Magic has been a much-debated topic over the last centuries. This thesis discusses the disappearance and return of magic in academic discourse and evaluates it through a theoretical framework for...Show moreMagic has been a much-debated topic over the last centuries. This thesis discusses the disappearance and return of magic in academic discourse and evaluates it through a theoretical framework for scientific inquiry. Finally, it aims to evaluate the use of magic as an interpretative theme in archaeology. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw many new theories and approaches to the subject. Influential anthropologists and sociologists released theories that were mainly based on evolutionist ideals. The rejection of these ideals, the problematic classification of witchcraft, sorcery and magic, and its adoption in modern media contributed to the disappearance of magic in academic discourse. In archaeology, these changes can be seen by studying Palaeolithic art. The return can be seen from 1990 to 2010 by its adoption in more archaeological research. These studies primarily focussed on the Mediterranean and failed to incorporate materiality fully. The full return of magic can be observed in the 2010s when publications specifically focused on the materiality of magic over a larger geographical and cultural area. This return resulted from a paradigm shift in anthropology where magic was now studied from a magical Worldview or consciousness instead of a rational Western worldview. An increase in material culture studies with the adoption of object agency and recognising the marginalisation of magic also contributed to the return. Object agency also contributed significantly to recognising the importance of portable artefacts in Palaeolithic art. The rise of material culture studies, its adoption of Latour’s Actor-Network Theory, and the shift in anthropology can be explained as two paradigm shifts vital for the return of magic in academic discourse. Magic can serve as a quality of practices and materials that can highlight certain features of materiality, potency, and verbal or ritual performance that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. Magic is a tool to understand ancient practices and materials better. Archaeology has much to contribute to studying magic through material studies and archaeological contextsShow less
When researching the Ancient Nubians, historians often have to rely on the Ancient Egyptian sources to gather information. These sources can be subjective and nationalistic however, resulting in a...Show moreWhen researching the Ancient Nubians, historians often have to rely on the Ancient Egyptian sources to gather information. These sources can be subjective and nationalistic however, resulting in a negative preconception of Ancient Nubian communities. This can also be seen in the field of osteoarchaeology, where fractures found on Nubian individuals often automatically are connected to acts of interpersonal violence. Other, more positive explanations such as the practice of sports within the communities, are not often reviewed. This study looked at the remains of the human remains collection of Abu Fatima to try and find a connection between fractures in the hands and wrists and the practice of contact sports instead of interpersonal violence. For this research, 39 individuals were studied to determine the amount and types of injuries found in the remains of their hands and wrist. The collection was also compared to two Nubian collections connected to interpersonal violence (the Kerma collection and the collection from the NDRS project) and two modern individuals known to participate in Boxing from the Hammam Todd collection. As osteological studies connected to violence and sports often focus on injuries in the craniofacial area, if any injuries were found on the individuals their cranium was also studies in order to gather more information regarding the injury patterns. Different types of fractures and other signs of traumas were found on the human remains of Abu Fatima. Five parry fractures were found, all in the left arm. 17 metacarpal fractures were documented. There were no fractures in the carpal bones, but there were secondary signs of trauma such as osteoarthritis and ankylosis in hands that also showed other signs of trauma such as fractures. Two fractures were found on proximal phalanges. Three other phalanges showed signs of secondary trauma as a result of a fracture in an other bone in the hand. Lastly, four individuals showed signs of fractures on their cranium. The results showed that 10 of the 39 individuals showed signs of trauma in their hands or lower arms. These results implicate that the individuals from Abu Fatima suffered less traumatic hand injuries than the individuals from the rural sites of the NDRS project, but more injuries than the individuals from the capital city of Kerma. The injuries found in the human remains of the Abu Fatima collection do not support the hypothesis of a practice of contact sports within the community of Abu Fatima with certainty. The injury patterns found in the individuals from the Abu Fatima collection show similarities with both modern boxing individuals as the individuals from Kerma and NDRS, which are connected to interpersonal violence. A new theory has been introduced connecting the fractures in this research to the practice of Ancient stick fighting, a sport very popular in Ancient Nubia which has not yet been studied on possible injury patterns.Show less
