Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
The rural world and farming activities were a crucial part of Roman life. The majority of the Roman population was in some way involved in agriculture, meaning that socio-economic developments...Show moreThe rural world and farming activities were a crucial part of Roman life. The majority of the Roman population was in some way involved in agriculture, meaning that socio-economic developments depended for a large part on what happened in the countryside, away from city life. Much of what we know about the rural world is based on information gathered during archaeological surveying. Over the years, incredible amounts of data have been gathered in this way. However, older projects suffer from issues in consistency and representability. As a result, they are often disregarded in the current academic climate. Nevertheless, much information can still be inferred from this older data, also known as legacy survey data. This research studied the organisation of the rural world through legacy survey data on the hand of the Biferno Valley. This region in central-eastern Italy saw much surveying. The Biferno Valley survey charted many sites in the period of activity, from the 1970s through the 1990s, but suffered from the same problems mentioned above. Therefore, it forms the perfect case-study for this research. Through the application of a theory-based sequence of predictive modelling, this legacy survey data was used to gain new insights into the Roman rural world. Firstly, ancient literature and other research were used to build hypotheses on the locations of rural farms and villas. These hypotheses were subsequently tested through the archaeological data gathered in the Biferno Valley Survey. Influential variables were assessed and combined into a model which visualises the probability of site presence. Four maps were created in this way, representing two main site types, farms and villas, in two time frames, the Roman Republican and Imperial periods. Results were statistically tested through the legacy survey data. As such, this data functioned as a validation tool for the study of the Roman past. The models were adjusted until each map represented the probability of site presence with significant accuracy. The results allowed for a reconstruction of the Roman rural world, which gives an indication as to how Roman agriculture was organised. It was found that the impact of most variables fell within expectations. Logically, steep slopes and areas of high elevation were avoided. Locations near waterways, roads and towns were preferred. Especially in the Imperial period, roads and towns must have been a great force of attraction, especially for villas. Two variables mainly deviated in practice from what was expected. The types of soils that seem to have been preferred point towards a high degree of cash crop cultivation. Similarly, the fact that south-facing slopes were not as popular as initially hypothesised indicates the same thing. It is possible that a large degree of crop rotation was in part responsible for these findings, although this cannot be said with certainty. Regardless, results indicate that the Biferno Valley must have had a strong reliance on trade over larger distances. Cash crops could be exported, whilst imported cereals fed the region’s urban population. Within the research area itself, strong spatial and social relations must have existed between owners of farms and villas. This all points towards a highly interconnected Roman rural world. These results thus show that significant gains can be made from the usage of legacy survey data in modern archaeology.Show less
This BA thesis shows where artificial intelligence (AI) and archaeology meet, by presenting a case study that is inspired by the work of Brandsen and Koole, 2022. The case study focuses on the...Show moreThis BA thesis shows where artificial intelligence (AI) and archaeology meet, by presenting a case study that is inspired by the work of Brandsen and Koole, 2022. The case study focuses on the multi-label classification and textual analysis techniques to further data interpretation in archaeology. By building on the foundation laid by previous research, the thesis shows the potential of AI in archaeological research. The thesis discusses both theoretical perspectives on AI in archaeology and practical applications. I focus on the build-up of the use of AI in archaeology till the modern day and further reflect on the accessibility of the multilabel classification tool through the case study.Show less
Context is important for the sake of understanding. This is especially important for museums in order to become a space that benefits societies and contributes to questions and challenges posed by...Show moreContext is important for the sake of understanding. This is especially important for museums in order to become a space that benefits societies and contributes to questions and challenges posed by the modern world. The importance of teaching people about other cultures is to make them understand each other and where in their differences they are alike. Where ignorance stands at the base of indifference and conflict, conversance can instigate understanding and respect. This thesis is centred around an object from the collection of the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam; a hood made by the Ashaninka of the Rio Ene valley on the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andean mountains. The research aims on the one hand to understand the object and its original context, which includes a species identification of the floral and faunal species represented on the object. On the other hand this research aims at understanding the object’s museal history and the role of the museum in provenance related questions.Show less
