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The article presents archaeological investigations in the Sacharewo region in the Białowieża Forest in eastern Poland. Finds from the Iron Age and the Roman period suggest a possible revival of settlement between the 1st century BC and the 5th/6th century AD. The study includes geoarchaeological analyses, archaeobotanical investigations, and radiocarbon dating, which identify a stable settlement region. The finds show cultural influences during the Roman period, including the Hatched Pottery Culture and the Wielbark Culture. [Extracted from the article]

A remarkable discovery was made in Vanovice (Moravia, Czech Republic): a fragment of a Roman bronze jug handle from the 1st century AD. The find is stored in the Museum of Boskovice region under the inv. no. A50476. The workmanship of the bronze handle attachment far exceeds the typical finds from the region of Moravia. The design of the handle attachment is connected to the Hellenistic toreutic tradition. The head depicted on the handle is believed to be that of Dionysus or Silenus, as determined through iconographic analysis and comparison with other works from Roman sculpture (mostly double herms) and artistic craftwork. The context of this find raises many intriguing questions. The artefact was found on the periphery of a barbarian settlement from the Roman Period. The main characteristic of the site is the hilly landscape without any settlement or funerary activities from the Roman Period. Could this be an isolated find, or does it indicate evidence of ritual practices during the Roman Period in the Barbaricum? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Roman province of Hispania Baetica, located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, was a large region with a variety of different geographic and climatic zones. Freshwater, required for public and domestic use, as well as for production, was supplied by employing different structural solutions, such as aqueducts, tanks, cisterns, wells, and water galleries. Furthermore, the water supply methods used in Baetica reflected the influence of different cultures, such as the Iberian, Hellenistic, and Punic cultures. An overview of this subject will be presented in this paper. This study aims to analyse the use of cisterns in the urban and rural contexts of Baetica by examining different typologies and archaeological contexts. Towns with cisterns as their only method of collecting water will be considered, in addition to cities with a combination of supply from both aqueducts and cisterns. Furthermore, we will also analyse some rural areas where cisterns were used to supply water for housekeeping and production purposes. Aspects such as water ownership and consumption will be considered for a better understanding of Roman water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses transformations in human behavior between the Iron Age and the Roman times in the tribal territory of the Treveri, later civitas Treverorum, located between the Rhine and the Ardennes. This aspect has been examined from two perspectives: first, from an anthropological point of view vis‐a‐vis the historical inhabitants, and second, from an archaeozoological perspective regarding domestic animals. Due to small sample sizes and/or difficulty in dating, both regarding humans and domestic animals, transformations in living conditions and animal‐keeping could mostly be outlined only for the La Tène and Roman times. Only the Celtic‐Roman cemetery of Wederath‐Belginum with continued use from middle La Tène to late antiquity offers a more complex insight into human mortality and animal offerings. People lived longer in the Roman times but had more pathologies compared with the previous La Tène period. Body height remained similar in the La Tène and Roman times. However, differences existed within specific human groups (for example, warriors and craftsmen), compared to the normal population. Sex differences in mortality persisted from La Tène to Roman times. The faunal composition in the burials, settlements, and sanctuaries also shows changes. Since the middle La Tène period, chickens have been present. The first oysters can be found in Augustean times, whereas exotic birds such as crested fowls and peacocks are found only in later Roman times and are quite rare. A new direction in animal‐keeping is demonstrated via an increasing logarithmic size index (LSI) in cattle and sheep. The multivariate methods applied in this study offer further insights into the domain and can serve as helpful tools for osteoarchaeological data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierapolis of Phrygia, an archaeological site in southwestern Turkey, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. During archaeological campaigns, 71 mortar samples from public buildings were collected, dating from the Julio-Claudian to the Middle Byzantine period. The samples were analyzed using a multi-analytical approach including polarized optical microscopy (POM), digital image analysis (DIA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and SEM–EDS to trace the raw materials and understand the evolution of mortar composition and technology over time. During the Roman period, travertine and marble were commonly used in binder production, while marble dominated in the Byzantine period. The aggregates come mainly from sands of the Lycian Nappe and Menderes Massif, with carbonate and silicate rock fragments. Variations in composition, average size and circularity suggest changes in raw material sources in both Roman and Byzantine periods. Cocciopesto mortar was used in water-related structures from the Flavian to the Severan period, but, in the Byzantine period, it also appeared in non-hydraulic contexts. Straw became a common organic additive in Byzantine renders, marking a shift from the exclusively inorganic aggregates of Roman renders. This