Object-based learning explores material culture by giving audiences increased tactile access to museum collections, and has been available in a growing number of museums throughout the United...Show moreObject-based learning explores material culture by giving audiences increased tactile access to museum collections, and has been available in a growing number of museums throughout the United Kingdom. The purpose of this study was to explore whether current practices are sustainable, and for this it used fourteen case studies of UK-based museums and archaeological organisations which provide object-based learning opportunities. The study suggests that practices are currently sustainable the way they are, with the loan kits especially being a manageable service and great use of archaeological materials that benefits from the regular and consistent needs of schools. However, it is also viewed that reaching out to a different and more unpredictable audience, or being subject to other more unexpected changes such as a change in curriculum would constitute a serious challenge to this sustainability. It is hoped that such research will encourage a wider discussion on the future direction of archaeological material within object based learning collections.Show less
This thesis presents an interdisciplinary study including archaeological and philological evidence. It is concerned with the development of musical entertainment and the socio-cultural value and...Show moreThis thesis presents an interdisciplinary study including archaeological and philological evidence. It is concerned with the development of musical entertainment and the socio-cultural value and function of music in ancient Mesopotamia in the late 4th and 3rd millennium BCE. It also investigates changes in the form, venue and occasion of performances which are continuously affected by trajectories such as the period, religion, politics, technology, and style. It includes the classification of ancient instrument according to modern types on the basis of iconographical and archaeological materiel, as well as the identification of the most important instrument names in ancient Sumerian literary texts. Moreover, it concerned with different contexts of musical performance. A survey of depicted scenes has led to the definition of various topics which are structured in a rough chronological order according to their initial appearance. They are explained on the basis of archaeological, iconographical and / or literary evidence. This scholar-imposed scheme allows to examine instruments in their performative function. Thus, it is possible to investigate the socio-cultural role of music in certain historical periods from different perspectives and provides information about characteristics of political, intellectual or religious life. A catalogue of the all iconographic and archaeological attestations featuring musical instruments dating to the late 4th and 3rd millennium BCE as well as a survey of the Sumerian literary text corpus referring to musical performances are the foundation of this study.Show less
Sex estimation methods commonly used in osteoarchaeology involve the pelvis and skull. If the pelvis, cranium or other big-sized bones are damaged or cannot be found in a burial, new methods for...Show moreSex estimation methods commonly used in osteoarchaeology involve the pelvis and skull. If the pelvis, cranium or other big-sized bones are damaged or cannot be found in a burial, new methods for estimating sex are needed. This study aims to determine the degree of sexual dimorphism from the first proximal hand phalanges, in order to explore the possibility of using this particular bone for sex estimation. The sample used in this study was taken from Middenbeemster skeletal collection housed in Human Osteoarchaeology Laboratory, Leiden University. The skeletal collection from the 17th - 19th century was chosen because it has individuals of known sex and age. A total of 103 first proximal hand phalanges obtained from 64 adult individuals (22 males and 42 females) were used in this study. There were seven measurements used to analyze the degree of sexual dimorphism, including maximal length and diaphyseal and epiphyseal widths, both mediolaterally and anteroposteriorly. The degree of sexual dimorphism in the first proximal hand phalanx of Middenbeemster skeletal collection is up to 22.38%, indicated by left APWM. The lowest degree of sexual dimorphism is shown by the left ML. Five out of seven measurements used in this study show the left side has a higher degree of sexual dimorphism than the right. The results of this study indicate that the first proximal hand phalanx can potentially be used for sex estimation.Show less
