In the 1980s, archaeological studies near the village of Valkenburg, South-Holland, unearthed the skeletal remains of individuals buried at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery during the Roman period...Show moreIn the 1980s, archaeological studies near the village of Valkenburg, South-Holland, unearthed the skeletal remains of individuals buried at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery during the Roman period. Part of multiple Roman fortifications along the Limes dating from 40 A.D. onwards, the cemetery was likely used as a burial ground for inhabitants of the Valkenburg fort or nearby vicus, a civilian settlement. The cemetery comprised at least 250 cremated individuals as well as 47 inhumations, which is a striking find that contradicts the common Roman practice of cremation. Due to these inhumated skeletal remains, the site provides an unique opportunity to employ osteoarchaeological analysis to reconstruct the lives of individuals that lived in the Roman Frontier region. This thesis utilizes cross-sectional geometry and bilateral asymmetry analysis to infer activity patterns among individuals at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery, as current research on the differences in bone geometry between different demographic groups within Roman communities in the Lower Rhine area is limited. The study further investigates the factors and potential activity patterns that might influence those variations, such as biological age and sex. To do so, it builds on the initial osteoarchaeological study conducted by Lonnée and Maat (1998), who reported the estimated sex and age-at-death of each individual. Following this, each relevant bone in the upper and lower limbs was measured on various points to generate the indices for each point of measurement, as well as calculate the percentage directional asymmetry (DA%) and absolute asymmetry (AA%). The resulting values were then compared statistically between the biological sexes and age-at-death categories. While statistical significance is limited, the interpretation of data highlights the potential of these analyses in inferring activity patterns. Results from the analysis indicate that males tend to display more robust and symmetric upper and lower limbs than females, which are likely attributable to biological factors or a wider range of activities in males. Age-at-death categories exhibited inconsistencies with patterns described in other study, which is possibly due to natural variation or the limited preservation and availability of the skeletal material. Despite the limited number of individuals that could be examined, this thesis contributes valuable insights into the application of cross-sectional geometry and bilateral asymmetry analysis in osteoarchaeological studies, complementing historical data and broadening our understanding of activities in Roman frontier regions.Show less
This thesis will look at the prevalence of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement among three medieval and post-medieval populations from the Netherlands in order to identify a pattern or trend in...Show moreThis thesis will look at the prevalence of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement among three medieval and post-medieval populations from the Netherlands in order to identify a pattern or trend in the said prevalence. These could in turn be linked to biological sex, environment and historical period and offer new insights in the lifestyle, in particular physical activity, of historical populations from the Netherlands. The results of this thesis could in turn also contribute to a better understanding of femoroacetabular impingement in the modern age. The trend that the femoral heads of the males in this sample are significantly less spherical than in females may be related to a sex-based labour division. Males would have done the bulk of the heavy work which put more strain on their lower limbs. The most important takeaway from this thesis is that femoroacetabular impingement, in particular cam-type, is not a new disorder. It is present in a wide range of populations from different environments and historical periods. The activity levels and physical load on the proximal femur of modern professional athletes may be comparable to ancient populations who were involved in physically demanding professions daily. The environment and diet might play a larger role in all of this than anticipated.Show less
Schöningen locality is a significant complex for understanding hominin behaviour and their adaptation to the changing environment during the Lower Palaeolithic in Central Europe. Schöningen 13II-1 ...Show moreSchöningen locality is a significant complex for understanding hominin behaviour and their adaptation to the changing environment during the Lower Palaeolithic in Central Europe. Schöningen 13II-1 (site 13, channel II, level 1) was the first and oldest sedimentary cycle of Schöningen 13II from the bottom, dating to MIS 9 interglacial at around 300 ka. The climate at Schöningen 13II-1 was reconstructed to be the warmest compared to the climate of other layers at Schöningen 13II. The landscape of Schöningen 13II-1 was featured with forested and regularly flooded marsh. The preservation of faunal assemblages as well as lithics provides a good opportunity to conduct taphonomic and spatial analysis to reconstruct the depositional and post-depositional processes of Schöningen 13II-1. The taphonomic analysis of large mammal remains has revealed that both hominins and carnivores were involved in the accumulation and modification of faunal deposits which were evidenced by the percussion marks and carnivore gnawing marks, fragmentation pattern, as well as the skeletal presentations. The coexistence of hominins and carnivores was also documented in fragments with percussion and carnivore gnawing marks on the surface. However, the absence of overlap between these marks made it challenging to determine which group initially accessed the carcasses. The total absence of hominin cut marks and less frequent