study illustrates the evolving construction technologies and material sources used throughout the city's history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pilgrimage to the Second Temple included ceremonial elements of strong spiritual significance that elevated the participants to spiritual exaltation. This ceremonial process began with the first steps pilgrims took from their homes towards Jerusalem and concluded when they reached the Temple. This article presents the ceremonial element of the pilgrimage in light of archaeological and anthropological research, integrated with historical sources and with reference to the topography of Jerusalem and its surroundings (including the use of geographic information systems). These tools are used to retrace the path that pilgrims walked and present what the pilgrimage meant for them. The article also investigates whether the physical act of walking can shape the pilgrimage experience and, if so, how this occurs. It is also argued that the main approach to the Temple Mount for Jewish pilgrims led from the south (via the Kidron and Hinnom valleys), and that the construction of this route was designed with geophysical and architectural details meant to enhance the spiritual experience of the pilgrims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late Roman times imprinted with instability, and a consequent decline in large urban centres. In contrast, urbanization seems to have increased in Augusta Emerita (today Mérida), capital of Lusitania, because of the attractive commercial position of this powerful Christian centre. A mixed of beliefs, cultural and social backgrounds was coexisting at the core. These facts could have conditioned diet, perhaps becoming different from the surrounding rural areas, or increasing heterogeneity inside the capital. We reconstructed the diet of the largest Late Roman necropolis of Mérida, the Ampliación del MNAR (3rd -5th centuries AD), whose burial rites have been classified as no-Christian. A total of 70 humans (29 males, 14 females, 23 non-adults) were analysed for δ13Ccol and δ15Ncol to compare their isotopic values in bone with those of 14 animals: 6 sheep/goat, 5 cattle, 2 pigs and 1 horse. Faunal and human isotopic results indicate a trophic chain based on C3 plants. Humans over 12 years old (δ13C=19.2 ± 0.8‰, δ15N = 10.2 ± 1.3‰) seem to have had lower consumption of animal protein and C4 plants than other populations from rural sites, although general diet was rather homogeneous in Hispania. Three outliers, one with important intake of C4 plants, have been identified. Medium animal protein diet reconstructed by stable isotopes and relatively low presence of pathological markers, contrast with high infant mortality, suggesting minor stress in early life. If confirmed, limited diet might be linked to the marginal situation of pagan people in a well christianised Augusta Emerita, but much likely being a consequence of the decline of urban centres during Late Roman times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most intriguing periods of Egyptian history, associated with the spread of Christianity, is still poorly understood. Recent excavations shed more light on this process. During excavations conducted by the Centre of Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the Deir el-Banat necropolis in the Fayum an unusual burial was discovered. It contained the remains of a young man who had been subjected to a cruel punishment: an arrow had been shot into his body and he was hanged by the neck. According to the tomb's inventory and the shrouds found in the grave, the man lived in the fourth century AD, when the persecution of Christians by Roman authorities was particularly virulent. Although it is currently impossible to clearly determine the cause of such a severe violent death, some findings suggest that the execution was caused by religious conflicts. If so, this case is a rare illustration of the death penalty on religious grounds imposed on the ordinary inhabitants of the oasis during Roman rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to evaluate the commercial interaction of the Black Sea region through the distribution of amphorae by typological study of imported amphoras dating back to the Roman imperial period. The 35 imported commercial amphorae from the Roman period, recovered from the sea or foundation excavations and purchased by the Sinop Museum, are indicators of the commercial potential of the Black Sea coast and the chronological importance of this potential. It is very important to trace the commercial activity and maritime trade routes of the Black Sea coast in the ancient period through the amphora finds examined in this article. Publication of the amphorae in Turkish museums is essential to represent economic history of the regions. These artifacts were found sporadic not via scientific excavations, they are still important in terms of evaluating the role of the Anatolian Peninsula in the Mediterranean-Black Sea-Aegean-Eastern Mediterranean trade. In this study, Brindisi, Sicilian Tubular, Dressel 1, Lamboglia II, Carrot Formed, DR 2-4, Late Rhodian, DR 24 similis, Kapitän II, Zemer 41, Augst 46, LRA 1, LRA 2 and LRA 4 amphorae were examined. With the borders of the Roman Empire reaching the Levant, the change taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean was also reflected in the Black Sea Region. The close commercial ties of the Black Sea Basin with the Mediterranean Region, the establishment of many new cities, especially after the Black Sea came under Roman rule, and the establishment of civil or military colonies in existing cities are closely related to the imports during the Roman period. Ancient Sinope is known to have been located on an active maritime route since the 8th century BC. The amphorae analyzed in this article show that the city maintained its importance during the Roman imperial period.

