New radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence reveal the westward migration of prehistoric humans in the drylands of the Asian interior

The Holocene ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 095968362110259
Author(s):  
Kangkang Li ◽  
Xiaoguang Qin ◽  
Bing Xu ◽  
Yong Wu ◽  
Guijin Mu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Human Migration ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Archaeological Material ◽  
The North ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Lop Nur ◽  
Desert Oasis

The vast drylands of the Asian interior were an integral part of a transcontinental network connecting east to west, that acted periodically as corridors and routeways for human migration. However, our understanding of the prehistoric human occupation of and interaction with this inhospitable environment has been hindered by a lack of direct evidence from settlements. Here we present the results of the first systematic study of archaeological material and radiocarbon dates from newly-discovered Bronze Age settlements in the hyper-arid Lop Nur region, in the eastern Tarim Basin. The studied settlement (the North Loulan Settlement, NLS), apparently associated with the prehistoric Xiaohe Culture, which is known from the Xiaohe and Gumugou cemeteries, is especially significant for the study of the prehistoric desert-oasis civilization in the drylands of the Asian interior, because it is quite different from any of the contemporary cultures in the surrounding regions. Based on a synthesis of Bayesian-modeled radiocarbon dates, the age of the NLS falls within the range of ca. 2051–1774 BC. Our field investigations indicate that the inhabitants of the site occupied semi-subterranean/semi-cave dwellings on the upper part of high yardangs, suggesting that they were able to utilize island-like yardangs in order to adapt to lake or wetland terrains. The new chronological framework for the Xiaohe cultural sites indicates that the NLS was the first Xiaohe settlement in the Tarim Basin. The earliest settlers, who were influenced by oriental culture, may have migrated to the NLS along the eastern or northeastern corridors. Later, there was the migration of populations westward along rivers.

Radiocarbon Dating of Aghios Antonios, Potos, and Intersite Chronological Variability in South Thasos, Greece

Radiocarbon ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 807-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannis Maniatis ◽  
Nerantzis Nerantzis ◽  
Stratis Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Northern Greece ◽  
Population Movements ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The North ◽  
Chronological Sequence ◽  
Hilltop Settlement ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
Early Late ◽  
Of Greece

Radiocarbon dates obtained for the coastal hilltop settlement of Aghios Antonios Potos in south Thasos are statistically treated to define the absolute chronology for the start and the end of the various habitation and cultural phases at the site. The location was first occupied during the Final Neolithic (FN) between 3800 and 3600 BC, extending this much contested phase to the lowest up to now record for Thasos and the northern Greece. The site is continuously inhabited from Early Bronze Age I until the early Late Bronze Age (LBA; 1363 BC) when it was abandoned. Comparison with other sites in Thasos and particularly with the inland site of Kastri Theologos showed that the first occupation at Aghios Antonios came soon after the abandonment of Kastri in the beginning of the 4th millennium. In fact, after the decline and abandonment of Aghios Antonios in the LBA, the site of Kastri was reinhabited, leading to the hypothesis that part of the coastal population moved inland. The presumed chronological sequence of alternate habitation between the two settlements may evoke explanations for sociocultural and/or environmental dynamics behind population movements in prehistoric Thasos. A major conclusion of the project is that the 4th millennium occupation gap attested in many sites of Greece, especially in the north, is probably bridged in south Thasos, when the data from all sites are taken together. The mobility of people in Final Neolithic south Thasos may explain the general phenomenon of limited occupational sequences in the FN of north Greece.

scholarly journals Large tare vessels of the bronze age Turganic settlement in Orenburg Region

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalya Petrovna Salugina ◽  
Nina Leonidovna Morgunova ◽  
Mihail Aleksandrovich Turetskii
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Burial Mound ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Orenburg Region ◽  
The North ◽  
Type Selection ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Culture Formation ◽  
Middle Bronze Age

