Böcker i British Archaeological Reports International Series-serien

Society for Arabian Studies Monographs No. 7

This study sets forth a typological classification of hitherto undocumented ceramic artefacts from the Hulbuk excavation site (south east of Tadjikistan, Kuliob district). This material from the ninth to the mid-eleventh century, collected from 1953 to 1978 by the Russian-Tadjik campaigns, mainly comes from the citadel, some wells located in the lower part of the city and from one or two kilns. Concentrating on this site - the capital of Khuttal - the author focuses on the material culture of the Turkish-Iranian dynasty. Previous research in this area has not been on the same scale as that undertaken in mediaeval Central Asia (West to East Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and South Kazakhstan). The chronological period in question is rich in technical innovations and decorative creations. The ninth century saw the beginning of the development of glazed pottery. Under the Abbasids, considerable advances were made in science, in particular chemistry, and this led to the emergence of techniques, such as glaze, which modified the ceramic craft. In Part 1, the author examines specific aspects of the geography and history of Central Asia at the beginning of medieval period (the eighth to the eleventh century) to shed light on the extent to which this vast central-Asian area was physically and ideologically conquered. Regarding the Arab-Islamic conquest of this area, the study shows as far as is possible how a new culture and religion penetrated these countries, presenting also the influence of Near-East dynasties and the gradual lack of control of the caliph on local dynasties. Contacts and political tensions with China and tribal Turks are also taken into consideration. For the ceramic study (Part 2), the author puts in place a typology according to: fabric and shape for glazed and unglazed pottery; the nature of the glaze and decoration; and additives in the glaze-ware. This research offers an important ceramics corpus in a new typo-morphology, of interest to historians and archaeologists working on central-Asian Islamic pottery. Part 3 deals with the technical particularities of this geographical area, presenting a typology of ceramics produced in Hulbuk, and highlighted specific elements required for the manufacture of pottery (moulds), including placing and firing the pottery in the kiln. Part 4 deals briefly with the distribution of glazed and unglazed types of mains ceramics and commercial paths according to the historical sources.

Contains a biography of Professor Barri Jones by Nick Higham and a bibliography of his published writings. Thirty-three leading archaeologists, colleagues and friends of the late Professor Barri Jones, contribute to this volume of essays offered to the memory of this eminent figure in gratitude for his inspirational teaching, his charismatic academic leadership, and his warmth as a friend and colleague. Although, strictly speaking, several of these papers really lie outside the Roman Empire, either in terms of geography or period, all have some link to Barri Jones himself, and reflect his interests and encouragement of others.

Paris Monographs in American Archaeology 11

This study focuses on the archaeological record of South-Eastern Spain during the period stretching from the end of the Late Roman period up until the establishment of the new 'states' of the Taifa Kingdoms and the Caliphate of Cordoba. This work is a study of the area of the Vera Basin, and attempts to explain the socio-economic organisation and its interaction with the surrounding environment of this region, and is based therefore on the material remains from settlements during this period. The study is comprised of three parts, the first section is concerned with the period in which these sites existed, the second is concerned with the spatial positioning of these sites, with the third section being a general conclusion. The first section splits the period in question into six distinct phases encompassing the 3rd to the 11th centuries AD. The study looks at occupation in the area in question during these phases and discusses population fluctuations over these periods. The present day environment of the Vera Basin is a semi-desert landscape situated in the south-eastern region of the Iberian peninsula, with the palaeo-ecological data suggesting that there was a period of unusually high aridity from the 7th to the 10th centuries AD, with torrential interludes. The author looks at settlement patterns in the region, starting by covering Late Roman sites such as Baria, a small urban site, as well as numerous villae. Later sites such as Bayra are also discussed, and this was an important site in terms of administration and ideology, as a major mosque was built here, and was the capital of the Bayra district in the 11th century. The study states how the Vera Basin was a heavily populated area at the end of the Late Roman period, and this population was based upon the extensive amount of dryland cereal agriculture, as well as a large amount of irrigational agriculture in alluvial areas. As the power of Rome waned there was a general period of depopulation, with the population becoming dispersed into smaller communities. A majority of the population remained centred around the lowland areas. From the 6th to the 8th centuries there seems to have been an environmental crisis of some kind, basically a period of alternating floods and droughts, and this in turn lead to the widespread abandonment of settlements. The appearance of glazed ceramics in the 9th century probably indicates an influx of new peoples, with three new settlements being founded in this first Andalusi phase. The period from the 10th to the 11th centuries represents a phase of population growth, although the settlements were still largely dispersed. The author concludes by stating that three-quarters of the sites in the Vera Basin were no longer inhabited after the 11th century. This shows that the settlement patterns during the Late Andalusi period did not lead directly into the period of the Caliphate, and it can be assumed that this is because of the major period of instability and upheaval that this region underwent during the 12th century.

