Identification of domestic chicken bones in archaeological sites

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-200
Author(s):  
Hui Deng ◽  
Jun Li
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Chicken ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Bone Morphology ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
Place Of Origin ◽  
Future Work

AbstractIn recent years, with the participation of genetics and other disciplines, the controversy on the origins of the domestic chicken has returned. As the resource of primary data, archaeology plays an extremely important role in this dispute. Taking an archaeological standpoint, this paper aims to establish a set of bone morphological identification standards for domestic chicken bones unearthed at archaeological remains, beginning with the bone morphology as the most basic but also the least studied aspect. By this set of standards, we reanalyze available chicken bone materials and relevant pictorial and textual materials for domestic chicken candidate samples as mentioned by previous scholars. The results show that no confirmed domestic chicken bones have been found in China’s early to mid-Holocene remains to date; meanwhile, there is no substantial archaeological evidence to support China as the earliest place of origin of domestic chicken. Future work seeking to advance research on the origin of the domestic chicken should first pay proper attention to the archaeological background; only continuing scientific analyses and exploration on the origin of domestic chicken based on scientific morphological identification will prove the most convincing methodology.

scholarly journals Unveiling an odd fate after death: The isolated Eneolithic cranium discovered in the Marcel Loubens Cave (Bologna, Northern Italy)

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247306
Author(s):  
Maria Giovanna Belcastro ◽  
Teresa Nicolosi ◽  
Rita Sorrentino ◽  
Valentina Mariotti ◽  
Annalisa Pietrobelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Woman ◽  
Outer Surface ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Vertical Shaft ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Ritual Context ◽  
Geological Context

An isolated human cranium, dated to the early Eneolithic period, was discovered in 2015 at the top of a vertical shaft in the natural Marcel Loubens gypsum Cave (Bologna area, northern Italy). No other anthropological or archaeological remains were found inside the cave. In other caves of the same area anthropic and funerary use are attested from prehistory to more recent periods. We focused on investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of this individual, since the cranium shows signs of some lesions that appear to be the results of a perimortem manipulation probably carried out to remove soft tissues. Anthropological analyses revealed that the cranium belonged to a young woman. We analysed the taphonomic features and geological context to understand how and why the cranium ended up (accidentally or intentionally) in the cave. The analyses of both the sediments accumulated inside the cranium and the incrustations and pigmentation covering its outer surface suggested that it fell into the cave, drawn by a flow of water and mud, likely from the edges of a doline. The accidental nature of the event is also seemingly confirmed by some post-mortem lesions on the cranium. The comparison with other Eneolithic archaeological sites in northern Italy made it possible to interpret the find as likely being from a funerary or ritual context, in which corpse dismemberment (in particular the displacement of crania) was practiced.

Steps toward a Study of Symeon the Stylite the Younger and His Saint’s Cult*

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-407
Author(s):  
Dina Boero ◽  
Charles Kuper
Keyword(s):  
Late Antiquity ◽  
The State ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Chronological Order ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Material Sources ◽  
Art Historians ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Insight Into

A large dossier of primary sources survives for Symeon the Stylite the Younger from Late Antiquity. These sources include not only hagiographical evidence, but also archaeological remains from his cult site, homilies, and at least one letter. They offer insight into the varied voices which shaped Symeon’s identity, sanctity, and ministry in the sixth and early seventh centuries CE. The state of scholarship on these sources is uneven, however, with the result that scholars have primarily studied the saint and his cult through the lens of the hagiographic material, the Life of Symeon Stylites the Younger in particular. In order to lay the foundation for a full inquiry into the saint and his cult, this article disentangles the dossier of evidence on Symeon in Late Antiquity. It introduces each source in chronological order; provides an overview of authorship, date, and the state of scholarship for each source; and makes preliminary recommendations for paths forward. It is meant to be a guide for art historians and archaeologists unfamiliar with the sizeable literary corpus, textual scholars who do not often work with material sources, and, for both groups, an introduction to problems in the dossier. It encourages scholars to treat each source on its own terms and re-evaluate the rich interconnections between the textual and archaeological evidence.