The Valdivia Culture, which occupied costal Ecuador between 3800 and 1450 BC, was one of the first cultures in the Americas to go through the Neolithic Revolution. One of the better known elements...Show moreThe Valdivia Culture, which occupied costal Ecuador between 3800 and 1450 BC, was one of the first cultures in the Americas to go through the Neolithic Revolution. One of the better known elements of this culture is their ceramic human figurines, which are commonly referred to as “Venus” Figurines because most of them are female representations. Academic studies about them have mainly focused on trying to explain the faction that they played in the Valdivian society. The idea that the figurines were intentionally broken as part of rituals and ceremonies has been very influential for these studies. However, the evidences presented so far to support this idea are rather weak. This thesis is an attempt to find further evidence through the use of experimental replication and experimental breakage of figurines. 65 different tests were made, each of which was an attempt to break a figurine with one of nine selected methods, two of which reflect accidental breakage while the rest reflect intentional breakage. The broken figurine replicas were then compared with archaeological figurines from the collections of Alexander Hirtz and the museum Casa del Alabado to establish how they were broken. It was not possible to determine which specific method was used to break each archaeological figurine because the patterns left by the different breakage methods are not distinctive enough. However, it was possible to determine a fifth of the reference collection was probably broken by a “strong” impact, which likely reflects intentional breakage. Nevertheless, under the current state of knowledge, it is not possible to be certain about the practice of the ritual breakage of Valdivian “Venus” Figurines.Show less
This thesis provides an insight into the textiles of the Tarim Basin, focusing on colours and patterns. It provides a dataset of a hundred samples to compare and study the basin’s textiles and...Show moreThis thesis provides an insight into the textiles of the Tarim Basin, focusing on colours and patterns. It provides a dataset of a hundred samples to compare and study the basin’s textiles and through them, the cultures they came from. It discusses the Roman-centric view of western archaeologists and whether this is visible when studying the available archaeological data. There is a clear difference in chronology visible in the textiles, as earlier textiles were made using individually dyed threads woven into patterns, while later textiles have patterns painted on the fabric. There is also a shift in the use of colour and patterns within sites over the centuries, much like fashion trends come and go in the modern day. Most of the samples in the dataset are silks, proving that silk was not purely used as a valuta within the Silk Roads, but was also used for luxury garments, accessories and for religious use. The site of Loulan is an archaeological treasure, and within this thesis there is a focus on textiles from this site in particular, next to other sites like Niya and Sampula. Comparing the textiles show that it is almost impossible to attach cultural labels on these samples through colours and patterns, as they are a product of a melting pot of cultures coming together in the Tarim Basin. One sample will have multiple cultural influences, and can therefore not be placed in one category. Much remains unknown about these textiles and further research is necessary to be able to shed more light on a fascinating piece of history of the ancient Silk Roads.Show less
Feminist and queer archaeology both find their origins in the academic feminist movements of the 1970s and 80s. They opposed the political and academic androcentric climates of the time, and have...Show moreFeminist and queer archaeology both find their origins in the academic feminist movements of the 1970s and 80s. They opposed the political and academic androcentric climates of the time, and have since achieved legitimacy in academia. Still, we are constantly developing our understanding of gender in ancient cultures. This thesis takes the next step in deconstructing our understanding of gender, namely building our interpretations of gender identities of people in the past with incorporating our modern biases. The main question in this thesis is How can we practically research queer gender identities in the Ancient Near East based on the material evidence? To do this, the author focusses on literature about case studies from across the ancient Near East. In this study, the author analyzes these diverse case studies to pinpoint what methods those researchers used and what evidence they built their arguments about gender constructs and gender identity in the past. This study puts a specific emphasis om material, iconographic, and textual evidence. Based on these case studies, the author aims to construct a strategy future researchers can use in their research of gender in the ancient Near East, to