area of study as remodelling of radiocarbon dates shows a slowdown in the dispersal rate of rice agriculture in this area. Here, we examine and compare the use of pottery by Final Jōmon and Early to Middle Yayoi communities in the Tōkai and the Central Highland regions of central Japan, using lipid residue analysis. Although the identification of specific biomarkers for rice remains elusive, an increase in the ratio of E/H C18 APAAs with the arrival of rice and millet indicates a potential change in plant processing and consumption. We were also able to identify biomarkers for broomcorn millet (miliacin) in both Final Jōmon and Yayoi pottery. However, evidence for millet consumption is sparse and in all cases was likely mixed with wild hunted and foraged foods. We conclude therefore that, despite the introduction of rice and millet agriculture in central Japan, pre-existing diets and culinary habits of Jōmon hunter-gatherers remain important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonatite hosts the most important rare earth resources in the world, but the precise timing, ore-forming history, and mechanism of rare earth mineralization in carbonatite systems are still in debate. Here, we report a rare corona texture of monazite-allanite-fluorapatite from the Huangjiagou carbonatite in the Lesser Qinling of central China, and demonstrate that the U-Th-Pb dating, trace elements, and Sr-Nd isotopes of these minerals in the corona are useful tools to unravel multiple-stage events for rare earth element (REE) mineralization and mobilization. The first mineralization event took place at ca. 219 Ma as revealed by the monazite U-Pb age, the same as regional carbonatite forming ages, but the Th-Pb age has been disturbed, which shows a negative correlation with Th contents. The second mineralization event occurred at ca. 128 Ma, as revealed by in situ U-Pb dating of allanite, coeval with the intrusions of neighboring I-type granite. The initial Sr-Nd isotope ratios of allanite show a downtrend from the center to the rim of monazite-allanite-apatite coronas to approach the ratios of neighboring granite, indicating an increasing effect by the metasomatism of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids during the growth of these REE-mineral coronas. Therefore, a two-episode REE mineralization was recognized with the replacement of ca. 219 Ma monazite by ca. 128 Ma allanite-apatite coronas on the function of magmatichydrothermal fluid metasomatism, and this process accompanies the disturbance of Th/Pb geochronology in monazite. Allanite as the product of monazite dissolution can represent the later-stage REE mineralization tracing the REE reworking processes under the hydrothermal conditions in carbonatite systems. Our study highlights the implication of monazite-allanite-fluorapatite coronas on the REE remobilization and mineralization in carbonatite systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prehistoric records of subduction earthquakes are often distinguished by evidence of synchronous widespread coastal deformation, the extent of which negates the plausibility of alternative source faults. At the Hi-kurangi subduction margin in New Zealand, untangling the record of subduction interface ruptures is complicated. Large earthquake age uncertainties inhibit unique solutions of along-strike correlations, and complex patterns of coastal deformation caused by upper-plate faulting prevent reliable indication of source faults. In this work, we improved paleoearthquake reconstructions on the central Hikurangi margin with a new, well-constrained 5000 yr earthquake record from Pakuratahi Valley near Napier, North Island, New Zealand. Evidence of laterally extensive paleoenvironmental changes is consistent with coseismic subsidence and coseismic uplift in large earthquakes. Radiocarbon dates on fragile terrestrial macrofossils and tephra isochrons were used to construct robust age models that yielded earthquake ages of 4839-4601 calibrated (cal.) yr B.P., 3630-3564 cal. yr B.P., 2687-2439 cal. yr B.P., and 1228-823 cal. yr B.P. Integration of these ages with refined earthquake chronology from nearby Ahuriri Lagoon indicated that the next large earthquake impacting the Napier area is more likely to cause coastal subsidence than uplift. Drawing on correlations with cotemporal evidence elsewhere on the central margin, we infer that the overall patterns of coseismic deformation could be generated by either rupture of the subduction interface or upper-plate faults, or both. This inability to separate source faults for past earthquakes limits the efficiency of forecasting future earthquakes. Similar problems of intertwined paleoearthquake signatures likely apply to other plate boundaries, where we recommend cautious interpretation of coastal deformation to accurately address the hazard from both types of source faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geologic reconstructions of overwash events can extend storm records beyond the brief instrumental record. However, the return periods of storms calculated from geologic records alone may underestimate the frequency of events given the preservation bias of geologic records. Here, we compare a geologic reconstruction of storm activity from a salt marsh in New Jersey to two neighboring instrumental records at the Sandy Hook and Battery tide gauges. Eight overwash deposits were identified within the marsh's stratigraphy by their fan‐shaped morphology and coarser mean grain size (3.6 ± 0.7 φ) compared to autochthonous sediments they were embedded in (5.6 ± 0.8 φ). We used an age–depth model based on modern chronohorizons and three radiocarbon dates to provide age constraints for the overwash deposits. Seven of the overwash deposits were attributed to historical storms, including the youngest overwash deposit from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The four youngest overwash deposits overlap with instrumental records. In contrast, the Sandy Hook and Battery tide gauges recorded eight and 11 extreme water levels above the 10% annual expected probability (AEP) of exceedance level, respectively, between 1932/1920 and the present. The geologic record in northern New Jersey, therefore, has a 36–50% preservation potential of capturing extreme water levels above the 10% AEP level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ cosmogenic 14 C (in situ 14 C) in quartz provides a recently developed tool to date exposure of bedrock surfaces of up to ∼ 25 000 years. From outcrops located in east-central Sweden, we tested the accuracy of in situ 14 C dating against (i) a relative sea level (RSL) curve constructed from radiocarbon dating of organic material in isolation basins and (ii) the timing of local deglaciation constructed from a clay varve chronology complemented with traditional radiocarbon dating. Five samples of granitoid bedrock were taken along an elevation transect extending southwestwards from the coast of the Baltic Sea near Forsmark. Because these samples derive from bedrock outcrops positioned below the highest postglacial shoreline, they target the timing of progressive landscape emergence above sea level. In contrast, in situ 14 C concentrations in an additional five samples taken from granitoid outcrops above the highest postglacial shoreline, located 100 km west of Forsmark, should reflect local deglaciation ages. The 10 in situ 14 C measurements provide robust age constraints that, within uncertainties, compare favourably with the RSL curve and the local deglaciation chronology. These data demonstrate the utility of in situ 14 C to accurately date ice sheet deglaciation, and durations of postglacial exposure, in regions where cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al routinely return complex exposure results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The overarching challenge of this research is setting up a procedure to select the most appropriate fraction from complex, heterogeneous materials such as historic mortars in case of radiocarbon dating. At present, in the international community, there is not a unique and fully accepted way of mortar sample preparation to systematically obtain accurate results. With this contribution, we propose a strategy for selecting suitable mortar samples for radiocarbon dating of anthropogenic calcite in binder or lump. A four-step procedure is proposed: (I) good sampling strategies along with architectural and historical surveys; (II) mineralogical, petrographic, and chemical characterization of mortars to evaluate the feasibility of sample dating; (III) a non-destructive multi-analytical characterization of binder-rich portions to avoid geogenic calcite contamination; (IV) carbonate micro-sample preparation and accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) measurements. The most innovative feature of the overall procedure relies on the fact that, in case of positive validation in step III, exactly the same material is treated and measured in step IV. The paper aims to apply this procedure to the ancient mortar of the Florentine historical building (Trebbio Castle), selecting micro-samples suitable for dating in natural hydraulic mortars. The discussion of the mortar dating results with the historical-archaeological hypotheses provided significant insights into the construction history of the building.

