Constructing prehistory: Lithic analysis in the Levantine Epipalaeolithic

This study explores the way in which our picture of the Levantine Epipalaeolithic has been created, investigating the constructs that take us from found objects to coherent narrative about the world. Drawing on the treatment of chipped stone, the fundamental raw material of prehistoric narratives, it examines the use of figurative devices - of metaphor, metonymy, and synecdoche - to make the connection between the world and the words we need to describe it. The work of three researchers is explored in a case study of the Middle Epipalaeolithic with the aim of showing how different research goals and methodologies have created characteristics for the period that are so entrenched in discourse as to have become virtually invisible.Yet the definition of distinct cultures with long-lasting traditions, the identification of two separate ethnic trajectories linked to separate environmental zones, and the analysis of climate as the key driver of change all rest on analytical manoeuvres to transform objects into data.

Le Sylvicole inférieur au Méganticois : le cas du site Nepress (BiEr-21)

La découverte du site Nepress (BiEr-21) en 2004 et les saisons de fouilles subséquentes ont permis de découvrir de nombreux vestiges archéologiques. Ce mémoire a donc pour objectif de déterminer l’identité culturelle des occupants qui ont fréquenté le site, en prenant en considération les activités rituelles et la stratégie d’approvisionnement en matière lithique. Pour y parvenir, une analyse morpho-métrique de l’assemblage lithique a été effectuée. La distribution intra-site des artéfacts a également été prise en considération lors de l’analyse. Une séquence chronologique du Nord-Est américain remontant au Sylvicole inférieur est présentée dans ce mémoire. Une période d’occupation semble dominer sur le site Nepress, soit le Sylvicole inférieur. Cette manifestation est caractérisée par la présence d’artéfacts diagnostiques de la culture Meadowood. Ces objets sont un grattoir triangulaire bifacial Meadowood, ainsi qu’une imitation de pointe de type box-base.

Les occupations du site Nebessis (BiEr-3) : une approche palethnographique

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Étude technologique et morphologique de la cornéenne dans le sud du Québec : le cas de la carrière préhistorique du mont Royal (BjFj-97) à Montréal.

Le site de la carrière du mont Royal (BjFj-97), découvert en 1993 par Yvon Codère et inventorié en 1997 par l’équipe d’Ethnoscop Inc., constitue une énigme archéologique intéressante pour quiconque s’intéresse à la préhistoire de l’île de Montréal et de sa région adjacente. Lors des activités archéologiques de 1997, quelques idées furent émises quant à son affiliation chronologique et sa nature, suggérant une occupation remontant à l’Archaïque terminal (4000 à 3000 AA) orientée vers l’extraction et la transformation de la cornéenne, une pierre métamorphique résultant de la transformation du substrat rocheux en place suite à des intrusions magmatiques lors du Crétacé qui ont créé les Montérégiennes. Le matériel, comprenant plus de 10 000 déchets de taille et un peu plus de 70 artéfacts divers, ne fît pas l’objet d’analyses poussées hormis la datation approximative du site par un examen sommaire des pointes de projectile. Ce mémoire reprend les données de 1997 et apporte une perspective nouvelle au site en décrivant morphologiquement et technologiquement le débitage de la pierre de façon à comprendre la chaîne opératoire de la cornéenne, une matière peu étudiée, mais fort commune au Québec méridional, appréhender les possibilités de la matière et aborder les questions de datation. L’ensemble du matériel lithique fît l’objet d’une analyse lithique poussée axée sur le débitage et les produits finis et propose la prépondérance de la taille bifaciale, ponctuée par un débitage sur éclat conséquent. L’ensemble des étapes de la chaîne opératoire est présent sur le site de la carrière du mont Royal. La cornéenne est une matière difficile à tailler en raison de son imprévisibilité, liée à la structure même de la matière, menant à un fort taux d’échecs lors de l’élaboration des outils. La datation de l’occupation principale du site pointe vers l’Archaïque terminal, mais le caractère équivoque des diverses classes d’objets rend difficile sa définition absolue, faute d’objets parfaitement diagnostiques. Le site BjFj-97 ressemble grandement à un site homologue en Nouvelle-Angleterre où la cornéenne fût travaillée suivant le même schéma opératoire, suggérant un apparentement culturel possible. La cornéenne abonde et domine dans les assemblages archéologiques de la région montréalaise, substituant ainsi des matières de meilleure qualité absentes régionalement. Leurs correspondances chronologiques transcendent celles établies lors de l’analyse du matériel de la carrière et montrent un étalement chronologiquement plus étendu, de l’Archaïque laurentien au Sylvicole supérieur. La cornéenne se retrouve habituellement sous forme d’outils bifaciaux fonctionnels (bifaces, couteaux et pointes de projectile) de piètre facture et d’outils sur éclats (grattoirs et racloirs) rudimentaires, suggérant une signification strictement utilitaire, le propre des matières de basse qualité. Les modes d’extraction de la cornéenne restent inconnus sur le mont Royal. Le mont Royal est plus qu’un vulgaire point défensif, il constitue la base de la subsistance des populations préhistoriques de jadis où se trouvent les matériaux nécessaires à la taille d’outils de prédation liés à un mode de vie mobile où domine la chasse.