Eski Mosul Dam Salvage Project Excavations of the Polish Center of Archaeology, University of WarsawReport on Polish excavations on Tell Rijim on the western bank of the Tigris. Middle Bronze Age layers are reported: architecture, with two houses, pottery kiln and various other structures; pottery is examined in detail with chapters on fabric, forms and decoration with a comprehensive catalogue; other small finds are described as well. The first structures date from the 18th century BC and belonged to an irregularly planned open village which, in 1600 BC underwent a decided transformation, with fortifications and a deep ravine, although the settlement itself remained small and was certainly not an administrative centre. It seems that the later settlement was a dimtu settlement, which, if true, would make Tell Rijim the oldest such settlement known from the archaeological record.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, slightly smaller than Sicily but with a longer coastline. In contrast to Sicily's obvious 'crossroads' position, the recent debate on the relative 'isolation' of Sardinia is analyzed in Robert Rowland's fascinating and accessible 'archaeological history' of the island, spanning the Prehistoric era of dolmens, menhirs and the Nuragic Civilization, to later Medieval times and Pope Boniface's creation of the joint Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica in 1297. Chapter 1 includes a detailed island setting, and a feature of each chapter is the author's use of paragraph keyword-headings throughout for quick references.

Technological variability between north-eastern sites and Sierra de Atapuerca sites

Functional Analysis has become firmly established as a methodology of archaeological research and is seen to play a crucial role in the disciplinary advance of archaeology. This present volume developed from the 1st Conference on Functional Analysis in Spain and Portugal, held in Barcelona at the end of 2001. The 29 papers focus on various aspects of prehistoric activity in the Iberian Peninsular. The first section of the book is dedicated to theory and methodology; the second part concentrates on new methodological advances, and the third concentrates on specific hunter-gatherer sites from different archaeological periods.

This volume is concerned with the monumental stone inscriptions from Spain and Gaul during the period from 300 to 750 AD, and therefore the vast majority of these inscriptions are Christian and Latin in origin, with a few Jewish and Greek ones as well. Inscriptions make up the largest body of surviving written material from this period, but this is a relatively ignored area of research. This study attempts to use this large body of evidence in order to better understand the cultural, social and religious history of these regions during the period in question. Handley begins by introducing Christian epigraphy and places the relevant Gallic and Spanish material in the context of the Latin West. He also discusses the ideas held about death and funerary inscriptions that were held in this period, and he is interested in the changes that occurred after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, as well as what happened after the fall of the Empire itself. Methods of the creation of these inscriptions is discussed, and Handley looks at literary sources as well as physical evidence, with the pattern emerging of workshops creating inscriptions from largely pre-prepared stones and written models. The usage of inscriptions is another important question, and the evidence points towards inscriptions being mainly reserved for the higher classes and social élite. Handley also divides up all of the burials that have inscriptions into an analysis of different ages and genders; for example, he discusses the ratios of male to female inscriptions, as well as family commemorations. This enables the study to look at when women or the elderly were most likely to be commemorated with an inscription. Handley also looks at what demographic information these inscriptions can give us, with analysis of aspects such as average life expectancy, marriage age, seasonal fertility and seasonal mortality being collected. A large number of inscriptions also record the actual day of death, and this gives a large amount of information on the pagan names of the days and their continued usage, Christian names of days, as well as information on the use, and later development from, the Roman calendar system. These inscriptions also give information on the cults of saints in Gaul and Spain, and go into detail on the cult of St Martin of Tours, also discussing Spanish evidence for martyr cults, inscriptions in the town of Vienne, as well as pilgrim graffiti from Gaul and Spain. The study goes on to look at literacy levels during this period and discusses how much information these inscriptions can give us to determine this, and also covers other questions that this raises. In his conclusion Handley looks at the end of the practice of epigraphic inscriptions in Gaul and Spain during this period, with changes in commemoration practices, and in society in general, leading to a decline in the amount of inscriptions being made on tombstones. Inscriptions of these kind in the period in question are of importance because the epitaph that was placed on the stone became the 'embodiment' of the deceased and was a focus for mourning. The characteristics of the deceased were placed there on the stone, so the inscription therefore represented the dead. These inscriptions represented the social élite in the way that they wished to appear, and their very presence was a status symbol. This book opens up our eyes to the wealth of information that can be gained from such a large pool of information that these inscriptions represent.

