Furness’s First Farmers: Evidence of Early Neolithic Settlement and Dairying in Cumbria

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 165-198
Author(s):  
Gav Robinson ◽  
Matthew Town ◽  
Torben Bjarke Ballin ◽  
Ann Clarke ◽  
Julie Dunne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Lipid Analysis ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Hazelnut Shell ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Post Hole ◽  
Dairy Fats ◽  
Polished Stone Axes ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Burnt Bone

In 2015, excavations at Stainton Quarry, Furness, Cumbria, recovered remains that provide a unique insight into Early Neolithic farming in the vicinity. Five pits, a post-hole, and deposits within a tree-throw and three crevices in a limestone outcrop were investigated. The latter deposits yielded potentially the largest assemblage of Carinated Bowl fragments yet recovered in Cumbria. Lipid analysis identified dairy fats within nine of these sherds. This was consistent with previous larger studies but represents the first evidence that dairying was an important component of Early Neolithic subsistence strategies in Cumbria. In addition, two deliberately broken polished stone axes, an Arran pitchstone core, a small number of flint tools and debitage, and a tuff flake were retrieved. The site also produced moderate amounts of charred grain, hazelnut shell, charcoal, and burnt bone. Most of the charred grain came from an Early Neolithic pit and potentially comprises the largest assemblage of such material recovered from Cumbria to date. Radiocarbon dating indicated activity sometime during the 40th–35th centuries cal bc as well as an earlier presence during the 46th–45th centuries. Later activity during the Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age was also demonstrated. The dense concentration of material and the fragmentary and abraded nature of the pottery suggested redeposition from an above-ground midden. Furthermore, the data recovered during the investigation has wider implications regarding the nature and use of the surrounding landscape during the Early Neolithic and suggests higher levels of settlement permanence, greater reliance on domesticated resources, and a possible different topographical focus for settlement than currently proposed.

scholarly journals 7300 years of vegetation history and climate for NW Malta: a Holocene perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Gambin ◽  
V. Andrieu-Ponel ◽  
F. Médail ◽  
N. Marriner ◽  
O. Peyron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Vegetation History ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Moderate Increase ◽  
Pollen Record ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
In Fire ◽  
The Bronze Age ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract. This paper investigates the Holocene vegetation dynamics for Burmarrad in Northwest Malta and provides a pollen-based quantitative palaeoclimatic reconstruction for this centrally located Mediterranean archipelago. The pollen record from this site provides new insight into the vegetation changes from 7280 to 1730 cal BP which correspond well with other regional records. The climate reconstruction for the area also provides strong correlation with southern (below 40° N) Mediterranean sites. Our interpretation suggests an initially open landscape during the early Neolithic, surrounding a large palaeobay, developing into a dense Pistacia scrubland ca. 6700 cal BP. From about 4450 cal BP the landscape once again becomes open, coinciding with the start of the Bronze Age on the archipelago. This period is concurrent with increased climatic instability (between 4500 and 3700 cal BP) which is followed by a gradual decrease in summer moisture availability in the late Holocene. During the early Roman occupation period (1972–1730 cal BP) the landscape remains generally open with a moderate increase in Olea. This increase corresponds to archaeological evidence for olive oil production in the area, along with increases in cultivated crop taxa and associated ruderal species, as well as a rise in fire events. The Maltese archipelago provides important insight into vegetation, human impacts, and climatic changes in an island context during the Holocene.

MEGALO NISI GALANIS (6300–1800 bc): CONSTRUCTING A CULTURAL SEQUENCE FOR THE NEOLITHIC OF WEST MACEDONIA, GREECE

2019 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 1-40
Author(s):  
Michael Fotiadis ◽  
Areti Hondroyanni-Metoki ◽  
Alexandra Kalogirou ◽  
Yannis Maniatis ◽  
Anna Stroulia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Early Bronze Age ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
History Of ◽  
Middle Bronze Age ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Early Phases

Scores of Neolithic sites have been excavated in west Macedonia since the 1990s, yet the majority are relatively short-lived installations, lacking high-resolution stratigraphies and sequences of radiocarbon dates. Megalo Nisi Galanis, a large mound in the Kitrini Limni basin, near modern Kozani, is a rare exception to that pattern. Systematically surveyed and excavated in 1987–9 and 1993, this site covers a large part of the Neolithic period in a stratified, radiocarbon-dated sequence capped in places by thin deposits of the Early Bronze Age. We present here the critical details of that sequence and relate them to evidence from other, recently excavated sites in west Macedonia. Megalo Nisi Galanis was first settled in the Early Neolithic (late seventh millennium bc), was intensively occupied until the early phases of the Final Neolithic (around 4500 bc), and continued to be inhabited, albeit sparely or intermittently, until the transition from the Early to the Middle Bronze Age, about 1800 bc. By the end of occupation, the mound covered more than eight hectares and rose up to five metres above the surrounding landscape. We attend closely to features of that landscape that are likely to have played an important role in the history of occupation of the site and Kitrini Limni in the course of the Holocene.