Abstract Currently in NW Europe little is known about the human response to the extensive cold reversal at the end of the Pleistocene, the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,850 till ca. 11,650 cal BP), mainly due to the poor chronological resolution of the archaeological sites belonging to the Ahrensburgian Culture. Here we present a series of 33 radiocarbon dates performed on the seminal cave site of Remouchamps, situated in the Belgian Meuse basin. Combined with a revision of the available radiocarbon evidence along the southern North Sea basin (Belgium, southern Netherlands, western Germany), it is suggested that the first half of the Younger Dryas, characterized as extremely cold and wet, faced a significant population reduction. Repopulation started around the middle of the Younger Dryas, from ca. 12,200 cal BP onward, probably in response to a slight climatic improvement leading to somewhat warmer summers. This might be considered a prelude to the subsequent population boost of the Early Holocene (Mesolithic).

Abstract Urbanization is one of the milestones in the development of human society. Many regions in the southern parts of ‘the old world’ demonstrating an early emergence of agriculture also witnessed the flourishing of some of the earliest cities. Recent, yet still sparse, archaeological evidence appears to indicate a relatively later time for early urbanism in central Eurasia. However, given its vital geographic location and cultural nexus between East and West, more attention should be paid to the sedentary communities and their cities in oases amid the vast droughty desert, particularly in light of the rapidly increasing number of publications on early pastoralism and related communication routes along mountain chains and rivers. This study reveals the trajectory of urbanization and its role in the establishment of an exchange network in Xinjiang’s oasis region via reconstruction of the chronological sequence of the local societal history of the Baiyang River Basin along the southern piedmont of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains. A thorough archaeological investigation and refined radiocarbon dating programme was carried out and coupled with information from historical documentation within a Bayesian statistical framework. The results indicate three pulses of local urbanization during: the Early Iron Age, Tang–Yuan period, and Qing Dynasty, respectively. Combining this with evidence from other parts of Xinjiang, we re-evaluate the role of oasis urbanism in the promotion of trans-regional exchange.