This thesis explores how websites can be utilized as tools in archaeological public outreach, using a commercial excavation in Iceland as an example. A website was created around the commercial...Show moreThis thesis explores how websites can be utilized as tools in archaeological public outreach, using a commercial excavation in Iceland as an example. A website was created around the commercial excavation in Seyðisfjörður, eastern Iceland named Fjörður. The research takes place where avalanche protection walls will damage archaeological sites. The archaeology found at the site is represents Icelandic archaeology in a nutshell from the Viking Age to Modern Times. A landslide hit the village of Seyðisfjörður in December 2020. When the archaeologists started excavating the site they found large landslide layers in between cultural phases. What narrative can be told about the long-term history of the archaeological site Seyðisfjörður, including the ongoing influence of the landslides, and how can we translate that narrative to the general public? The narrative reflects how the deep history of Seyðisfjörður shows the inhabitants’ resilience against the environment and would illustrate 61 the chronology of the site in a relatable way. The relationship between outreach websites and social media is explored and how strategy in outreach is a key factor in a successful outreach campaign. The narrative also displays the work that archaeologists undertake and how they collect and research this knowledge. This has the potential to increase the awareness and benefits of the work that archaeologists do and the importance of public outreach. It increases valuation and engagement of (archaeological) heritage. Without public outreach archaeological research has no future.Show less
Archaeological heritage are under threat by climate change all over the world and its resulting impacts are happening so quickly and within so many different physical and socio-cultural contexts,...Show moreArchaeological heritage are under threat by climate change all over the world and its resulting impacts are happening so quickly and within so many different physical and socio-cultural contexts, that it is impossible for any single organization or discipline to combat. For this reason, many researchers around the world have developed various methods and options in engaging the public’s help through community-based and citizen science research, including community archaeology and community-based heritage projects to better preserve our cultural heritage. This thesis presents five diverse case studies from Alaska, Scotland, Florida, Australia, France and Guadeloupe to highlight how collaboration and community archaeology are building better practices to manage coastal archaeological heritage. The case studies are compared and analyzed with a five-part methodology, based on underlying components they all share. In the end I will determine the most common factors attributing to a successful community archaeology project and discussing how we can enlist the public’s help in our battle against climate change.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
In the Sicilian maritime town of Acitrezza, the tangible cultural and intangible heritage in the Rodolico’s shipyard has been unrecognised over the past years and rarely promoted as part of...Show moreIn the Sicilian maritime town of Acitrezza, the tangible cultural and intangible heritage in the Rodolico’s shipyard has been unrecognised over the past years and rarely promoted as part of cultural or economic-oriented activities of the area. For a long time, approaches to cultural heritage in Acitrezza have only celebrated the Verga’s greatest masterpiece, I Malavoglia, and the local protected marine area, characterised by the presence of the Faraglioni basaltic rocks. The protracted indifference of the local authority toward the shipyard combined with internal family dynamics seems to condemn this genius loci to oblivion. People believe this misrecognition leads to ignoring a sense of local identity made up of “marine carpentry affairs” and centuries-old tangible and intangible heritage practices that might be meaningful to the local community. This thesis employs a collaborative methodology called Participatory Video (PV) to investigate an alternative past for the town of Acitrezza, possibly incorporating the shipyard and shipwrights into a new local heritage policy and strategy. Two different approaches, underpinning two cases studies, characterise this methodology: the postcolonial author approach, which consists of an equal and peer-to-peer relationship between researchers and informants to create videos about tangible and intangible heritage, and the author as “a fly in the soup” approach, which enables informants to create their own personal and community narrative-commentary about private photographs of Acitrezza (and more!). Through the collaborative video-creation process, the thesis demonstrates that the PV methodology can be suitable for collaboration with people when dealing with local issues.Show less
This thesis describes and discusses the different archaeological channels that broadcast archaeological content on YouTube. Archaeological channels on the platform provide opportunities for...Show moreThis thesis describes and discusses the different archaeological channels that broadcast archaeological content on YouTube. Archaeological channels on the platform provide opportunities for practicing archaeological science communication and for interaction between archaeologists and the general public. For instance, the scientific YouTube channels Ant Lab and Archaeoduck are great examples of science communication on YouTube. The channel owners, entomologist Smith and archaeologists Duckworth demonstrate that scientific YouTube channels can make science more interesting for the general public and create a closer (and more personal) connection between the viewer and the scientist. Regardless, archaeological channels can also disseminate inaccurate information or incorrectly represent the archaeological discipline. It is therefore important for the archaeological discipline to understand the archaeological content that is currently available on YouTube. On the basis of former research within the field of archaeology and science communication, a data set of 80 different archaeological channels was produced and analysed in this thesis. The content analysis shows an extremely diverse set of archaeological channels that vary in subscriber size, content type, purpose, level of