Archaeology, Architecture and Digital Adaptation: Developing a GIS for Archaeological Excavation on Crete

This paper is not about the history or archaeology of Priniatikos Pyrgos per se. Rather, it is a review of how the site was recorded using both traditional survey and planning techniques and digital approaches applied through a Geographical Information System (hereafter GIS) during the 2007 through 2010 seasons. Earlier work at the site will necessarily be reviewed, specifically the geophysical survey work of the Istron Geoarchaeological Project and the excavations by Hayden and Tsipopoulou between 2005 and 2006, and regional survey work by Hayden and colleagues in the Vrokastro region (Hayden, this volume, 1999, 2004; Sarris et al. 2005; Shahrukh et al. 2012). The digitisation and incorporation of the latter into the project GIS will be explored in some detail.

Application of low temperature plasmas for restoration/conservation of archaeological objects

The low-temperature low-pressure hydrogen based plasmas were used to study the influence of processes and discharge conditions on corrosion removal. The capacitive coupled RF discharge in the continuous or pulsed regime was used at operating pressure of 100-200 Pa. Plasma treatment was monitored by optical emission spectroscopy. To be able to study influence of various process parameters, the model corroded samples with and without sandy incrustation were prepared. The SEM-EDX analyzes were carried out to verify corrosion removal efficiency. Experimental conditions were optimized for the selected most frequent materials of original metallic archaeological objects (iron, bronze, copper, and brass). Chlorides removal is based on hydrogen ion reactions while oxides are removed mainly by neutral species interactions. A special focus was kept for the samples temperature because it was necessary to avoid any metallographic changes in the material structure. The application of higher power pulsed regime with low duty cycle seems be the best treatment regime. The low pressure hydrogen plasma is not applicable for objects with a very broken structure or for nonmetallic objects due to the non-uniform heat stress. Due to this fact, the new developed plasmas generated in liquids were applied on selected original archaeological glass materials.

Photo-excess : two paradigms of archaeological photography

Discovering ‘photo-excess’: what difference does digital photography bring to the archaeological process, and does this difference constitute a paradigm shift from the traditional film model? Using reflexive practice, the contribution that digital photography has made to the archaeological process is explored. The themes presented in the photographs and exegesis combine visual exploration and original research to examine the role and place of archaeological photography in both a contemporary and an historical context. In contrasting the development of film-based photography of archaeology undertaken in the Eastern Mediterranean during the early 1900s with contemporary digital photography, this exegesis and creative work explores both the synergies and differences of the two photographic methods in archaeology. I introduce the term ‘photo-excess’ to describe the new role that digital photography plays in archaeological practice as compared to film, and demonstrate this difference through my creative work. At the turn of the 20th century, photography was affirmed as the major instrument for visual recording of an archaeological excavation. The combination of archaeological methods and photographic techniques from that era formed an approach to archaeological documentation and recording that was formalised by William Matthews Flinders Petrie in 1904. In this thesis I propose that Petrie became the father of modern archaeological photography through his work, and in recognition of his contribution I refer to his method as the ‘Petrie Paradigm’. Digital photography has made possible a quantum leap in the volume, quality and immediacy of visual data available to the user. Further, through the creative process, digital archaeological photography may provide visual information that exceeds the archaeologist’s original research questions, so that the digital image may sometimes exceed its primary role as a recording device. In such cases it may become the starting point for new research due to its potential photo-excess. I propose this as an emerging paradigm for archaeological photography.

Telesia Archaeological Project: Indagini nella basilica e nel foro (2014-2015)

The Telesia Archaeological Project is an initiative that will make a significant contribution to thi historical and archaeological knowledge of the urban area of the Roman city of Telesia, located near Benevento (S. Salvatore Telesino). The first and second season of the Telesia Archaeological Project (2014-2015), conducted under the supervision of the Archaeological Superintendence, and thanks to the indispensable collaboration of a private landowner, provided results of great scientific interest. There was the possibility to investigate part of a significant building of imperial age, richly decorated, identified with the basilica of the city. It was possible to establish, in addition, that this large building (36 by 21 m ca) was opened, through a great brick colonnade, to the forum, localized in summer 2015 with certainty for the first time. The extraordinary large double colonnade (porticus duplex), 9 meters wide, covering the entire façade of that public building, was erased in the fifth century AD, probably after two earthquakes that seriously damaged the city in 346 and 375 AD.