Four barrows of the “Sputnik” group were studied in 2014 on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The main burial of barrow 2 was surrounded on the ancient horizon by a log structure like a fence. The burial was completely robbed. The date originally proposed (in 2015) for this barrow was based on the formal similarity of this fence with the wooden structures from the barrows at the village of Butory, surrounded the Scythian graves of the IV century BC. The radiocarbon dates of logs and horse bones, obtained later (in 2023), indicated the connection of the site with the Golden Horde period. This required a rethinking of the materials and a search for other analogies. It was established that the iron belt divider from the plunderer's pit belongs to items of the Askiz type and should be associated not with the plunderers, but with the destroyed main burial of a noble warrior-horseman of the second half of the XIII–XIV centuries. Analogies of the log structure surrounding this burial were identified previously in the Lower Dnieper and in the Volga regions. Barrow 2 of the “Sputnik” group extended the boundaries of the spread of sites with log fences to the western regions of the Ulus of Jochi. The experience of radiocarbon dating has made it possible to correct the errors of traditional dating. It demonstrated that this method can be successfully used in the study of archaeological sites of the Middle Ages.

The paper presents the results of field archaeological research on the territory of the Bytygai settlement, where burials of the period of the Ulus of Jochi were identified. Two burials were revealed by indirect evidence on the surface of the ground, two more burials were found by the method of full uncover of the soil. The absolute age was obtained by radiocarbon dating. The authors used field materials obtained during archaeological studies on the territory of the monument in the 2021–2023 field seasons. The basis for the interpretation was grave structures, descriptions of burial chambers, anthropological material, as well as burial rites. For the first time, materials from the Bytygai settlement and are introduced into scientific discourse. In addition to the traditional methods used in archaeological studies, such as stratigraphy, analogy, interdisciplinary study has been carried out. The results are preliminary, since a comprehensive study of such a complicated archaeological site has not been carried out previously. Bytygai settlement and necropolis have specific features related to the steppe landscape. The structural and architectural objects that form the settlement differ from other cities and settlements of the Golden Horde period in the Volga region, western and southern Kazakhstan.

The article deals with the burials at the Taldy-1 burial ground (Republic of Kazakhstan). They belong to the early and classical Middle Ages. Despite the low information content of the early medieval burials, they are of interest at the regional, central Kazakhstan level. The burials considered expand the factual base that is currently insufficient. The burial rite is clearly presented in building No 58. Here, the burial of a child was investigated. It was accompanied by the cattle skeleton. The skeleton position bears a resemblance the posture of a horse in the studied burials of the Turkic culture. The burial of the classical Middle Ages is dated to the XIII century by the radiocarbon method. It was a non-inventory burial of a girl aged 12–13 years. The burial was arranged in a pit. A graphic reconstruction of the appearance was carried out on the skull. The peculiarities of the burial rites allow the researchers to raise the issue of identifying syncretic Muslim-pagan assemblages and the spread of Islam in Central Kazakhstan. Analyzing the materials of the region, it is possible to establish the duration of the process of ritual transformation, which lasted for at least two centuries.

The Late Middle Bronze Age to Older Hallstatt Period necropolis in the cadastral municipality of Kainach (municipality of Wildon, Styria) was discovered in 2004 and explored in several excavation campaigns (Verein Kulturpark Hengist). In total, more than 28,000 m2 were investigated and around 240 cremation graves were discovered. To date, around 15% of the grave inventories have been fully restored, including graves 186, 226, 114, 42, 30, 93, 70 and 102 as well as grave 120 and object 266, which are presented here in chronological order. The area between the Mur and Kainach rivers was a ritual landscape that developed into a large burial area over the centuries. Graves 186 and 226 in particular are of great significance for the late Middle Bronze Age and the early/older Urnfield Period in Styria. Remarkable are the contacts to the Laugen-Melaun culture respectively to the western inner Alpine region, as evidenced by the inventory of Kainach grave 42.