In the ceramic collection of Turganic settlement in the Orenburg region there is a group of bronze age pottery, which by its morphological and technological indicators stands out sharply from the main group of dishes. They are large size vessels with massive aureoles and distended body. The authors called these vessels hums. The aim of this study is to identify cultural-chronological position of the specified group of dishes in the system of the antiquities of the early - middle bronze age. Within this group the authors distinguish two types. The basis for type selection was the particular design of the upper part of the vessel. The first type is ceramics from Turganic settlement and the vessel from the burial mound Perevolotsky I. Morphological and technological features, and a series of radiocarbon dates has allowed to date these vessels to the time of the yamnaya culture formation in the Volga-Ural region (Repinsky stage). The authors suggest that the appearance of such vessels should be an imitation of the Maikop pottery. It could be penetration of small groups of craftsmen or the intensification of contacts with the population of the North Caucasus. The second type of pottery from Turganic settlement is similar to the burial mound Kardailovsky I (mound 1, burial 3) in Orenburg region, in the Northern pre-Caspian, region of the Samara river, Kuban and the Dnieper. Researchers have noted the scarcity and originality of this dish. The chronological and cultural position of such vessels is determined within the III Millennium BC (calibrated values).

Matching Data: Analyzing the Chronological Use Sequence in the Iron Age Necropolis of the Staggered Turriform of Son Ferrer (Balearic Islands, Spain)

Radiocarbon ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (02) ◽  
pp. 361-374
Author(s):  
Manuel Calvo Trias ◽  
Jaume García Rosselló ◽  
David Javaloyas Molina ◽  
Daniel Albero Santacreu ◽  
Mark Van Strydonck
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Space Management ◽  
Archaeological Material ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Excavation Process

The Son Ferrer archaeological site presents a series of successive occupations spanning a long period of time. At the beginning of the Iron Age (∼850 BC), a staggered turriform structure was built for a ritual purpose over an artificial hypogeum that had already been used as a collective necropolis during the Early Bronze Age (∼1800–1500 BC). Later, in the post-Talayotic phase (Second Iron Age, 550–123 BC), the hypogeum was again reused as a collective burial place. The present work is focused on the chronological and functional analysis of this last phase, which began ∼500 BC and ended ∼180 BC with the saturation and sealing of the hypogeum. The excavation process revealed that significant removal of archaeological material has occurred as a result of complex funerary space management practices, which generated a secondary archaeological context. Given this situation, and in order to establish the different use phases of the post-Talayotic necropolis, a dual strategy of excavation and research was implemented. First, an extensive series of radiocarbon dates on human remains (18 dates) was obtained, which were later analyzed following Bayesian strategies. Second, a detailed spatial analysis was carried out, georeferencing the location of all the archaeological finds. This strategy allowed the reconstruction of the space management processes and movement patterns that took place in the burial space. Despite some initial difficulties, the combination of these research strategies embedded in a contextual analysis provided both material and chronological references that have contributed to define the various use phases of the hypogeum.

scholarly journals The Beginning of the Early Bronze Age in the North Jordan Valley: New14C Determinations from Pella in Jordan

Radiocarbon ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 905-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Bourke ◽  
Ugo Zoppi ◽  
John Meadows ◽  
Quan Hua ◽  
Samantha Gibbins
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Early Bronze Age ◽  
Jordan Valley ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The North ◽  
Precursor Phase ◽  
Chalcolithic Period ◽  
Early Phases ◽  
Ams Dates

This article reports on 10 new accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from early phases of the Early Bronze Age at the long-lived settlement of Pella (modern Tabaqat Fahl) in the north Jordan Valley. The new AMS dates fall between 3400 and 2800 cal BC, and support a recent suggestion that all Chalcolithic period occupation had ceased by 3800/3700 cal BC at the latest (Bourke et al. 2004b). Other recently published Early Bronze Age14C data strongly supports this revisionist scenario, suggesting that the earliest phase of the Early Bronze Age (EBA I) occupied much of the 4th millennium cal BC (3800/3700 to 3100/3000 cal BC). As this EB I period in the Jordan Valley is generally viewed as the key precursor phase in the development of urbanism (Joffe 1993), this revisionist chronology has potentially radical significance for understanding both the nature and speed of the move from village settlement towards a complex urban lifeway.