Les Iroquoiens de Droulers/Tsiionhiakwatha et le cristal de quartz

Parmi la grande quantité de témoins culturels découverts sur le site Droulers/Tsiionhiakwatha (BgFn-1), la pierre taillée et polie forme un assemblage bien modeste. Les Iroquoiens de Droulers ont habité un village semi-permanent daté du Sylvicole supérieur, plus précisément entre l’an 1430 et 1500 ap. J.-C. Ils ont fabriqués des grattoirs, des pointes de flèches, des forets, des polissoirs et des meules à mains, en plus d’outils en quartz hyalin dont la fonction n’est pas bien définie. Parmi les 3595 objets lithiques, nous trouvons 18 outils et 1085 déchets de taille en cristal, ce qui représente près de 30% du total. Le quartz hyalin fut utilisé durant la préhistoire québécoise, mais jamais en aussi grande quantité que sur Droulers. Nous présentons la chaîne opératoire du quartz hyalin, de son extraction à son rejet sur les sites archéologiques. Nous explorons également son utilisation et sa symbolique chez les habitants du village Droulers, une enquête basée sur des données archéologiques et ethnographiques des Amérindiens actuels et de ceux de la période de Contact du nord-est de l’Amérique du nord.

A spatial data warehouse to predict lithic sources of tombs from South of Portugal: mixing geochemistry, petrology, cartography and archaeology in spatial analysis

MEGAGEO - Moving megaliths in the Neolithic is a project that intends to find the provenience of lithic materials in the construction of tombs. A multidisciplinary approach is carried out, with researchers from several of the knowledge fields involved. This work presents a spatial data warehouse specially developed for this project that comprises information from national archaeological databases, geographic and geological information and new geochemical and petrographic data obtained during the project. The use of the spatial data warehouse proved to be essential in the data analysis phase of the project. The Redondo Area is presented as a case study for the application of the spatial data warehouse to analyze the relations between geochemistry, geology and the tombs in this area.

Petrography and geochemistry of lithic clasts in sediments obtained from ODP Leg 180 sites

This report includes the petrographic description and reviews the distribution of lithic clasts in sediments drilled during Leg 180 in the Woodlark Basin (southwest Pacific). The lithic clasts include (1) metamorphic rocks; (2) granites; (3) serpentinites, gabbros, dolerites, and basalts likely derived from the Papuan ophiolite belt; (4) rare alkaline volcanites reworked in middle Miocene sediments; (5) medium- to high-K calc-alkaline island arc volcanites, in part as reworked clasts, and explosive products deposited by fallout or reworked by turbiditic currents; and (6) rare sedimentary fragments. At the footwall sites the clast assemblage evidences the association of dolerites and evolved gabbroic rocks; the serpentinite likely pertaining to the same ophiolitic complex are likely derived from onland outcrops and transported by means of turbidity currents. On the whole, extensional tectonics active at least since the middle Pliocene can be inferred. The calc-alkaline volcanism is in continuity with the arc-related products from the Papua Peninsula and D'Entrecasteaux Islands and with the latest volcanics of the Miocene Trobrian arc. However, the medium- to high-K and shoshonitic products do not display a significant temporal evolution within the stratigraphic setting. Lava clasts, volcanogenic grains, and glass shards are associated with turbidity currents, whereas in the Pliocene of northern margin the increasing frequency of tephra (glass shards and vesicular silicic fragments) suggests more explosive activity and increasing contribution to the sediments from aerial fallout materials. Evidence of localized alkalic volcanism of presumable early to middle Miocene age is a new finding. It could represent a rift phase earlier than or coeval to the first opening of the Woodlark Basin or, less probably, could derive from depositional trajectories diverted from an adjacent basin.

Understanding changes in mobility & subsistence from terminal Pleistocene to Late Holocene in the highlands of New Guinea through intensity of lithic reduction, changing site types, and paleoclimate

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Lithic economy and territory of Epipaleolithic hunter–gatherers in the Middle Tagus: The case of Pena d'Água (Portugal)