reconstruct gender identities without incorporating their own personal biases. This research shows it is especially important to understand that the way people in the past conceptualized gender and the gender identity of themselves and those around them may be very different from the way we think now. This means, we can only ever make reliable claims about gender constructs and anyone’s gender identity with sufficient evidenciary support. The author has found, that the best first step is understanding the context of gender in that time. Usually textual evidence, such as laws, stories, and religious rules, are particularly useful to develop such an understanding. Afterwards, once the researchers has a sufficient understanding of gender in a specific past culture, they can being theorizing over individuals. This should be done based on iconography and textual evidence connected to that individual.Show less
Osteoarchaeological research is focused on profiling and understanding human remains of the past. The goal is to gather as much information as possible from the human remains. The first steps, and...Show moreOsteoarchaeological research is focused on profiling and understanding human remains of the past. The goal is to gather as much information as possible from the human remains. The first steps, and arguably the most important ones, are the estimation of sex, age and stature. These form the base of any osteoarchaeological research and help build a profile of the research population. The determination of an individual’s sex, age and stature will always be an estimation and can never be determined with 100% accuracy. This also means the process of building a profile is very time consuming. This difficulty is often exaggerated by the preservation of the human remains and methodology used. Osteoarchaeology also suffers greatly from inter and intraobserver variation. These problems become more severe when the sample size gets larger or when more traits are examined. Due to these problems, osteoarchaeological research can be very difficult and is never an exact science. Researchers are constantly trying to develop new methods to reduce the amount of time it takes to estimate sex, age and stature and to get the highest accuracy rates possible. For sex estimation, the skull and pelvis are regarded as the two most reliable aspects of the human skeleton. Several different methods have been developed focusing on these two aspects. New methods are often developed on a regional reference population. To implement such a method in a different region or country it is necessary to test its effectiveness on skeletal material with known data. In this thesis, a mathematical approach to sex estimation called the Diagnose Sexuelle Probabiliste method (DSP) is tested on a skeletal collection from the Middenbeemster, the Netherlands. Archival data was available for 118 individuals, of which 99 were eligible for the DSP method. The DSP method uses 4 to 10 measurements of the os coxa to estimate the chance of the individual being male or female. The big upside of this method, compared to other commonly used methods, is its ease of use. No extensive knowledge of the human skeleton is needed to gather the required measurement data for the method to be used. Even so, the creators of the method claim high accuracy levels and imply that DSP is equally, if not more, reliable than other existing methods. The results of this thesis indicate that, on Dutch populations, the DSP method is as accurate and robust as the creators claim. For the 99 individuals, DSP was able to estimate the sex of 85 of them (86%), with an accuracy of 97.6%. Only 2 individuals were incorrectly estimated to be male. From the measurements of the remaining 14 individuals the DSP method could not estimate the sex with enough certainty, leaving these individuals as undetermined. The DSP method proves to be robust and very accurate on Dutch skeletal material and should be considered a viable method for the estimation of sex. The ease of use of this method, compared to other sex estimation methods, is its strongest aspect. The method is not time consuming and can be performed without extensive knowledge on the subject, which could save a lot of time and effort in (osteo)archaeological research in the Netherlands.Show less
The Aurignacian technocomplex represents one of the earliest Anatomically Modern Human populations in Europe. This cultural tradition dates from approximately 43,000 to 35,000 years ago. The...Show moreThe Aurignacian technocomplex represents one of the earliest Anatomically Modern Human populations in Europe. This cultural tradition dates from approximately 43,000 to 35,000 years ago. The technological differences observed between the earliest two phases of this tradition indicate distinctly separate cultural phases known as the Protoaurignacian and the Early Aurignacian. Zooarchaeological evidence from southwest European cave sites suggest a larger focus on reindeer for subsistence than other mammal taxa during the Early Aurignacian in comparison to Protoaurignacian sites, but it is not yet clear whether this represents a culture-wide shift from generalized hunting strategy to specialization. This thesis explores the evidence for a shift towards specialization from Proto- to Early Aurignacian by collecting faunal assemblage data from seven Proto and eight Early Aurignacian assemblages from ten different sites found across southwestern Europe, and statistically