Decorated ceramics in Chontales, Nicaragua, have long stood within a research framework that centered their existence. However, up until the 1990s the biased approach to decorated ceramics...Show moreDecorated ceramics in Chontales, Nicaragua, have long stood within a research framework that centered their existence. However, up until the 1990s the biased approach to decorated ceramics emphasized macro-regional interaction without establishing a framework for local dynamics in Chontales. Without a local historical understanding, the ceramics solely became a part of a trend in narratives of cultural belonging and ethnic movement in Nicaraguan archaeology at large. As more recent approaches center on local human-environment interaction in the valley of Juigalpa, I have taken a similar approach in this thesis to reframe white slipped polychrome ceramics as a proxy for the regional exchange of ideas and finished goods. Here, I confirm the existence of (inter-)regional trade in finished goods in the form of white slipped polychrome ceramic vessels. Through a macroscopical and petrographic compositional approach, I analyze, and group 274 white slipped polychrome ceramics from the sites of Sabana Grande, Roberto Amador I and La Pachona. All three sites are in the valley of Juigalpa and have been dated to the period between 900 - 125o CE. Further interpretation through the criterion of abundance, communities and constellations of practice, and comparison to previous studies, allowed me to establish the presence of a local community of potters that produced white slipped polychrome ceramics in the valley of Juigalpa. This community is likely located within the Sabana Grande site cluster, and produced ceramics that make up about half of the white slipped polychrome ceramics recorded in the region. The ceramics are stylistically and compositionally most like the Pacific Nicaraguan Papagayo style. Non-local communities produced Vallejo, Pataky and Rivas-Ometepe complex polychrome styles that were traded into the valley of Juigalpa, inspiring the local potters and tying them into polychrome producing constellations.Show less
The Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Africa has been covered intensively in academic research due to its findings of the oldest Homo sapiens remains and the earliest evidence of symbolic behaviour....Show moreThe Middle Stone Age (MSA) of Africa has been covered intensively in academic research due to its findings of the oldest Homo sapiens remains and the earliest evidence of symbolic behaviour. However, how symbolism spread across Africa remains elusive. Research conducted by Mackay et al. (2014) on the MSA lithic assemblages of southernmost Africa attempted to find interaction patterns throughout the MSA. By looking for similarities and differences between lithic systems, they concluded that there were periods of increased interaction leading to homogeneity in the lithic systems and periods of fragmentation, having increased variability indicating fewer interactions across populations. Taking these results based on lithics, the research in this thesis will look for similar evidence in symbolic assemblages. Using symbolic assemblages of MSA sites in South Africa, the analysis will try and answer whether population interaction had a significant role in the intensity of symbolic behaviour. The six sites used are Blombos Cave, Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Klein Kliphuis, Klasies River Main, Klipdrift Shelter, and Sibudu Cave. Through literature research, the number of symbolic artefacts per site was collected and synthesized into a database. These symbolic artefacts are; ochre, engraved ochre, marine shell beads, and engraved ostrich eggshells. The database was then divided into the artefacts related to MIS 5, MIS 4, and MIS 3, which made it easier to compare the symbolic analysis with the lithic analysis by Mackay et al. (2014). The comparison concludes that there is increased intensity of symbolic behaviour in periods of coalescence. However, there remain instances of differences which should not be ignored. The limited number of MSA symbolic artefacts means that conclusions are made on fewer data points than conclusions based on the lithic archaeological record. Further research on symbolic behaviour within South Africa should help clear up the uncertainties regarding the spread of symbolic behaviour and interaction between MSA sites.Show less
