The focus of this study is to assess sexual dimorphism of non-metric and metric characteristics of the mandible of a Dutch post Medieval rural population from the Middenbeemster polder in the...Show moreThe focus of this study is to assess sexual dimorphism of non-metric and metric characteristics of the mandible of a Dutch post Medieval rural population from the Middenbeemster polder in the province of Noord Holland in the Netherlands. The mandible is not seen as a reliable feature for sex estimation in research on Dutch Medieval populations based on non-metric traits. Studies on populations around the world show that the mandible is a reliable tool for estimating sex, provided that metric measurements of the mandible are used. This study focuses on the re-evaluation of the mandible as a reliable tool for sex estimation by studying both non-metric and metric sexual dimorphism of the mandible in a Dutch population. The development of a technique that reliably estimates mandibular sex in Dutch medieval populations would be a great contribution to the field of bioarchaeology. Sex estimation is paramount for the reconstruction of demographic structures of past societies. In this thesis sexual dimorphism based on both non-metric and metric is assessed. 90 samples from the Middenbeemster with known sex are used for measurement and observations. This sample consists of 40 females and 50 males. The non-metric scores are compared to known sex to assess reliability. The metric measurements are analysed using binary logistic regression and tree modelling to assess if the specific measurements are reliable in estimating sex of an unknown individual. The overall accuracy of the non-metric sex estimation is very low and therefore not reliable for further use. The metric measurements have a higher reliability rate, especially the bigonial breadth and the mean of the maximum ramus height. With the use of these two measurements a cross validated classification accuracy of 80.2 percent can be achieved. In conclusion, after re-evaluating the mandible it appears that the mandible can be used with high accuracy in sex estimation in the Dutch population of Middenbeemster and maybe in other North Western European populations from the post Medieval time period, which has to be assessed by future research.Show less
Archaeological material dating to the Bronze Age (BA) suggest that violence was a reoccurring phenomenon in the period. This evidence includes the amass deposition in hoards of the newly emerged...Show moreArchaeological material dating to the Bronze Age (BA) suggest that violence was a reoccurring phenomenon in the period. This evidence includes the amass deposition in hoards of the newly emerged bronze weapons. Brück and Fontijn (2013) have explained this deposition as reflecting the end of the life-path of bronze objects. They assume that object during the BA were imbued with power and meaning through the actions done with the object, i.e. its life-history. Through the interaction between objects and individuals, the social fabric of the BA was formed. This model explains the selective depositions of bronze objects, but it does not delineate why precisely weapons were deposited. While weapons have a clear social context where they could have derived meaning and power from, in the form of combat. Therefore, within this thesis the intended combative use of bronze weapons is explored, in particular bronze spears, in order to examine if a specif type of combat could have imbued bronze weapons with meaning. One of the martial contexts were bronze spears could have been used in is formalised combats. These are combats fought with highly specific norms, called combat capital, for a large array of socio-political and -cultural reasons, named societal capital. Formalised fights act as a safe and controlled manner of violence expression in society. The highly specific combat capital with which the fights are fought, manifest itself in various combat styles that can be linked to a weapon design. The two primary combat styles are binding, whereby contact between the weapons of two fighters is continuously maintained to feel the actions of an opponent, and striking, whereby hitting an opponents weapon is used as the manner for gaining control. Binding is more associated with formalised combat, due to necessity of only combating one opponent, while striking combat can be used in all types of combat. In order to examine for which combat style bronze spears were intended for, a weapons design analysis (WDA) method was used. This method analysis weapons according to five elements, to form a framework of limitations wherein the weapon could have been used. This WDA relies on a different epistemic dimension than conscious deliberation. A knowledge dimensions that is largely unconscious and comes to individuals as feelings and sensations. The WDA thus must be performed by expert-users, that pose a minimum level of skill, i.e. knowledge, in this unconscious dimensions. A WDA, composing of four phenomenological archaeological experiments, was performed by two expert users on two replica bronze spears to gain insight into the combative use of BA spears in general. This WDA concluded, especially based on damage sustained by the spears during the experiments, that bronze spears were probably primarily intended for formalised fights, but with the potential to be used for other martial contexts. Other weapons, however, were probably more optimised 122 for these other types of fights. These formalised fights could have been one of the events wherein the social fabric of Bronze Age society was negotiated, and weapon could procure their power and meaning from.Show less
