Prior to the nineteenth century, disability studies generated a diverse body of work, usually evoking potentially naive or blanketing generalizations about the positions of disabled people...Show morePrior to the nineteenth century, disability studies generated a diverse body of work, usually evoking potentially naive or blanketing generalizations about the positions of disabled people throughout history. To counter the prevailing narrative of disability as an individual medical illness or weakness, this thesis uses an approach that recognizes the diverse and complex character of disability as ingrained in culture and power relations. The skeletal collection of Middenbeemster (The Netherlands) was examined by using Tilley's (2021) 'The Bioarchaeology of Care Methodology’. Different skeletal indicators of disablement were examined to infer evidence of care. As a result, using this approach for three individuals, this thesis has qualitatively determined what this care likely involved in detail. The Index of Care has contributed to the development of plausible and possible narratives of their experiences. It revealed valuable information about identities, caregiver-recipient dynamics, and the Middenbeemster community within their context. The three individuals coped with a visible disability, and the community would know they coped with a disability just by looking at them. Nevertheless, each of them was buried like any other individual of the Middenbeemster community, without evidence of selection or segregation. During this post-medieval period, these disabled adults were cared for in the privacy of the home by close relatives. They were assigned a social identity with (untraditional) positions and modified or decreased tasks as required to accommodate them. With reduced self-sufficiency and mobility, their survival indicates the community's tolerance and understanding of disability to a certain extent and active care provision within small family groups. Carrying such demands required considerable commitment, organization, and flexibility. The fact that the disabled survived for years is evidence of the value of strong family ties, which were perhaps motivated by their faith, with prevailing ideals of almsgiving. Not every physically challenged person in Middenbeemster required special care; some, like Sara/0945, were clearly able to have quite normal lives and potentially contribute to the family's finances. In this respect, the research contributes to a deeper knowledge of past viewpoints, attitudes, and practices within the Dutch and Middenbeemster communities about health and disease.Show less
For decades, scholars studying the cultural influence of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations have relied on the concept of Egyptianisation. This approach created an oversimplified...Show moreFor decades, scholars studying the cultural influence of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations have relied on the concept of Egyptianisation. This approach created an oversimplified representation of cultural exchange in this context, portraying subjugated Nubian populations as passive receptors of Egyptian cultural elements. By considering indigenous agency, identity and local cultural practice, this research reevaluates this narrative, aiming to assess the impact of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations through an integral aspect of cultural expression, namely, food. Using an osteoarchaeological approach, Ancient Nile Valley diets were reconstructed by combining the analysis of caries, tooth wear and carbon and nitrogen isotope data, and were subsequently compared in an effort to identify patterns linked to colonising events. Including individuals from various spatial and temporal contexts, this diachronic study incorporated a skeletal sample consisting of Egyptian (Memphis and Qurneh), pre-colonial Nubian (Abu Fatima, Kerma) and colonial Nubian (Tombos, C-Group, Pharaonic and Shellal) individuals, amounting to a sample size of 845 individuals for dental analysis and 88 individuals for (collagen) isotope research. The results of this study reveal a complex image of dietary influence in Nubian colonial contexts, one whose intricacy refutes traditional expectations of inevitable acculturation in times of colonial occupation. Here, some individuals and groups seem to have chosen to adopt Egyptian dietary habits, showing a considerable degree of dietary acculturation (e.g. Pharaonic and Shellal), while other groups appear to have partly or completely maintained local dietary customs despite colonial interference (e.g. Tombos, C-Group). Furthermore, aside from individual and group choice, the adoption of Egyptian dietary habits by subjugated Nubian populations seems to have been influenced by factors such as location, timing and Egyptian imperial policy. This study stresses the complexity and variability of these colonial contexts, contributing to our knowledge of Nubian experiences of Egyptian colonisation. Moreover, it illustrates the potential of assessing the impact of colonialism on ancient populations through the study of food, a both continuous and culturally significant source of information.Show less