Transfer Of Ideas And Cultural (Taxonomic) Traits Between The Vistula And Dnieper In The Late Neolithic . Archaeological Evidence On Subcarpathian Plateaus

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Na Estremadura do Neolítico antigo ao neolítico final : os contributos de um percurso pessoal

Apresenta-se síntese sobre o faseamento do Neolítico na Estremadura, território onde o Autor tem desenvolvido boa parte da sua investigação, tomando como referência as estações onde tem dirigido escavações ou em cujas publicações tem participado. A natureza e características das referidas estações e dos seus espólios, a par da respectiva cronologia absoluta, serão, assim, os elementos essenciais deste contributo, sem prejuízo da sua correlação e discussão num quadro mais alargado, com base na informação disponível para outras estações com interesse comparativo.

Libs in cultural heritage: recognition and identification of objects in an underwater archaeological shipwreck

Nowadays, one of the most important areas of interest in archeology is the characterization of the submersed cultural heritage. Mediterranean Sea is rich in archaeological findings due to storms, accidents and naval battles since prehistoric times. Chemical analysis of submerged materials is an extremely valuable source of information on the origin and precedence of the wrecks, and also the raw materials employed during the manufacturing of the objects found in these sites. Nevertheless, sometimes it is not possible to extract the archaeological material from the marine environment due to size of the sample, the legislation or preservation purposes. In these cases, the in-situ analysis turns into the only alternative for obtaining information. In spite of this demand, no analytical techniques are available for the in-situ chemical characterization of underwater materials. The versatility of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been successfully tested in oceanography 1. Advantages such as rapid and in situ analysis with no sample preparation make LIBS a suitable alternative for field measurements. To further exploit the inherent advantages of the technology, a mobile fiber-based LIBS platform capable of performing remote measurements up to 50 meters range has been designed for the recognition and identification of artworks in underwater archaeological shipwrecks. The LIBS prototype featured both single-pulse (SP-LIBS) and multi-pulse excitation (MP-LIBS) 2. The use of multi-pulse excitation allowed an increased laser beam energy (up to 95 mJ) transmitted through the optical fiber. This excitation mode results in an improved performance of the equipment in terms of extended range of analysis (to a depth of 50 m) and a broader variety of samples to be analyzed (i.e., rocks, marble, ceramics and concrete). In the present work, the design and construction considerations of the instrument are reported and its performance is discussed on the basis of the spectral response, the remote irradiance achieved upon the range of analysis and its influence on plasma properties, as well as the effect of the laser pulse duration and purge gas to the LIBS signal. Also, to check the reliability and reproducibility of the instrument for field analysis several robustness tests were performed outside the lab. Finally, the capability of this instrument was successfully demonstrated in an underwater archaeological shipwreck (San Pedro de Alcántara, Malaga).

Les cultes domestiques dans la Grèce antique : catalogue raisonné d’autels domestiques