Establishing age-at-death is important to forensic and biological anthropologists for identification and demographic analyses, but some degree of error is unavoidable. In human osteoarchaeology,...Show moreEstablishing age-at-death is important to forensic and biological anthropologists for identification and demographic analyses, but some degree of error is unavoidable. In human osteoarchaeology, there is a general assumption that there is worse preservation with increasing age of adult skeletal remains resulting in inaccuracies in paleodemographic reconstructions. This thesis examines skeletal material from the 17th to 19th-century Middenbeemster cemetery in the Netherlands to understand taphonomic processes that cause age and sex biases in the preservation of the adult pelvic girdle. Skeletal age estimation techniques have focused on the iliac auricular surface and pubic symphysis. However, the morphological features that are considered for age estimation methods of the pubic symphyseal surface, iliac auricular surface, and sacrum get destroyed or damaged to the point where the morphological features are no longer or only partially observable, which, in turn, affects the accuracy of these age estimation methods. The degeneration pattern in human remains from individuals aged 50 years and older becomes too unclear to put into smaller age groups, which is further complicated by taphonomic factors. Differences in bone preservation are caused by several taphonomic processes that affect the pelvic girdle of old adults more than young and middle aged adults. The general results show that the pelvic girdle of old adults is less well-preserved than young and middle adults, and that adult female pelvises are less complete than males. This research supports the view that age biases in preservation are more important than sex biases.Show less
This study aims to analyze gender bias in six Spanish museums, covering the Paleolithic epoch. For this purpose, images and texts have been sampled. In the images, the sex, position in the image,...Show moreThis study aims to analyze gender bias in six Spanish museums, covering the Paleolithic epoch. For this purpose, images and texts have been sampled. In the images, the sex, position in the image, activeness/passiveness, the posture, the placement regarding the settlement and the activities carried out by each individual have been identified. The analysis of texts covers the language used and the main topic addressed in each text. It is compared with a travelling exhibition called “Evolución en clave de género” (“Evolution in a gender perspective”), which was created precisely for challenging the more traditional view of the Paleolithic. In museum images, men are generally overrepresented, while specially women and elderly are underrepresented and the activities associated with them overlooked. In texts, men and their activities are considerably privileged. Afterwards, the result of a literature research of the archaeological and ethnographic evidence for contesting the conveyed view is provided. It shows that an alternative, less androcentric, view is possible. It is an attempt to show how feminist archaeology can challenge, not only traditional and popular beliefs but also assumptions made by the mainstream archaeology. Once the bias has been identified, the significance of this study lies in the possibility that museums offer to either solve or reinforce current gender relations and stereotypes. Moreover, it adds the analysis of texts, a very telling but unexploited field.Show less
Safaitic rock art of the Jebel Qurma region, located in the Jordan’s Black Desert, was carved by the pastoralist societies that inhabited it. These societies also carved Safaitic inscriptions in...Show moreSafaitic rock art of the Jebel Qurma region, located in the Jordan’s Black Desert, was carved by the pastoralist societies that inhabited it. These societies also carved Safaitic inscriptions in the basalt boulders, which have been traditionally dated between the 1st century BC and the 4th Century AD. This rock art, unlike the Safaitic inscriptions, has not been studied in depth. In this Master thesis I aim to study the different purposes of carving hunting scenes by these pastoralist societies. Thus, I analyse the different motifs (zoomorphic, anthropomorphic, geometric and astromorphic motifs) that made up these scenes. I also analyse two different types of hunting: individual hunting and collective hunting. The techniques that were used to carve these petroglyphs are also analysed. I will also pay attention the size of the figures and their orientation within the basalt boulders. Finally, I will mention the sites in which hunting scenes have been recorded in the Jebel Qurma region. With this information, I will argue that these hunting scenes did not represent real events but ancestral histories that might have come from the oral tradition of the pastoralist societies. I also argue that some of these scenes show hunting for sport in which the anthropomorphic figures represent values related to bravery and strength.Show less
The concept of sustainable development has already been embraced more than three decades ago since the publication of the Brundtland Report by World Commission on Environment and Development. This...Show moreThe concept of sustainable development has already been embraced more than three decades ago since the publication of the Brundtland Report by World Commission on Environment and Development. This report stated that development is not synonymous with economic growth alone, but also includes a social and environmental aspect. In 2015, the United Nations (UN) announced the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which has the purpose to eliminate poverty, fight inequality and justice, and to combat climate change. The state members of the UN have to adopt the SDGs agenda as a framework for their political policies and national development agenda until 2030. The SDGs agenda has also affected the heritage management, because heritage with its value of identity and as a repository of cultural, historical, and social memory forms a vital aspect of the development process. Cultural heritage tourism is one of the methods that can bridge cultural heritage to development. However, in many cases