The Selvicciola necropolis is a large burial site dated to the Copper Age, located on the mid-Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy, in the Fiora river valley. Despite post-depositional disturbances, 32 prehistoric tombs were found, generally in a good state of preservation, with a total number of 119 individuals identified. In the present study, radiocarbon and stable isotope measurements on bone collagen are combined with skeletal data for 71 of these individuals. We aim to investigate possible changes in food practices and burial patterns throughout time. In detail, the results allowed us to define a timeframe for the use of the cemetery of at least 2000 years, with the two most ancient individuals found in tomb 17 and dated to around 3950 cal BC, assigning this a necropolis chronological investigation of the so-called Rinaldone culture. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis confirmed a predominantly agropastoral subsistence strategy for this prehistoric community. Although the plant intake consisted mainly of C3 species, we further discuss the fact that the stable isotope data suggest an increase in the consumption of C4 plants over time. The integration of radiocarbon and isotopic data with the skeletal evidence and material culture provides an interesting insight into the funerary world of this community, highlighting the importance of Selvicciola for the understanding of life in the Mediterranean at the transition between the fourth and the third millennia BC.

In 2022, a simple shaft­hole stone axe was found in the village of Nagļi, RÄzekne district in eastern Latvia. In contrast to hundreds of other simple shaft­hole axes, this specimen â representing the so­called almond­shaped type â is distinguished by the fragment of a wooden haft preserved in the shaft hole. This provided a unique opportunity to date the axe: the Nagļi artefact is only the second Bronze Age shaft­hole stone axe that has been directly radiocarbon­ dated in the eastern Baltic area. The result, 780â540 cal BC, confirms the typochronological conclusion that almond­shaped axes were used in Latvia in the Late Bronze Age (1100â500 BC). However, it cannot confirm or refute their continued use in the Pre­Roman Iron Age (500â1 BC). Analysis of the haft revealed that it was made of oak (Quercus sp.), distinguishing it from previously analysed Bronze Age stone and metal axes in the eastern Baltic region, where ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) was often used.