scholarly journals Niède Guidon: a cientista brasileira responsável pelo tesouro arqueológico nacional

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Jéssica Da Silva Gaudêncio
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Land Bridge ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Carbon 14 ◽  
The City

ResumoO presente artigo aborda a trajetória científica da arqueóloga Niède Guidon, brasileira nascida no interior de São Paulo e Doutora em Pré-História pela Université Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne. Chegou na cidade de São Raimundo Nonato (Piauí) em 1970 em busca de vestígios arqueológicos provenientes daquela região. Ao deparar-se com resultados de análises enviadas à laboratórios franceses, no qual datavam através da técnica com Carbono-14 artefatos e vestígios arqueológicos com mais de 18 mil anos BP[1], Niède ampliou suas pesquisas e reuniu esforços pela preservação do local que hoje é conhecido como Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara, patrimônio cultural da humanidade pela Unesco. Em 1986, publicou suas descobertas na prestigiada revista científica britânica Nature, dando destaque internacional para os sítios arqueológicos do nordeste brasileiro. A partir daí Guidon continuou seu trabalho e suas descobertas arqueológicas constataram artefatos com datações de 100 mil anos BP, desenvolvendo novas teorias para a origem do homem americano, refutando assim a teoria mais aceita do Estreito de Bering. Isto causou a indignação de diversos arqueólogos internacionais e nacionais que questionavam a veracidade de suas pesquisas. Mesmo com todas essas polêmicas, Niède Guidon e demais pesquisadores seguem com seus estudos nos mais de 1300 sítios arqueológicos da região do Piauí, sugerindo que mais resultados ainda estão por vir.Palavras-chave: Niède Guidon; Arqueologia; Pré-história brasileira.AbstractThis article deals with the scientific accomplishments of the archaeologist Niède Guidon, a Brazilian born in the interior of São Paulo who earned a Ph.D. in Prehistory from the Université Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne. He arrived in the city of São Raimundo Nonato (Piauí) in 1970 in search of archaeological remains from that region. When he first received the results from French laboratories of Carbon-14 analyses, a method capable of dating artifacts that are at least eighteen thousand years old, Niède expanded his research and joined efforts to preserve the location now known such as Serra da Capivara National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. In 1986, he published his findings in the prestigious British scientific journal Nature, gaining international prominence for the archeological sites of northeastern Brazil. From there Guidon continued his work and his archaeological discoveries, finding artifacts dating to 100,000 years before the present (BP), developed new theories for the origin of American humankind, thus refuting the more accepted theory of the humankind’s migration across the land bridge between Asia and North America. This caused indignation among several international and national archaeologists who questioned the veracity of his research. Even with controversies, Niède Guidon and other researchers have continued their studies in more than 1300 archaeological sites in the Piauí region, which suggests that more findings can be expected.Keywords: Niède Guidon; Archeology, Brazilian Prehistory.[1] Before the Present – Antes do Presente – escala utilizada pelas disciplinas científicas na datação de eventos do passado em relação à data presente.

scholarly journals Lessons from Star Carr on the vulnerability of organic archaeological remains to environmental change

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (46) ◽  
pp. 12957-12962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty High ◽  
Nicky Milner ◽  
Ian Panter ◽  
Beatrice Demarchi ◽  
Kirsty E. H. Penkman
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Rapid Loss ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Archaeological Material ◽  
Exceptional Preservation ◽  
Environmental Materials ◽  
The Last Glacial ◽  
Organic Remains

