The Gebelein Archaeological Project in 2019: Northern necropolis and the temple complex

Continued archaeological surveys at two sites in the Gebelein area, the Northern Necropolis and the temple complex, have contributed new data for a better understanding of the ancient remains. Geophysical anomalies detected in 2015 in the western part of the Northern Necropolis should now be interpreted most probably as tombs with mud-brick walls. Mounds of earth in the central part of the necropolis yielded numerous artifacts dating from between the Naqada I and the early Old Kingdom periods; they are likely to have been dumped from a nearby settlement site, probably the ancient town of Sumenu. Work in the temple complex was aimed at protecting the structure made of inscribed mud-bricks dating from the Twenty-first Dynasty.

Are Nemiana Palij and Beltanelliformis Menner (Beltanelloides (Sokolov)) synonyms or different genera?

During recent decades, the issue of the nature of Ediacaran cyclic imprints, including the widely distributed in Podillia (southwestern Ukraine) Nemiana simplex Palij, 1976, and the less common Beltanelliformis brunsae Menner, 1974 (Beltanelloides sorichevae (Sokolov), 1965) has been actively debated. Several new and similar forms were discovered in other regions of the Globe. The disk-like outlines were considered to be sufficient characters to synonymize several earlier recognized genera and species. The main additional features used to distinguish cyclic genera included such features as the shape and sculpture of surfaces, facial differences, and geological age. Novel palaeobiochemical studies of these ancient remains opened a new phase of discussions on the possible identities of the organisms that formed these fossil structures. Sometimes the remains are covered with thin brown films providing biochemical evidence for the cyanobacterial nature of some structures, for example Beltanelliformis brunsae. However, these films are found only in clayey or carbonate environments (rocks). For Nemiana Palij, characteristic features are clustered communities and budding. In contrast, Beltanelliformis brunsae formed taphonomic communities of closely arranged disks almost identical in their shape and size. Nemiana simplex structures are confined to clastic rocks (mostly thin-grained sandstones or siltstone), which are not suitable for good preservation of imprints and organic remains of ancient animals, cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. Considering these and some additional considerations, synonimization of Nemiana та Beltanelliformis, as well as some other Ediacaran fossil structures differing in their morphology, is at best premature.

Lonesome Sailing Ship - Reflections on the Rock-Carvings of Sweden and Their Interpreters

The study of rock-carvings has developed into a separate field of archaeology, often outside the general discourse. The number of works on the subject does not reflect the wide range of interpretations that could be expected. Rather than inspire, the pictorial world has restrained the interpretative discussion. During the first half of the 20th century the religious approach dominated, while the perspective of the 1970s and '80s focused mainly on mani festations of status. The 1990s marked a revival of interest in the ritual dimension of the rock-carvings. In this article it is argued that rock-carving interpretations ought to be integrated into the wider discourse, as well as into a local context of contemporaneous ancient remains. Another important task for future research is to study the meaning of the carving act, not only the significance of the images.

New Insights Into Mitochondrial DNA Reconstruction and Variant Detection in Ancient Samples

Ancient DNA (aDNA) studies are frequently focused on the analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is much more abundant than the nuclear genome, hence can be better retrieved from ancient remains. However, postmortem DNA damage and contamination make the data analysis difficult because of DNA fragmentation and nucleotide alterations. In this regard, the assessment of the heteroplasmic fraction in ancient mtDNA has always been considered an unachievable goal due to the complexity in distinguishing true endogenous variants from artifacts. We implemented and applied a computational pipeline for mtDNA analysis to a dataset of 30 ancient human samples from an Iron Age necropolis in Polizzello (Sicily, Italy). The pipeline includes several modules from well-established tools for aDNA analysis and a recently released variant caller, which was specifically conceived for mtDNA, applied for the first time to aDNA data. Through a fine-tuned filtering on variant allele sequencing features, we were able to accurately reconstruct nearly complete (>88%) mtDNA genome for almost all the analyzed samples (27 out of 30), depending on the degree of preservation and the sequencing throughput, and to get a reliable set of variants allowing haplogroup prediction. Additionally, we provide guidelines to deal with possible artifact sources, including nuclear mitochondrial sequence (NumtS) contamination, an often-neglected issue in ancient mtDNA surveys. Potential heteroplasmy levels were also estimated, although most variants were likely homoplasmic, and validated by data simulations, proving that new sequencing technologies and software are sensitive enough to detect partially mutated sites in ancient genomes and discriminate true variants from artifacts. A thorough functional annotation of detected and filtered mtDNA variants was also performed for a comprehensive evaluation of these ancient samples.

Bile acids and oxo-metabolites as markers of human faecal input in the ancient Pompeii ruins

Small organic molecules, lipids, proteins, and DNA fragments can remain stable over centuries. Powerful and sensitive chemical analysis can therefore be used to characterize ancient remains for classical archaeological studies. This bio-ecological dimension of archaeology can contribute knowledge about several aspects of ancient life, including social organization, daily habits, nutrition, and food storage. Faecal remains (i.e. coprolites) are particularly interesting in this regard, with scientists seeking to identify new faecal markers. Here, we report the analysis of faecal samples from modern-day humans and faecal samples from a discharge pit on the site of the ruins of ancient Pompeii. We propose that bile acids and their gut microbiota oxo-metabolites are the most specific steroid markers for detecting faecal inputs. This is due to their extreme chemical stability and their exclusive occurrence in vertebrate faeces, compared to other ubiquitous sterols and steroids.