In this brief paper 34 earrings are presented, all of which are curated in the Archaeological Museum of İznik in south-western Marmara region of Turkey. They are significant, as very few items of jewellery from Bithynia have been published.

This study is based on a mixed figure on a ring stone from the Roman period (1st – 2nd. century AD) preserved in the Konya Archaeology Museum. This figure is seen as a combination of four elements: a horse protome, a Silenus mask body, rooster feet and a ram’s head. This depiction, which is encountered in different typologies in Antiquity, is called Grylloi. A Greek-Roman word, widely used on ring stones since the 1st century BC, this depiction is also known by other names such as mask-animal, multi-headed creatures and fantastic concoction. These beings, usually depicted on oval rings with easily workable jasper stones, were thought to be worn as talismans or amulets with an apotropaic function. In this way, they were probably intended to ward off evil, possibly as amulets.

The paper presents the lithologies used in the stone products of Neviodunum (modern Drnovo in Slovenia), a Roman municipium in south‐western Pannonia. For this purpose, 95 stone monuments were assessed. Petrographic and biostratigraphic analyses were carried out on 56 archaeological and 57 geological samples. Our research shows that, besides some rare exceptions, most stone products refer to three lithostratigraphic units: the Middle Miocene ‘Lithothamnium’ Limestone Member of the Laško Formation, the Upper Cretaceous Krško Formation and the Early Jurassic Krka Limestone Member of the Podbukovje Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cattle remains from the Roman period often indicate both small and large individuals. This can be evidenced through the variability in bone measurements related to the stature of living animals. It is widely believed that these differences are too great to be related to the size pattern of cows and bulls from a single population, instead pointing to the presence of different types. The smaller one is usually conceived as autochthonous, while the larger one is interpreted as—originally—introduced Roman cattle. Apparently, for the first time in Central Europe, people would use two or more breeds of the same domestic species. To determine the background of this new production regime, we analysed four stable isotope ratios of bone collagen from small and large specimens from Roman sites, including urban, rural, civilian, military, and ritual. If the two types were raised differently, this should be visible by the isotope ratios providing information about nourishment and origin. The results produced no consistent differences between small and large cattle; rather, these were raised side by side. Apparently, Roman agriculture was complex enough to support various breeds simultaneously, but further research on intra-site variability is needed. In this study, we try to combine traditional archaeozoological biometry, based on outer bone measurements, with stable isotope analyses of bone collagen. Right from the start of archaeozoological research in Central and Western Europe, the important size variability in Roman domestic cattle has puzzled scholars. According to an established view, these differences in bone size are attributed either to the simultaneous presence of different types or even breeds or to the result of crossbreeding of smaller, native, and larger Roman cattle. Likewise, the episodic import of large-sized animals has been considered. First, we selected thirty proximal phalanges of cattle from three sites including five archaeological contexts from eastern Austria (Roman provinces of Noricum and Pannonia). The bone sample comprised the whole hitherto observed metric variability in Roman provincial cattle, and we tried to include minimal and maximal specimens. The results from stable isotope analyses (δ15N, δ13C, δ18O, δ2H) carried out on thirty proximal phalanges indicated that isotope signals were rather site-specific and, generally, not related to bone size. Therefore, we conclude that at least in the area investigated, small and large cattle types were raised and herded in the same areas and not spatially separated. There are, however, uncertain indicators of intra-site differences in isotope signals related to bone size, which should be checked on much larger sample sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide new data on forest management and arboricultural practices in the Roman and Late Antique periods in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. In this study, the waterlogged branches found in three wells at the sites of Iesso and Vilauba in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula were analysed. To determine management practices the roundwood method, based on the correlation between age and diameter, has been applied. The study has revealed the presence of a wide range of species collected on surrounding forests, especially in riparian forest. Moreover, it is remarkable the abundance of fruit trees at both sites, being the most abundant Prunus sp. The comparison of the archaeological branches with a reference collection of modern twigs from cultivated and non-managed individuals of the Prunaceae family, Salix sp. and Sambucus nigra , has provided clear evidence of management practices in these taxa. In addition, direct evidence of pruning was observed on some branches of Vitis vinifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at reconstructing foodways in the north-east (NE) of the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on lipid residue analysis of utilitarian vessels and using as case studies the sites of Puig Castellar of Biosca (180–120 BCE) and Guissona (120 BCE-third century CE). In total, fifty vessel fragments of different types and origins were analysed with techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). As some vessel fragments were recovered from waterlogged contexts, they had excellent lipid preservation, which enabled the detection of