Examples of wetland deposits can be found across the globe and are known for preserving organic archaeological and environmental remains that are vitally important to our understanding of past human–environment interactions. The Mesolithic site of Star Carr (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) represents one of the most influential archives of human response to the changing climate at the end of the last glacial in Northern Europe. A hallmark of the site since its discovery in 1948 has been the exceptional preservation of its organic remains. Disturbingly, recent excavations have suggested that the geochemistry of the site is no longer conducive to such remarkable survival of organic archaeological and environmental materials. Microcosm (laboratory-based) burial experiments have been undertaken, alongside analysis of artifacts excavated from the site, to assess the effect of these geochemical changes on the remaining archaeological material. By applying a suite of macroscopic and molecular analyses, we demonstrate that the geochemical changes at Star Carr are contributing to the inexorable and rapid loss of valuable archaeological and paleoenvironmental information. Our findings have global implications for other wetland sites, particularly archaeological sites preserved in situ.

scholarly journals Is Svalbard a pristine ecosystem? Reconstructing 420 years of human presence in an Arctic archipelago

Polar Record ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 518-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frigga Kruse
Keyword(s):  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressure ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Future Work

ABSTRACTThe Arctic is commonly perceived as a pristine wilderness, yet more than four centuries of human industry have not left Svalbard untouched. This paper explores the historical dimension of human-induced ecosystem change using human presence as a proxy. Its aims are fourfold: to reconstruct and quantify historical human presence, to ascertain if human presence is a suitable indicator of long-term anthropogenic pressure, to deduce trends in anthropogenic pressure on five selected species of game animal, and to postulate trends in their subpopulation sizes. Published sources give rise to 57 datasets dealing with the annual voyages to Svalbard as well as the participants in them. All known archaeological sites are visualised in a distribution map. Despite the large amount of data, the quantification of historical human presence remains biased and partial. Only with the aid of a timeline of known milestones is it possible to make hypotheses about changes in anthropogenic pressure and animal subpopulations over time. The exercise is nonetheless a necessary and instructive one: it confirms that the erroneous view of Svalbard as a pristine ecosystem hinders timely historical-ecological research. Future work must aim at the systematic quantification of past human impact in a holistic approach to environmental conservation and restoration.

Ecuadorian Cinnabar and the Prehispanic Trade in Vermilion Pigment: Viable Hypothesis or Red Herring?

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Burger ◽  
Kris E. Lane ◽  
Colin A. Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Central Andes ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Red Pigment ◽  
Mercury Isotope ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
South Central ◽  
Southern Ecuador ◽  
Northern Peru ◽  
To Come

Cinnabar ore is the source of a bright red pigment (mercury [II] sulfide, HGS), a substance that was highly valued in the Central Andes during prehispanic times. It is traditionally believed to come from Huancavelica in south-central Peru, although some scholars have argued that a prehispanic cinnabar source existed at Azogues near Cuenca in southern Ecuador. It has also been suggested that the cinnabar recovered at archaeological sites in northern Peru such as Baton Grande may have come from this putative Ecuadorian source. In this article, the historical and archaeological evidence supporting this position is evaluated and found to be insufficient to sustain the Ecuadorian Cinnabar Hypothesis. Moreover, recent mercury isotope analysis of archaeological samples from northern Peru supports the earlier hypothesis that the source of the bright red pigment, sometimes referred to as vermilion, was cinnabar ore mined in Huancavelica. This source is located over 850 km to the south of archaeological sites such as Batdn Grande, Chongoyape, and Pacopampa.

scholarly journals How Archaeological Evidence Bites Back

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Wylie
Keyword(s):  
Primary Data ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Archaeological Data ◽  
Legacy Data

Archaeological data are shadowy in a number of senses. They are notoriously incomplete and fragmentary, and the sedimented layers of interpretive scaffolding on which archaeologists rely to constitute these data as evidence carry the risk that they will recognize only those data that conform to expectation. These epistemic anxieties further suggest that, once recovered, there is little prospect for putting “legacy” data to work in new ways. And yet the “data imprints” of past lives are a rich evidential resource; archaeologists successfully mine old data sets for new insights that redirect inquiry, often calling into question assumptions embedded in the scaffolding that made their recovery possible in the first place. I characterize three strategies by which archaeologists address the challenges posed by legacy data: secondary retrieval and recontextualization of primary data, and the use old data in experimental simulations of the cultural past under study. By these means, archaeologists establish evidential claims of varying degrees of credibility, not by securing empirical bedrock but through a process of continuously building and rebuilding provisional empirical foundations.

