Was the Dog Locally Domesticated in the Danube Gorges? Morphometric Study of Dog Cranial Remains From Four Mesolithic-Early Neolithic Archaeological Sites by Comparison With Contemporary Wolves

Two well-known archaeological sites, the peat bogs of Shigir and Gorbunovo (Middle Urals, Russia), have been radiocarbon dated (61 conventional and accelerator mass spectrometry [AMS] dates from various natural and artifact samples). For the first time, a detailed chronology of Early to Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic occupation for this region has been obtained, and a paleoenvironmental history reconstructed. Based on these results, we propose that the Mesolithic settlement of the Middle Urals region started in the early Holocene, at the same time as in central and eastern Europe.

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A Neolithic mega-tsunami event in the eastern Mediterranean: Prehistoric settlement vulnerability along the Carmel coast, Israel

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0243619 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0243619

Author(s):

Gilad Shtienberg ◽

Assaf Yasur-Landau ◽

Richard D. Norris ◽

Michael Lazar ◽

Tammy M. Rittenour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Optically Stimulated Luminescence ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Level Curves ◽

Profound Influence ◽

Marine Sand ◽

Run Up ◽

Global And Local ◽

Tsunami Event

Tsunami events in antiquity had a profound influence on coastal societies. Six thousand years of historical records and geological data show that tsunamis are a common phenomenon affecting the eastern Mediterranean coastline. However, the possible impact of older tsunamis on prehistoric societies has not been investigated. Here we report, based on optically stimulated luminescence chronology, the earliest documented Holocene tsunami event, between 9.91 to 9.29 ka (kilo-annum), from the eastern Mediterranean at Dor, Israel. Tsunami debris from the early Neolithic is composed of marine sand embedded within fresh-brackish wetland deposits. Global and local sea-level curves for the period, 9.91–9.29 ka, as well as surface elevation reconstructions, show that the tsunami had a run-up of at least ~16 m and traveled between 3.5 to 1.5 km inland from the palaeo-coastline. Submerged slump scars on the continental slope, 16 km west of Dor, point to the nearby “Dor-complex” as a likely cause. The near absence of Pre-Pottery Neolithic A-B archaeological sites (11.70–9.80 cal. ka) suggest these sites were removed by the tsunami, whereas younger, late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B-C (9.25–8.35 cal. ka) and later Pottery-Neolithic sites (8.25–7.80 cal. ka) indicate resettlement following the event. The large run-up of this event highlights the disruptive impact of tsunamis on past societies along the Levantine coast.

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UAV SURVEYING FOR A COMPLETE MAPPING AND DOCUMENTATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS. THE EARLY NEOLITHIC SITE OF PORTONOVO

ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ◽

10.5194/isprs-archives-xli-b1-1149-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol XLI-B1 ◽

pp. 1149-1155 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. S. Malinverni ◽

C. Conati Barbaro ◽

R. Pierdicca ◽

C. A. Bozzi ◽

A. N. Tassetti

Keyword(s):

Laser Scanning ◽

Low Cost ◽

A Priori ◽

Aerial Survey ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Neolithic Site ◽

Complete Mapping ◽

Close Range ◽

Definition Of

The huge potential of 3D digital acquisition techniques for the documentation of archaeological sites, as well as the related findings, is almost well established. In spite of the variety of available techniques, a sole documentation pipeline cannot be defined a priori because of the diversity of archaeological settings. Stratigraphic archaeological excavations, for example, require a systematic, quick and low cost 3D single-surface documentation because the nature of stratigraphic archaeology compels providing documentary evidence of any excavation phase. Only within a destructive process each single excavation cannot be identified, documented and interpreted and this implies the necessity of a re- examination of the work on field. In this context, this paper describes the methodology, carried out during the last years, to 3D document the Early Neolithic site of Portonovo (Ancona, Italy) and, in particular, its latest step consisting in a photogrammetric aerial survey by means of UAV platform. It completes the previous research delivered in the same site by means of terrestrial laser scanning and close range techniques and sets out different options for further reflection in terms of site coverage, resolution and campaign cost. With the support of a topographic network and a unique reference system, the full documentation of the site is managed in order to detail each excavation phase; besides, the final output proves how the 3D digital methodology can be completely integrated with reasonable costs during the excavation and used to interpret the archaeological context. Further contribution of this work is the comparison between several acquisition techniques (i.e. terrestrial and aerial), which could be useful as decision support system for different archaeological scenarios. The main objectives of the comparison are: i) the evaluation of 3D mapping accuracy from different data sources, ii) the definition of a standard pipeline for different archaeological needs and iii) the provision of different level of detail according to the user needs.