Oud-Leusden, near Amersfoort in the Netherlands, was the site of large-scale excavations in 1983 and 1984. Almost 40 years later, in 2021-2022, the excavation drawings of Oud-Leusden have been...Show moreOud-Leusden, near Amersfoort in the Netherlands, was the site of large-scale excavations in 1983 and 1984. Almost 40 years later, in 2021-2022, the excavation drawings of Oud-Leusden have been digitised and compiled into a GIS model containing all 45 trenches. This workflow is compared to other methods of analysing paper drawings, namely generating vector images or direct analysis of the paper maps. Nevertheless, GIS is decidedly the most advantageous method for this case study. This digital map therefore forms the basis of this research into Early and Central Medieval building ground plans of houses. Various GIS operations are used to uncover these Medieval structures from the trench drawings, which could then be further developed into technical drawings as defined by Theuws in 2014. In total, eight Medieval house structures were discovered, of which three could be elaborated as technical drawings. These drawings allowed for an in-depth analysis of their typology and construction. One structure (S34) showed strong similarities to type H2 of the South-Netherlands as defined by Huijbers (2014) and type Gasselte B of the North-Eastern Netherlands as defined by Waterbolk (2009). When also taking into account the accompanying finds, this would date the structure to between the mid-10th to 13th century. The second structure (S36) also bears a strong similarity to type Gasselte B and could be dated to between the 11th and 14th century. The third and last structure (S39) appeared to be resemble an intermediate type between Gasselte A and B, with a shape that conforms to type A and a size that conforms to type B. The date of construction is expected to be between the 10th and 13th century. From this typological comparison it can be concluded that the structures at Oud-Leusden show a strong similarity to those of the North-Eastern Netherlands, indicating a certain degree of cultural exchange. Lastly, a theory was proposed that suggests the roof-carrying uprights of one of the structures (S36) were set out using a rope between the outer uprights and intervals were measured on the rope using feet. By pulling the slackened line taut at these intervals a curved row was created, which forms the basis of the Medieval boat-shaped houses. By generating different measurement drawings that demonstrated regularities in the distances between the posts, evidence could be generated to support this theory.Show less
In 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be...Show moreIn 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be researched. It is important to pin-point the original locations of the blocks as this will enlarge our understanding of the church and because the location of the blocks could also assist in understanding the engraved symbols, which could be other than Christian in nature. The church and attached town maintained an autonomous Christian community while being controlled by multiple Islamic powers for at least six centuries. This raises questions relating to the presupposed tenuous Muslim-Christian relations in the region. The Levant and Middle East as a whole have long been described as historically unstable as a result of religious tension, but the existence of the church provides a counterargument against this notion. The pin-pointing of the location of the blocks has been done through 3D-analysis, in which the surface condition, the orientation and the curvature of the blocks were determined. The symbols have been analysed by method of 3D analysis and a literature study, focussing on early Christian symbolism. The research concludes that the blocks are divided into a more homogeneous group, the “true” blocks, and three miscellaneous blocks. The true blocks have similar dimensions and attributes. Analysis points to an elevated, semi-suspended original location within a straight wall, probably in the aisles or nave of the core basilica, which is the oldest part of the church. Another object displayed clear curvature and was determined to be part of an archway. The symbols on the blocks are without a doubt Christian in nature, but not all early Christian. The geometrical pattern have been determined to likely be decorative, instead of symbolic. Whereas the shell and the crosses hold symbolic meaning. Out of the three types of crosses, two are also linked to the Crusader period. This could provide evidence for the continued use of the church during the Abbasid, Fatimid and Ayyubid periods, an epoch of which still not much is known concerning Udhruh.Show less