the benefits of cultural heritage tourism do not directly flow to the local communities who in fact are the core element of the SDGs and heritage management. Moreover, in developing countries like Indonesia, the local communities have been excluded from the heritage development planning. Heritage practitioners seems to be not familiar with the implementation of the sustainable development concept. However, the heritage tourism at the USAT Liberty site play an important role in the lives of the local people who live nearby, they even actively participate in the management of the site. Many scholars appreciate the local people’s attempts to protect the USAT Liberty site and to help create sustainable heritage tourism. The USAT Liberty provides valuable data on how cultural heritage can be successfully sustained. Thus, by using the USAT Liberty site as case study, this thesis aims to provide suggestion how to achieve sustainable cultural heritage tourism in accordance with the SDGs principles.Show less
This thesis works to address the following proposed obstacle to researchers: potential nuances of small-scale farming in prehistory are likely lost to archaeologists who are personally...Show moreThis thesis works to address the following proposed obstacle to researchers: potential nuances of small-scale farming in prehistory are likely lost to archaeologists who are personally inexperienced with subsistence living. Without a breadth of agricultural knowledge, it is challenging to understand the extensive possibilities for and reasons behind regional differentiation in food production, farmyard organization, animal husbandry, and local ecological constraints. My aim is to propose an interdisciplinary approach to why regional differentiation occurred and how farmers dealt with the necessity of small-scale adaptation to their immediate environment. This thesis assumes that farming skill relies on an intelligent interaction with the environment and an ability to respond to constant fluctuations in material composition and behavior. I approach the question, ‘how can one formulate a scientific approach to subjective experience?’, by asking ‘Why is perception, defined as any sensory input, relevant to agricultural soil identification as used in archaeology, and can perception be incorporated into soil typologies within the context of the ecological and archaeological record of the Middle Bronze Age of West Frisia, Netherlands?’ To answer these questions, this thesis reinterprets agriculture in Middle Bronze Age West Frisia within the framework of craft theory. Craft theory is used as a methodological framework to propose perceptive categories that work explore the agricultural relevance of soil composition and identification strategies. These categories, contextualized within the format of a farming chaîne opératoire, work to show the how of skilled soil identification as relevant to agricultural craft. By ethnographic examples of agriculturally relevant perceptive land categorization, a chemical understanding of taste, and empirical findings into the relationship between a subject’s taste experience and a soil’s chemical pH, the feasibility of perceptive categorization is presented.Show less
This thesis examines human mobility and population interactions at the Post-Archaic (fifth to fourth century BCE) site of Satricum, Lazio (Italy). According to Livy, the Volscians moved from the...Show moreThis thesis examines human mobility and population interactions at the Post-Archaic (fifth to fourth century BCE) site of Satricum, Lazio (Italy). According to Livy, the Volscians moved from the mountainous hinterland into the Latial plain, around the beginning of the fifth century BCE, took over the Latin town of Satricum in 488 BCE, and were defeated by the Romans in 385 BCE. Based on these ancient sources and archaeological fieldwork, scholars propose a cultural shift in Satricum caused by this Volscian migration-event. Therefore, strontium isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr) is used to assess human mobility from the enamel of third molars (M3). Beside chemical research, nonmetric dental traits are used to examine the nature of biological affinities and phenetic divergence within the Satricum population and between Satricum and other ancient Italian sites. Nineteen human enamel samples, and a modern snail shell as a reference sample, from three presumable ‘Volscian’ necropoleis in Satricum, are analyzed. The isotopic results of this study yield only one outlier. However, all 87Sr/86Sr signatures, including the outlier, still fall within the expected radiogenic range for the Roman magmatic province in which Satricum is located. All individuals can thus be identified as locals. Assessment of the correlation of 87Sr/86Sr signatures with demographic variables, archaeological features, and post-mortem influences, is attempted but provides no statistically significant results. Future research which includes more samples from Satricum and from the hinterland could provide more insights and more reliable results for comparison. In addition, the combination of a complementary oxygen isotope analysis to the present analysis will increase the potential of identifying nonlocal individuals. Nonmetric trait analysis of two necropoleis, with 22 and 17 individuals, provides insight into the nature of biological population similarity and divergence in Satricum. The analysis shows that the Satricum population differs significantly from other contemporary central Italian populations, although this is probably due to the use of data sets on different scales. In addition, the two necropoleis showed high phenetic dissimilarity, likely indicating two different gene pools were present in Satricum. The dental nonmetric traits show that two different populations lived in Satricum during a relatively small time frame (ca. 150 years). Future research will be needed to sort out which populations these were. For example, the assessment of dental nonmetric traits of more inland sites, where whence the Volscians originated, could provide more insights. At an individual level, no evidence for ancient mobility is found in Satricum. However, this research suggests that different biological populations did interact during the Post-Archaic period in Satricum.Show less