Si la religion grecque a fait l’objet de nombreuses études, les informations concernant les rites domestiques se font plus discrètes. Nous avons donc tenté de présenter les traces archéologiques de ses cultes domestiques en nous concentrant sur un élément bien précis, les autels. Nous vous proposons donc dans ce mémoire de présenter un catalogue raisonné des autels domestiques de la Grèce antique. Celui-ci répertorie 140 autels domestiques, qu’ils soient de types fixes (construits) ou portatifs (arulae). Une analyse quantitative et qualitative des informations colligées dans le catalogue fait suite à ce dernier. Nous pouvons tirer quelques conclusions partielles suite à l’analyse de notre catalogue. Il est possible d’affirmer qu’il existe beaucoup plus d’autels portatifs que d’autels fixes. Les arulae n’ont pour la plupart pas été trouvés in situ, contrairement aux autels construits. La grande majorité des autels se trouvent dans la cour de la demeure ou contre un mur extérieur de la maison. Les autels portatifs, eux se retrouvent aussi dans diverses pièces de la maison, dont la pastas. La majorité des autels portatifs sont faits de terre-cuite, alors que les fixes sont tous faits de différentes pierres. Peu importe le type, la majorité des autels sont rectangulaires plutôt que circulaires. Très peu d’autels sont dédiés spécifiquement à un dieu et ceux attribués à Zeus Herkeios le sont seulement par leur position dans la cour de la demeure et non à cause d’un décor ou d’objets affiliés. Les autels autant portatifs que fixes peuvent porter un décor, allant d’une simple moulure à un riche décor rappelant les grands autels monumentaux des sanctuaires. Certains sont par contre nus et ont même des faces non travaillées. Nous détaillons dans la dernière section le cas de Zeus Ktésios et Zeus Kataibatès, comme nous possédons beaucoup d’informations pertinentes sur ces deux divinités et nous pouvons donc nous attarder sur leur culte. Il est par contre difficile de recréer des rites domestiques complets. Pour ce faire, il faudrait avoir accès aux catalogues complets des artéfacts retrouvés sur chaque site. Nous pourrions ainsi créer des assemblages et mettre en liens ces objets et les autels et tenter d’interpréter et de reconstituer ces différents rites domestiques.

Waterpower : a geophysical and archaeological investigation of the waterpower system at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York

Waterpower: A Geophysical and Archaeological Investigation of the Waterpower System at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York, describes the results of ground penetrating radar surveys and archaeological excavation undertaken by Michigan Technological University (MTU) archaeologists during the summer of 2003 at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York. 2003 constituted MTU's second field season at the foundry. Fieldwork concentrated on the foundry's waterpower system, an intricate network of surface and subsurface drains, races, flumes, waterwheels, turbines, dams, and ponds that powered operations and regulated water flow throughout the site. Archaeologists utilized non-destructive geophysical technology, which expedited survey, facilitated placement of excavation units, and provided a model for future archaeogeophysical research at industrial sites. Features discovered during excavation provided valuable information pertaining to the waterpower system's construction and its functions. Data from ground penetrating radar surveys, archaeological excavation, historical photographs, documents, and maps permitted the development of a provisional chronology of the development of various components of the West Point Foundry's waterpower system. Information gathered during this project serves as an aid in sit interpretation and rehabilitation.

Les cultes domestiques dans la Grèce antique : catalogue raisonné d’autels domestiques

Si la religion grecque a fait l’objet de nombreuses études, les informations concernant les rites domestiques se font plus discrètes. Nous avons donc tenté de présenter les traces archéologiques de ses cultes domestiques en nous concentrant sur un élément bien précis, les autels. Nous vous proposons donc dans ce mémoire de présenter un catalogue raisonné des autels domestiques de la Grèce antique. Celui-ci répertorie 140 autels domestiques, qu’ils soient de types fixes (construits) ou portatifs (arulae). Une analyse quantitative et qualitative des informations colligées dans le catalogue fait suite à ce dernier. Nous pouvons tirer quelques conclusions partielles suite à l’analyse de notre catalogue. Il est possible d’affirmer qu’il existe beaucoup plus d’autels portatifs que d’autels fixes. Les arulae n’ont pour la plupart pas été trouvés in situ, contrairement aux autels construits. La grande majorité des autels se trouvent dans la cour de la demeure ou contre un mur extérieur de la maison. Les autels portatifs, eux se retrouvent aussi dans diverses pièces de la maison, dont la pastas. La majorité des autels portatifs sont faits de terre-cuite, alors que les fixes sont tous faits de différentes pierres. Peu importe le type, la majorité des autels sont rectangulaires plutôt que circulaires. Très peu d’autels sont dédiés spécifiquement à un dieu et ceux attribués à Zeus Herkeios le sont seulement par leur position dans la cour de la demeure et non à cause d’un décor ou d’objets affiliés. Les autels autant portatifs que fixes peuvent porter un décor, allant d’une simple moulure à un riche décor rappelant les grands autels monumentaux des sanctuaires. Certains sont par contre nus et ont même des faces non travaillées. Nous détaillons dans la dernière section le cas de Zeus Ktésios et Zeus Kataibatès, comme nous possédons beaucoup d’informations pertinentes sur ces deux divinités et nous pouvons donc nous attarder sur leur culte. Il est par contre difficile de recréer des rites domestiques complets. Pour ce faire, il faudrait avoir accès aux catalogues complets des artéfacts retrouvés sur chaque site. Nous pourrions ainsi créer des assemblages et mettre en liens ces objets et les autels et tenter d’interpréter et de reconstituer ces différents rites domestiques.