Diet is integral to our existence and society. However, plant foods are often less well considered, despite their importance. Starch is a component of many plants, and studying starch grains and...Show moreDiet is integral to our existence and society. However, plant foods are often less well considered, despite their importance. Starch is a component of many plants, and studying starch grains and collecting them into a reference collection furthers our understanding of the use of plant foods throughout history. Starch grains in plants have the advantage of remaining in places where other, larger remains do not. Furthermore, starch grains also have their own characteristics and are taxon-specific, helping to more closely identify plants used for food. These identifications help us understand domestication processes of plants, and the diets and mobility patterns of humans. North America is a region of the world where plant food research is lacking; one bigger reference collection is known, though it is limited to one region of the United States. There is no known, accessible reference collection for starch grains for the entire region of North America. The main research question that was asked for this thesis revolved around the following: ‘how can starch grain analysis help us understand more about the use of plant foods between 1000 BCE and 1000 CE?’. Through the use of sub-questions examining North American diets, previous research surrounding starch grains, characteristics of starch to help identify them, and limitations of this type of research, a reference collection was built. This was done using a microscope to observe the chosen plants and note down any starch found and important characteristics of said starch grains. Of the 25 samples observed, 11 had starch. This implies that quite a large number of plants may be invisible through this method. These plants will need to be found in archaeological contexts through other methods. A further step for such research is to continue to build the reference collection, and broaden it to include more species, variants, and different parts of plants.Show less
The castle of Psachna on Euboea has been surveyed for the first time by the team of the Hinterland of Medieval Chalkida project (HMC project). Large amounts of ceramic material have been collected...Show moreThe castle of Psachna on Euboea has been surveyed for the first time by the team of the Hinterland of Medieval Chalkida project (HMC project). Large amounts of ceramic material have been collected by means of an intensive survey. Most of the material is of Late Byzantine origin, likely originating from the city of Chalcis, in that time known as Negroponte. The region featured a feudal system with similar castles functioning as feudal strongholds for local lords, which could potentially provide a motive for habitation at the time. Three main categories which exist within this dataset are mapped in GIS: Tiles, non-diagnostic, and diagnostic ceramics. A number of sub-categories resulting from the processing of the diagnostic sherds, such as tableware and amphorae sherds among others, are similarly mapped. GIS mapping and analysis of the collected ceramics is used for the first time on the data, to gain an understanding of the distribution and to identify potential patterns in the pottery dispersal. The type of GIS maps constructed are thematic maps. Within said maps, values are translated into color codes which correspond to certain coded categories. These are designed to represent groupings of grid squares with similar weight values. Behind the implementation of the groupings lies the reasoning that reducing the number of total categories leads to reduced visual clutter on the maps, caused by less color values being displayed. Additionally, the analytical potential is expanded upon by making the maps more convenient. From the maps arises an image of the distribution of the ceramic material following a certain pattern. The southern/eastern band of the plateau features a high concentration of ceramic sherds, small in size. Here, certain areas feature a dense concentration of material which is true for every category of material. The northwestern part of the plateau features few sherds which are substantially larger. By calculating the average weight of ceramic sherds per area, a potential pattern of erosion can be seen. Smaller sherds are carried down the slope and accumulate in large numbers. Larger fragments are caught behind debris and remain there. Further research into the soil structure could help to further understand this pattern.Show less
During the past decade, the Syrian civil war has put a halt to almost all archaeological research in Syria. But the sites, and the people who take care of them, remain. Within North-East Syria,...Show moreDuring the past decade, the Syrian civil war has put a halt to almost all archaeological research in Syria. But the sites, and the people who take care of them, remain. Within North-East Syria, archaeologists are left to pick up the pieces from what has turned into one of the 21st century’s longest conflicts to date. Simultaneously, a political revolution, partly driven by a left-wing anti-state ideology known as Democratic Confederalism, has taken hold of the region. A radical revision of all previous government structures occurred, including heritage organisations. In this thesis, the way these structures operate and the history that gave way to them is investigated through the use of interviews with relevant participants. By placing this in the broader context of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the Syrian Civil War, we can uncover the until- now unreported efforts to revive Syria’s archaeological scene on the ground. Motivated by a new political paradigm and the experiences of decades of marginalisation, North-East Syria’s new heritage and archaeology institutions have put in a tremendous effort to save the troubled region’s antiquities. At the same time, the progressive political outlook of this autonomous region also permeates it’s heritage institutions, with decentralised democracy, gender parity and multiculturalism being key features of their organisations.Show less