This thesis will investigate a connection between liminality and magical figurines in the Greek world. It will try to gain a better understanding of ancient society and how they dealt with a...Show moreThis thesis will investigate a connection between liminality and magical figurines in the Greek world. It will try to gain a better understanding of ancient society and how they dealt with a concept such as liminality. By taking Hecate as an example, it investigates liminality in connection to magical dolls. In this research, we will be Hecate as an example since she is widely regarded as the goddess of magic/ghosts or liminality. I will try to solve this problem by first gaining a general understanding of magic, magical objects and the practitioners of these rituals. I will then use specific examples of magical figurines and data of all these figurines in Greek contexts and put them into this magical framework. I found that liminality has a clear connection to where the dolls were buried or placed. Most dolls were placed in places of liminality, such as graves, bodies of water, crossroads, or door openings. Liminality was also involved in why these dolls were created and buried. In most rituals, liminal beings such as ghosts and demons or even Hecate herself were invoked to carry out the invocations accompanying the doll, whether this was erotic, harmful or helpful. Liminality impacted how people deposited magical dolls and the ritual connected to them. Looking for similar links to curse tablets, to which magic figurines are closely related in function, and other magic items could be helpful in understanding artefacts and the impact concepts as liminality had on society. Further research should look into the connection between concepts such as liminality and look at their connection to artefacts such as magical dolls or curse tablets.Show less
Remote sensing is widely applied within archaeological prospection. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the potential of remote sensing techniques in discovering archaeological remains....Show moreRemote sensing is widely applied within archaeological prospection. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the potential of remote sensing techniques in discovering archaeological remains. However, remote sensing data is influenced by external factors, such as climate, vegetation and moisture content. Not every remote sensing application is sensitive to each variable and detected anomalies can vary significantly between datasets. The latest trend involves the integration of remote sensing data to limit the possibility that archaeological features remain uncovered. An assessment of these external factors can be used to apply more targeted research at potential archaeological sites. Current prospection methods occasionally deliver poor results and a better understanding of external factors could lead to a significant decrease in time and money. This research aims at constructing a consolidated overview of two aerial imagery and four geophysical prospection techniques, their applicability in archaeological prospection and the ideal conditions to collect their respective datasets. The different techniques, namely thermography, multi-spectral imagery, ground-penetrating radar, geomagnetic survey, electromagnetic induction survey and earth resistance survey, are subjected to a comparative approach executed in the opensource application QGIS. A large number of anomalies were discovered and the best results were obtained with groundpenetrating radar, geomagnetic survey and earth resistance survey. The aerial imagery did not produce many results, which can be attributed to environmental and vegetation circumstances. The results essentially correspond with the findings of previous fieldwalking surveys. Nevertheless, the remote sensing techniques provided interesting insights into feature distribution patterns and the location of structural remains. This thesis provides a framework to assess the possibilities and limitations of remote sensing within archaeological prospection and shows the potential of using an integrative approach. However, this assessment also illustrates the research gap between the theoretical and practical application of remote sensing techniques within the archaeological field.Show less
The Quina flaking system is a relatively new Middle Palaeolithic lithic technocomplex recognized and studied until now only in Southwestern France. It has been argued that this technology was...Show moreThe Quina flaking system is a relatively new Middle Palaeolithic lithic technocomplex recognized and studied until now only in Southwestern France. It has been argued that this technology was developed by Neanderthal groups to cope with the decreasing global temperatures and the environmental changes of the last glaciation. The Quina system, until now, is largely unattested in North Europe, where the glacial climate was more pronounced. Why is a technology evolved for the survival in cold environments absent in regions particularly affected by the glaciation? The presence of this technology in the Northern fringes of the Neanderthals’ ecological niche might shed light on the reasons behind Neanderthals’ technological behaviour. It might further provide important clues for a better understanding of whether the variability in the