various compounds that are rarely reported in archaeological contexts in Iberia. Analyses revealed both animal and plant products in the vessels, suggested that a variety of food resources was consumed, and that vessels had multiple uses. The detection of levoglucosan in some extracts, along with other heat markers, further suggested the presence of cellulose or starchy products in contact with fire as well as the heating of animal fats. Combined with available bioarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental studies from both sites, the analyses indicated a continuity in diet across the time periods during which the sites were occupied. Some differences were also observed, including the possible use of tubers until the first century CE. The results are then contextualised and compared with other available organic residue studies from the Roman Iberian Peninsula. The study demonstrates how the combination of multiple bioarchaeological proxies and biomolecular approaches can provide a holistic means to approach Roman foodways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GERASA, in north Jordan, dating to the Roman period, has been found to contain impressive and well - Musicians and Musical instruments carving on architecture elements (pedestal or candelabrum base). The Gerasa carving expertly combined motifs with a long tradition, some going back to the Roman imperial age and earlier. This study is concerned with the musical instruments appear on architecture elements. The article provides a study of the musical instruments that can be classified into two main types: Aulos and Kithara. Purpose of this paper is to examine the details of those instruments and compare them with other musical instruments from the Roman period, where influences in design within and between regions can be seen. Wherever possible, comparative examples have been chosen from sites that are relatively nearby to establish an overview of musical instruments in the region, but also to distinguish the influences coming from Asia Minor and other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arkeoloji Dergisi is the property of Ege University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The text concerns triangulation as a method of settlement analysis as proposed by Valde-Nowak (1995; 2001), as well as subsequent method modifications introduced by Krajewski (2003; 2004). The characteristics of the method allowed us to carry out a critical analysis of a case study in which the method was employed (Chmiel-Chrzanowska, Adamczyk 2022; also Chmiel-Chrzanowska 2017). This analysis showed that the research into the settlements of the Roman and pre-Roman periods on the Pyrzyce Lowland had significant methodological errors at each stage of the research process. As a result, the study is not considered to be up to the academic standard and the conclusions presented therein are considered unreliable due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Largescale excavation at the Iron Age and Roman period Pungrt hillfort (8th century BC to 2nd century AD) has revealed a distinctly urban character of the settlement in its best-preserved Late Hallstatt phase from the 6th to 4th centuries BC. This study provides an important contribution to the understanding of the settlement’s internal organization and its socioeconomic development. By examining the previously unaddressed phenomena of settlement nucleation, population aggregation and urbanism along with the possibility of earlystate formation, the paper broadens the narrative on the fundamental social and political development in the southeastern Alpine region during the Early Iron Age and contributes to the wider field of early urbanism research.

The paper presents the archaeological sites in the environs of the modern settlement of Bela Cerkev and the results of archaeological excavations in 2002, prior to motorway construction. Excavations at four (?) different, but contiguous locations (Dolge njive, Draga 1, Draga 2 in Draga 3) revealed and documented part of the line of the road, the masonry foundations of buildings, numerous post-built structures, a cemetery and domestic material, dating to the Roman period. The paper also considers hypotheses surrounding the location of the Roman-period roadside settlement of Crucium. It is posited that the excavation on these sites have revealed the location of the Roman roadside settlement of Crucium, which was occcupied or functioned in the period from the 1st to the 4th Centuries AD.

Xanthos is located within the borders of Kınık district of Kaş county of Antalya Province, right on the shore of the Eşen River, which forms the provincial border between Antalya and Muğla. The subject of the study is a group of Knidos Amphorae found in archaeological studies in Xanthos. In the study, in which amphorae were evaluated as the main material, a total of 192 pieces were examined and subjected to typological and analogical evaluation. The inclusion of Proto-Knidian amphorae, which are rarely encountered as finds, and the Small Knidian Amphora samples, which have just been brought to the literature, can be considered as a new find area for amphora studies. Of the 192 Knidian amphorae, whose form can be traced, within a wide historical scale from the IVth century BC to the IIIrd century AD, only a group that best represents the form was included in the evaluation. Because in the typology and analogy, six different Knidian amphora types belonging to the Proto-Knidian, Zenon Group, Small Knidian, Canonical Knidian, Late Knidian Type I, and Type II classifications were identified. In this context, our study, aims to contribute to the historical process by presenting new data on the classification, dating, commercial communication, and interaction of Xanthos, which are evaluated according to both typology and production characteristics. In addition, it is thought that the evaluations made with the material cultural remains will contribute to the commercial and political connections both in the region and in Xanthos.