The research problem of this thesis stems from the increasing trend of employing the abstract concepts of ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ in the management plans of World Heritage...Show moreThe research problem of this thesis stems from the increasing trend of employing the abstract concepts of ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ in the management plans of World Heritage Sites or archaeological cultural heritage management projects. To find out whether the use of these concept has actual implications, or they are just another “buzz word”. Therefore, the main research question of this thesis is: To what extent is a sustainable approach implemented in the management of the Bulgarian World Heritage Site – the Kazanlak Thracian tomb? To answer this question, the methodology uses three types of methods – direct observation, document analysis (World Heritage Site management plan), and semi-structured interviews with four stakeholders from both local and national level of the management system. As theoretical methodologies designed to analyse the social problem of ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ and its transmission into cultural heritage management plans is still underdeveloped. The criteria were refined based on issues raised in a review of literature on the subject and attempts to provide a practical approach that can easily move between data and theory. The aims of the thesis are threefold. The first aim is to contextualise the meaning of ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ within the context of World Heritage Site management. The second aim is to present a working methodology for conducting sustainability analysis while using qualitative data. The third aim is to apply the research methodology to the case of the Kazanlak Thracian tomb and evaluate its limitations. The triangulation of the results from the direct qualitative analysis challenges the strong emphasis that is positioned to the tangible aspects of the Kazanlak Thracian tomb. Therefore, the final discussion argues that the top-down approach and the highly hierarchical system are blocking the implementation of a sustainable approach in the management of the Kazanlak Thracian tomb.Show less
This MA thesis research has taken all of the available archaeological and historical research related to medieval Trellech to address the ongoing debate regarding the precise location and layout of...Show moreThis MA thesis research has taken all of the available archaeological and historical research related to medieval Trellech to address the ongoing debate regarding the precise location and layout of the original settlement, as well as investigate the exact cause and time of the decline of this town.This thesis was not able to provide a definitive conclusion to the debate surrounding the location of 13th century Trellech. However, the available archaeological evidence tips the scales heavily in favour of the theory that places the centre of medieval Trellech along Catbrook Road, rather than the current village centre. The Lost City of Trellech project has provided strong archaeological evidence for this theory, but is hampered by a lack of academic publications. Further excavation of the site is needed, but a focus on analysing the available but unprocessed archaeological data should be a high priority. The available archaeological evidence points to a hiatus of activity in the 15th century for most of the excavated areas of Trellech. The historical evidence seems to confirm this, leading to the conclusion that the 15th century was the start of Trellech’s decline from major town to the small village it currently is. Based on the available evidence, the combination of the Black Death that hit Trellech in the second half of the 14th century, combined with the revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr in the early 15th century, seems the obvious cause of this decline, though further research is needed.Show less