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Radiocarbon chronology of the Neolithic in the Povolzhye (Russian Eastern Europe)

Documenta Praehistorica ◽

10.4312/dp.44.14 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 224-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexander Alexeevich Vybornov ◽

Marianna Alexeevna Kulkova ◽

Konstantin Andreev ◽

Eugeny Nesterov

Keyword(s):

Eastern Europe ◽

Cultural Development ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Radiocarbon Chronology

The radiocarbon dates obtained on materials from archaeological sites of the Low and Middle Povolzhye are presented in this article. The analysis of the complex of radiocarbon dates allowed a determination of the most appropriate dates for forming chronological schemes of cultural development in this region. The chronological frameworks of the Early Neolithic in the Low Povolzhye were determined from 6600–5500 cal BC; in the Middle Povolzhye they are from 6500 to 4600 cal BC.

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Radiocarbon chronology of the Neolithic in the Povolzhye (Russian Eastern Europe)

Documenta Praehistorica ◽

10.4312/dp.14 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 224

Author(s):

Alexander Alexeevich Vybornov ◽

Marianna Alexeevna Kulkova ◽

Konstantin Andreev ◽

Eugeny Nesterov

Keyword(s):

Eastern Europe ◽

Cultural Development ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Radiocarbon Chronology

The radiocarbon dates obtained on materials from archaeological sites of the Low and Middle Povolzhye are presented in this article. The analysis of the complex of radiocarbon dates allowed a determination of the most appropriate dates for forming chronological schemes of cultural development in this region. The chronological frameworks of the Early Neolithic in the Low Povolzhye were determined from 6600–5500 cal BC; in the Middle Povolzhye they are from 6500 to 4600 cal BC.

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A Fundamental Investigation of the Early Neolithic of Southern China

Vestnik NSU Series History and Philology ◽

10.25205/1818-7919-2021-20-10-141-144 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (10) ◽

pp. 141-144

Author(s):

Ekaterina A. Girchenko

Keyword(s):

Southern China ◽

Russian Language ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Ancient History ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

The South ◽

Scientific Publications ◽

Radiocarbon Data ◽

History Of ◽

First Time

The reviewed investigation made by Stanisław Robert Kuczera “The Antique and Ancient History of China. Early Neolithic of the South” (Moscow, St. Peterburg, Nestor-Istoriya, 2020, 596 p.) provides an overview of the main early Neolithic complexes in the south of China. The work has been carried out for several dozens of years and is based on the analysis of more than 2000 different scientific publications. In terms of its depth and thoroughness of presented research, this monograph has no analogues in the Russian language. Based on the systematization and analysis of the scientific articles of Chinese archaeologists it presents an overview of migrations, emergence of ceramics, methods of stone processing, domestication of plants and animals in the Early Neolithic of southern China. Radiocarbon data of the archaeological sites is being widely presented in Russian for the first time. Four chapters provide a comprehensive investigation of different aspects of the Neolithic economy of the region.

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THE NEKSELØ FISH WEIR AND MARINE RESERVOIR EFFECT IN NEOLITHIZATION PERIOD DENMARK

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/rdc.2021.14 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Anders Fischer ◽

Jesper Olsen

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Reservoir Effect ◽

The Difference ◽

Reservoir Age ◽

Fish Weir ◽

Late Mesolithic

ABSTRACT The Nekselø Wickerwork provides an unusually solid estimate on the marine reservoir age in the Holocene. The basis for this result is a 5200-year-old fish weir, built of hazel wood with a brief biological age of its own. Oysters settled on this construction. They had lived only for a short number of years when the fence capsized and was covered in mud and the mollusks suffocated. Based on the difference in radiocarbon (14C) age between accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) samples of oyster shells and wood, respectively, the marine reservoir age for this site is estimated to 273 ± 18 14C years. Re-evaluations of previously produced data from geological and archaeological sites of Holocene date in the Danish archipelago indicate marine reservoir ages in the same order as that of the Wickerwork. Consequently, we recommend the use of the new value, rather than the ca. 400 14C years hitherto favored, when correcting for the dietary induced reservoir effect in radiocarbon dates of humans and animals from the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic periods of this region.