Middle Palaeolithic archaeological record derives from cultural diversity or functional/technical necessities or other factors. This research identifies, through quantitative and qualitative analyses, and comparative studies of lithic materials, the technological traces of unretouched flakes from the site of Colmont-Ponderosa (South Limburg, the Netherlands). This study confirms that at some point during the last glaciation, the Neanderthal groups were users of the Quina technology. The presence of this technology in the North and at such a distance (around seven-hundred kilometers) from the closest certain Quina sites might be the result of techno-cultural convergence. But it might also indicate the point of origin of this technology, which was later dispersed to the Sout, when the environment became too harsh, or it might indicate a dispersal from the South to the North. To confirm this hypothesis a re-evaluation of other Northern assemblages is necessary: if the Quina technology is present at Colmont-Ponderosa, it could be present elsewhere, overlooked because of the relative novelty of the Quina technocomplex.Show less
Following the discovery of the similarities between the Mesoamerican sites of Tula, Hidalgo and Chichén Itzá, Yucatan, in the late 1800’s, their connection has been the subject of extensive...Show moreFollowing the discovery of the similarities between the Mesoamerican sites of Tula, Hidalgo and Chichén Itzá, Yucatan, in the late 1800’s, their connection has been the subject of extensive academic debate. Recently, the Epiclassic centre of Tula Chico, the smaller plaza north of Tula Grande, has started to play a role in this discussion, most notably through the comparison of the sculpted reliefs recovered from the largely unexcavated structures. A lack of systematic description and interpretation of these elements, however, has resulted in the eye of the beholder problem. This research attempts to resolve this issue through the development of a clearly defined methodology based on earlier proposed models, adapted to fit a Mesoamerican narrative. After a brief overview of both sites and the proposed theories on their connection since the 1800’s, the proposed methodology was tested. Following Erwin Panofsky’s approach, while supplementing the required historical context with Lindsay Jones’ ritual architectural priorities, the methodology relies on the context where the sculpted relief was found, its iconographic description, and iconological interpretation. In testing, comparable images from Tula Chico and Chichén Itzá were meticulously evaluated to identify their function and meaning, after which comparison between them was possible. From this analysis, the possibility of contact between Tula Chico and Chichén Itzá can be suggested. The sites share sculptural elements with similar function that do not appear in Tula Grande. Additionally, the possibility of a warrior cult at Tula chico has become evident, mainly through the depiction of jaguars and eagles in its monumental architecture. More extensive research of Tula Chico’s structures is required to strengthen this interpretation, however. It is concluded that the proposed methodology is successful in its application to Mesoamerican contexts, and is capable of producing meaningful comparisons between sites that could benefit archaeological research going forward.Show less
The general focus of this thesis is the international exchange during the early Medieval period, with an emphasis on the relation between the Near East (eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Levant and...Show moreThe general focus of this thesis is the international exchange during the early Medieval period, with an emphasis on the relation between the Near East (eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Levant and Mesopotamia) and the south-eastern Netherlands. Since historical sources are scare the study relies on archaeological material. The bead assemblages of twenty sites are examined to provide an insight in the actual numbers and percentages of Near Eastern beads in the research area. These beads are recognized based on their production technique and raw material, which can be traced back to workshops/geographical sources in the Near East. The distribution patterns of these beads reflect the availability of Near Eastern beads, and thus the changes and continuity in exchange networks in which these beads circulated. The Near Eastern beads are evident throughout the complete research area, though they occur not in every site and their numbers differ significantly. The results of this study show a higher occurrence of Near Eastern beads before the seventh century, followed by a decline during the seventh century. The distribution patterns display a higher number of Near Eastern beads at the cemeteries near major rivers, especially in the vicinity of Nijmegen and Maastricht. The mainly seventh century sites of Noord-Brabant contain less Near Eastern beads. These observations suggest a change in the exchange network around the end of the sixth century. The cause of this remains subject of discussion. The increasing control on the rural population by the church, rising powerful families and a change in ideology associated with burial practices, are possible factors that decreased the accessibility of the Merovingian population to Near Eastern beads on a local scale. On an international scale the regression of the Byzantine Empire, which hold a primary position in the exchange network between north-western Europe and the Near East, combined with the power struggles around the Mediterranean Basin could very well have influenced the exchange connections with Europe. At the end of the seventh century, the Near Eastern beads have disappeared from the Dutch Merovingian grave context.Show less
