Changes in paleo-underground water levels revealed by water wells and their relationship with climate variations in imperial China

Based on the records of the bottom elevations of 482 ancient water wells collected from published archaeological reports, we reconstructed the paleo-underground water levels (PUWL) in the urban areas of Chengdu, Changsha, Nanjing, Suzhou, Suqian, and Yancheng cities in the vicinity of 30° N in China. The PUWL fluctuations varied between the inland and the coastal regions and their transitional areas. There were four PUWL phases in the inland areas: low in Han (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), high in Tang (A.D. 618–907), low in Song (A.D. 960–1279), and high in Ming (A.D. 1368–1644). In contrast, there were five PUWL phases in the coastal regions: high in Han (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), low in Jin-Northern & Southern Dynasties (A.D. 266–589), high in Tang-Song (A.D. 618–1279), low in Ming (A.D. 1368–1644), and high in Qing-Republic of China (A.D. 1644–1949). Yet, there were no apparent changes in PUWL in the transitional areas between the inland and the coastal regions. Regional hydrological factors cause the geographic variations of the PUWL fluctuations. Precipitation changes drove the rise and fall of PUWL in the inland areas. In contrast, the variations of PUWL in the coastal regions were attributed to the temperature-induced sea-level changes. This study illustrates the potential of using PUWL in tracing paleo-environment changes and their driving factors, which is a novel approach in environmental archaeology.

Research On the Craniofacial Measurement Characteristics and Pollution Identification of Unearthed Human Bones at Shenna Ruins, China

The unearthed human bones are important materials for revealing ancient human food, ancient environment and ancient climate, and the origin of ancient humans, which the chemical composition and biological characteristics of bones have changed to varying degrees in the process of diagenesis, means that they were contaminated. Therefore, judging whether the unearthed ancient human bones are contaminated is a prerequisite for scientific analysis, environmental archaeology, and research on ancient human recipes. This paper is mainly using traditional morphological methods to analyze and study the craniofacial measurement characteristics of the unearthed human bones at the Shenna ruins, and the contamination of the unearthed human bones by burial environment and diagenesis was judged by using pH measurement, Scanning Electrion Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform red external light spectrum (FTIR). The results show that the organic composition of the remains at Shenna ruins is decomposed in a large amount, the inorganic structure is destroyed, which will eventually cause looseness and porosity. However, the composition of inorganic minerals of the human bones has not been changed or contaminated, they could be avoided unnecessary waste of energy and work and research bias in further study of paleoenvironment and paleoclimate in Shenna ruins.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: A Combination of Archaeometallurgy and Environmental Archaeology to Re-Examine the Hypothesis of Yunnan as the Source of Highly Radiogenic Lead in Early Dynastic China

Bronze Age Shang China is characterized by its large-scale production system and distinctive ritual world. Both are vividly materialized by a large number of bronze ritual vessels with added lead. Whilst a remarkable amount of research effort has been channeled into the trace elemental and lead isotopic analysis of these ritual vessels, and successfully revealed some important fingerprints such as highly radiogenic lead (HRL), there is as yet no consensus on the metal source(s) which supplied the entire bronze production during the Shang period. In addition to the traditional method to look for matching and mismatching between ores and objects, we propose that environmental archaeological studies can provide crucial clues to address some long-standing questions in archaeometallurgy. In the first part of the paper, we attempt to illustrate the potential and complexity of combining these two subjects together. The second part of the paper offers a case study by reviewing the debate on Yunnan as the source of HRL. Synthesis of various lines of evidence published by most recent studies on environmental archaeology, archaeometallurgy, field reports and radiocarbon dating suggests that this hypothesis appears much less likely than previously suspected.

Geoarchaeology: Where Geosciences Meet the Humanities to Reconstruct Past Human–Environment Interactions. An Application to the Coastal Areas of the Largest Mediterranean Islands

The study of past Human–Environment interactions has long been seen at a very local scale, that of sites of human occupation. Geoarchaeology differs from the traditional concepts of Environmental Archaeology and Landscape Archaeology in this respect since it adopts a different spatial resolution based on the development of multidisciplinary research at the scale of geographical, geological or geomorphological features. In this paper, we aim to contribute to the definition of coastal geoarchaeology where environmental holistic studies can be developed, thus integrating both continental and marine dynamics. A specific application is realized here for the largest Mediterranean islands where heterogeneity can be observed in research over the last decades. For this reason, we divide the Mediterranean Basin into four areas in order to review the main works conducted. In general, investigating coastal environments represents an exciting opportunity to reconstruct past landscapes and to evidence the long-term history of human occupation and land use by employing a wide range of proxies. We focus in particular on the coastal wetlands of Corsica, where a large number of lagoons have been cored since the early 2010s. Multiproxy laboratory analyses reveal a history of the complex relationships between past human societies and their environments which is complementary to existing archaeological studies.