This article addresses the study of the chemical alloy composition of the artefacts made of non-ferrous and precious metals and discovered in the cemetery of Levadki in Central Crimea. The elemental composition of the finds was studied with non-destructive standardless X-ray fluorescence at the Storage Department of the Central Museum of the Taurida. The research used a sample of 68 artefacts and their components discovered in 23 burial structures dated from the Late Hellenistic and Roman Periods. From the formula of the main alloy components, the sample under study comprises: 17.65% of “pure” copper, 8.82% of brass, 11.76% of multicomponent zinc-containing alloys, 1.47% of lead bronze, 19.12% of tin bronze, 38.24% of tin-lead and lead-tin bronze, 1.47% of lead, and 1.47% of silver. The analysis of alloy composition by categories of grave goods has revealed that tin and zinc were the main alloying species in brooch production. The belt and sword-belt parts were made of alloys featuring various formulae, ranging from “pure” copper to three-component bronze variants. The research on ornaments and accessories has uncovered that this group includes the artefacts of “pure” copper along with the pieces alloyed with tin and lead, with the latter component comprising from one-third to a half of the composition, particularly in cast ornaments. This group divides into at least three subgroups, differentiated by the technique applied in the making of the artefacts and the composition of the alloy. Weaponry items are represented by the arrowheads. There are three cases of the arrowheads made of lead-tin bronze and one case more of “pure” copper.

The production and distribution of ceramic building materials (CBM) in the Roman period have long attracted the attention of archaeologists, as they provide clues to aspects of trade, identity, and technological and architectural traditions. However, there has been a notable scarcity of studies focusing on plain CBM in the southern Levant, particularly in the Mediterranean coastal region. This study concentrates on CBM (bricks, tubuli, drainage pipes, and roof tiles) from a Roman-period wealthy farmstead (Khirbat Khaur el-Bak) near the city of Ashqelon/Ascalon, apparently owned by a serving member of the military or a veteran. The petrographic analyses indicate that apart from the locally produced drainage pipes, the CBM were imported from overseas, namely Cilicia and Beirut. The results shed light on CBM trade in the Eastern Mediterranean, and on the complex nature of the population and material life in and around Roman Ashqelon, which included local and foreign elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CEDRUS is the property of Mediterranean Civilisations Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A sedimentary investigation was carried out into the rise and fall of mediaeval Bruges' maritime access. Because the mediaeval metropolis had no direct connection with the North Sea, its maritime connectivity during the High- and Late-Middle Ages depended on a tidal channel, known as the 'Zwin'. In order to reconstruct the mediaeval physical environmental situation correctly, the entire Holocene sedimentary record was studied through undisturbed mechanically-drilled cores and electrical cone penetration tests (CPT-e). A detailed sedimentary analysis was complemented with radiocarbon dating and datable archaeological finds to resolve a timeframe for the sedimentary evolution. Tidal channel systems with diverse morphologic and sedimentologic characteristics prevail and cover a period from at least the Roman period till the Late-Middle Ages. The presence of a single peat layer directly on top of the Pleistocene substrate and the stratigraphic position of the tidal channel deposits relative to this peat layer, proves that no seawater entered this part of the Belgian coastal plain before the Late-Holocene. The tidal channel system that was active during the heydays of Bruges (the Zwin) was the last natural one. It silted up due to a further reduction of the accommodation space as a consequence of new embankments, possibly expedited by storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Höyük is the property of Turkish Historical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Three fragments of a basalt door were retrieved from the excavation at Naṣr ed-Din, which belong to a large group of about 25 stone doors discovered in the city of Tiberias. Such doors are known to have originated in burial contexts, their facades usually adorned in a manner that resembled wooden doors of residences. The door from Bet Ma'on is the first to be found outside Tiberias, and it probably belonged to a contemporary mausoleum mentioned in the Talmud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting group of 60 glass fragments was retrieved from a Roman-period Jewish rural settlement near Tiberias. The assemblage, dating mostly to the first-early second centuries CE, comprises simple, undecorated containers for every-day use, which may be clearly identified with a Jewish population in Lower Galilee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microscopic examination of the fresh breaks of selected Roman-period pottery vessels from the excavation at Naṣr ed-Din aimed at identifying their possible provenance. The examination revealed seven fabric groups, each of which was correlated with pottery production sites in Galilee. Furthermore, the examined vessels demonstrate a noticeable relationship between form and fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The present paper reports the results of the analyses performed on the wall paintings of Room E of the Domus delle Pitture (Room of the Paintings) in the Roman archaeological site of Volsinii Novi (Bolsena, Viterbo, Central Italy) aimed at supporting the recently concluded restoration. (2) Methods: ultraviolet fluorescence photography was conducted to evaluate the conservation state. Painting materials were investigated via portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (p-XRF), µ-Raman spectroscopy, cross-section analysis under polarizing