In this Master Thesis a novel approach is presented to study the extinction of the giant hominid Gigantopithecus blacki from Palaeolithic Southeast Asia, around 300 ka in the Middle Pleistocene,...Show moreIn this Master Thesis a novel approach is presented to study the extinction of the giant hominid Gigantopithecus blacki from Palaeolithic Southeast Asia, around 300 ka in the Middle Pleistocene, while early Homo survived. This novel approach consists of alternative solutions to established methods, based on a multidisciplinary background. It concerns palaeozoloogical questions from an archaeological interest that require to be solved with 3D virtual reality methods, including 3D Photogrammetry and Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis (OFA). After Comparative Morphometric Analyses (CMA’s) on the dentition and mandibles of 4 analogue hominid species (G. gorilla, P. pygmaeus, P. boisei and H. sapiens), 3D Photogrammetry and Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis (OFA) were performed on isolated G. blacki teeth. The mastication of G. blacki, based on dental macrowear and mandibular morphology as proxies, could reveal many inferences on the relationship between mastication and extinction. These inferences included: (1) dental occlusal surface area which facilitated dental wear; (2) the distribution of dental wear facets per wear types; (3) the orientation of wear facets; (4) dental arcade shape; (5) specific morphometric regions used during mastication; (6) specific adaptation to a restricted palaeoenvironment (habitat and niche); and (7) palaeodiet. Surprisingly, in contrast to the hypothesis that mastication in G. blacki would be most similar to P. pygmaeus, it tends to be more similar to a G. gorilla, with a comparable ‘specialization-factor’ to P. boisei. However, the relationship found between mastication and extinction is more complex than it initially seemed. Although there exists a causal relationship, in which mastication determined palaeodiet, which eventually caused extinction of G. blacki, the reality might be more complex than this rather simplified relationship. Therefore, the relationship between mastication and extinction is not one-to-one, but should always be considered in association with other factors. Comparative interpretations between G. blacki and H. erectus (sensu lato) on ‘failure versus success’ from an ‘inferior versus superior’ approach, are false and not justified. However, such a hierarchical comparison does seems justified with H. floresiensis. As it was vulnerable to similar palaeoenvironmental fluctuations as G. blacki. Overall, dental macrowear and mandibular morphology as reliable proxies for mastication and extinction have great potential, but should be interpreted cautiously to avoid over-interpretations. Therefore, this Master Thesis is a pilot-study for future research.Show less
Loom weights have been found all over the world and there are clear regional distinctions in shape and size, but a few types like conical weights seem to be used repeatedly in most regions. In the...Show moreLoom weights have been found all over the world and there are clear regional distinctions in shape and size, but a few types like conical weights seem to be used repeatedly in most regions. In the European Iron Age, a new type of loom weight is introduced with a flat triangular shape and perforations through the corners and often through the centre of the weight. The introduction of this new type of weight is reason for a big discussion. The generally accepted hypothesis on the function of triangular loom weights comes from Loewe (1971, 35, footnote 66), in which he describes how the triangular weights with three perforations were used to secure a bundle of warp threads, making it easier to fabricate longer pieces of textile and rolling the textile up for storing purposes. This presumably gave the triangular weights an advantage over the earlier conical and pyramidal weights. However, some archaeologists disapprove of this assessment of function, they presume a function as net sinker or spanner for hides is more likable. The research of this thesis shows that these objects show a large number of characteristics that are purely necessary for the function as loom weight. Therefore, a primary function as loom weight is accepted.Show less
This study focuses on two exhibitions that took place at the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, one of Pre-Columbian art (in 2009) and one of Chinese art (in 2016). Through the analysis of the...Show moreThis study focuses on two exhibitions that took place at the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, one of Pre-Columbian art (in 2009) and one of Chinese art (in 2016). Through the analysis of the history of collecting, this research unravels the history of the two rare collections, the George Gondicas collection of Pre-Columbian art and the George Eumorfopoulos collection of Chinese art, which were donated to the Benaki Museum in Greece, a country with no tradition of collecting objects from the Americas and Asia. Through interviews and discussions with the museum staff, as well as the distribution of a questionnaire to visitors, their presentation to the public in the form of temporary exhibitions is also investigated here, as well as the curators’ perspectives, and visitor’s reactions to the exhibitions. Considering the recent surge in interest in exhibitions on foreign cultures in Greece, this study provides valuable insight into the history of these collections, the problems faced by curators, and the expectations and opinions of visitors.Show less