NEW DATA ON THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE VALE DO FORNO SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE (LOWER TAGUS RIVER TERRACE STAIRCASE) AND ITS RELEVANCE AS FLUVIAL ARCHIVE OF THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE IN WESTERN IBERIA

NEW DATA ON THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE VALE DO FORNO SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE (LOWER TAGUS RIVER TERRACE STAIRCASE) AND ITS RELEVANCE AS FLUVIAL ARCHIVE OF THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE IN WESTERN IBERIA Pedro P. Cunha 1, António A. Martins 2, Jan-Pieter Buylaert 3,4, Andrew S. Murray 4, Luis Raposo 5, Paolo Mozzi 6, Martin Stokes 7 1 MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal: pcunha@dct.uc.pt 2 MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Dep. Geociências, University of Évora, Portugal; aam@uevora.pt 3 Centre for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Denmark; jabu@dtu.dk 4 Nordic Laboratory for Luminescence Dating, Aarhus University, Risø DTU, Denmark; anmu@dtu.dk 5 Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Lisboa, Portugal; 3raposos@sapo.pt 6 Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Italy; paolo.mozzi@unipd.it 7 School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK; m.stokes@plymouth.ac.uk The stratigraphic units that record the evolution of the Tagus River in Portugal (study area between Vila Velha de Ródão and Porto Alto villages; Fig. 1) have different sedimentary characteristics and lithic industries (Cunha et al., 2012): - a culminant sedimentary unit (the ancestral Tagus, before the drainage network entrenchment) – SLD13 (+142 to 262 m above river bed – a.r.b.; with probable age ca. 3,6 to 1,8 Ma), without artefacts; - T1 terrace (+84 to 180 m; ca. 1000? to 900 ka), without artefacts; - T2 terrace (+57 to 150 m; top deposits with a probable age ca. 600 ka), without artefacts; - T3 terrace (+43 to 113 m; ca. 460 to 360? ka), without artefacts; - T4 terrace (+26 to 55 m; ca. 335 a 155 ka), Lower Paleolithic (Acheulian) at basal and middle levels but early Middle Paleolithic at top levels; - T5 terrace (+5 to 34 m; 135 to 73 ka), Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian; Levallois technique); - T6 terrace (+3 to 14 m; 62 to 32 ka), late Middle Paleolithic (late Mousterian); - Carregueira Sands (aeolian sands) and colluvium (+3 a ca. 100 m; 32 to 12 ka), Upper Paleolithic to Epipaleolithic; - alluvial plain (+0 to 8 m; ca. 12 ka to present), Mesolithic and more recent industries. The differences in elevation (a.r.b.) of the several terrace staircases results from differential uplift due to active faults. Longitudinal correlation with the terrace levels indicates that a graded profile ca. 200 km long was achieved during terrace formation periods and a strong control by sea base level was determinant for terrace formation. The Neogene sedimentary units constituted the main source of sediments for the fluvial terraces (Fig. 2). Geomorphological mapping, coupled with lithostratigraphy, sedimentology and luminescence dating (quartz-OSL and K-feldspar post-IRIR290) were used in this study focused on the T4 terrace, which comprises a Lower Gravels (LG) unit and an Upper Sand (US) unit. The thick, coarse and dominantly massive gravels of the LG unit indicate deposition by a coarse bed-load braided river, with strong sediment supply, high gradient and fluvial competence, during conditions of rapidly rising sea level. Luminescence dating only provided minimum ages but it is probable that the LG unit corresponds to the earlier part of the MIS9 (ca. 335 to 325 ka), immediately postdating the incision promoted by the very low sea level (reaching ca. -140 m) during MIS10 (362 to 337 ka), a period of relatively cold climate conditions with weak vegetation cover on slopes and