Het doel van deze scriptie betreft het bijdragen van kennis over de aard van voorburchten in het graafschap Holland en Zeeland tussen het jaar 1000 en 1573. Dit is van belang omdat er weinig bekend...Show moreHet doel van deze scriptie betreft het bijdragen van kennis over de aard van voorburchten in het graafschap Holland en Zeeland tussen het jaar 1000 en 1573. Dit is van belang omdat er weinig bekend is over voorburchten aangezien er in beperkte mate relevante archeologische en historische bronnen beschikbaar zijn. Daarnaast betreffen voorburchten binnen onderzoek naar kastelen een onderbelicht aspect omdat de focus vaak ligt op de hoofdburcht. Onderzoek naar voorburchten is relevant aangezien het bijdraagt aan een vollediger en accurater beeld van de functie, bouw- en bewoningsgeschiedenis van kastelen in Nederland. Tijdens het onderzoek is er nagegaan of bepaalde eigenschappen van in totaal 7 voorburchten in verband konden worden gebracht met het type kasteel, de functie van het kasteel, de sociale status van de eigenaren en de operationele periode van de voor- en hoofdburcht. De resultaten van het onderzoek lagen gedeeltelijk in lijn de met het gedane onderzoek naar voorburchten door bouwhistoricus Taco Hermans. Zo werd de voorburcht gebruikt voor defensieve, agrarische, huishoudelijke, religieuze en woongerelateerde functies. Verder zijn de vorm en oppervlakte en de oriëntatie van de voorburcht ten opzichte van de hoofdburcht en de toegangsweg onderzocht.Show less
Climate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact...Show moreClimate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact, and extinction theories for the Neanderthals tend to lean in other directions. Despite this, the role of climate change in the Neanderthal extinction is not clear. Older research tended to be focused on global climate records that might not be representative of the smaller climate differences across highly geographically diverse continents. This research provides an overview of local palaeoenvironmental reconstructions for the period of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in research from 2015-2021 and focuses on the different proxies and climate factors, the stability of the climate, the scale of the research performed, and the perceived influence of climate change on local Neanderthal extinctions. These will be compared per major region (Iberian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula, and mid-latitude Europe) in order to determine if any patterns exist. The results show a diversity in the applied proxies and a general trend of deteriorating climate around the time of the Neanderthal extinction. The majority of the research concludes that climate change did not play a major role in the Neanderthal extinction. Despite this, there are some anomalous locations that do not agree with the general consensus this overview produced. Future research at these locations could provide information to nuance the current picture of climate change or corroborate the overall consensus.Show less
This thesis looks at the late Linearbandkeramik site of Herxheim, southern Germany, dated to c. 5300 – 4950 BCE. At the site, 15,552 bone fragments of c. 1350 individuals have been deposited in a...Show moreThis thesis looks at the late Linearbandkeramik site of Herxheim, southern Germany, dated to c. 5300 – 4950 BCE. At the site, 15,552 bone fragments of c. 1350 individuals have been deposited in a ring enclosure of overlapping pits. The heavily fragmented bone assemblage is interpreted as the remains of multiple human cannibalism episodes in a period of less than 50 years. Some researchers have interpreted the site as a peaceful funerary ritual. However, this thesis argues for the occurrence of cannibalism based on the osteological evidence. The fracturing of the long bones and marrow-rich elements, the underrepresentation of free vertebrae, the presence of cut marks that are consistent with faunal butchering techniques and other sites associated with cannibalism, as well as the presence of chew marks on hand and foot bones are given as indicators for cannibalism. Herxheim is interpreted as a combination of exocannibalism and ritual cannibalism. A postcolonial interpretation of a “civilized” Self as opposed to a “barbarous” Other can explain why cannibalism in archaeology remains controversial.Show less