There are two main issues that pose a problem with inferring health from the skeletons of past populations. Selective mortality refers to the fact that we can only research individuals who died and...Show moreThere are two main issues that pose a problem with inferring health from the skeletons of past populations. Selective mortality refers to the fact that we can only research individuals who died and that they might not be representative of all individuals that existed at that age. Heterogeneity in frailty refers to the possibility that not all individuals are equal in terms of their risk of getting sick or dying and the factors that contribute to this difference might be hidden. This study addresses these two problems by looking at tooth crown sizes between individuals who died in childhood versus adulthood, as well as looking at the tooth crown sizes between teeth that show signs of physiological stress (enamel hypoplasia) and teeth that do not. Teeth might turn out smaller than their maximum genetic potential under developmental stress. It is researched if this same developmental stress caused individuals to be frailer than their peers, which might be reflected in reduced longevity and vulnerability to physiological stress episodes. The mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth crown sizes are measured for the entire dentition of 115 individuals between seven and 50+ years of age from the predominately 19th century Middenbeemster cemetery (the Netherlands). The results show that four buccolingual tooth crown dimensions (maxillary first molar, mandibular canine, first premolar and second molar) were significantly smaller for subadults than for adults, with all buccolingual dimensions having a tendency to be at least a bit smaller. For three of these dimensions, the significantly reduced tooth crown size is wholly attributed to the juveniles having smaller tooth crowns. Six dimensions of four teeth (maxillary second premolar and first molar, mandibular second premolar and first molar) were significantly smaller for teeth with and without enamel hypoplasia. These results indicate that increased frailty, which is reflected in a reduced tooth crown size, does affect mortality, more so for the juveniles than for adolescents. Besides a higher mortality risk, a higher risk of undergoing physiological stressors during early childhood, reflected in enamel hypoplasia presence, is also shown for individuals with reduced tooth crown sizes. Enamel hypoplasia lesions, thus, more likely reflect a weaker individual rather than a stronger individual. This study shows that selective mortality and hidden heterogeneity in frailty are issues that need to be considered in reconstructions of the health of past populations, however teeth are an excellent means to compare circumstances during the period of growth between survivors and non-survivors and to identify if these might account for the differences in longevity.Show less
Concerns have been raised regarding the low level of public support for the Dutch Roman Limes, considering its upcoming UNESCO World Heritage nomination. With regard to this issue, this thesis set...Show moreConcerns have been raised regarding the low level of public support for the Dutch Roman Limes, considering its upcoming UNESCO World Heritage nomination. With regard to this issue, this thesis set out to gain insight into the role Dutch local museums with a Roman collection do and could play in enhancing support for the Limes amongst the local community. Four local museums were selected as case studies: Stadsmuseum Woerden, Woerden; Museum Swaensteyn, Voorburg; Liemers Museum, Zevenaar; and Museum Dorestad, Wijk bij Duurstede. The data for this research was gathered through analysis of the Roman exhibitions in these museums and interviews with museum staff members and volunteers. Community engagement, the idea of creating a dialogue between the community and the museums (and their Roman exhibitions), provided the theoretical framework for this research. The main issue brought to light in this thesis is the seeming lack of support for these museums amongst their local communities, because of which they do not reach many people amongst the local communities for the Limes. If alterations are made to the Roman presentations to facilitate personal connections, outreach efforts are targeted at audiences other than the standard ones, and community participation is encouraged by these museums, the amount of support from the local community for the museums and their Roman collections could increase. To enhance public support for the Dutch Roman Limes, the museums should present their Roman exhibitions as a part of, and a contribution to, the overall story of the Limes. To achieve all the above, it is essential to intensify cooperation amongst the Limes museums, cooperation with stakeholders in the local and regional areas, and cooperation with Stichting Romeinse Limes Nederland. All in all, this research has revealed that the current role of the local museums in enhancing public support for the Limes amongst the local community, is marginal. However, if the suggestions outlined in this thesis are considered, these museums have great potential to increase support for the Limes amongst the local communities. This would further justify the Limes World Heritage nomination and strengthen the position of the local museums as public institutions and guardians of (local) heritage. In the end, telling the story of the Limes to a broader audience and thereby, hopefully, enriching the lives of the inhabitants of the Limes area, is the ultimate goal.Show less