interaction, target audience, content producer, and reliability. Most archaeological channels from the data set provide accurate scientific information and are targeted towards enthusiasts of archaeology. However, apart from a few significant outliers, these scientific archaeological channels remain relatively small in subscriber count in comparison to the other non-scientific archaeological channels. Archaeological channels on YouTube mostly inform or educate their audiences. Yet, a combination of entertaining aspects and (scientific) information is an effective format for reaching larger audiences. Moreover, the content of archaeological channels is produced by individuals, archaeological organisations/institutions, and larger television/documentary networks. Also the level of interaction between channels and viewers varies significantly per channel and suggest that the three main models of science communication (deficit model, dialogue model, and participation model) are each represented on YouTube independently.Show less
Since the 1960s, research on the chemical composition of ancient archaeological glass has been executed. It has become clear that raw ancient glass exists of three main ingredients: silica, lime,...Show moreSince the 1960s, research on the chemical composition of ancient archaeological glass has been executed. It has become clear that raw ancient glass exists of three main ingredients: silica, lime, and a flux. Next to these ingredients, iron is always found in the mix which gives glass naturally a green or blue colour. Around the fourth century AD, a new type of glass was introduced. This glass type was probably made in Egypt and is distinguishable from the other compositional types of glass by its yellow to green colour. Research indicates that the glass has high levels of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and titanium (Ti) in its composition. This is why, in 1994, the term ‘HIMT’ glass is introduced by prof. I. Freestone. This research focuses on the dispersion of HIMT glass during the fourth to seventh centuries AD on the Italian peninsula to fill in gaps in the knowledge of the general dispersion of HIMT glass throughout the Mediterranean area. HIMT glass was not the only type of glass on the market. In this research, the focus lies on HIMT glass, but to provide more context about the general glass market, also other types of glass like Egypt I and II and Levantine glass are being discussed. It is generally accepted that there are two primary glass production areas for all the ancient glass: the Levant and Egypt. The glass was formed here into large chunks which were shipped throughout the Mediterranean area to secondary production areas. There the glass was formed into vessels or other useable objects. To understand where the glass originates, chemical research is performed. Hereby, not only the chemical elements, which could be added intentionally or unintentionally, are taken into account, also isotopes, like neodymium (Nd) and strontium (Sr) which respectively indicate the age of the sediments and the source of lime, are being researched. This results in the distinction of several glass compositional groups. This research aims to answer the following question: ‘How is HIMT glass dispersed in Italy during the fourth to seventh centuries AD?’. After providing information on the chemical composition of glass and the existing glass compositional groups, an overview is given of 17 sites on the Italian peninsula where HIMT glass is present in the glass assemblage. These sites are researched using archaeological publications. A distinction is made between production sites, where the glass was formed into objects and where production waste was found, and consumption sites, where the objects were solely 68 used. Looking at the context of the sites and the composition of the glass assemblages found there, an overview of the presence of HIMT glass on the Italian peninsula could be provided. To understand the specific dispersion of the glass, three main subjects, trade in the Mediterranean area, trade in Italy, and recycling practices are researched. The research concludes that the glass was shipped from Egypt into Italy via multiple ports and trade routes after which the glass was spread throughout Italy. HIMT glass was mostly used for common ware, because of its relatively low quality, and therefore also useful for recycling. Since this research is based on the existing publications of sites containing HIMT glass, future research could include looking at yet unpublished sites, the data from already published assemblages that have not been used for this thesis, and the possibility of regional differences in shapes of HIMT glass.Show less
The study of Indian Ocean archaeology has often focused on individual sites and has tended to focus primarily on connections between major port sites without the inclusion of smaller sites and the...Show moreThe study of Indian Ocean archaeology has often focused on individual sites and has tended to focus primarily on connections between major port sites without the inclusion of smaller sites and the spaces in between these major sites. Within this thesis I focus on the role of Sri Lanka within the broader context of the Indian Ocean trade networks. Sri Lanka has long been thought to have been a central point within these aforementioned trade networks due to its geographical location at the “center” of the Indian Ocean, coupled with its natural topography that made it an ideal safe port of call for ancient merchants. However, most of Sri Lanka’s prominence in this context is based off historical texts and sporadic archaeological evidence from major sites such as Mantai and Anuradhapura. This research will focus on a wider range of sites and archaeological evidence in order to see what exactly was Sri Lanka’s role within the broader Indian Ocean trade networks. In order to accomplish this I will create an overview of all the available evidence such as archaeological reports, scientific articles and publications related to this topic. Following this I will also provide suggestions for the continuation of this research so that it may benefit the wider academic community. These suggestions will include the application of digital techniques in the field such as LiDAR, in order to properly understand the spaces in between the major sites so that a more complete picture is gained rather than one that focuses mainly on famous urban sites. Alongside this I will also discuss methods to properly store and disseminate the data related to this research in a way that makes it more accessible to the wider academic community. Through the creation of an overview of all the available material as well as the aforementioned suggestions, I will provide a framework for the next steps to be taken in terms of research into Sri Lanka’s role in the Indian Ocean trade networks.Show less