The development of Cultural Tourism Route in 3 Southern Borders of Thailand to Support Muslim Travelers

The objectives of this study were to study 1. The needs of cultural tourism in 3 southern borders of Thailand 2. To create cultural tourism route in 3 southern borders of Thailand to support Muslim Indonesian Tourist 3. To evaluate Muslim Indonesian Tourist’s satisfaction of cultural tourism route in 3 southern borders of Thailand. Using Semi-structure interview a group of 6 people to find the need of traveling. Selected the cultural tourist attractions with the potential of Muslim Indonesian tourist’s need for establishing cultural tourism route in 3 southern borders of Thailand. Tourism activities on this route has been tested to analyze and evaluate the potential of the route. Measured tourists’ satisfaction by in-depth interview. The study result showed that most of Muslim Indonesian tourists wanted to visit 3 southern borders of Thailand for cultural reasons due to halal approachability, multi-cultural reasons, Culture and historical linked of their own and want to learn about Thai Muslim way of life. The formation of tourism route conducted by selecting cultural tourist attractions with the potential of Muslim Indonesian tourist’s need these include: religious place, ancient remains, local market, local museum and religious institution (Pondak). The evaluation of satisfaction showed that all 10 tourists satisfied with the route and suggested that primary facilities should be developed. Cultural tourism route should be systematically publicized. The result of this study will be the key information for all nations to use in their marketing to attract Muslim Indonesian and Muslim travelers around the world.

In Search of History

The first chapter explores how American intellectuals like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry James imagined ruins in terms of European culture, holding them to be the mark of distinction. America’s lack of such ruins was a sign of our cultural impoverishment. They, and photographers like William James Stillman, were deeply attracted to classical ruins. Meanwhile, American explorers were discovering ancient ruins in the United States—like the remains of the Mound Builders civilization—and the ancient remains of Mayan civilization in the Yucatan. The picturing of these ruins radically changed the sense of how old the American continent was. At the same time, these American ruins were perceived through the screen of Old World ruins, as early explorers saw them in relation to Egyptian pyramids. The romance of Mayan ruins has long remained a magnet even for avant-garde artists like Robert Smithson, who traveled to Yucatan to engage in the ancient New World.

Records of Dispossession: Archival Thinking and UNESCO's Nubian Campaign in Egypt and Sudan

This article discusses the creation of architectural and archaeological archives in newly independent Egypt and Sudan during the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, organized by UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). This initiative took place in the contiguous border regions of Egyptian and Sudanese Nubia from 1960 until 1980 in response to the building of the Aswan High Dam. Contingency in these archives demonstrates the necessity of acknowledging the (post-) colonial social and historical conditions in which they were produced. UNESCO's campaign sought to record ancient remains that would be submerged by the High Dam's floodwaters. During the campaign, UNESCO set up 'documentation centres' that helped codify what knowledge about Nubian architecture/archaeology might be archive-worthy, producing index cards dedicated to this purpose in Egypt (concentrating on monuments) and Sudan (centring on archaeological sites). This practice ‐ echoed by other organizations involved in the work ‐ was often purposefully forgetful of contemporary Nubia, whose material traces were also soon to be flooded. Nevertheless, such practices rendered visible other unauthorised histories of Nubia that subverted archival knowledge production: histories of local involvement with the campaign and now-submerged Nubian settlements. This article therefore argues that it is not only possible, but also ethically imperative, to repurpose the Nubian campaign's archives towards the acknowledgement of erased Nubian histories.

Cognitive Bias and Facial Depiction from Skeletal Remains

The human face is physically, psychologically, and socially significant, and facial appearance is crucial to social identity. Therefore, the facial depiction of people from the past is a useful tool for the social interpretation of archaeological remains. However, scientific assumptions surrounding the interpretation of ancient remains influence how the individual is depicted, and facial depictions can contribute to and perpetuate confirmation bias. The primary goals of facial depiction of people from the past are humanistic; re-socializing, and re-personifying, and these aims may create an environment where the interests of the museum visitor influence the level of realism presented in a facial depiction, even where there is little evidence to justify many facial details. Enhanced levels of realism have led to the depiction of character and personality through facial expression. Facial depictions will also influence popular notions of race and gender identity, and the application of contemporary gender and population characteristics to ancient populations may not be justifiable. Facial depiction practitioners should be aware of cognitive bias in their work and make all attempts to avoid the effects. Practitioners should be involved in the decision-making process around the presentation of these exhibits in museums or by the police. El rostro humano es fisica, psicologica y socialmente significativo y la apariencia facial es crucial para la identidad social. Por lo tanto, la representacion del rostro de personas del pasado es una herramienta util para la interpretacion social de los restos arqueologicos. Sin embargo, las presunciones que los cientificos toman entorno a la interpretacion de los restos antiguos influyen en como se representa al individuo, asi como las representaciones faciales pueden contribuir y perpetuar el sesgo de confirmacion. Los objetivos principales de la representacion facial de personas del pasado son humanistas; re-socializar y re-personificar. Estos objetivos pueden crear un entorno donde los intereses del visitante del museo influyen en el grado de realismo presentado en una representacion facial, incluso cuando las evidencias son pocas para justificar muchos detalles faciales. Los niveles mejorados de realismo han llevado a la representacion del personaje y la personalidad a traves de la expresion facial. Las representaciones faciales tambien influiran en las nociones populares de identidad de raza y genero, y la aplicacion de las caracteristicas contemporaneas de genero y poblacion a las poblaciones antiguas puede no ser justificable. Los profesionales que crean las representaciones faciales deben ser conscientes del sesgo cognitivo en su trabajo y hacer todo lo posible para evitar los efectos. Los profesionales deben participar en el proceso de toma de decisiones en torno a la presentacion de estas exhibiciones en museos o por la policia.