Search results for "Anthracology"
showing 10 items of 15 documents
Historical Suitability and Sustainability of Sicani Mountains Landscape (Western Sicily): An Integrated Approach of Phytosociology and Archaeobotany
2020
Since 2015, the ongoing project &ldquo
The ‘recent’ forests of Mount Venda (Padua, Italy): when historical cartography and archaeobotany tell quite a different story
2018
Forests, like agricultural systems and housing, are an integral part of the human landscapes. They evolve over time, not only in response to environmental factors (e.g. climate change) but also in response to developments in human society. This work on the analysis of forest dynamics in Euganean hills is the result of research carried out as part of the research programmes THISTLE (MSCA Fellowship, grant agreement: 656397) and MEMOLA (EU FP7 Project , grant agreement: 613265). The work is focused on two mountains in particular: Monte Venda and Monte della Madonna. The archaeobotanical investigations reveal the presence of ancient forests (since the 14th century) in these areas , although th…
A testimony of pitch production in the Protohistory of the Iberian Peninsula: The kiln of La Illeta dels Banyets (El Campello, Alicante)
2022
Durante la campaña de 2009-2010 en el yacimiento arqueológico de la Illeta dels Banyets se localizó un basamento circular, una pileta y un depósito excavado en el subsuelo que formaban parte de un único equipamiento dedicado a una actividad productiva. Por sus características y por los análisis antracológico y químico se ha identificado como un horno para la destilación de pez o brea, cuyo proceso de fabricación se ha visto confirmado con paralelos arqueológicos y etnográficos. Datado entre finales del siglo IV y la primera mitad del siglo III a.C., es la primera instalación completa de este tipo conocida para el periodo protohistórico en la península ibérica. During the 2009-2010 campaign …
Preservation of fungi in archaeological charcoal
2010
During the analysis of wood charcoal remains from archaeological sites, it is common to find different microorganisms and different forms of degradation present in the plant tissue. However, one may encounter difficulties when attempting to identify these microorganisms and determine when their attack occurred. This paper focuses on preservation aspects related to the microorganisms in wood and demonstrates the structural changes that take place in different types of decayed wood after it was converted into charcoal. The study seeks to determine whether the microbial attack found in archaeological woods took place before the burning of the wood or after. Burning experiments were conducted u…
The use of wood in funerary pyres: random gathering or special selection of species? Case study of three necropolises from Poland
2012
Abstract In this study, the analysis of charcoal remains from three prehistoric necropolises is presented. This botanical material formed part of funerary pyres and thus represents purposely gathered wood used for cremation ceremonies. Therefore, its anthracological analysis may indicate a special selection of wood, which may be a source of palaeoethnographic information about past rituals. However, a question remains as to whether or not the charcoal assemblages that originated from graves may also provide some palaeoecological information. In order to test both hypotheses, analysis of three Polish necropolises dating to the Bronze and the Iron Age were performed. In all charcoal assemblag…
The Pratz le Curtillet settlement
2016
Among the earliest habitats of the early Middle Ages studied in Franche-Comté, the Pratz le Curtillet a settlement sets itself apart by its location in the Jura highlands, renowned for its remoteness and inhospitable landscapes. On the Lizon plateau, the scope of the archaeological work explored on the 16 hectares and the quality of the remains still constitute an exceptional complex today. An imposing 16m by 13m stone building flanked by an annex forms the residential part of the estate, while sheltering fodder and livestock, while the second building houses a forge. Domestic and artisanal equipment provide ample documentation on the living conditions of this small community of high status…
Late Holocene Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Miller) woodlands in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean): Investigation of their distribut…
2021
The pioneering nature of Mediterranean pines and their phytosociological role have been largely discussed in relation to different agents (e.g., edaphic, climatic or anthropogenic). In this context, Aleppo pine is one of the most widespread pine species in the Mediterranean basin, as it is especially adapted to climatic constraints, such as drought and high seasonality, and has a high tolerance for salinity and strong coastal winds. It is also well adapted to regeneration after anthropogenic landscape disturbances, highlighting its important after-fire regeneration rates. In this sense, phytosociological studies conducted in Mediterranean landscapes have found that this species' wide distri…
Mid- and late-Holocene vegetation and fire history at Biviere di Gela, a coastal lake in southern Sicily, Italy
2009
The vegetation and fire history of few coastal sites has been investigated in the Mediterranean region so far. We present the first paleoecological reconstruction from coastal Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. We analysed pollen and charcoal in the sediments of Biviere di Gela, a lake (lagoon) on the south coast of Sicily. Our data suggest that the area became afforested after a marine transgression at ca. 7200 cal b.p. (5250 b.c.). Build-up of forest and shrublands took ca. 200–300 years, mainly with the deciduous trees Quercus, Ostrya and Fraxinus. Juniperus expanded ca. 6900 cal b.p. (4950 b.c.), but declined again 6600 cal b.p. (4650 b.c.). Afterwards, evergreen trees…
Modelling dendro-anthracological parameters with dendrochronological reference datasets: interrogating the applicability of anthraco-typology to asse…
2020
International audience; Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Miller) is present in the palaeoenvironmental records of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean) since the Early Holocene. It is also documented in the archaeological charcoal analysis (aka anthracology) of early prehistoric sites, but it was especially exploited at certain sites during the Late Iron Age. However, different woodland exploitation strategies cannot be deciphered purely through the taxonomical identification of charcoal fragments, so it is difficult to assess if the presence of Aleppo pine in archaeological assemblages is due to specific social management strategies (branches and/or trunks exploitation). Anthraco…
The cremation structures of the Roman Empire: anthracological data versus historical sources
2011
ISSN: : 0210-3729; International audience; During the excavation of the Roman necropolis site Richeaume (Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence, France), cremation primary structures have been identified. A specific protocol consisting in collecting the entire sediment for sampling charred funeral remains on a grid of 20 to 40 cm, was systematically experimented and put into practice. The first anthracological results offer a reading of both qualitative and quantitative spatial residues of the cremation (including the discovery of the ignition lock, and technical aspects revealing a specific choice adapted to the practice of cremation). This reading led to interpret anthracological results in a technic…