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The Use of Rock Shelters During the Early Neolithic in the North of Alicante (Spain). The Site of Penya Roja de Catamarruc (Alicante, Spain) as a Case Study

Open Archaeology ◽

10.1515/opar-2020-0165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 765-778

Author(s):

Gabriel García Atiénzar ◽

Silvia Martínez Amorós ◽

Laura M. Sirvent Cañada

Keyword(s):

Archaeological Sites ◽

Archaeological Record ◽

Spatial Analyses ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Land Occupation ◽

The North ◽

Hunting And Gathering ◽

Social Demographic ◽

Rock Shelters

Abstract The first Neolithic communities settled in the East of the Iberian Peninsula developed a complex strategy of land occupation. These strategies evolved as their social, demographic, and economic bases were transformed. In this paper, we focus on the analysis of archaeological sites located under rock shelters, which were recurrently occupied throughout the Early Neolithic. To deepen this analysis, we reviewed the archaeological record of Penya Roja de Catamarruc (Planes, Alicante), as well as other sites of similar characteristics. This information, combined with different spatial analyses – prominence, visibility, and capacity of use of the soils – allowed us to define a series of patterns of occupation and exploitation of the territory of the first Neolithic communities. This study highlights the importance of the forest as a resource related not only to hunting and gathering as traditionally seen, but also to shepherding.

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The ratio of domestic and wild animals at Neolithic sites in Vojvodina (Serbia)

Zbornik Matice srpske za prirodne nauke ◽

10.2298/zmspn1529085r ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 85-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Darko Radmanovic ◽

Desanka Kostic ◽

Jelena Lujic ◽

Svetlana Blazic

Keyword(s):

Small Proportion ◽

Animal Husbandry ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Wild Animals ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Vertebrate Fauna ◽

Proportional Contribution

Based on the results of the vertebrate fauna research from 10 Neolithic archaeological sites in Vojvodina (Serbia), two of which belong to K?r?s culture, 7 to Starcevo culture, and one to Vinca culture, the proportional contribution of domestic and wild animals was analysed. These sites were approximately dated between 6000 and 3200 BC. The smallest proportion of domestic animals was recorded at the sites of Golokut-Vizic and Nosa Biserna Obala, while the biggest one at the sites of Prosine-Pecinci, Zlatara-Ruma and Kudos-Sasinci. A small proportion of domestic animals at Nosa Biserna Obala shows that the animal husbandry was only just at the beginning, and a high proportion of wild animals testifies about the importance of hunting in economy. These are the characteristics of settlements of K?r?s culture, where goats and sheep dominate among domestic animals. Low proportion of domestic and high proportion of wild animals were recorded at the site of Golokut which, like most of the described sites in this paper, belongs to the Middle Neolithic; this is not characteristic for Starcevo culture and it testifies that hunting was much more important than animal husbandry. What is characteristic for settlements of Starcevo culture is the domination of oxen in the total vertebrate fauna and among domestic animals. At the site of Donja Branjevina-Deronje, the settlement which belongs to Starcevo culture as well, goats and sheep have the biggest proportional contribution. The only analysed set?tlement in this paper which belongs to the Early Neolithic (Vinca culture) is Gomolava - Hrtkovci where domestic animals dominate, oxen being the most numerous ones.

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Species diversity of segetal plant communities in the early Neolithic settlement area of the Ślęża Landscape Park

Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae ◽

10.5586/asbp.2006.031 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 75 (3) ◽

pp. 257-262 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jadwiga Anioł-Kwiatkowska ◽

Zygmunt Kącki

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Communities ◽

Common Species ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Early Neolithic ◽

Large Area ◽

Natural Landscape ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Landscape Character ◽

Segetal Flora

The paper contains results of investigations carried out in crop fields within the protected area, which is an important refuge of species diversity in grounds dominated by large-area farms. The segetal vegetation is represented by 13 plant communities, the development of which is influenced by various tillage manipulations. As a result, the segetal flora of the Ślęża Landscape Park is heavily threatened and the structure and species richness of phytocoenoses are distinctly transformed. This is reflected in the frequency of weed occurrence in crops (i.e. there is a small group of common species and a very numerous group of species with 1 or 2 localities), as well as in values of biocoenotic indicators, e.g. the values of diversity indicator H vary between 1 and 3.5. An analysis of archaeophytes participation (frequency and numbers) in ATPOL squares indicates their significant connection with archaeological sites of the Neolithic settlement. Particular adherence to the early Neolithic settlement areas shows a group of species from the Caucalidion alliance. The richness and diversity of the Park vegetation, conditioned by many hundreds of years of agriculture, are now strongly transformed and have become impoverished. Establishing the Landscape Park, in order to preserve the natural-landscape character of the environment and its cultural and historical values, does not ensure the protection of both the species and the phytocoenotic diversity of this area.

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