Classical past and its material evocations continue to play a vital role in both Greek national imagination and the collective subconscious of Greek society. At the same time, racial discrimination...Show moreClassical past and its material evocations continue to play a vital role in both Greek national imagination and the collective subconscious of Greek society. At the same time, racial discrimination and xenophobic feelings are on the rise due to recent increase in migration and refugee flows mainly from Asia and Africa. Still, the colonial undercurrents concerning the connection of Greece with classical antiquity and its more recent Ottoman past are in a considerable degree unrecognized. The analytical tools available in postcolonial archaeology and its broader theoretical framework offer a more nuanced comprehension of colonialism and its complex nature and effects. Drawing therefore upon postcolonial studies, this thesis examines the development of archaeology in Ottoman Greece in conjunction with colonialist and nationalist discourses and practices, and critiques the colonial reverberations evident in present archaeological research.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
closed access
To understand southern Levantine funerary practices and the related cult of the dead within the territories of Israel, Palestine and Jordan, archaeology has long relied on biblical sources. This...Show moreTo understand southern Levantine funerary practices and the related cult of the dead within the territories of Israel, Palestine and Jordan, archaeology has long relied on biblical sources. This tendency has led to oversimplified comparative methodologies, in which the ancient Israelite cultural distinctiveness, between the Iron Age and the rise of the Roman power, has been stressed by opposing it to the neighbouring regions. Those elements of funerary rituals, not fitting biblical narratives have often been interpreted as ‘foreign’ and as such, neglected. However, dying is a complex social process through which the personhood of the deceased is reconstructed as a new identity, as well as its relationship with the living. Multiple overlapping factors affect this process: geographical, historical, socio-economic, ethnic and kinship components, and lastly personal attachments. This thesis aims to re-evaluate the southern Levantine old archaeological data sets and the complexity of death in terms of 'social process' by both putting aside the biblical reconstructions and introducing the methods deriving from funerary taphonomy. By combining both archaeological and osteological analyses regarding four case studies – Tell es-Saʿidiyeh, Tell Mazar, Lachish and Jerusalem – it attempts to reconstruct the progression of the funerary process through four main phases: the choice of the tomb-type, the preparation of the body, the deposition and the manipulation of the remains. The sequential process results in a multi-faceted experience embodying both deeply rooted rituals/beliefs and local variations due to groups and/or individual choices. In this context, the concept of foreign is re-defined as contamination and reflection of personal interests.Show less
Dental root translucency (alsoroot transparency, apical translucencyor transparency or root dentine sclerosis) has long been used to estimate age-at-death in forensic as well as archaeological...Show moreDental root translucency (alsoroot transparency, apical translucencyor transparency or root dentine sclerosis) has long been used to estimate age-at-death in forensic as well as archaeological human remainsbut has never been tested on a Dutch archaeological collection with known sex and age-at-death individuals. This thesis testedseven already existing (sets of) formulae using dental root translucency as a parameter, that weredeveloped on samples from various geographical regions, on the known sex and age-at-death sample from the Middenbeemster Collection housed at the Laboratory of Human Osteoarchaeology at the Faculty of Archaeology in Leiden University, The Netherlands. A total of 77 individuals werestudied, resulting in age-at-death estimations for 67 of theseindividuals. To test if a more accurate formula could be developed for the Middenbeemster Collection, and even Dutch osteoarchaeological human remains, several new formulaewere trailedresulting in the following formula (T = translucency in mm):Age =19.832+7.667*T +-0.299*T2.With this formula, no statistical difference was found between males and females and seemed not to be affected by dental disease.The new formula was tested on twenty-onenew individuals from the Middenbeemster Collection and twenty individuals from Arnhem, Eusebiuskerk, allonly having an estimated osteological age category. The newly derived formula performed well in the forty-one newly studied individuals, bringing the total number of studied individuals with an age-at-death estimation to 108 individuals. The small sample size and slight underrepresentation should be addressed in future research that either has to enlarge the known age-at-death sampleand/or enlarge the estimated age-at-death sampleto test the presented formula of this thesis.Show less