The evolutionary, dietary mismatch theory argues that our ancient, genetically controlled biology does not match with our current dietary intake. Two boundaries are drawn which presumably caused...Show moreThe evolutionary, dietary mismatch theory argues that our ancient, genetically controlled biology does not match with our current dietary intake. Two boundaries are drawn which presumably caused this. First, the adaptation of agriculture and second the industrialization of it. In order to conclude anything regarding the link between our current mental- and physical health and the modern-day diet, a better understanding of these past changes is needed. Since, there is no ‘one agricultural diet’, the diets of three agricultural sites were reconstructed and compared: the Neolithic site of Schipluiden (ca. 3630 to 3380 BC), the Medieval site of Leiden Aalsmarkt (ca. 1125-1862) and the modern diet based upon the 2012-2016 RIVM food survey. These were reconstructed using the concrete data of botanical- and zooarchaeological evidence, and stable isotope analyses. Secondly, the abstract factors that influences our daily food choices were considered. These factors are complex, interconnected, personal and situational and can be subdivided into the macro-, physical-, and social surroundings, and individual choices. The three researched diets showed differences. First, the reduction of food sources used, arguably caused by our biological neophilia, while being neophobic. Second the source of animal protein, with a decrease of fish, and increase of bird consumption. Furthermore, the average Dutch person only consumes the recommended amount of dairy. While for the past diets much remains inconclusive, more requirements seemed to have been met. Because many unhealthy food items, of which current consumptions need to be limited, did not exist in the past. The second showed that the factors that influence our food choices have not changed much, but what they entail, and their level of importance has. This can create mismatches, such as the creation of an obesity promoting environment, due to our biological need to search for high energy dense foods and the current availability of many cheap, unhealthy but energy rich foods. It furthermore shows that an accurate reconstruction of resources used, still will not show the entire diet. The many options in food choices and cuisine, is an indispensable aspect of the human diet in the past, and present.Show less
With social media becoming an integral part of the average person’s life, this paper explores how social media can be used to share knowledge about archeology and actively involve the public in...Show moreWith social media becoming an integral part of the average person’s life, this paper explores how social media can be used to share knowledge about archeology and actively involve the public in discussions about the practice and research. The study finds Instagram to be a useful platform for engaging in science communication because of specific features that create a space for professionalism and personalization from the creator, as well as a space that encourages discussion between the creator and the community they can establish. The study examines why science communication and outreach within archeology is important and how it can also benefit new research practices within the field. It then examines case studies of successful social media campaigns started by archeologists that yielded positive public involvement. Through interviews and surveys, the study then sheds light on efforts currently being made by both Oxford and Leiden University archeology departments to engage in science communication through their Instagram platforms and proposes a different strategy to engage the general public outside the world of academics based on the framework established through the case studies. The study concludes that the current Instagram pages of both universities aren’t prioritizing engaging the general public through their Instagram pages mainly because there is a lack of time and resources and knowledge about how to effectively use the platform to its fullest potential. A suggested strategy is stated in the conclusion on how to solve the current problems and create a space for public engagement.Show less