carnivore-induced modifications might be the results of abiotic agents that engaged in the taphonomic processes of altering bone surfaces, which were consistent with the varying degrees of weathering and abrasion of bones. For the results of spatial analysis, the fauna remains were distributed in a clustered pattern, which could be the results of where the fauna died naturally, such as rhinoceros bones. Additionally, the influence of hominin activities and carnivores carrying carcasses away first and consuming them cannot be ruled out. The patterns of orientation and vertical distribution indicate that different parts of Schöningen 13II-1 might have been affected by post-depositional processes to various extents which could be the bioturbation, and abiotic agents such as water movement from flooding and glacial erosion. Due to the post-depositional processes, it was hard to differentiate each accumulation event by hominins and other predators that happened at Schöningen 13II-1. However, regarding vertical distribution, the accumulations of faunal remains and lithics were mainly concentrated in the upper sublayers of Schöningen 13II-1. This could be interpreted as the outcome of spatial palimpsest formed over an unknown time scale. Within this context, various independent events involving biotic or abiotic agents happened at Schöningen 13II-1, depositing atop one another in a sequence that might have been disturbed by post-depositional processes. Despite the impact of post-depositional factors that might obscure the original spatial and taphonomic information of the accumulations, it is plausible to conclude that hominins were already well adapted to the interglacial environments by consciously taking advantage of forested lakeland with rich resources and less competition with other predators, to exploit botanic and faunal resources during the Middle Pleistocene in Central Europe.Show less
This research delves into the complex interplay of cultural, parental, and environmental factors that significantly impact the developmental trajectories of children, with a particular focus on the...Show moreThis research delves into the complex interplay of cultural, parental, and environmental factors that significantly impact the developmental trajectories of children, with a particular focus on the onset of walking in Dutch post-medieval children. Conducted in Arnhem and Middenbeemster, this study reveals notable variations in the age at which children achieve important developmental milestones. Children in Arnhem tended to reach these stages at slightly older ages than their peers in Middenbeemster, underscoring the influence of regional factors on childhood development. Femoral angle measurements, specifically the bicondylar angle (BCA) and neck-shaft angle (NSA) were compared between the two regions, revealing distinct trends. Children in Arnhem exhibited higher average BCA and NSA values, potentially influenced by variations in lifestyle, parenting practices, and regional customs. Moreover, differences in NSA values may indicate disparities in biomechanical loading, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of childhood development. Comparisons were made with research on post-medieval England by Swan et al. (2020), demonstrating both similarities and differences in developmental patterns, reinforcing the significance of population-specific variations in bone development. The study also explores the onset of walking in low-status and high-status children, highlighting the potential influence of the specific region or environment on which they grow up when they start walking. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple factors and measurements when studying child development, acknowledging that not all anatomical features are equally relevant to the specific aspects of development being investigated. The study encourages further research to explore the underlying factors contributing to differences in child development between Arnhem and Middenbeemster and to delve deeper into the biomechanical and physiological aspects influencing femoral angles. In conclusion, this research enriches our understanding of how cultural, environmental, and regional factors shape child development, specifically in the context of femoral angle measurements in Dutch post-medieval children. The study highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to osteological non-adult research, considering the intricate web of influences that contribute to developmental patterns.Show 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
Százhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river...Show moreSzázhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river Danube, a sedimentary environment that is appropriate for pollen preservation to conduct pollen analysis was not found around the site (Sumegi & Bodor, 2000). Instead, regional pollen analysis has been conducted to study the environment relating to the Százhalombatta-Földvár site. This regional sediment sample was obtained by coring from an oxbow lake about 500 m away from the site. During the Százhalombatta-Földvár excavation in 2022, however, the lithological examination of the floor sediment from [House] 9000 indicated the possibility for pollen preservation, followed by palynological investigation including the comparison to the regional pollen record. This unconventional method of pollen analysis was successfully conducted, yielding a well-preserved pollen assemblage. The methods of pollen analysis applied are pollen counts, taxonomic identification and states of preservation analysis. These methods indicate that the well-preserved pollen assemblage obtained from the unconventional context does not reflect the pollen assemblage from the oxbow lake pollen record. Especially the absence of arboreal pollen at the site compared to that recorded in the regional pollen data is conspicuous. These results allow us to discuss and investigate the sample from [House] 9000. Specifically, in the sample, taphonomic agents contributing to the absence of arboreal pollen in