comparing the taxonomic and body-size diversity between the Protoaurignacian and Early Aurignacian phases. I found a significant average reduction in taxonomic diversity and evenness indices from Protoaurignacian to Early Aurignacian, suggesting a shift from a more “generalized” hunting strategy employed by the Protoaurignacian to a “specialized” hunting strategy by the Early Aurignacian. This appeared driven by a preference for the particular ungulate taxon, Rangifer tarandus (reindeer), and not necessarily a preference for reindeer body size. Although additional considerations warrant further investigations, the evidence gleaned from this study strongly imply a deliberate emphasis on particular animal species for sustenance and/or material resources during the Early Aurignacian phase in the southwestern region of Europe.Show less
Underwater cultural heritage litters the ocean's floor and are known, unknown, accesible and inaccesible. Aruba is no different in containing underwater cultural heritage in its waters. This thesis...Show moreUnderwater cultural heritage litters the ocean's floor and are known, unknown, accesible and inaccesible. Aruba is no different in containing underwater cultural heritage in its waters. This thesis aimed at creating an overview of the archaeological underwater cultural heritage present at Aruba dating back to the Archaic (1500 BC - 900/1000AD), Ceramic (900/1000AD - 1515 AD), and the Historic period (1515 - 1973). In addition, the future underwater cultural heritage were also taken into account within this thesis. The significance, the threat factors, and the preservation status were analyzed for the known, unknown, and future underwater cultural heritage in order to create a long term sustainable underwater cultural heritage management plan.Show less
Developments in XRF techniques are significant to the field of archaeology. The introduction of MA-XRF machines to heritage science requires a critical assessment of the potential of this technique...Show moreDevelopments in XRF techniques are significant to the field of archaeology. The introduction of MA-XRF machines to heritage science requires a critical assessment of the potential of this technique for archaeology. This thesis analysis the current applications of MA-XRF in heritage science and evaluates the potential of MA-XRF applications in archaeology. MA-XRF has already successfully been applied in art history. Based on literature analysis of current publications in art history, four common research goals of applying MA-XRF in art history are identified. These goals can be used to draw parallels to study the suitability and potential of applying MA-XRF in archaeology. The four common research goals are studied through common archaeological materials to examine the technique’s potential in archaeology. When no MA-XRF applications exist for a material-research goal combination, the information was supplemented with XRF studies. Additionally, a list of all known European MA-XRF machines is compiled. This list is the first of its kind. The statistics on these machines are collected to give an insight into the variability of the current machines, as well as their development over time. This thesis shows that MA-XRF offers unique benefits to heritage science. The technique’s ability to study inhomogeneous materials makes it suitable for studies on weathered artefacts, which are common in archaeology. In the field of conservation and preservation, MA-XRF could enhance our understanding of an object’s taphonomy. MA-XRF’s elemental maps give insights into material analysis and are able to uncover hidden features, such are weathered pigments. The low attainability of MA-XRF machines negatively impacts the amount of experimentation on archaeological materials. The costs of a machine and the alternatives for material science halter the development of the technique. When technical limitations are resolved, MA-XRF will develop to be more suitable for archaeological research. Future research on the application of MA-XRF in archaeology could focus on the ability to scan three-dimensional objects. Initial studies show that this technique can be realistic for MA-XRF, but not many studies experiment with its application. Additionally, combining non-destructive techniques could enhance the quality of the scans by adding multiple types of material analysis. Development of MA-XRF applications will offer unique benefits and applications to the whole field of heritage science.Show less
Agricultural open-air museums date back to the late 19th century, as it became fashionable to collect examples of local folklife. They collected historic, relocated buildings, furnished them with...Show moreAgricultural open-air museums date back to the late 19th century, as it became fashionable to collect examples of local folklife. They collected historic, relocated buildings, furnished them with original objects, and often enlivened the museum and building with plants, animals, and costumed interpreters. Archaeological open-air museums(AOAMs) were born out of an interest in reconstructing the archaeological past. The first AOAMs were based on pile dwellings discovered in Swiss and German lakes in the late 19th century. AOAMs are popular cultural destinations, but both AOAMs and agricultural open-air museums have faced the critique of inauthenticity. This study discusses how a concern over ‘authenticity’ could prevent different questions about AOAMs from being