In Central Portugal (westernmost Eurasia) the transition from the traditional Pleistocene hunter–gatherer societies to the complex Mesolithic societies of the Holocene has been debated for decades. While some argue that these differences were a progressive phenomenon that started with the shift from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, others defend that the Late Pleistocene patterns were fairly similar to those of the Epipaleolithic and that the major shift was rapid, dramatic and triggered by the necessary adaptation to the 8.2 ka cal BP (8.09–8.25 ka cal BP) climatic event. The study of lithic raw material provenance might be useful for this discussion, since it has been suggested that the Magdalenian and Epipaleolithic populations from this region were collecting this resources within a close range territory, whereas the Mesolithic populations were acquiring them at longer distances. In this paper, we present the results from p-XRF, VP-SEM-EDS and μ-XRD analysis done on the Epipaleolithic lithic assemblage from Pena d'Água Rockshelter, and in some geological samples from secondary sources located ∼14 km from this site. This layer is of major relevance for this debate since it is dated from 8.19 ka cal BP. If the transition was gradual, it would be expected that this assemblage would show some traits of higher-complexity seen in the Mesolithic, namely of longer distance acquisition. However, our results indicate correspondence between the archaeological chert types and some of the geological sources. The differences seen between the archaeological specimens and geological samples are mostly present in traits that can be related with manufacture, handling and post-depositional phenomena. The results suggest that, in what concerns to the economy of abiotic resources, the Epipaleolithic populations living at the time of the dramatic 8.2 ka cal BP cold event, were performing a short range acquisition of lithic raw materials which reinforces the idea of continuity from the Late Pleistocene to the 8.2 ka cal BP event and an abrupt and dramatic shift soon after this phenomena.

Analysis Of The Dna Fourier Transform-infrared Microspectroscopic Signature Using An All-reflecting Objective.

The Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) signature of dry samples of DNA and DNA-polypeptide complexes, as studied by IR microspectroscopy using a diamond attenuated total reflection (ATR) objective, has revealed important discriminatory characteristics relative to the PO2(-) vibrational stretchings. However, DNA IR marks that provide information on the sample's richness in hydrogen bonds have not been resolved in the spectral profiles obtained with this objective. Here we investigated the performance of an all reflecting objective (ARO) for analysis of the FT-IR signal of hydrogen bonds in DNA samples differing in base richness types (salmon testis vs calf thymus). The results obtained using the ARO indicate prominent band peaks at the spectral region representative of the vibration of nitrogenous base hydrogen bonds and of NH and NH2 groups. The band areas at this spectral region differ in agreement with the DNA base richness type when using the ARO. A peak assigned to adenine was more evident in the AT-rich salmon DNA using either the ARO or the ATR objective. It is concluded that, for the discrimination of DNA IR hydrogen bond vibrations associated with varying base type proportions, the use of an ARO is recommended.

Effect Of Platform Connection And Abutment Material On Stress Distribution In Single Anterior Implant-supported Restorations: A Nonlinear 3-dimensional Finite Element Analysis.

Although various abutment connections and materials have recently been introduced, insufficient data exist regarding the effect of stress distribution on their mechanical performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different abutment materials and platform connections on stress distribution in single anterior implant-supported restorations with the finite element method. Nine experimental groups were modeled from the combination of 3 platform connections (external hexagon, internal hexagon, and Morse tapered) and 3 abutment materials (titanium, zirconia, and hybrid) as follows: external hexagon-titanium, external hexagon-zirconia, external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, internal hexagon-zirconia, internal hexagon-hybrid, Morse tapered-titanium, Morse tapered-zirconia, and Morse tapered-hybrid. Finite element models consisted of a 4×13-mm implant, anatomic abutment, and lithium disilicate central incisor crown cemented over the abutment. The 49 N occlusal loading was applied in 6 steps to simulate the incisal guidance. Equivalent von Mises stress (σvM) was used for both the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the implant and abutment in all the groups and the maximum (σmax) and minimum (σmin) principal stresses for the numerical comparison of the zirconia parts. The highest abutment σvM occurred in the Morse-tapered groups and the lowest in the external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, and internal hexagon-hybrid groups. The σmax and σmin values were lower in the hybrid groups than in the zirconia groups. The stress distribution concentrated in the abutment-implant interface in all the groups, regardless of the platform connection or abutment material. The platform connection influenced the stress on abutments more than the abutment material. The stress values for implants were similar among different platform connections, but greater stress concentrations were observed in internal connections.

Is Thyroid Stunning Clinically Relevant? A Retrospective Analysis Of 208 Patients.

Current guidelines have advised against the performance of (131)I-iodide diagnostic whole body scintigraphy (dxWBS) to minimize the occurrence of stunning, and to guarantee the efficiency of radioiodine therapy (RIT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of stunning on the efficacy of RIT and disease outcome. This retrospective analysis included 208 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer managed according to a same protocol and followed up for 12-159 months (mean 30 ± 69 months). Patients received RIT in doses ranging from 3,700 to 11,100 MBq (100 mCi to 300 mCi). Post-RIT-whole body scintigraphy images were performed 10 days after RIT in all patients. In addition, images were also performed 24-48 hours after therapy in 22 patients. Outcome was classified as no evidence of disease (NED), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Thyroid stunning occurred in 40 patients (19.2%), including 26 patients with NED and 14 patients with SD. A multivariate analysis showed no association between disease outcome and the occurrence of stunning (p = 0.3476). The efficacy of RIT and disease outcome do not seem to be related to thyroid stunning.