low sea level. Fig. 1. Main Portuguese reaches in which the Tagus River can be divided (Lower Tagus Basin): I – from the Spanish border to Arneiro (a general E–W trend, mainly consisting of polygonal segments); II – from Arneiro to Gavião (NE–SW); III – from Gavião to Arripiado (E–W); IV – from Arripiado to Vila Franca de Xira (NNE-SSW); V – from Vila Franca de Xira to the Atlantic shoreline. The faults considered to be the limit of the referred fluvial sectors are: F1 – Ponsul-Arneiro fault (WSW-ENE); F2 – Gavião fault (NW-SE); F3 – Ortiga fault (NW-SE); F4 – Vila Nova da Barquinha fault (W-E); F5 – Arripiado-Chamusca fault (NNE-SSW). 1 – estuary; 2 – terraces; 3 – faults; 4 – Tagus main channel. The main Iberian drainage basins are also represented (inset). The lower and middle parts of the US unit, comprising an alternation of clayish silts with paleosols and minor sands to the east (flood-plain deposits) and sand deposits to the west (channel belt), have a probable age of ca. 325 to 200 ka. This points to formation during MIS9 to MIS7, under conditions of high to medium sea levels and warm to mild conditions. The upper part of the US unit, dominated by sand facies and with OSL ages of ca. 200 to 154 ka, correlates with the early part of the MIS6. During this period, progradation resulted from climate deterioration and relative depletion of vegetation that promoted enhanced sediment production in the catchment, coupled with initiation of sea-level lowering that increased the longitudinal slope. The Vale do Forno and Vale da Atela archaeological sites (Alpiarça, central Portugal) document the earliest human occupation in the Lower Tagus River, well established in geomorphological and environmental terms, within the Middle Pleistocene. The Lower Palaeolithic sites were found on the T4 terrace (+26 m, a.r.b.). The oldest artefacts previously found in the LG unit, display crude bifacial forms that can be attributed to the Acheulian, with a probable age of ca. 335 to 325 ka. The T4 US unit has archaeological sites stratigraphically documenting successive phases of an evolved Acheulian, that probably date ca. 325 to 300 ka. Notably, these Lower Palaeolithic artisans were able to produce tools with different sophistication levels, simply by applying different strategies: more elaborated reduction sequences in case of bifaces and simple reduction sequences to obtain cleavers. Fig. 2. . Simplified geologic map of the Lower Tagus Cenozoic basin, adapted from the Carta Geológica de Portugal, 1/500000, 1992). The study area (comprising the Vale do Forno and Vale de Atela sites) is located on the more upstream sector of the Lower Tagus River reach IV, between Arripiado and Chamusca villages. 1 – alluvium (Holocene); 2 – terraces (Pleistocene); 3 – sands, silts and gravels (Paleogene to Pliocene); 4 – Sintra Massif (Cretaceous); 5 – limestones, marls, silts and sandstones (Mesozoic); 6 – quartzites (Ordovician); 7 – basement (Proterozoic to Palaeozoic); 8 – main fault. The main Portuguese reaches of the Tagus River are identified (I to V). The VF3 site (Milharós), containing a Final Acheulian industry, with fine and elaborated bifaces) found in a stratigraphic level located between the T4 terrace deposits and a colluvium associated with Late Pleistocene aeolian sands (32 to 12 ka), has an age younger than ca. 154 ka but much older than 32 ka. In the study area, the sedimentary units of the T4 terrace seem to record the river response to sea-level changes and climatically-driven fluctuations in sediment supply. REFERENCES Cunha P. P., Almeida N. A. C., Aubry T., Martins A. A., Murray A. S., Buylaert J.-P., Sohbati R., Raposo L., Rocha L., 2012, Records of human occupation from Pleistocene river terrace and aeolian sediments in the Arneiro depression (Lower Tejo River, central eastern Portugal). Geomorphology, vol. 165-166, pp. 78-90.