asked. For example, how can AOAMs engage with the past in a way that is relevant in the present, and for the future? One way to do this is to participate in climate change communication. Current media messaging is often overwhelming, or it presents climate change as contentious. Museums can be important locations for communicating climate change awareness and action in ways that do not centre fear or helplessness. A survey of the literature around climate change communication in museums shows that AOAMs are uniquely placed within museum archaeology to address many aspects of climate change engagement, using various themes and strategies. As museum spaces, they are friendly places to learn about complex issues. As places of archaeological interpretation, they can demonstrate time depth and tell local, personal stories with an affective component. As outdoor spaces, they offer immersive experiences and can facilitate a sense of connection with nature. They can engage visitors with themes of sustainability, biodiversity, and ancient plants, animals, and crafts, and show how these relate to the present. Through museum interpreters and other visitors, as well as narratives and interpretation, they can foster a sense of connection to other people both in the present and in the past. Using the case studies preHistorisch Dorp Eindhoven, Archäologisches Freilichtmuseum Oerlinghausen, and Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen, this study discusses to what extent the museums are engaging in these themes and strategies, using an analytical framework that pays close attention to the use of various components of the museum – setting, space and layout, display types, subject and text, activities and educational programmes. The research shows that each museum emphasizes different themes and strategies. PreHistorisch Dorp focuses on creating immersive experiences by creating independent activity areas and telling personal stories of life in the past with fictional characters. Archäologisches Freilichtmuseum Oerlinghausen offers many organised events, activities and programmes, which focus mainly on ancient crafts and the connection between people and their environment. Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen has the Steinzeitparcours, a park/garden area dedicated to encouraging a connection to nature through learning about the uses for various trees in the past. This research shows that there is room for AOAMs in the broader discussion around archaeological museums and climate change, and that they can bring a unique element of direct connection to the visitor experience.Show less
This thesis investigates the daily life of an early medieval community in Central Italy by focusing on the skeletal collection (n = 66) from the ancient site of Satricum dating between the 9th and...Show moreThis thesis investigates the daily life of an early medieval community in Central Italy by focusing on the skeletal collection (n = 66) from the ancient site of Satricum dating between the 9th and 11th century AD, to advance our understanding of this everchanging period. The research employs the study of paleopathology, with a focus on osteoarthritis (OA), osteochondritis dissecans (OD), and periosteal new bone growth (PNB). The skeletal analyses revealed a high prevalence of joint degeneration, particularly in the spine, hip, shoulder, and elbow, while also PNB was recorded in relatively high numbers. The findings suggest that Satricum was a small, self-reliant community engaged in agricultural practices with ongoing physiological stressors. However, the presence of OA might have been influenced by both activity and genetic predisposition due to the long duration of the community settling in Satricum. The study also explored the impact of sex and age. The osteological assessment indicated a potential surplus of males, aligning with demographic patterns of early medieval times, while the identified females showed no distinctive activity markers, prompting further investigation into the "missing women" concept of the Middle Ages. The presence of only five subadults also raised questions about community beliefs, suggesting a potential societal distinction for individuals under the age of seven since no social separation was recognized between the adults and juveniles over that age. Furthermore, the funerary practices exhibited potential indicators of a Christian belief system, such as burial orientation and the absence of grave goods. The reuse of a Roman villa with a possible apsis also hinted at the presence of an ecclesial building. Comparisons with other Central Italian sites of the same period (Albano, Santa Severa, and Colonna) highlighted pathological and demographic commonalities. Therefore, in the broader context, this research contributes to existing knowledge by confirming scholar’s theories about life in rural medieval Central Italy. Finally, this study emphasizes the significance of investigating previously unstudied skeletal collections because these findings not only deepen our understanding of Satricum but also provide a foundation for future research, encouraging diverse approaches to further unravel the complexities of this ancient community.Show less