contrast with the regional palynological signal are analysed and the predominance of Poaceae is explained with taphonomic processes. Furthermore, the taphonomic agents causing the primary pollen preservation states are investigated and the taphonomic processes resulting in the preservation biases are explored in archaeological interpretation. In consequence, the investigation of the taphonomic processes suggests anthropogenic agents causing the discrepancy and bias in the pollen assemblage with the construction and materials used for [House] 9000. The pollen preservation state analysis revealed that the primary states of pollen preservation are degraded and folded. These in turn are evidence of the taphonomic processes of oxidisation and physical stress, which in combination with archaeological evidence suggests anthropogenic activities as cause. To conclude, this thesis could contribute to multi-disciplinary research and greater understanding of the Bronze Age site, Százhalombatta-Földvár. Moreover, it demonstrates new potential of palynological analysis employing an innovative sampling method that directly relates to the human activities at the site. The results of this thesis have the potential to stimulate further application of this new approach.Show less
During the Middle Neolithic, the first farmers in the present-day Netherlands cultivated their own food and kept animals while still hunting wild game. During this period, the people from the...Show moreDuring the Middle Neolithic, the first farmers in the present-day Netherlands cultivated their own food and kept animals while still hunting wild game. During this period, the people from the Funnel Beaker culture (3400- 2900 cal. BC) lived in the northern part the country while the people of the Vlaardingen culture (3400-2500 BC) lived in the south. Hunting animals was still a crucial part in the gathering of resources; the meat could be eaten, the bones were used to make tools and hides were processed to make clothes and other products. To remove the last of the fat and meat on a hide, the hide was scraped. This was done with flint scrapers, small tools with a rounded edge. This was a common practice, making these tools a common artifact found during excavations. The scrapers from a Funnel Beaker site called Haren- de Vork, located near the city of Groningen, would be used to collect data about the usage of these tools. During the excavation of this site, many scrapers were found, of which 49 would eventually be analyzed for use-wear traces. The goal was to better understand how these tools were damages and which materials the scrapers were used on. This data was used to gain a better understanding of this site. The use-wear traces on these scrapers would show how a variability of hide types were processed at the site of Haren- de Vork, while other traces suggest that some scrapers were hafted. This information has led to the interpretation that the site was used for a relatively long period of time, even though house plans have not been found during excavation. The information of Haren- de Vork is also compared to other Funnel Beaker sites, showing how the remains of these sites are not uniform and can wildly differ. These differences can be contributed to multiple varieties such as the type of landscape but also the function of a site. The dataset from Haren- de Vork was also compared to the Vlaardingen site of Wateringse Binnentuinen. Multiple differences in use-wear traces have been observed, an example of which is the ratio of dry- and fresh hide scrapers. The site of Haren- de Vork has a much larger amount of dry hide scrapers when compared to the VL site of Wateringse Binnentuinen. It can most likely be attributed to the landscape in which people lived and the available game which was predominantly hunted.Show less
In this thesis a use-wear study has been done on the Mesolithic submerged Stone Age sites around Hjarnø. During there where three focus points. The first point of focus is the possibilities of use...Show moreIn this thesis a use-wear study has been done on the Mesolithic submerged Stone Age sites around Hjarnø. During there where three focus points. The first point of focus is the possibilities of use-wear on flint from submerged sites. The second is the activities for which the flint has been used. And lastly the excavation techniques and the damage it might do was looked into. In order to get a better idea of possible traces the sea and shell middens might leave several experiments have been carried out.Show less
Biological kinship is a phenomenon inherent in all people. Therefore, it is no wonder that it is an often-researched topic in bioarchaeology. Even though a living person could speak about their kin...Show moreBiological kinship is a phenomenon inherent in all people. Therefore, it is no wonder that it is an often-researched topic in bioarchaeology. Even though a living person could speak about their kin, the bones of people long passed have another way of saying who their relatives are. The approach used in this research examines cranial non-metric traits, the morphological variants appearing on the skull. This study investigated the relationship between biological kinship and cranial non-metric traits in the Middenbemster skeletal collection. Examining these traits aimed to gain further insight into familial connections within the cemetery, adding to previous studies that only focused on dental non-metric traits and foot anomalies. To estimate the familial relationships in the Middenbeemster skeletal collection, the data on 27 cranial non-metric traits were collected in 213 adult individuals. The traits were visually scored as present, absent, or unobservable if skeletal material was missing or poorly preserved. After collection, data were statistically analyzed. Analysis of traits revealed that most traits were represented in the sample and that there is inconsistency in the sex dependence of the traits. The principal finding of this research was the identification of precondylar tubercle as a basis for further hypothesizing about kinship, as it appeared in a significantly higher frequency in the Middenbester sample compared to the reference sample. This finding was further used to form a hypothetical kinship group, which may further be used to explore kinship through the archival data. Moreover, this research adds to the previous research conducted on this topic in Middenbeemster and provides a fresh perspective.Show less