Excavations and Metal-working at Llwyn Bryn-dinas Hillfort, Llangedwyn, Clwyd

1992 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Musson ◽  
W. J. Britnell ◽  
J. P. Northover ◽  
C. J. Salter ◽  
P. Q. Dresser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Copper Alloy ◽  
Radiocarbon Date ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Metal Working ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Alloy Casting ◽  
The North ◽  
Local Evidence

Small-scale rescue excavations at Llwyn Bryn-dinas hillfort, on the Welsh Borderland, showed that the earliest fortification belonged to the late Bronze Age, with radiocarbon dates in the late 9th and 8th centuries be. A terrace, subsequently cut into the rear of the rampart to accommodate a metal-working floor, was associated with a radiocarbon date centred in the late 3rd century bc. Detailed analysis of the metal-working debris suggests that copper-alloy casting, iron forging and possibly bronze production were carried out within a single workshop. The finds include a distinctive form of handled crucible. The industry appears to have been fairly small-scale, of short duration, and probably only designed to meet the internal needs of the hillfort population. The excavation adds significantly to the local evidence for metal-working during the later prehistoric period. A distinctive zinc-impurity pattern in the copper alloy and raw copper, previously identified in material from other sites nearby, confirms the suggestion of an Iron Age bronze-working industry based on a specific metal source in the north Powys area. In addition, analysis of the iron-working debris suggests the exploitation of a distinctive local ore body. The metal-working activity appears to have come to an abrupt end, possibly with the enlargement or local repair of the rampart. Later phases of activity include a final occupation deposit with an associated radiocarbon date centred in the mid 2nd century bc.

Matching Data: Analyzing the Chronological Use Sequence in the Iron Age Necropolis of the Staggered Turriform of Son Ferrer (Balearic Islands, Spain)

Radiocarbon ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 361-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Calvo Trias ◽  
Jaume García Rosselló ◽  
David Javaloyas Molina ◽  
Daniel Albero Santacreu ◽  
Mark Van Strydonck
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Space Management ◽  
Archaeological Material ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Excavation Process

The Son Ferrer archaeological site presents a series of successive occupations spanning a long period of time. At the beginning of the Iron Age (∼850 BC), a staggered turriform structure was built for a ritual purpose over an artificial hypogeum that had already been used as a collective necropolis during the Early Bronze Age (∼1800–1500 BC). Later, in the post-Talayotic phase (Second Iron Age, 550–123 BC), the hypogeum was again reused as a collective burial place. The present work is focused on the chronological and functional analysis of this last phase, which began ∼500 BC and ended ∼180 BC with the saturation and sealing of the hypogeum. The excavation process revealed that significant removal of archaeological material has occurred as a result of complex funerary space management practices, which generated a secondary archaeological context. Given this situation, and in order to establish the different use phases of the post-Talayotic necropolis, a dual strategy of excavation and research was implemented. First, an extensive series of radiocarbon dates on human remains (18 dates) was obtained, which were later analyzed following Bayesian strategies. Second, a detailed spatial analysis was carried out, georeferencing the location of all the archaeological finds. This strategy allowed the reconstruction of the space management processes and movement patterns that took place in the burial space. Despite some initial difficulties, the combination of these research strategies embedded in a contextual analysis provided both material and chronological references that have contributed to define the various use phases of the hypogeum.

scholarly journals The Northwest Belgian Bronze Age Barrow in Context: A Review of the 14C Chronology from the Late Neolithic to Bronze Age

Radiocarbon ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (02) ◽  
pp. 479-488
Author(s):  
Jeroen De Reu
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Trade Networks ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
Sudden Appearance ◽  
Bell Beaker ◽  
Building Practice ◽  
The Bronze Age

To formulate a solid chronology of the northwest Belgian Bronze Age barrow phenomenon, a critical review of the available radiocarbon dates was necessary. The resulting14C chronology of the barrows was compared with the14C chronologies of the Late Neolithic Bell Beaker graves, the Bronze Age metalwork depositions, the evidence of barrow reuse, and the Bronze Age longhouses. This research revealed interesting patterns concerning the appearance and disappearance of the barrow phenomenon. The earliest14C-dated barrows are dated during the Late Neolithic and coincide with the presence of the Bell Beaker culture in the region. The peak of the barrow-building practice occurred between 1700 and 1500/1400 cal BC, a period of flourishing trade networks in the regions along the North Sea basin. The period around 1500 cal BC is characterized by the disappearance of barrow-building practices and the sudden appearance of ritual depositional practices, reflecting changes in society.