Osteoarthritis is a multifactorial and one of the most common diseases to be found in human bones and has a long history of research in medical as well as in archaeological studies. A number of...Show moreOsteoarthritis is a multifactorial and one of the most common diseases to be found in human bones and has a long history of research in medical as well as in archaeological studies. A number of variables have been suggested as risk factors, some of which are nutrition, hormones, diseases, age, sex, bone density, and body size. In particular body size either tested as an entity or as stature, body mass and bone robusticity separately has been suggested to be associated with the prevalence of the disease in the joints. Since body size is considered a risk factor for osteoarthritis, it was decided to test its relation to the disease in a sample from a Nubian site called Tombos. The sample consisted of 32 complete burials and a number of 373 individually bones coming from a commingled context. Osteoarthritis was recorded out of 12 joint surfaces and was separated into three categories which represented the three different types of osteoarthritic changes (lipping, porosity, eburnation). The rates of osteoarthritis were particularly low and almost no severe manifestation of development was recorded. The most prominent osteoarthritic change to be found was the lipping. Correlations for testing the relationship between osteoarthritis and body size were conducted with the help of statistical tests from the SPSS program. For the tests only the joints of the lower limbs were selected as the aim was to test the weight bearing joints. Stress in these joints is related with body size and as hypothesized, with osteoarthritis, considering that mechanical stress towards a joint can lead to development of the disease. In contrast with our speculation, body size did not correlate with any osteoarthritic change and in any of the joints except for the acetabulum one. Significant correlation presented in the acetabulum only with lipping. Porosity displayed negative and insignificant correlations with body size in all of the joints. The same was recorded as well in the femurs from the commingled context. This outcome implies an association of small-size individuals with prevalence of porosity in the joints. However with such low significant values no certain statement can be given. The same holds true for the positive correlation showed with lipping. What is important to mention is that in this research it was observed that the different types of osteoarthritis correlate differently with each variable and thus indicate independence in their occurrence.Show less
Norias have been among the most important water lifters in the pre-industrialised Mediterranean basin. From their early appearance during the Hellenistic Age (3rd -1st century BC) until the 20th...Show moreNorias have been among the most important water lifters in the pre-industrialised Mediterranean basin. From their early appearance during the Hellenistic Age (3rd -1st century BC) until the 20th century, norias have played a crucial role in granting a more effective exploitation of water resources. The relevance of these devices is well reflected in the academic literature. Nevertheless, the fragmentation of the research in different regions and the lack of the device definitions still prevent a clear noria terminology to be available. Starting from these premises, this research will propose a new approach to describe noria devices. A new noria classification will be applied to the medieval site of Ta’as (Northern Syria). The noria vase fragments from the Syrian site will be studied and compared with similar artifacts. Climatic studies and archaeozoological evaluations will highlight how chain norias were probably used in the area of study.Show less
In this thesis, the potential of archaeological predictive modelling within England’s Archaeological Heritage Management (AHM) system is assessed through the case study of Roman-age Hertfordshire,...Show moreIn this thesis, the potential of archaeological predictive modelling within England’s Archaeological Heritage Management (AHM) system is assessed through the case study of Roman-age Hertfordshire, in south-east England. The case study involves the creation of an archaeological predictive model from the bottom-up, using only open-access data. An assessment is also made on the quality of the open-access digital infrastructure within England, as well as on the knowledge that can be gained from the creation and product of the model. A detailed description of the collected data provides