Reading Early Agriculture at Kuk Swamp, Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea: the Archaeological Features (Phases 1–3)

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 259-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. P. Denham ◽  
J. Golson ◽  
P. J. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Early Agriculture ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Plant Exploitation ◽  
Disciplinary Field

Multi-disciplinary field investigations were undertaken in 1972–7 and 1998–9 at Kuk Swamp in the upper Wahgi Valley in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Multi-period finds dating from the early Holocene to the recent past and interpreted to represent human manipulation of a wetland margin for plant exploitation were documented. The archaeological remains dating from the early to mid-Holocene have partially grounded contested claims for the emergence of early and independent agricultural practices on the island of New Guinea. In this paper, the early to mid- Holocene archaeological remains at the site (ie, those allocated to Phases 1, 2, and 3) are reported in detail. The authors of this paper all agree that plant exploitation began at Kuk at c. 10,000 cal BP, however they hold different interpretations of the archaeological evidence from the swamp, which have in turn led to diverse claims for the antiquity of agriculture in New Guinea by at least c. 10,000 cal BP (Golson and Hughes), or by at least 6950–6440 cal BP (Denham). Divergent readings of the archaeological remains are presented at length in order to clarify the evidential bases for the varying claims and to promote future discussion.

Bird Bones, Burials, and Bundles in Plains Archaeology

1975 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas H. Ubelaker ◽  
Waldo R. Wedel
Keyword(s):  
Missouri River ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Museum Collections ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Time Perspectives ◽  
Archaeological Materials ◽  
Plains Archaeology ◽  
Minor Portion ◽  
Important Time ◽  
Indian Medicine

Plains archaeologists have usually devoted little attention to the bird remains that normally comprise a relatively minor portion of the yield from their excavations. Bird bones from several archaeological sites on the Missouri River are shown to have been purposefully and selectively modified by man. They exhibit a remarkable similarity to prepared bird skins and other ceremonial objects found in Omaha, Osage, Arikara, and other Plains Indian medicine bundles in various museum collections. The ethnographic specimens are believed to identify the archaeological remains as to function; conversely, the archaeological materials add important time perspectives to native use of the ritual items in museum collections and in the documentary record.

scholarly journals L’instrumentalisation des sites archéologiques incas. Questions d’éthique

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-65
Author(s):  
Antoinette Molinié
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Services ◽  
The United States ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
National Narrative ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
Symbolic Function ◽  
Machu Picchu ◽  
The Status

On the occasion of Peru’s Independence, the champions of the Creole nation elevated the Inca State Indian to the status of a respectable ancestor, thus eliminating the Amerindian historicity of the population. The archaeological remains provide support to an indigenist ideology that ignores the sociological Indian, considered to be ontologically inferior. Today, these Inca vestiges contribute to the construction of the national narrative: the Inca solar cult is thus reinvented on the site of Sacsayhuaman. To what extent can the work of archaeologists serve to corroborate partisan ideologies? The presidents of the Peruvian and Bolivian Republics were inducted as pre-Hispanic rulers, the first on the Inca site of Machu Picchu, the second at the Tiwanaku Sun gate. To what extent can the vestiges of a civilization be instrumentalized by politics? The Inca sites are now assailed by New Age mystics from the United States and Europe under the leadership of local neo-shamans. They are indeed reputed to carry positive “energy”, one that is exploited by mystical tourism agencies. To what extent can the heritage of the nation, maintained by public services, be the object of private profits, ideologies that may be sectarian and possibly irreparable damages? In the culture of traditional Andean communities, the pre-Hispanic ruins had a classificatory and symbolic function. This function disappears when the setting of a myth is replaced by a historical site. How can we respect the indigenous perception of archaeological remains? These are the ethical questions that this article seeks to raise on the basis of specific and concrete cases of archaeological sites on which the author has carried out excavations.

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