scholarly journals Bronze and Iron Age sites in Srem and the stratigraphy of Gomolava

Balcanica ◽  
2005 ◽  
pp. 7-16
Author(s):  
Nikola Tasic
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Early Bronze Age ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Stratigraphic Sequence ◽  
Relative Chronology ◽  
Pannonian Plain ◽  
The Bronze Age ◽  
Insight Into

Systematic excavation at Gomolava conducted almost interruptedly between 1953 and 1985 provided an almost full insight into the human occupation of the southern Pannonian Plain from the Early Neolithic to the successive arrival of Celts and Romans. This fact makes it possible for many of the excavated short-lived or horizontally-stratified settlements to be defined in relation to Gomolava's stratigraphic sequence. As a result, the paper attempts to establish a relative chronology for Bronze and Iron Age sites in the area between the Sava and Danube rivers. By way of illustration, it offers four maps suggesting synchronous developments. Thus Map 1 shows chronological parallelism between the Early Bronze Age layers and late Vucedol and Vinkovci sites (such as Pecine near Vrdnik, or Belegis, Vojka and Batajnica) belonging to the final Eneolithic and Early Bronze, while Map 2 shows synchronisms between Gomolava IVb-c and the Vinkovci layers at the sites of Gradina on the Bosut, Gradac at Belegis, Petrovaradin Fortress, and Asfaltna Baza on the outskirts of Zemun. The end of the Bronze Age represented by Gomolava IVb1 to IVc is shown to be synchronous with the settlements, necropolises and hoard horizons of an Ha A1 and A2 date. Finally, Early Iron Age sites are easy to fit in with the Srem sites owing to systematic excavations at Gradina on the Bosut near Sid, Kalakaca near Beska and numerous hoards of bronze artefacts marking a clear boundary between the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. At Gomolava this transition is reflected in horizons Va to Vd: the earliest is represented by black channeled pottery of the Gava type, while the other three are connected with the evolution of the Bosut-Basarabi complex.

scholarly journals Lipidomics Provides New Insight into Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Targets of the Ischemia—Reperfusion Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2798
Author(s):  
Zoran Todorović ◽  
Siniša Đurašević ◽  
Maja Stojković ◽  
Ilijana Grigorov ◽  
Slađan Pavlović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Lipid Analysis ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Enzyme Inactivation ◽  
Critical Event ◽  
Tissue Ischemia ◽  
Insight Into

Lipids play an essential role in both tissue protection and damage. Tissue ischemia creates anaerobic conditions in which enzyme inactivation occurs, and reperfusion can initiate oxidative stress that leads to harmful changes in membrane lipids, the formation of aldehydes, and chain damage until cell death. The critical event in such a series of harmful events in the cell is the unwanted accumulation of fatty acids that leads to lipotoxicity. Lipid analysis provides additional insight into the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) disorders and reveals new targets for drug action. The profile of changes in the composition of fatty acids in the cell, as well as the time course of these changes, indicate both the mechanism of damage and new therapeutic possibilities. A therapeutic approach to reperfusion lipotoxicity involves attenuation of fatty acids overload, i.e., their transport to adipose tissue and/or inhibition of the adverse effects of fatty acids on cell damage and death. The latter option involves using PPAR agonists and drugs that modulate the transport of fatty acids via carnitine into the interior of the mitochondria or the redirection of long-chain fatty acids to peroxisomes.

scholarly journals Solvent selection for fatty acid residue analysis of archeologicial artifacts

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Rosentreter ◽  
John Malamakal ◽  
Kelli Barnes ◽  
Matt Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Extraction Efficiency ◽  
Lipid Analysis ◽  
Residue Analysis ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Fatty Acid Residue ◽  
Quantitative Extraction ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Carbonized Wood ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractResidue analysis has rapidly become one of the most useful techniques for determining an artifact function and revealing insight into paleodiets. The success of analytical residue analysis often lies with the first preparatory step, where the residue is extracted from the object. Detection of a residue requires effective solvation of the material, and there is a large range of potential solvents. One purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of various solvents for the extraction of fatty acids from charcoal, a material that is ubiquitous, easily identified, remarkably stable in the archaeological record but, most importantly for this research, retains fats extremely well. This investigation examines the removal efficiency of model fatty acids from carbonized wood samples. The strong affinity of lipids to charcoal makes carbonized wood ideal for retaining them, but also makes their extraction extremely challenging and thus an ideal benchmark for solvent extraction characterization. Several solvents (benzene, chloroform, hexane, methanol and water) are used to determine the quantitative extraction efficiency of tripalmitin. While benzene and chloroform perform best for some wood types, neither solvent is better for all carbonized wood. Correlations between the chemical properties of the solvents and the effectiveness of the extraction provide guidance for solvents. Findings indicate solvent characteristics including dipole moment, dielectric constant, hydrogen bonding, and molecular weight all play an important role in extraction of fat from a charcoal matrix. Results presented should provide guidelines to allow for more effective residue extration and more accurate lipid analysis.