This work analyses two spatially referenced radiocarbon databases for the spread of Europe's first farmers and for the spread of the first sheep in southern Africa respectively. The methods for visualising large-scale diffusion processes are compared using the European database; these include chronology maps, isochron maps, and a new simulation using the probability distribution of calibrated dates. The patterns in the radiocarbon data are then quantified by using linear regression of both calibrated anduncalibrated dates to calculate rates of spread and possible departure points for the European data at two scales of analysis, continent-wide and by demic and cultural region. The new analytical technique, using the whole of a date's calibrated range, is then applied to the database for the spread of the first sheep in present day South Africa. Two competing hypotheses for the route of the spread, a western coastal route from present day Namibia southwards, and an interior route are tested by analysing the spatial and temporal patterns in the radiocarbon data.

The research presented in this study focuses upon a 2,000 sq km area in the Körös River Valley, in northern Békés County, eastern Hungary. Within this region, the author analyzes two separate lines of evidence that relate to the changing patterns of social interaction and integration during the Late Neolithic and Early Copper Age periods. Chapter 1 details the scope of the project Chapter 2 develops the theoretical framework. Chapter Three discusses the methodological correlates of this theoretical framework, and addresses the archaeological problem of inferring dynamic social systems from static material remains. The middle range theory and bridging arguments are presented and the problems of measuring social interaction and integration in prehistoric contexts are discussed. Chapter Four presents the archaeological background necessary for understanding the radical social changes that occurred on the Great Hungarian Plain, ca. 4,500 BC. Chapter Five presents the specific research design. Chapter Six provides an overview of the study area and presents the sites and assemblage included in the subsequent analyses. Chapter Seven details the analysis of integration throughout the study area, based upon the spatial data and Chapter Eight lays out the analyses of Early Copper Age interaction, based upon the stylistic data from the Early Copper Age ceramic assemblages. Chapter Nine integrates the analyses presented in Chapters Seven and Eight into a coherent model and attempts to place the study area into the wider temporal and geographic context of the Great Hungarian Plain, and into the wider context of anthropological archaeology.

Acts of the XIVth UISPP Congress, University of Liège, Belgium, 2-8 September 200112 papers and posters from Section 14 of the Acts of the XIVth UISPP Congress, University of Liège, Belgium, 2-8 September 2001 (Archaeology and History of the Middle Ages).

III Coloquio Internacional de Arqueología en Gijón, Gijón, 28, 29 y 30 septiembre 200220 papers from the Symposium: The Atlantic Arc in the Roman Age: Cultural Unity and Diversity, held in Gijón in September 2002.

Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology 62This work offers a comprehensive historical framework of north-western Benin, West Africa, based on intensive survey work and controlled stratigraphic excavations. The study is divided into two parts. Part one is devoted to the environmental setting, the aims and the excavation and survey methodology, including some theoretical discussions. The second part provides a sequence in chronological order of sites and associated finds discovered in north-western Benin.