Radiocarbon dates from alluvial sections provide maximum deposit ages because of the time lag between formation of the dated material and deposition at the sample site, potentially producing decade‐ to century‐long biases in the dates of historic events, paleoclimatic change, fire histories, and paleoearthquakes. This bias, called the inherited age, combines the inbuilt age distribution, which reflects the age composition of the vegetation of the source area, and the residence time distribution, which includes transport and interim storage prior to final deposition. We tackle inherited age and its components by comparing charcoal dates from two modern fires in southern California, the 2020 Bobcat Fire and the 2013 Grand Fire, with a well‐dated late Holocene terrace deposit in the Pallett Creek watershed. Fifty‐six radiocarbon dates from the modern fires provide an inbuilt age distribution with a median of 25 years pre‐fire (320‐year 95% range). An inherited age distribution calculated from 175 terrace deposit dates is older, with a median age of ~90 years (850‐year 95% range). Comparing inherited ages calculated from organic‐rich versus clastic terrace deposits reveals a slight facies dependence suggesting longer residence times in clastic deposits. We develop a modeled inherited age that incorporates larger calibration uncertainties in pre‐1950s samples by combining the modern fire sample distribution with the pre‐bomb portion of the calibration curve. The modeled inherited age is younger than the terrace deposit inherited age by only 21 years, indicating inbuilt age, not long residence times, dominates inherited age in this setting. The results imply that paleoearthquakes and climatic event age estimates in the Western Transverse Ranges are up to a century too old. More broadly, dating charcoal from modern fires can constrain inherited age and the resulting distributions can improve the accuracy of dates of past environmental and tectonic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kyrenia Ship, found off the north coast of Cyprus, is a key vessel in the history of scientific underwater excavations and in the history of Greek shipbuilding. The first volume of the site's final publication appeared in 2023 and provides detailed archaeological information tightly constraining the dating of the ship. A very specific date range is proposed: ca. 294–290 BCE, but is based on a less than certain reading of one coin recovered from the ship. While there is clear benefit to finding high-precision dates for the Kyrenia Ship and its rich assemblage using independent scientific dating (combined with Bayesian chronological modeling), efforts to do so proved more challenging and complex than initially anticipated. Strikingly, extensive radiocarbon dating on both wooden materials from the ship and on short-lived contents from the final use of the ship fail to offer dates using the IntCal20 calibration curve—the current Northern Hemisphere radiocarbon calibration curve at the time of writing—that correspond with the archaeological constraints. The issue rests with a segment of IntCal20 ca. 350–250 BCE reliant on legacy pre-AMS radiocarbon data. We therefore measured new known-age tree-ring samples 350–250 BCE, and, integrating another series of new known-age tree-ring data, we obtained a redefined and more accurate calibration record for the period 433–250 BCE. These new data permit a satisfactory dating solution for the ship and may even indicate a date that is a (very) few years more recent than current estimations. These new data in addition confirm and only very slightly modify the dating recently published for the Mazotos ship, another Greek merchant ship from the southern coast of Cyprus. Our work further investigated whether ship wood samples impregnated with a common preservative, polyethylene glycol (PEG), can be cleaned successfully, including a known-age test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research we identify the processes leading to hierarchical society in a region of Sāmoa, the often-labelled ʻbirthplace' of the Polynesian chiefdoms. Our analyses in the Falefa Valley on ʻUpolu island combine lidar mapping and ground survey to reveal an extensive system of archaeological features: rock walls, ditches, and platforms. Excavation and radiocarbon dating underpin a feature chronology and characterize feature variation. Soil nutrient analyses and geoarchaeological coring indicate spatial differences in the agricultural potentional of the valley and human modification of the environment over time. Our results demonstrate that the construction of large rock walls, some several hundred meters long, began approximately 900–600 years ago, shortly after rapid population rise in Sāmoa. This was followed by the building of small rock walls, often enclosing rectilinear fields or platforms. Both rock wall types are concentrated in the western and northern regions of the valley and greater rock wall densities are associated with areas of higher agricultural potential. The earliest wall construction was penecontemporaneous with partial forest removal that created a more productive wetland environment in the southeastern region of the valley, an area later a focus of agricultural ditching. We propose that with population rise the variable fertility of agricultural land became a significant resource gradient, influencing the population in two ways. First, areas of more fertile agricultural land promoted territorial behaviour, including large rock walls, and led to a collective action problem. Second, niche construction in the form of human-induced environmental change created a productive wetland agricultural system that was enhanced with a reticulate ditch network, the maintenance of which also led to a collective action problem. We conclude that in the Falefa Valley, the second largest catchment in Sāmoa, collective action problems were the cause of increased social hierarchy and may underlie the origins of chiefdoms throughout Polynesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dalangsonggou (DLSG) fault is an internal fault within the Sichuan–Yunnan block, located on the southern side of the Garzê–Yushu fault. On the basis of geological and geomorphological surveys, we estimated the Holocene activity of the DLSG fault. We excavated two trenches and identified two paleoseismic events by analyzing the stratigraphic deformation and radiocarbon dating results of the faulted strata. The occurrence times of these events were determined to be 8420–8346 and 4612–5045 cal BP. The time elapsed since the latest earthquake, which exceeds 4500 years, indicates strong risk of occurrence of a large earthquake on the DLSG fault. Furthermore, the recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the DLSG fault is much longer than that of earthquakes on the Garzê–Yushu fault. Thus, the DLSG fault conducts only regulating effects in terms of regional tectonic deformation compared to the dominant impact of the Garzê–Yushu fault, which is a boundary fault of the block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lower reaches of the Yellow River have witnessed numerous episodes of flooding and considerable shifts in its course. Examining flood records within the Yellow River basin offers invaluable insights into ancient human settlements, agricultural practices, trade routes, and technological advancements of ancient Chinese civilizations. However, dating these fluvial sediments poses a considerable challenge due to either the scarcity of organic material for radiocarbon (14C) dating or the potential incomplete bleaching of sediments for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. This study focused on the Anshang site located in Henan Province, we obtained OSL ages from distinct grain size fractions of quartz and cross-verified them with independent acceleration mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C ages. The findings revealed that both coarse quartz grains (CG) and medium quartz grains (MG) underwent complete bleaching in silt-dominated flood deposits and shallow lacustrine deposits. Conversely, the OSL ages of CG and MG quartz were notably overestimated by approximately 3–6 ka in silty clay-dominated flood deposits. Upon comparing the OSL ages with AMS 14C ages, it was evident that bulk organic matter AMS 14C ages aligned with CG OSL ages in shallow lacustrine deposits, but they appeared older than CG OSL ages in flood deposits. However, the AMS 14C ages from plant demonstrated good consistency. Consequently, we successfully identified flood-lacustrine sediments dating back to approximately ∼13 ka, ∼8–3 ka, ∼2.6 ka, ∼1 ka, and the last few hundred years, aligning well with historical documentation and earlier research. The regional evidence presented herein enhances our understanding of the applicability of OSL dating and AMS 14C dating in fluvial-lacustrine sediments. Armed with these new ages, we constructed a reference chronology for archaeological localities situated in the fluvial sediments of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]