The Enormous Room

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Recent Analysis ◽  
Monumental Architecture ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Domestic Interiors ◽  
The North ◽  
Geographical Scale ◽  
Eastern Usa ◽  
Source Of Information

It is ironic that anyone studying the domestic architecture of Copper Age Sardinia must turn to underground tombs as a source of information, whilst the monumental ‘houses’ of the Bronze Age are among the most conspicuous structures anywhere in Europe. The contrast between these two periods introduces a new theme. The first part of this chapter will study stone towers and related structures in the West Mediterranean. In every case they were associated with settlement sites and some may have been domestic buildings in their own right. Over time, they came to favour a circular plan. This section considers monuments in Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearics and compares them with sites in Spain. It also asks whether they represent a single phenomenon. The second part considers three groups of timber buildings in Britain and Ireland and the enclosures with which they are associated. In this case they date from different periods. Although they resemble one another on the ground, there were few direct connections between them and, in at least two instances, they are thought to have been ceremonial centres. These sites in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic are considered together in the light of a recent analysis of monumental architecture in the eastern USA. Both sections are designed to complement one another. The first considers the development of Great Houses in a series of well-populated landscapes. The second works at a larger geographical scale and studies the ways in which such buildings, and the earthworks associated with them, were related to a still more extensive area, until the most elaborate of all could be considered as microcosms of the wider world. Chapter Four discussed the domus de janas of Sardinia, the surprisingly realistic copies of domestic interiors provided for the dead during the Ozieri Culture. They were lavishly decorated and have produced radiocarbon dates which suggest that they were contemporary with the later phases of megalithic art in Western Europe. At the same time, most of the Sardinian structures were roughly square or rectangular and only a minority were designed as depictions of roundhouses. That reflects the results of excavation at the comparatively few surviving settlements of the same date.

scholarly journals Tianshanbeilu and the Isotopic Millet Road: reviewing the late Neolithic/Bronze Age radiation of human millet consumption from north China to Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 1024-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Wang ◽  
Dong Wei ◽  
Xien Chang ◽  
Zhiyong Yu ◽  
Xinyu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
North China ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Human Migration ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Westward Expansion ◽  
Wild Game ◽  
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

AbstractThe westward expansion of human millet consumption from north China has important implications for understanding early interactions between the East and West. However, few studies have focused on the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the vast geographical area directly linking the ancient cultures of the Eurasian Steppe and the Gansu Corridor of China. In this study, we present the largest isotopic investigation of Bronze Age China (n = 110) on material from the key site of Tianshanbeilu, in eastern Xinjiang. The large range of δ13C values (–17.6‰ to –7.2‰; –15.5 ± 1.2‰) provides direct evidence of unique dietary diversity and consumption of significant C4 resources (millets). The high δ15N results (10.3‰ to 16.7‰; 14.7 ± 0.8‰) likely reflect sheep/goat and wild game consumption and the arid climate of the Taklamakan Desert. Radiocarbon dates from four individuals indicate Tianshanbeilu was in use between 1940 and 1215 cal bc. The Tianshanbeilu results are then analysed with respect to 52 Bronze Age sites from across Eurasia, to investigate the spread and chronology of significant human millet consumption and human migration. This isotopic survey finds novel evidence that the second millennium bc was a dynamic period, with significant dietary interconnectivity occurring between north China, Central Asia and Siberia. Further, we argue that this ‘Isotopic Millet Road’ extended all the way to the Mediterranean and Central Europe, and conclude that these C4 dietary signatures of millet consumption reflect early links (migration and/or resource transfer) between the Bronze Age inhabitants of modern-day China and Europe.

Ritual and Landscape on the West Coast of Scotland: an Investigation of the Stone Rows of Northern Mull

1996 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 117-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.D. Martlew ◽  
C.L.N. Ruggles
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Late Bronze Age ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
The West ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Poor Condition ◽  
The North ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Field Evidence

In view of the theories of the astronomical significance of standing stones proposed by Alexander Thom, extensive fieldwork was undertaken during the 1970s and early 1980s in the west of Scotland to reassess the field evidence. Two groups of sites were identified from this work that seemed to support an astronomical interpretation, but the poor condition of many of the sites made identification of their original orientation problematical. Excavations were carried out at two damaged sites in one of the groups, in northern Mull, in order to identify the original positions of the stones. Radiocarbon dates from one of the sites, the first for a Scottish stone row, suggest construction in the Late Bronze Age. The alignment of the excavated rows, and the results of detailed theodolite surveys at and around the north Mull sites, suggest a more complex relationship between site locations, astronomical events, and the landscape than has hitherto been appreciated.

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