The commingling of human skeletal remains poses a recurrent challenge for osteoarchaeologists. Prior to any comprehensive analysis, the reassociation of these remains is required. Over the past...Show moreThe commingling of human skeletal remains poses a recurrent challenge for osteoarchaeologists. Prior to any comprehensive analysis, the reassociation of these remains is required. Over the past seven decades, numerous methodologies have emerged to address this challenge. However, each method exhibits limitations, prompting the necessity for the advancement of current techniques and the introduction of novel approaches. Among these evolving methods, the portable X-ray fluorescence technique stands out. Originally not designed for application on human remains, its appeal lies in its non-destructive nature and cost-effectiveness, drawing keen interest from osteoarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of portable X-ray fluorescence in sorting commingled archaeological remains buried in the Netherlands. It involves the examination of 40 adults, 20 unearthed from Arnhem and 20 from Middenbeemster, dating back to the post-medieval period. The research initiates by investigating both intra-skeletal and inter-skeletal chemical variation, further exploring the potential factors contributing to these differences. Throughout the analysis, multiple sorting attempts are conducted to ensure a thorough exploration of the technique's capabilities. The results indicate statistically significant chemical variation within the same skeleton and among different individuals. In terms of intra-skeletal variation, from the 12 skeletal elements tested in each individual, only four pairs of bones (humerus–femur, rib–mandible, tibia–parietal, and tibia–rib) did not exhibit variation in the concentrations of chemical elements. With regard to inter-skeletal variation, 23 out of the 30 elements detected by the pXRF, and 14 out of the 15 ratios explored, demonstrated significant differences. Variation was also observed between males and females, as well as between sites. For the differences among the adult sub-groups that were noted, no generalizations can be made unless further research is conducted. Finally, the reassociation attempts reveal that the most successful sorting cases involved two individuals from different sites, utilizing principal components derived from ratios, while the tooth measurements were excluded. Key ratios influencing the sorting process included Mn/K, Mn/S, Mn/Fe, K/Fe, Sr/Ca, Ca/P, Pb/Ca, S/Sr, and Sr/Pb. While the method showed promise when a small number of individuals were involved, it lacked consistency. Therefore, it should be used in conjunction with other methods until further research is conducted.Show less
This master’s thesis examines the context of the emergence and utilization of traditional Korean fermenting pottery called Onggi and explores the avenues for future utilization possibilities. The...Show moreThis master’s thesis examines the context of the emergence and utilization of traditional Korean fermenting pottery called Onggi and explores the avenues for future utilization possibilities. The research done so far on the subject has been neglected and understudied in academia due to the utilitarian nature of the vessels, casting a shadow on their historical and cultural significance. However, through a transdisciplinary approach based on the collection of data in archaeological reports, historical documentation, and iconographical sources, the history of Onggi vessels becomes apparent, highlighting its crafting and utilization through thousands of years. A chronological presentation of these vessel's functions and fabrication techniques starts approximately from the 7th millennium BCE until the present and composes a major part of this work. In an effort to overcome the gradual disappearance of this ancient technology, the Korean government has designated the craft as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and a number of potters have been nominated as National Living Treasures (NLT). Yet, in South Korea, a rapidly decreasing group of individuals are willing to learn and practice the profession. On the other hand, due to globalization, the demand for Korean fermented foods is thriving internationally, and along with it, a growing interest in Onggi crafting and utilization has developed. The presentation of three study cases will highlight the Onggi crafting and use renaissance phenomenon occurring on a global scale presently. Through ethnoarchaeological observations, this thesis argues that Onggi pots are a driver for innovative environmentally friendly endeavors for the conservation of food. As it becomes an imperative necessity for contemporary societies throughout the globe to explore sustainable solutions to food conservation and waste, this study suggests drawing from ancient technologies through archaeological research to inspire future possible solutions. Finally, the examination of the chemical modification through fermentation occurring in the Onggi pot is broken down for the reader to exemplify how uniquely the vessels interact with its content. This work thus encompasses various and major themes such as food technology, biomechanics, finding historical sources, utilizing scientific methodology in archaeology, studying Intangible Cultural Heritage in Northeast Asia, and environmental sustainability. Through the writing of this thesis, it is aimed to answer the question of whether the introduction of Onggi crafting and use on a global scale drive innovative solutions to food waste and food conservation In essence, the study of Onggi pots past in the present could offer unlimited possibilities for the future.Show less