microscope, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. (3) Results: This analysis revealed the presence of traditional pigments used in Roman wall paintings, such as ochres, earths, and Egyptian blue. Additionally, it identified pigments from previous restoration containing titanium and chromium, along with other materials present in the surface and interface of the wall painting containing arsenic, copper, lead, and vanadium, where a bluish alteration was observed. In these samples, µ-Raman spectroscopy detected calcium oxalates but also copper arsenates, likely conichalcite and/or duftite. (4) Conclusions: This result is highly relevant from an analytical point of view and in relation to the restoration decisions. Addressing the irregular bluish stains on the wall paintings poses challenges in understanding, requiring a decision on whether to remove or retain them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arrival of the glass vessels dating to the Roman period from Israel and other areas around the Mediterranean basin indicate a slow process of acceptance of the vessels made of a different material - which was not widely used in everyday life. It turns out that in Israel, as well as in other regions, the main use of the light cups made from glass dated to the roman period was used mostly in grave complexes. In a gradual manner, the use also expanded to other levels of life, which is expressed in the diverse presence of the tools in various building complexes. Since the Roman period, two main types of goblets are known: suspended and placed, with the more common being the suspended lighting goblets. It is evident that the main center of distribution of glass vessels in general and of glass goblets of light in particular is from Israel and alongside the distribution of these the process was accompanied by a conceptual distribution of the modes of use as accepted in the original distribution area. The research method that will be used in this framework is the method called: "Regional behavioral Tipo-morphology" - that makes use of the tools that were discovered on site and examines them in a comparative manner against circles of use within the site, in the vicinity of the site and through spatial examination circles that are growing in size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a new aspect in the discussions regarding military campaigns conducted over time in the western region of the Transylvania's Iron Gates. It pertains to a possible fortification discovered near Marga, CaraÈ™-Severin County, South of the Bistra River, situated approximately 260 meters south-southwest of the DN68 and DJ684A intersection. The identification was made through LiDAR scans, and it presents similarities to other legionary camps in the surrounding area. Its dimensions are typical for a legionary camp; about 23.8 hectares. The structure and typological analogies place this fortification among the legionary marching camps. Could this site at Marga be the last camp to the West of the Iron Gates of Transylvania - Tapae corridor? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic development of societies in Gaul during the Second Iron Age and the Roman period relied on agricultural system transformations. Hundreds of carpological studies carried out in the northern half of France over the last four decades have thoroughly documented the evolution of crop production and farming practices during this period. The increase in agricultural production required to sustain urbanization and trade expansion led to a diversification of cropping systems, resulting in the emergence of extensive systems. Weed ecological studies have shown how fertilization methods for cultivated soils changed between the earlier Gallic period, when highly fertile soils were common, and the Roman period, with a diversification of situations. This insight is only relevant on a global scale and required a more in-depth analysis. The present study investigates organic fertilization techniques at the crop scale, through nitrogen isotope analyses (δ15N), which are used as an indicator of soil fertility and the use of fertilizing organic matter (such as manure). The study was conducted on a sample of 124 crop remains, consisting of 6,490 archaeological cereal grains (emmer wheat, spelt wheat, free-threshing wheats and hulled barley) recovered from 68 archaeological sites located across the northern half of France, dating between the 6th century BC and the 5th century AD. To evaluate δ15N values of archaeological cereals in terms of fertilization, we compared published experimental data of modern cereals (grown under different fertilization regimes) for temperate Europe with published and new isotopic analyses of archaeological deer bone collagen from northern France as a proxy for wild unfertilised flora. Discriminant analysis and ordinal logistic regression were used for the classification of archaeological grain δ15N values by degree of fertilization. The results show that field fertilization was a common practice in Gaul, generally on a moderate scale. However, variations are observed in fertilization use within farms, with some intensively fertilized fields and others with less or no fertilization at all. In addition, regional differences emerged, particularly in the chalky Champagne region, where farmers used significantly less fertilizer than in other regions. Chronological trends over the studied period remain unclear. Disparities in the fertilization levels of different cereal species are noted. The δ15N values show considerable variations in soil fertility for barley and spelt, while fertilization regimes for free-threshing wheats and emmer only diversified during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. These observations concur with the extensification of cultivation as inferred from carpological and weed ecology studies. Interspecific variations can also be seen in treatments applied to free-threshing wheats, which were fertilized much more commonly than the other three cereals from the 1st c. BC/1st c. AD, when these crops were in full expansion.