scholarly journals Exchange networks from close-up: The case of Lipari obsidian

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Vianello ◽  
Robert Howard Tykot
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Systematic Study ◽  
Explanatory Model ◽  
Early Bronze Age ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Single Source ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Exchange Networks ◽  
Middle Bronze Age

A systematic study on obsidian tools in Calabria and Sicily carried out by the authors have revealed the uniqueness in the patterns of production, exchange and consumption of Lipari obsidian. The study has concentrated on the Middle Neolithic primarily, with other Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts recognised at a later stage in the research since many contexts, especially in Sicily, have been excavated by pioneering archaeologists, some over a century ago, or were mislabelled. The chronology is Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age, with very few materials dating Middle Bronze Age. A review of chronological contexts is in progress, which spans from the 6th millennium BC to the end of the 2nd millennium BC. The typology of obsidian tools is very homogenous, the vast majority of used tools are small blades, bladelets and sharp flakes; there is negligible variance across time; and Lipari obsidian is preferred over other sources. The patterns of the exchanges are also unique, revealing two major types of redistribution of obsidian, one particularly intriguing because it is quite organized with a single source in Lipari, prominent and reminiscent for its stability and reach of Bronze Age redistribution dynamics associated with hierarchical societies. We present here some observations on patterns substantiated by the archaeological record, and consider possible scenarios that can explain them. This work provides an update on progressing research and reveals aspects that will need further investigation, focusing on the patterns identified so far and possible explanations. More work is certainly needed to produce a working model, but the unusual patterns deserve some attention on their own, unencumbered by an overarching explanatory model. In particular, we want to assess the Neolithic redistribution pattern suggestive as typical of hierarchical polities, and contextualize it to the specific situation of Neolithic Lipari.

Characterization of ancient lipids in prehistoric organic residues: Chemical evidence of livestock-pens in rock-shelters since early neolithic to bronze age

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (23) ◽  
pp. 4549-4562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Gea ◽  
María Carmen Sampedro ◽  
Asier Vallejo ◽  
Ana Polo-Díaz ◽  
M. Aranzazu Goicolea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Organic Residues ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Chemical Evidence ◽  
Rock Shelters

The Bone

1985 ◽  
Vol 51 (S2) ◽  
pp. 46-72
Author(s):  
Sue Browne
Keyword(s):  
Human Remains ◽  
The Other ◽  
Eastern Side ◽  
Worked Bone ◽  
Post Hole ◽  
Burnt Bone

In all, 1065 fragments of bone were recovered from trench B. The bulk of the bone (868 fragments: 81%) came from the ditch; 121 fragments came from pits and scoops, 74 fragments from post holes and 1 fragment from a layer in the ‘working area’. Four of the pits and three of the post holes are in the ‘working area’ and they contained a total of 104 fragments of bone; the five post holes interpreted as a four-post structure contained 40 fragments of bone. With the exception of post holes 96 and 117, which contained one and two fragments of bone respectively, no bone was recovered from contexts east of the ditch running north-south at the eastern side of the site (39 and 78), nor from those contexts lying between its terminals. Two fragments of worked bone were recovered, one from context 5 in the ditch and one from post hole 75, which also contained one of the bird bones; the other bird bone came from context 41 in the ditch. The human remains and the dog bones were recovered exclusively from the ditch. The distribution of the bones of the larger domesticates and pig indicates consistency and continuity in disposal practices: 95.6% of the identified horse bones, 92.5% of the identified cattle bones and 80.5% of the identified pig bones w*re recovered from the ditch. Only the caprovid bones were spread more evenly over the site: 66.7% came from the ditch, 26.1% from the pits and scoops and 7.2% from post holes. Fragments of burnt bone were recovered from contexts 3 (ditch), 16 (post hole) and 107 (pit). Butchered and gnawed bones were distributed without any particular pattern in all three types of bone-bearing context.

scholarly journals Ancient DNA shows domestic horses were introduced in the southern Caucasus and Anatolia during the Bronze Age

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (38) ◽  
pp. eabb0030
Author(s):  
Silvia Guimaraes ◽  
Benjamin S. Arbuckle ◽  
Joris Peters ◽  
Sarah E. Adcock ◽  
Hijlke Buitenhuis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Domestic Horses ◽  
Third Millennium Bce ◽  
History Of ◽  
Southern Caucasus ◽  
The Bronze Age

Despite the important roles that horses have played in human history, particularly in the spread of languages and cultures, and correspondingly intensive research on this topic, the origin of domestic horses remains elusive. Several domestication centers have been hypothesized, but most of these have been invalidated through recent paleogenetic studies. Anatolia is a region with an extended history of horse exploitation that has been considered a candidate for the origins of domestic horses but has never been subject to detailed investigation. Our paleogenetic study of pre- and protohistoric horses in Anatolia and the Caucasus, based on a diachronic sample from the early Neolithic to the Iron Age (~8000 to ~1000 BCE) that encompasses the presumed transition from wild to domestic horses (4000 to 3000 BCE), shows the rapid and large-scale introduction of domestic horses at the end of the third millennium BCE. Thus, our results argue strongly against autochthonous independent domestication of horses in Anatolia.

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