Archaeology and Research in the History of Kashmir- Perspectives and Concerns

Research in history is digging into the past through multidisciplinary approach, with the requisites of professionalism, critical aptitude, technical erudition, analytical mind and incisive faculty to reconstruct the past and to elaborate, analyze, synthesize, philosophize the ideas and critically examine the data in the light of objectivity. Historical research is primarily based on literary and archaeological sources. Literary sources are more or less infected of personal bias and prejudice by the author or interpreter. So, here archaeology comes to rescue for reconstructing comparatively an unbiased history. Archaeology is an auxiliary science or ancillary discipline with its numerous approaches, which assist in historical research. It is a sub-discipline of anthropology which is concerned with the study of human evolution and his environment and the material culture associated with him in pre-historic, proto-historic and historic periods through practical undertakings, methods and theories. Kashmir is an ancient geological land with glorious past where the man lived since the pre-historic times and has always been contacts with her neighbors and witnessed influx and efflux of races and cultures. So the role of archaeology with literature is of vital significance in the research of history of Kashmir. But, the application of archaeology in the research of history of Kashmir in general and in ancient and medieval history in particular seems very negligible. The attitude and interest of research about the ancient history of Kashmir and fresh explorations of archaeological sites among the regional institutions,students and scholars is meager. The national and international surveys and studies about archaeological research have also come to halt. The deteriorating condition of archaeological sites in the valley gives us the glimpse of our vanishing history. Archaeology is not confined to historical archaeology, it includes ethno-archaeology, Environmental Archaeology, Rural and Urban Archaeology, Marine Archaeology, and the list goes on. In this paper I will try to investigate the different perspectives and concerns of archaeological research in the history of Kashmir, its application on vast and wide areas of research, keeping in view the post-processual and postmodern viewpoint. Besides methodological problems, descriptions and fundamental goals, this paper seeks to evaluate the reasons why and based on these evaluations some suggestions for future research in Kashmir history are proposed. As the history of Kashmir is the significant and an inseparable part of Kashmir Studies

Holocene Environmental Archaeology of the Yangtze River Valley in China: A Review

The Yangtze River Valley is an important economic region and one of the cradles of human civilization. It is also the site of frequent floods, droughts, and other natural disasters. Conducting Holocene environmental archaeology research in this region is of great importance when studying the evolution of the relationship between humans and the environment and the interactive effects humans had on the environment from 10.0 to 3.0 ka BP, for which no written records exist. This review provides a comprehensive summary of materials that have been published over the past several decades concerning Holocene environmental archaeology in the Yangtze River Valley, to further understand large-scale regional Holocene environmental and cultural interaction within this area. The results show that: 1) in recent years, Holocene envi-ronmental archaeology research in the Yangtze River Valley has primarily taken paleoflood and sea-level change stratigraphical events to be the foundational threads for study. This began with research on the spatiotemporal distribution of archaeological sites, typical archaeological site stratigraphy, and research on background features concerning environmental evolution recorded by the regional natural sedimentary strata. 2) Significant progress has been made at the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, indicating that Holocene environmental ar-chaeology research along the Yangtze River Valley is deepening and broadening. 3) Dramatic changes to Neolithic cultures that occurred approximately 4.0 ka BP were influenced by climate change and associated consequences, although the impacts differed on the various Neolithic cultures in the Yangtze River Valley. Local topography, regional climate, and varying survival strategies may have contributed to these differences. 4) Newly-published research pays particular attention to the sedimentary records of the past with resolutions as high as one year to several months, the degree to which humans altered the quality of their natural environment, and human adjustments to settlement and subsistence practices during periods of Holocene climate change. The application of technologies such as remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and molecular biological analysis are also gradually being extended into the research field of Holocene environmental archaeology in the Yangtze River Valley.

Dalla geografia storica all’archeologia del paesaggio e dell’ambiente. Una irrinunciabile eredità di Massimo Quaini

This contribution discusses the legacy of Massimo Quaini’s research in the field of postclassical rchaeology and, in particular, in the study of landscape and environment. Its active participation in the archaeological theoretical debate is highlighted through the analysis of his bibliography and experiences from the 70’s until his last works with the Territorialist Society and the Laboratory of Environmental Archaeology and History (LASA) of the University of Genoa.