The Belitung Shipwreck, discovered off the coast of Belitung in 1998, sheds light on the complexities of trade and cultural integration during this era. The artefacts recovered from the shipwreck...Show moreThe Belitung Shipwreck, discovered off the coast of Belitung in 1998, sheds light on the complexities of trade and cultural integration during this era. The artefacts recovered from the shipwreck provide valuable insights into the diverse trade relationships and the fusion of cultural elements within the Indian Ocean region. However, the salvage operation for the shipwreck faced numerous challenges, including the preservation and storage of the vast array of artefacts. Limited experience and resources posed difficulties in maintaining the integrity of the findings. Regrettably, the historical value of the site suffered further damage due to unregulated visits by local divers, emphasising the importance of responsible preservation and conservation efforts. During the 9th century CE, when the Belitung Shipwreck was active, the Tang dynasty in China experienced a period of robust trade facilitated by an extensive canal system that connected major cities and ports. One significant hub for Western merchants was Guangzhou, which served as a crucial gateway for trade. Ceramics emerged as a prominent Chinese export, while silk, although a primary commodity, had limited evidence of its role in maritime trade during this period. Srivijaya, a powerful maritime kingdom located in present-day Indonesia, emerged as a prominent trade centre during the 9th century CE. It imported substantial quantities of Chinese ceramics, which were highly sought after in the region. Additionally, Srivijaya attracted pilgrims, particularly from China, who travelled to the kingdom for religious purposes, further facilitating cultural exchange. The Abbasid Dynasty, with its capital in Baghdad, played a vital role in the trade networks of the time. Ports such as Basrah, Al-Ubullah, and Siraf served as crucial hubs for sea trading, connecting the Arabian Peninsula to various destinations across the Indian Ocean region. These ports were bustling centres of commerce, where goods from China, India, and other regions were exchanged. This thesis aims to explore the cultural fusion observed in trade objects from the Belitung Shipwreck, focusing on the convergence of various cultural elements of the above-mentioned empires. Fusion artefacts, arising from exchanges between different societies, embody this blending of cultural elements, including production centre locations, materials used, and decorations. Through the research of these objects, a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of cultures and the reciprocal influences that shaped trade and cultural exchange in the Indian Ocean region can be achieved.Show less
Xinjiang is a region that functions as the heart of the ancient Silk Roads, but it finds itself in a state of in-betweenness. Judging from historical research and archaeological evidence, many...Show moreXinjiang is a region that functions as the heart of the ancient Silk Roads, but it finds itself in a state of in-betweenness. Judging from historical research and archaeological evidence, many outside influences and different peoples have affected Xinjiang from the second century B.C.E. to the thirteenth century C.E., and evidence of the presence of three relatively lesser-known religions appears in a spatial pattern along the different Silk Road routes. This thesis discusses these influences, the three religions, and the concepts of spatiality and in- betweenness, and through this lens, approaches the functioning of this turbulent region in the ancient Silk Roads era.Show less
This research focusses on the land use of Neanderthals during the middle palaeolithic in Northern-Europe. The area of focus for this research lies on the site of Colmont, located in the south of...Show moreThis research focusses on the land use of Neanderthals during the middle palaeolithic in Northern-Europe. The area of focus for this research lies on the site of Colmont, located in the south of the province Limburg in the Netherlands. Surrounded by other sites, such as the Maastricht-Belvédère sites, this site can provide new insights on the land use of Neanderthals, based on the lithics found here. The lithics used in this paper were not found in an excavation, like those used in other research on the subject, these lithics are classified as surface finds. These lithics only came to the surface when the layer of soil on top of it slowly eroded away, leaving the artefacts on the surface, where it could be collected. Even though these lithics lack the in-situ context and information that are known and used in other research, it might give us more insights into the behaviour of Neanderthals. The procurement, production and maintenance of the lithic tools will be main focus of this research, trying to answer the question of what the land use of the Neanderthals in the area included. This will be done by categorizing the found flint into the typology as explained by Bourguignon. This is done to try to answer questions about present types, prominent activities and the function of the site itself. The results show that there is one prominent activity at this site. The recycling found here exist at a high rate, whereas at other sites in Europe it is present at a far smaller scale. Other sites are looked at to try to explain the differences and similarities between the assemblages, and what this might mean. The recycling might be explained by the lack of raw materials, other reasons also exist to explain it. The costs of recycling versus the costs of the raw material might be an important factor to explain this behaviour.Show less