The coming together of foreign cultures and goods in the ancient Roman world is extraordinary. Here, the specific role and contribution of various foreign cultures can be analysed from several...Show moreThe coming together of foreign cultures and goods in the ancient Roman world is extraordinary. Here, the specific role and contribution of various foreign cultures can be analysed from several different angles. With a keen interest in Indo-Roman trade, this thesis investigates into the Indian objects that were brought over to the Roman world as a result of this trade. This includes objects ranging from spices and condiments, to various fabrics, precious stones, and even ivory objects. In contrast to the influences of Hellenistic and Egyptian art as seen in ancient Roman art and architecture, Indian objects played a much more domestic role. Comments by ancient Roman authors have allowed a glimpse into how these objects penetrated the ancient Roman daily life, and how quickly they gained popularity. Their perceptions about the Indian objects and the fascination of the land of India, go hand in hand in, particularly when we explore the reasons behind their demand and popularity. The spices seemed to have reached all the kitchens in the Roman society, from Rome to all of its provinces as well. The Indian fabrics made up a lot of the garments worn by Roman citizens. Precious Indian stones were found in the jewellery of many of the Roman matrons. A rather curious Ivory statuette of an Indian woman discovered in a small house at the site of Pompeii, reflects the Roman curation of Indian artefacts. The influence of the image of India and its objects is very clear from literary sources, but it is necessary to compare these with the archaeological material available to us, and to investigate into how they can contribute in getting an even better understanding of this cultural exchange. This thesis thus takes into consideration all these factors to formulate a conclusion on the idea of “India in the lives of Ancient Romans".Show less
The most accurate ageing methods for non-adult individuals are based on dental development and eruption. However, archaeological skeletal remains are often fragmented or incomplete, as a result of...Show moreThe most accurate ageing methods for non-adult individuals are based on dental development and eruption. However, archaeological skeletal remains are often fragmented or incomplete, as a result of which teeth may be lost or severely damaged. Recently, Primeau et al. (2016) developed a method to estimate age-at-death of non-adults with the use of the diaphyseal length for all major long bones. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the quadratic regression formulae on a post-medieval Dutch population. Long bone lengths were measured for a total of 61 individuals from the Middenbeemster skeletal collection, ranging from birth to 21 years of age. Regression ages were assigned, and subsequently compared to the known ages of 38 individuals, and estimated dental ages of 23 individuals. The results show an overall high accuracy of the method in when all age groups are combined, but inaccurate regression ages were produced for the long bones of the infants, and some of the bones of the children in the sample. This discrepancy might be partly explained by a difference in size and varying growth rates between the Middenbeemster and Danish individuals. For the juvenile and adolescent age categories, almost no significant differences were found, which suggests that the regression formulae can be used to estimate age-at-death accurately for non-adults above the age of 6 years.Show less
Iron Age cremation graveyards are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Netherlands and there is a general lack of understanding of demographic data based on osteological analyses of these graveyards...Show moreIron Age cremation graveyards are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Netherlands and there is a general lack of understanding of demographic data based on osteological analyses of these graveyards. Cremation analysis of these graveyards is not done on a consistent basis and osteological information is generally lacking. In the research, the Middle to Late Iron Age graveyard from Panningen-Loo (Netherlands) has been analysed and compared to other graveyard within the Meuse-Demer-Scheldt (MDS) region in the southern Netherlands. Furthermore, a GIS-analysis has been carried out to analyse locations of graves, grave types and demographics within the graveyard. The osteological analysis was carried out using standard macroscopic methods of analysis for cremated remains. With the help of a literature study and a GIS-analysis, comparisons in and between graveyards have been made. Several statistical calculations were ran to test the significance of weight and fragmentation between demographics and grave types. In total, 31 graves were found which contained 33 individuals. Grave types following the scheme of Hiddink (2003) were proposed: sixteen graves were of type A. Ten were of type B. Seven graves were of type C. The grave types also differed in other terms: weight, fragmentation and location were different for the proposed grave types. The weight of the graves varied between 0,1 to 3241 grams, with an average of 611 grams. The graveyard contained three adult females, three possible females, two indeterminate adults, one possible male, five adult males and six subadults. Fragmentation of the remains was high. Four individuals were found with no or marginal amounts of cranial fragments. In comparison to other graveyards within the MDS area, several graveyards match Panningen-Loo in multiple osteological and archaeological aspects. Panningen Stokx, Weert Laarveld and Weert Molenakkerdreef are all highly matching in most aspects. By carrying out this study, progress had been made in aiding the understanding of Iron Age graveyards and indicating the usefulness of a complete osteological analysis of cremated remains.Show less
