Search results for "radiocarbon"

2017

Ranking among the largest volcanic eruptions of the Common Era (CE), the ‘Millennium Eruption’ of Changbaishan produced a widely-dispersed tephra layer (known as the B-Tm ash), which represents an important tie point for palaeoenvironmental studies in East Asia. Hitherto, there has been no consensus on its age, with estimates spanning at least the tenth century CE. Here, we identify the cosmogenic radiocarbon signal of 775 CE in a subfossil larch engulfed and killed by pyroclastic currents emplaced during the initial rhyolitic phase of the explosive eruption. Combined with glaciochemical evidence from Greenland, this enables us to date the eruption to late 946 CE. This secure date rules out…

Fauna e industria en materia dura de origen animal del lugar sagrado de la Cultura de las Motillas: Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real)

2020

En los últimos años revistas científicas han publicado diversos estudios (cerámica, metal, material lítico, etc.) sobre Castillejo del Bonete. Este trabajo presenta datos inéditos sobre la industria ósea, micro y macromamíferos encontrados en este yacimiento. La industria elaborada sobre materia dura de origen animal está constituida principalmente por piezas elaboradas con hueso, asta o dientes, que fueron utilizados como medios de producción o complementos para vestir y adornar a los difuntos, o tallar ídolos. El estudio de los micromamíferos aporta información sobre el final del uso de estos túmulos, así como sobre aspectos ambientales. Los perfiles de mortalidad de los grandes mamíferos…

Ancient DNA provides no evidence for independent domestication of cattle in Mesolithic Rosenhof, Northern Germany

2008

Abstract Recent studies of modern and ancient mtDNA in domesticated and wild cattle has indicated that members of the extinct Near Eastern aurochs population (Bos primigenius primigenius) were the wild progenitors of European domesticated cattle (Bos taurus) (Bollongino, R., Edwards, C.J., Burger, J., Alt, K.W., Bradley, D.G., 2006. Early history of European domestic cattle as revealed by ancient DNA. Biol. Lett. 2, 155–159; Edwards, C.J., Bollongino, R., Scheu, A., Chamberlain, A., Tresset, A., Vigne, J.-D., Baird, J.F., Larson, G., Ho, S.Y.W., Heupink, T.H., Shapiro, B., Freeman, A.R., Thomas, M.G., Arbogast, R.-M., Arndt, B., Bartosiewicz, L., Benecke, N., Budja, M., Chaix, L., Choyke, A…

An integrated program of geophysical survey, coring, and test excavations to study a 4th millennium bc-cal ditch at Alt del Punxó (Muro de L’alcoi, A…

2008

The potentially long and interesting archaeological sequence revealed by systematic survey at the site of Alt Del Punxó (Muro de l’Alcoi, Alacant) was the basis for initiating a study of the locality’s subsurface structures using new methods of remote sensing. Geophysical survey (magnetometry and tomography) and systematic augering revealed buried structures, including monumental earthworks, and guided subsequent excavations to collect more detailed data about the nature and age of these prehistoric features. The information recovered, including new radiocarbon dates, offers a new perspective on the organization of prehistoric populations in this region of south-central Valencia since the b…

Osteological and paleodietary investigation of burials from Cova de la Pastora, Alicante, Spain

2011

We present results of osteological and isotopic analyses of human remains from Cova de la Pastora (Alcoi, Alicante, Spain) and discuss the implications in light of a new sequence of radiocarbon dates indicating that the cave was used as a burial site in the Late Neolithic (ca. 3800e3000 cal BC), Chalcolithic (ca. 3000 e2500 cal BC), Bell Beaker Transition (Horizonte Campaniforme Transicional - HCT; ca. 2500e2200 cal BC) and the Bronze Age (ca. 2200e1500 cal BC). Similarities in stable isotopic values of C and N indicate little variation in subsistence between men and women, and a similar nutritional base from the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age. This pattern of stability is augmented by ev…

From pedologic indications to archaeological reconstruction: deciphering land use in the Islamic period in the Baida district (north-western Sicily)

2013

Abstract The aim of this work was to detect imprints on soil properties from former Islamic land use (9th to 11th century) using a multi-method, soil-chemical approach. Four soil profiles (with buried horizons) found in the vicinities of former Islamic settlements in Sicily were analysed for phosphorus (total, organic and inorganic), nitrogen (total, NO 3 − and NH 4 + ), carbon compounds (δ 13 C, lipids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and functional groups), physical and chemical C-fractions and the state of soil weathering. Two soil profiles contained ceramic sherds from the Islamic period. Inorganic nitrogen forms, phosphorous and the PAH content indicated strong impacts from trad…

Antiguas excavaciones, nuevas respuestas. El yacimiento epimagdaleniense de la Cova del Clot de l'Hospital (Roquetes, Baix Ebre)

2015

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido estudiar los materiales obtenidos con las excavaciones de Francesc Esteve Gálvez en la Cova del Clot de l’Hospital (Bajo Ebro), yacimiento de finales del Pleistoceno-inicios del Holoceno, descubierto por él mismo el año 1945. La representación de raspadores, truncaduras, buriles y laminitas de dorso, entre otros tipos, permite atribuirlo al Epimagdaleniense, atribución corroborada por dos fechas radiocarbónicas sobre huesos de fauna: 11.115 y 10.045 BP. De esta forma, este yacimiento se suma a un numeroso conjunto de yacimientos del período citado, conocidos en las provincias de Tarragona y de Castellón de la Plana. Así mismo, el estudio de los restos fau…

Mid-Holocene vegetation dynamics in the Tejo River estuary based on palaeobotanical records from Ponta da Passadeira (Barreiro-Setúbal, Portugal)

2014

This paper presents the results of pollen and charcoal analyses carried out in the sedimentary formation of Ponta da Passadeira, south of the Tejo River estuary, Portugal. The data provide information regarding the evolution of the coastline and ecosystem of the estuary during the mid and late Holocene. The study focuses on a group of upright woody fossilized tree remains that, together with those identified earlier by Garcia-Amorena et al. (2007), form part of the fossil forest of Ponta da Passadeira. Eight remains were identified as Pinus pinaster, four as Pinus pinea and one as Pinus sp. Two specimens of these species were dated to 6523 and 5805 cal. a BP. Pollen analysis was undertaken …

Investigating the influence of climate changes on rodent communities at a regional-scale (MIS 1-3, southwestern France).

2016

25 pages; International audience; Terrestrial ecosystems have continuously evolved throughout the Late Pleistocene and theHolocene, deeply affected by both progressive environmental and climatic modifications, aswell as by abrupt and large climatic changes such as the Heinrich or Dansgaard-Oeschgerevents. Yet, the impacts of these different events on terrestrial mammalian communities arepoorly known, as is the role played by potential refugia on geographical species distributions.This study examines community changes in rodents of southwestern France between50 and 10 ky BP by integrating 94 dated faunal assemblages coming from 37 archaeologicalsites. This work reveals that faunal distributi…

Stones, Bones, and Hillfort: Radiocarbon Dating of Ķivutkalns Bronze-Working Center

2013

The Bronze Age site of ķivutkalns with its massive amount of archaeological artifacts and human remains is considered the largest bronze-working center in Latvia. The site is a unique combination of cemetery and hillfort believed to be built on top of each other. This work presents new radiocarbon dates on human and animal bone collagen that somewhat challenge this interpretation. Based on analyses using a Bayesian modeling framework, the present data suggest overlapping calendar year distributions for the contexts within the 1st millennium BC. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios indicate mainly terrestrial dietary habits of studied individuals and nuclear family remains buried in one o…