information about the environment (elevation, soil, geology, hydrogeology and river system), the social aspects of the landscape (Roman road network and towns) in addition to the modern-day factors which impact planning permissions (land-use, modern roads, protected areas and scheduled monuments). The quality of the environmental data is evaluated for its applicability to the Roman landscape in Hertfordshire. Archaeological site data (n = 4358), provided by the Archaeological Data Service (ADS), is categorised into site types (settlements, economic, ritual, military, water sources and miscellaneous). The representability of the archaeological data is evaluated for potential observational biases. The Roman Hertfordshire predictive model is created using deductive techniques (weighted multi-criteria analysis) and an inductive technique (site density). The final product predicts five areas of archaeological potential within Roman Hertfordshire, ranging from ‘Very High’ to ‘Very Low’. The model is evaluated for its predictive abilities by an unused testing sample of archaeological sites. The accuracy and precision of the model’s predictions are tested using Kvamme’s Gain equation, producing a high-yielding score of 0.72. The applications of the Roman Hertfordshire predictive model are discussed in the context of its uses within the modern development process. Proximity-based analysis of the different site types is explored in regards to water sources, Roman roads and Verulamium (St. Albans). The elevation of different site types are also analysed.Show less
This thesis takes a look at a specific cooking ware vessel found during the survey campaigns of the Colonial Landscape Project; the baking cover. The function of this vessel was to prepare food...Show moreThis thesis takes a look at a specific cooking ware vessel found during the survey campaigns of the Colonial Landscape Project; the baking cover. The function of this vessel was to prepare food underneath. It starts with the framework as given by Cubberley et al. (1988), in which they relate differences in flange sizes to different time periods. Afterwards, it gives a reference collection with samples of baking covers found at different sites located in Central Italy. With these two starting points, it will analyse the baking covers found during the survey campaigns of the Colonial Landscape Project based on typology, sizes and decorations. At the end, a catalogue will be provided in which both collections, from the Central Italian reference collection and from the Colonial Landscape Project, are included which could be used as a reference collection when classifying and dating baking cover fragments and/or vessels.Show less
In this thesis the theme of the diffusion of the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis from Egypt across the Mediterranean world is treated, by investigating some of the approaches that have been...Show moreIn this thesis the theme of the diffusion of the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis from Egypt across the Mediterranean world is treated, by investigating some of the approaches that have been employed by Bommas, Woolf, Bricault, and Versluys in their analysis of the theme; and by examining the features of the Temple of Isis of Philae, the Temple of Isis at the Campus Martius in Rome, and the Temple of Isis at Pompeii. While the Temple of Isis at Philae mostly features architectural elements that are typical of indigenous Egyptian temples, the Italian Iseums of Pompeii and of the Campus Martius feature elements meant to evoke the Egyptian environment and elements of the cult of Isis that are represented in a Graeco-Roman fashion. After comparing the different characteristics of these structures, it emerges that the element that can be found in Egyptian temples of Isis (or in at least, the one at Philae) that persisted in the Temples of Isis when these were built in Italy, was the Nilometer, which was featured at the Temple of Isis at Pompeii, although it is not possible to know with certainty if this was featured in the Iseum Campense by looking at the archaeological evidence. In any case, many conducts for water were found in the latter structure, which could have been likely linked to the presence of a Nilometer or of other elements connected to water, and this would underline the persistence of at least the importance of the presence of water in the concept of the Iseum, and thus likely also in the practice of the cult. However, It has to be underlined that in the case of Philae, the Nilometer was with most probability used in connection to the presence of the river Nile in the vicinity of the structure, while in Italic temples this would have been an element related to the ritual of the cult. Other Egyptian-izing features, such as the dromos of the Iseum Campense, and the purgatorium of the Temple of Isis at Pompeii, were not present at the Temple of Isis at Philae, thus probably being features meant to evoke the concept of Egypt in general more than reflecting the characteristics of Egyptian Iseums. Therefore, it is possible to assume that the almost-total refashioning of the concept of the Iseum when this kind of structure was built in at least Rome and Pompeii might be a reflection of the refashioning of the cult that took place after it diffused out of Egypt.Show less