This paper examines the factors that may potentially influence a specific selection of animal in the slate plaquettes of the Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf in the German Rhineland. Georges Sauvet...Show moreThis paper examines the factors that may potentially influence a specific selection of animal in the slate plaquettes of the Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf in the German Rhineland. Georges Sauvet identifies the dominance of the horse in Magdalenian parietal art within the Franco-Cantabrian region, and the associated animistic implications. The goal of my research was to observe if the same dominance was observable outside this region. The characteristics Sauvet defined as making a representation ‘prominent’ were modified for Gönnersdorf for the purpose of making a comparison. Prominent plaquettes were reviewed on a case-by-case basis. It was found that the Gönnersdorf assemblage did not bear close similarities to Sauvet’s conclusions, nor did they align with a specific animistic ontology. It is suggested that the prominence of the horse at Gönnersdorf is most visible in terms of the frequency of depiction, and the formal exemplarity of individual representations. The results indicated two potential alternate functions for the plaquettes: their use as a storytelling medium, and as a communicative aid for culturally separate hunter-gatherer groups aggregating at the site. It was stressed that these two functions may not only be related, but serve a dual purpose.Show less
Roman Italy was the core of the Roman Empire during the Imperial period. Many Roman Italian cities were politically and socioeconomically influenced by the Roman rule that radiated from its capitol...Show moreRoman Italy was the core of the Roman Empire during the Imperial period. Many Roman Italian cities were politically and socioeconomically influenced by the Roman rule that radiated from its capitol. The outdated concept of ‘Romanization’ caused historians to believe the Roman rule came with a pure Roman culture that was imposed on conquered territories. However, more recently it has been suggested that this ‘Roman culture’ was not as uniform, but was an ongoing interaction between the cultures of indigenous peoples and Roman influences. One important aspect of culture is diet: the foods that people ate on a day to day basis. The diets of individual Roman Italian cities have been researched in the past. It is however unclear whether the diets in these cities were uniform, or more dependent on regional factors. This thesis aims to study the diet in three Imperial Roman Italian cities and compare them to each other. The inhabitants’ diets can be studied by looking at the ratios of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes extracted from bone from human burials. Stable carbon isotopes can give insight in the types of plants that were eaten, while stable nitrogen isotopes can show the amount of animal products and seafood that was consumed. The isotopic data from the three cities was retrieved from the IsoArch database. Statistical analyses were performed to see if any differences within and between the cities were present. These analyses showed that in the Pompeii sample, there was a significant difference in marine food consumption between the sexes, possibly caused by a difference in gender roles. Between the cities, there were differences in the types of plants that were consumed, showing that perhaps Roman suburban citizens more often dealt with food shortages. In addition to that, the Ostia sample showed a significantly higher seafood consumption than the other two cities, which can be attributed to its location at the coast and the large trading harbour nearby. These results make us believe that the diet in Roman Italian cities was not as uniform, and not necessarily ruled by influences from the Roman rule.Show less
Extensive research has been conducted into cumulative culture; however, whether its evolutionary origins leans more toward learned social or individual cognitive abilities remains contested. The...Show moreExtensive research has been conducted into cumulative culture; however, whether its evolutionary origins leans more toward learned social or individual cognitive abilities remains contested. The aim of this thesis is to further the process of identifying the relation between social and individual cognitive abilities during the emergence of cumulative culture within human evolution. More specifically, at the Lower Palaeolithic site of Dmanisi, Georgia (approximately 1.8 mya), where the earliest Homo remains were discovered outside Africa. This is attempted by means of the stepwise framework developed by Stout et al. (2019). Here, its use is aimed at differentiating variation in learning mechanisms within the