Sex estimations are an important step in the study of skeletons in osteoarcheology. Sex estimations are necessary for the estimations of age and stature of individuals. If sex, age, and stature are...Show moreSex estimations are an important step in the study of skeletons in osteoarcheology. Sex estimations are necessary for the estimations of age and stature of individuals. If sex, age, and stature are known comparisons with other individuals, contexts, or populations can be made. Sex estimations are also important for forensic archaeology because one of the first steps in identifying an individual in order to link this to a missing person is determining the sex. The Phenice method is a well-known morphological method used for estimating the sex of a skeleton by only looking at three traits of the pubic bone, namely the ventral arc, the subpubic concavity, and the medial aspect of the ischiopubic ramus. With just these three traits an accuracy of 96 % can be achieved (Phenice, 1969, p. 300). The Phenice method is a popular method to estimate the sex of skeletons in archaeology, including Dutch archaeology. But while this method is excessively tested on North American skeletal collections, there has been only one research on a Dutch skeletal collection. MacLaughlin and Bruce reviewed the Phenice method on a Dutch skeletal collection and only achieved an accuracy of 68 % (MacLaughlin & Bruce, 1989, p. 1387). Therefore, in this thesis research, the reliability of the Phenice method has been tested on a Dutch skeletal collection in order to determine if this method is reliable for a Dutch skeletal collection. The reliability of the Phenice method was tested by examining a sample of 105 skeletons of the Middenbeemster skeletal collection, an archaeological rural collection dating between 1829 and 1866 CE. The pubic bones of the skeletons have been examined for the three Phenice traits and sex estimations have been made for each individual trait. A final sex estimation for the skeleton has been made based on the sex estimations of the individual traits. Lastly, the final sex estimations got compared to the known sex of the skeletons. An overall accuracy of 88. 57 % was achieved for estimating the sex of the studied 105 individuals. Thus the Phenice method was found to be a reliable method to estimate the sex of adult skeletons of the Middenbeemster collection, and presumably other Dutch skeleton collections. Hereby is it important that the guidelines published by Phenice (1969) in his original paper are followed. However, there is a small bias towards male sex estimations, and the sex of young (<23 years) and old individuals (> 50 years) is also more likely to be estimated wrong. Nevertheless, the overall accuracy rate of the Phenice method is still high and it remains a reliable method for Dutch archaeology.Show less
Based on the available material evidence, it has been proposed that for the most past of the Middle Chalcolithic period, populations were organized in individual households within relatively...Show moreBased on the available material evidence, it has been proposed that for the most past of the Middle Chalcolithic period, populations were organized in individual households within relatively egalitarian societies (Knapp, 2013, p. 241). However, during the second part of this period, certain signs of social inequality are traced in the archaeological record (Knapp 2013, p. 241-244; Peltenburg 2013; Steel 2004, p. 93). Following this “rise of individual status” there is an informational/occupational hiatus, detected at the site of Kissonerga-Mosphilia and probably also at Lemba-Lakkous, and it is dated at the transitional period between the Middle and Late Chalcolithic periods (Knapp, 2013, p. 246; Peltenburg, 1993, p. 15; Steel, 2004, p. 106). Concerning Pottery production, the production of the once ubiquitous Red-on-White vessels gradually receded, while there was a simultaneous rise in the production of Red Monochrome Pottery (Bolger, 2007, p. 173; Knapp, 2013, p. 229). Finally, following this transitional period was, as Peltenburg interpreted, a time of social equality reconstitution within the Late Chalcolithic societies (Peltenburg, 1998, p. 252). Chlorakas-Palloures, in the Paphos region, southwest of Cyprus, is one of the very few archaeological sites that possess safely stratified material remains from the transitional stage between the Middle and the Late Chalcolithic periods (Bolger et al., 2004, p. 112; Düring et al., 2021, p. 681). Therefore, an analysis of its Pottery assemblage might shed more light into the knowledge gap of this period. In the present pilot study, I analyze 32 thin sections, sampled from ceramic vessels which appertain to the Red-on-White, Red Monochrome Painted and Plain White Chalcolithic Pottery categories, coming from Chlorakas-Palloures. As means to their analysis, I implement the method of Thin-section Ceramic Petrography and my main research question is: “What can a petrographic analysis show about the technological evolution and variability of production of Red Monochrome, Red-on-White and Plain White Chalcolithic Pottery, at the site of Chlorakas-Palloures?”. My goal is to describe the chaȋne operatoire of each Pottery ware under study, in order to contribute any possible information regarding the steps of their technological production and their technological evolution. Finally, I intend to evaluate whether there was any type of specialization in ceramic production, such as the ones of the possible pendant-maker workshop at Kissonerga-Mosphilia and the conspicuously luxurious production of pendants and figurines at Laona (Knapp, 2013, 209, 239; Steel, 2004, p. 89).Show less
