The entry of a high number of large animals from Africa, North America and Asia into Europe during the Plio‐Pleistocene provided a rich diversity of both herbivore and carnivore populations. These...Show moreThe entry of a high number of large animals from Africa, North America and Asia into Europe during the Plio‐Pleistocene provided a rich diversity of both herbivore and carnivore populations. These high numbers of animal dispersals into Europe indicate that the continent was a sink habitat during the Plio‐Pleistocene and probably open to way of hominid entry into the continent. Studying of these dispersals is important for understanding the late Neogene and the Quaternary environment of Europe, particularly the timing of the establishment and collapsing of the land bridges as well as developments in climate and vegetation. Moreover, a high number of long distance animal dispersals also give to opportunity of a studying the animal dispersals’ behaviors and modes which represent the occurrence of a dispersal in ‘space’, ‘time’ and ‘form’. The Plio‐Pleistocene long distance dispersals of animals into Europe reveal four distinct movement patterns as ‘geodispersal,’ ‘secular migration’, ‘diffusion’ and ‘jump dispersal’. At the same time, variation in the dispersal behaviors of animals as ‘migration’ and ‘immigration’ were observed in which, the duration of species were much longer by ‘immigration’ between the Late Pliocene and Cromerian, however, after the establishment of the 100 kyr climate cyclicity, the ‘migration’ behavior of herbivores were the dominant pattern which reveal short term duration and repeated back and forward movements of the species into the continent.Show less
This research discusses the analysis of the stable isotopes 13C and 15N which were extracted from faunal bone material, dating from the seventh and early sixth millennium BC (the Late Neolithic)...Show moreThis research discusses the analysis of the stable isotopes 13C and 15N which were extracted from faunal bone material, dating from the seventh and early sixth millennium BC (the Late Neolithic) from Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. The aim of this stable isotope analysis was to learn more about domestication of the animals and their diet, but also to see if there is a connection between the observed cultural change which is supposed to be related to a climate signal (the 8.2 ka event) and the zoological record. To perform this analysis, a broad sample of faunal bone material was collected and processed at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG) in the Centre for Isotope Research (CIO). The material appeared to be very fragile and not all samples contained enough collagen to provide reliable data. After a quality control, 35 samples remained as the final selection. Due to the reduction of the sample, it appeared to be impossible to draw any conclusions on the domestication of cattle. The 13C values of the successful samples suggest that there was a difference between the diet of wild herbivores (Gazelle), which seem to have been feeding almost exclusively on C3 plants and domesticated herbivores (caprines: Ovis and Capra) which show signals of a diet based on both C3 and C4 plants. The flocks were most likely herded over and extensive territory. The 15N values seem do indicate arid conditions in the area of Tell Sabi Abyad and possibly the practice of manuring. A significant change within the diet of the caprine group seem to have occurred exactly around the shift of the two Sequences of the settlement, which coincide with the assumed climate change of the 8.2 ka event. While the carbon and nitrogen values of early caprines indicate a broad diet and wide-ranged herding practices, the late caprines seem to point towards a diet consisting of mainly C3 plants and there is reason to believe that the flocks were kept closer to the settlement.Show less
Though research on small mammals may seem of no relevance to archaeology, it has already proven itself useful with the Mimomys/Arvicola boundary. This marker in time is important when dating sites...Show moreThough research on small mammals may seem of no relevance to archaeology, it has already proven itself useful with the Mimomys/Arvicola boundary. This marker in time is important when dating sites where humans were once present. The aim of this research was to investigate whether the genera Apodemus and Micromys could be a similar marker in time during the Pleistocene in Northwestern Europe and could contribute to a reconstruction of the climate and environment. Furthermore, this thesis sheds a light on the debate on the age of Neumark- Nord I. To do this, the Apodemus and Micromys molars from four different episodes (Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene) were studied; Tegelen-Maalbeek, Miesenheim I, Sesselfelsgrotte and Miesenheim II. Tegelen-Maalbeek dates to the Early Pleistocene (Tiglian), Miesenheim I to the Middle Pleistocene (the end of the Cromerian), Sesselfelsgrotte to the Late Pleistocene Oerel-Glinde interstadial and Miesenheim II to the Allerød interstadial. The molars from the sites were separated per species so the evolution of every species could be studied. The species that is special interest is Apodemus maastrichtiensis, which does not occur after the Eemian. The species was not yet present in Tegelen-Maalbeek, though present during the Cromerian. All other species did not show convincing differences over time or a limited occurrence, making them useless as a time marker. Nevertheless they can contribute to the reconstruction of the landscape and climate. Apodemus needs high vegetation, whereas Micromys needs a close vicinity to water. Both occur in temperate climates. The species Apodemus maastrichtiensis was used as a time marker to attribute the Palaeolithic site Neumark-Nord I to the Saalian by Heinrich (2010). It is clearly distinguishable from larger Apodemus species at the site. However Neumark-Nord I probably was an Eemian site, because of its stratigraphical position. This implies that Apodemus maastrichtiensis was present during the Eemian and no longer can be used as a stratigraphical marker for the Saalian. Altogether, Apodemus maastrichtiensis can be considered a marker in time, since it has not yet been discovered after the Eemian. The genus Micromys and the other species from the genus Apodemus are not suitable as time markers; however they can contribute to climate and landscape reconstruction. This means that they can tell archaeologists a lot about the environment humans lived in, making small mammals of great relevance.Show less
Dating archaeological sites in the Quaternary period remains difficult despite the relatively recent developed physical dating methods such as 14C, palaeomagnetism, geochronometric dating such as...Show moreDating archaeological sites in the Quaternary period remains difficult despite the relatively recent developed physical dating methods such as 14C, palaeomagnetism, geochronometric dating such as thermoluminescence (TL), optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) Uranium (U)-series methods, Potassium/Argon (K/Ar) and Argon/Argon (Ar/Ar). Biostratigraphy is also an often used and established method to relatively date archaeological sites in the Quarternary period. Voles in particular can contribute valuable information. In order to develop a higher resolution in the use of voles as biostratigraphical markers, it is important to be able to use as much lineages as possible. This is also important because some vole lineages cover short periods of time or are not abundant enough in sites. The genus Clethrionomys, which is mostly well represented in the fossil record, is investigated for this purpose. In this thesis the first lower and upper molars are investigated using multiple techniques or methods such as height measurements of the enamel free zone, morphotype analysis and SDQ measurements. The results of this investigation show that Clethrionomys can be used as a biostratigraphical marker, a rough chronological indication can be made.The Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene periods can be distinguished based upon the first lower molar. The earliest appearance of C. rufocanus in Europe as a biostratigraphical marker can be further investigated. This species only appears in the Middle Pleistocene in this investigation, and is also observed for the first time in Boxgrove, England in this period.Show less
In 2004 the remains of at least twenty individuals have been found in a medieval family grave in the St. Willibrordus church in Deurne. The grave was thought to belong to members of the van Doerne...Show moreIn 2004 the remains of at least twenty individuals have been found in a medieval family grave in the St. Willibrordus church in Deurne. The grave was thought to belong to members of the van Doerne family (15th and 16th century AD). Physical anthropological, genealogical, and DNA analysis was performed in order to obtain information that would allow us to identify these individuals. For this thesis additional DNA analysis was performed on seven individuals. By means of autosomal and Y-chromosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis and Hyper Variable Region 1 (HVR1) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing, we attempted to reconstruct possible family relationships among these seven individuals. The probabilities of the reconstructed family relationships were estimated using specific statistical analysis. This allowed us to reconstruct a possible family tree. We also explored the possibilities of linking the reconstructed family tree to the existing genealogy.Show less