This paper presents an archaeozoological dataset listing numbers of identified fragments for domestic cattle, sheep/goat, pig and horse from archaeological sites in the Netherlands dating from the Bronze Age to the Early Medieval period (c. 2000 BC – AD 1050) [1]. In addition to fragment numbers per species, the geo-referenced dataset includes chronological information, site descriptions, and bibliographic references. Data were collected from tables listing numbers of bone fragments per animal species as found in published and unpublished reports.Number of identified bone fragments per animal species form the most basic archaeozoological information. They can be used to reconstruct animal husbandry and human dietary practices in the past. The dataset can therefore be used in spatio-temporal studies of animal use and management across c. 3000 years.

Abstract The use of digital technologies in archaeological research has become considerably more widespread in recent years. While the earliest records of the use of electronic data in archaeology date from the 1950 and 1960s, the field has kept growing with the increasing interest in digital tools such as digital photography, three-dimensional imaging, GIS, virtual and artificial reality applications, CAD and facial reconstruction. Such digitization practices are used frequently for documenting, record keeping, and preserving and representing the data recovered from archaeological contexts, and are linked to other fields, such as cultural heritage studies and museology. Facial reconstruction is used to recreate the faces of individual from the past using their skeletal remains. It has been practiced for different reasons in the fields of forensics, anthropology, and archaeology. This study focuses on the facial reconstruction of a skull unearthed from Juliopolis. The reason for choosing this skull in this study is that it is the first and only known deformed skull dated to the Roman period in Anatolia. For the facial reconstruction application, authors created a 3D modelling of the skull by photogrammetry. Then, the missing parts of the skull are completed using the virtual donor library. The results are presented in different forms, as grayscale, in colour with eyes closed or open. Also, the type of deformation is demonstrated in the skull. This study adopts a digital process and is more strongly linked to data interpolation related to the external surface of the face. The prominent advantage of the methodology is being strongly supported by information obtained from computed tomography (CT) scans of living individuals, leaving a little room for the artistic issue in relation to the basic aspect resulting from the interpolation of data. The benefit of facial reconstruction is especially important since it is a way of preserving and presenting archaeological and anthropological data.

Roman-period six-sided dice are common in archaeological sites across Europe. While some dice approach true cubes, many are visibly non-cubic (i.e., asymmetric/lopsided) and favor certain rolls, especially the numbers 1 and 6. It is unclear if such dice were intentional and distinctive “types” used in specific games or activities, represent “cheaters” dice, or are simply part of a continuum of variation in die shape and configuration. To explore this issue, we examine shape distribution of 28 well-dated Roman-period dice from modern-day Netherlands. Results show that Roman die asymmetry varies in a continuous fashion from true cube to highly parallelepiped, where the long side is over 50% longer than the short side. We then conduct replication experiments to examine how naïve producers configure pips across a range of shapes. Our results show a production bias, where makers place the 6 on the largest die face, not to favor certain rolls, but due to space limitations and/or the order in which they place the pips. Overall, we interpret asymmetrical Roman dice as part of a single but highly variable artifact category, not distinct types. We argue that such extreme variation was acceptable because makers and users understood roll outcomes as the product of fate, rather than chance or probability. Conformity to a true symmetrical cube was not perceived as essential to die function, and asymmetrical forms were tolerated as simply part of the acceptable range in shape variation.