Oldowan lithic assemblages found at Dmanisi. The results of the lithic analysis failed to provide evidence for behaviour copying due to limitations in available data. This results in two possible scenarios that may explain the patterns seen in the assemblage. (1) The Hominins at Dmanisi may have continuously reinvented lithic technologies lacking the ability to retain specific behaviours in the population over large periods of time. There is a high degree of variability in behaviour copying across the spatiotemporal dimension during the Lowerpalaeolithic. (2) The Hominins at Dmanisi did possess the cognitive abilities for behaviour copying. This would suggest the technological tendencies in the lithic analysis are indicative of a more uniform emergence of cumulative culture. Finally, suggestions are provided to investigate the presence of behaviour copying at Dmanisi with higher accuracy.Show less
This paper aims to study the literature surrounding Cypriot Chalcolithic cruciform anthropomorphic figurines and their gendered identity. Within academia, we see issues arising from gendering of...Show moreThis paper aims to study the literature surrounding Cypriot Chalcolithic cruciform anthropomorphic figurines and their gendered identity. Within academia, we see issues arising from gendering of ancient bodies with modern views – creating cross-wired hypotheses on gender manifestation in prehistoric art. Concentrating on the Chalcolithic cruciform figurines, words patterns and trends will be analysed to gain a better understanding of how gendering ancient identities with modern biases is chronicled within a range of selected literature from the 1930s to the current day.Show less
During the Chalcolithic period (ca. 4000 – 2400 BCE) Cyprus was home to several highly distinctive styles of anthropomorphic figurines. These figurines were produced using clay and different types...Show moreDuring the Chalcolithic period (ca. 4000 – 2400 BCE) Cyprus was home to several highly distinctive styles of anthropomorphic figurines. These figurines were produced using clay and different types of stone. Picrolite, was the most common type of stone used for figurines. The figurines feature carved or painted figurative elements which are thought to represent concepts such as dress, hairdo, jewelry, tattoos, and body paint. There is no way to study the dress, hairdo, tattoos, and body paint worn by the Chalcolithic inhabitants of Cyprus directly. As such, these concepts can be studied within the confines of figurine studies, not necessarily in relation with the dress of the Chalcolithic population of Cyprus. In order to analyze the relationship between carved and painted figurative elements on picrolite and ceramic figurines and Chalcolithic bodies and their dress, jewelry, tattoos, or face and body painting, the following research question was established: “Do painted and carved elements on pottery and picrolite figurines from Chalcolithic Cyprus represent dress, hairdo, jewelry, tattoos, and body paint?” To answer this question, a database was established, using Winkelmann’s (2020) extensive catalog of Cypriot figurines, as well as the catalog of the Souskiou Project (Peltenburg et al., 2019). All painted and carved figurative elements, as well as their locations on the figurines were entered in the database. The figurative elements were analyzed and compared using charts and tables and results were compared with previous works on the topic. This thesis illustrates that certain figurative elements, such as hair and decoration on the neck, occur on both ceramic and picrolite figurines. However, their occurrence rates may differ between ceramic and picrolite. Most figurative elements occur in standard locations on the body, suggesting these elements represent concepts in relation to this location (e.g., tassels, clothing, and body paint). While many suggest ceramic and picrolite figurines represent the same concept, figurative elements rarely overlap between the two materials. Certain figurative elements appear to correspond to body adornments known from the archaeological record, while some painted figurative elements resemble common RW ware motifs, suggesting a purely decorative function. It is very likely that painted and carved figurative elements represent dress, hairdo, jewelry, tattoos, and body paint.Show less
The management of underwater cultural heritage is complex. Similarly, is climate change. This thesis explores the impacts of climate change on the management of underwater cultural heritage. As...Show moreThe management of underwater cultural heritage is complex. Similarly, is climate change. This thesis explores the impacts of climate change on the management of underwater cultural heritage. As global temperatures rise, sea levels increase, and the oceans become more acidic underwater cultural heritage sites will be at risk. This research investigates how climate change is affecting underwater cultural heritage management while corresponding illustrating the most recent developments in projects and policies regarding underwater cultural heritage.Show less