This research focuses on the use of 7th/6th century BC bucchero incense burners from the Po Valley (Italy). It is aimed at understanding the plant based material possibly utilised in the vessels by...Show moreThis research focuses on the use of 7th/6th century BC bucchero incense burners from the Po Valley (Italy). It is aimed at understanding the plant based material possibly utilised in the vessels by creating an experimental pilot-study. Bucchero incense burners, recovered from five sites in northern Italy, have not yet been subject to any archaeological analysis besides typological classification. Most of these excavations have no or inaccessible records on organic material regarding the vessels, which was common in Italian excavations prior to 1980s. To fill this gap, this work applies an interdisciplinary methodology including experimental archaeology, organic material analysis and ethnobotany. The experimental part consisted of manufacturing the vessels and conducting experiments using plants which were most likely available in the 1st millennium within the Po Valley. In total, four plants were used: Juniperus communis, Betula pendula, Pinus nigra and Cichorium intybus. Such material was thermally treated in burnished and not burnished vessels in two ways: Indirect thermal treatment inside the vessels’ body and stand. Smoke development was observed and optically measured. The organic residues left in the experimental vessels were collected for future archaeobotanical and anthracological analysis. The ethnobotany in combination with the experimental observations serves as an interlacing agent, bringing the results and interpretations together in the attempt to reconstruct the use of these artefacts and more importantly, their significance to the societies that have produced and utilised them. The central research question addressed in this work is the following: How does experimental archaeology in combination with archaeo- and ethnobotanical analysis contribute to our understanding of the bucchero incense burners produced in the Po Valley between the 7th and 6th century BC? To answer the core question, this research provides an overview of the communities inhabiting the Po Valley and their interaction with their neighbours; moreover it focuses on the environmental reconstruction of the area in order to assess the availability of different plants possibly used in association with these vessels, thus reinforcing the choices made when applying ethnobotanical analyses to the experimentally replicated incense burners. Considering that this is a pilot study investigating botanical material in relation to this type of vessels, special attention is paid to future possibilities in terms of experimentation, error corrections, possible comparisons to other similar vessels and alternations in experimental frameworks in the discussion section of this work.Show less
The aim of the present research is to examine sugar cane production centers in medieval Cyprus with an in-depth exploration of the technology employed in sugar production including a comparison...Show moreThe aim of the present research is to examine sugar cane production centers in medieval Cyprus with an in-depth exploration of the technology employed in sugar production including a comparison with other production sites around the Mediterranean. The objectives of this investigation are to trace the technological innovation, the knowledge transfer and exchange networks which existed at the time. In addition, the present study investigates the relationships of the owners, and the status of the workforce. Finally, theories related to capitalism and globalization and how they were implemented in sugar production are put forward. The research question is investigated by examining archaeological data of the sugar production sites using online literature in combination with written sources including trade documents, travelers' accounts and state archives. This study exposes that technological knowledge in sugar production derived from the East, but no compact “package” existed. Horizontal water mills were introduced throughout Cyprus from the East (the Levant), while a vertical one at Kouklia and the presses were introduced by the Crusaders. Concerning the pottery making technology, there was a widely used repertoire which was implemented by the Crusaders who owned most of the sugar production centers in the Mediterranean. However, a degree of flexibility in typology choices did occur. The relationship between owners of sugar production sites relied heavily on diplomacy. The workforce was diverse with francomati, parici and, at one point, slaves all employed. The economic system was a hybridization of capitalism and feudalism. Finally, the study shows that sugar production followed Jennings’ model of globalization to an extent. This study of sugar production in medieval Cyprus elucidates technological, social and economic dimensions of human life.Show less