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The paper presents the results of the archaeological survey of the southeastern slopes of Mt. Kosmaj, conducted by the Belgrade City Museum (archaeological collection of the Museum of Mladenovac). This survey focused on prehistoric and Roman sites, while medieval ones were presented and published in detail in 2020. Twenty-six sites were discovered, one of which was dated into the Early Neolithic, seven into the Bronze Age, five into the Early Iron Age, two into the Late Iron Age, and 11 into the Roman period. Most sites are located on mild slopes above the valleys of smaller watercourses (streams and rivers), or elevations and next to water sources following geographically most accessible communication routes. Based on the surface findings, namely, fragments of pottery and parts of building material, i.e. stone and adobe in the case of prehistoric sites, and stone, brick, and adobe in the case of Roman sites, remains of settlements were found in all the discovered archaeological sites. Among the discovered archaeological sites, the multi-layered site of Brljočevac represented a specific archaeological site in terms of its geographical position and size. The site of Brljočevac is located at the foot of the hill of Košutica on a dominant, high, fan-shaped plateau. During the archaeological survey carried out in 2022, Trench 1 was placed on the edge of the site, along the northern side of the rocky road, and on the surface of a previously registered partially destroyed architectural construction. In Trench 1 (dimensions: 5 m x 1 m), remains of Building 1 were discovered. Building 1, with its preserved irregularly shaped part, was dug into a light brown, archaeologically sterile soil layer. The excavated part of Building 1 was filled with a layer of grey-brown colour, containing a large amount of crushed clay, ash, pottery fragments, animal remains, and several larger stones attached to the building's structural elements. Based on the geographical position and chronologic determination, it was most likely a fortified settlement type from the transition period of the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age that was discovered at the site of Brljočevac. The archaeological material dated into the Early and Late Iron Age from the archaeological sites at the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Kosmaj is analogous to those from the wider area of the Central Balkans and the Serbian part of the Danube region, and the Great Morava basin. It can be hypothesised that the population of the Late Iron Age remained in the settlements after the Roman conquest and during the 1st century. At the site of Vodice, between the villages of Velika Ivanča and Pružatovac, along with pre-Roman autochthonous pottery, lead slag was found, which can be associated with Roman mining activities at Metalla Tricornensia (Mt. Kosmaj). The beginning of mine exploitation is roughly dated into the 1st -- end of the 1st century, i.e. during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98--117). From the 2nd century, there was a complete dominance of provincial Roman material culture. The characteristics of the provincial Roman culture can be seen from mobile archaeological findings from the sites of Jablanica 2 in Pružatovac, Reka--Selište in Amerić and Livade in Velika Ivanča. During the 3rd and the 4th century, a larger number of sites probably represented smaller or larger agricultural farms. This is confirmed by the findings of iron agricultural tools at sites in Velika Ivanča. The accidental finding of a millstone from Amerić, at the foot of the hill of Košutica, is brought into connection with household activities. The only craft activity was confirmed at the site of Milatovica, where the existence of Late Antique pottery kilns for the production of vessels, sometimes with glazed surfaces, was registered. The south-western area of Mt. Kosmaj is already well-known in the archaeological and historical literature due to numerous Roman period sites, linked to the exploitation of silver and lead ores, and the remains of Medieval monasteries, churches, and Late Medieval settlements and necropoles. The results of this research provide insight into the archaeological heritage of the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Kosmaj, and contribute to the archaeological map of the broader area of this mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Several Roman period surface scatters and a settlement located in the Yambol District, along the Tundzha River, have been investigated within the last few years. Surface surveys and geophysical prospection were combined with a thorough material evaluation, to allow a description of the possible dimensions and character of several sites, all likely located in the territory of ancient Kabyle. The investigation focused on several single features located in the Tundzha Municipality, such as the extensive settlement near Kozarevo village and a smaller installation, perhaps a villa, near the Roman settlement at Kabyle. Several scatters, already detected by the Tundzha Regional Archaeological Project, were re-surveyed in Elhovo Municipality, between the Dereorman and Gerenska rivers. The territory along the two rivers seems to have been densely populated during the 2nd-4th c. AD, with about 11 scatters dated to the Roman period, likely representing small rural settlements, distributed in regular intervals along the two rivers. One of the settlements on the Dereorman River, Yurta-Stroyno, surveyed and excavated in 2014-2016, provided a comparative base for the rest of the area. Evaluating the gathered data, the territory of Kabyle seems to have been quite self-sufficient during the Roman period. The rural settlements provide evidence of raw material processing, production of everyday items, as well as a preference for the locally available products, such as household pottery, limiting the number of pottery imports to a minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TÜBA-AR: Turkish Academy of Sciences, Journal of Archaeology is the property of Turkish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)