This book is written for professional archaeologists, students of South American archaeology, heritage managers, museum staff, and the general public. The book intends to provide sufficient breadth and detail that it stands as a scholarly work, while presenting data in a manner which allows for a wide use of the materials. Thus the book summarizes well-known sites and those less known but important to understanding the regional prehistory. The primary objective of this book is to craft an overview and synthesis of the archaeology of Guyana and in so doing document the diversity of human adaptations over several thousands of years. The ten chapters include an historical overview of the history of archaeological research in Guyana during the late 19th and late 20th centuries; an overview of the geological history, climate and geography; the general chronological context of Guyana prehistory; the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene paleo-environmental context; the evidence for Paleo-Indian occupations; the prehistory of Northwestern Guyana with specific reference to the Archaic shellfisher and later Horticultural patterns of the littoral; the archaeology of the Abary and Hertenrits Phases of Northeastern Guyana; an overview of the Taruma Phase of Southeastern Guyana; the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, and Horticultural occupations of the Rupununi savannahs; a summary and synthesis of the Iwokrama rainforest in central Guyana; and a review of major developments in Guyana archaeology and future research needs.

A valuable new contribution to the regional archaeology of La Payunia (Argentina), tackling issues of broader interest such as the elusive relationships between foragers and agriculturalists. The work contains new and interesting material which is presented with updated methodologies and conceptualisations.

There is a long-standing interest in use efficiency and evolution in prehistoric ground stone tool research. A design and performance analysis conducted with replica tools examines a number of milling tool performance characteristics, including use efficiency, ease of manufacture, and ease of maintenance, as well as their interplay in the design process. This analysis shows that raw material and use surface area affect use efficiency. A paradigmatic artefact classification documents the variation in prehistoric manos from archaeological sites in the Middle Rio Puerco Valley of New Mexico.

This work presents the author's research on legal issues concerning archaeological heritage and indigenous rights in Argentina. The country has overcome the political unrest of the early years of the new millennium and the previous heritage laws were finally modified in 2003, although the terms of the new legislation are still a matter of debate and have produced a great deal of criticism. In the course of this period, a new chapter in the story of the three case studies included in the book - the 'Pucará of Tilcara', the 'Quilmes' Ruins' and 'Menhires' Park' - has opened. The Humahuaca ravine, where the 'Pucará of Tilcara' is located, was included on the World Heritage List in 2003; the concession of the Quilmes' Ruins has expired and the members of the Indigenous Quilmes community are campaigning to be recognized as partners in the management of the site; and all the menhires were relocated to a plot of land in El Mollar. The Menhires' Park itself no longer exists, yet the monoliths remain unprotected. The Northwest region of Argentina - where the three sites are located - has become an important tourist destination for national and international visitors thanks to the devaluation of the national currency and the improvement of the economic conditions among the local population. Consequently, changing winds are bringing new challenges for each of these sites, although much of their fate remains in the same hands. Nevertheless, their future - as well as that of the entire archaeological heritage in Argentina - is heavily dependent on a deeper understanding of the past and present circumstances of such sites. Finally, the goal of this book is to analyze the state of archaeological heritage management in Argentina, although many of the conclusions reached also provide clues to understanding contested heritage issues in many other countries, particularly those relating to the Third World.

This work not only seeks to explain the function and timing of the Cambodian earthwork sites but utilizes the circular earthworks as a case study in understanding the nature of adaptation and temporal affiliation of Neolithic open-air settlements across Mainland Southeast Asia. A further aim of the study is to understand the circular sites of Cambodia in the broader regional context of Southeast Asian prehistory. The earthwork sites, which also extend into what is now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, appear to represent a distinctive subset within a larger domain of sites having a circular morphology. The age, nature, and articulation of the Cambodian earthworks are examined to advance initial interpretations as to the degree of site community and the extent of group cohesion.

Section 1: Théories et Méthodes / Theory and MethodColloque / Symposium 1.7Acts of the XIVth UISPP Congress, Univeristy Liège, 2-8 September 2001Edited by Bertrand Mafart and Hervé Delingette with the collaboration of Gérard Subsol

Section 13Sessions générales et posters / General Sessions and PostersActs of the XIVth UISPP Congress, University of Liège, Belgium, 2-8 September 2001.

Sessions générales et posters / General Sessions and PostersSection 11This book includes 24 papers from the general session 11 of the UISPP Congress held in Liège in 2001: The Bronze Age in Europe and the Mediterranean.

This study is primarily concerned with the northern territories of the "Conventus Carthaginensis" during Roman imperialism.

Archaeological Studies on Late Antiquity and Early Medieval Europe (400-1000 AD)Conference Proceedings IActas de la Mesa Redonda hispano-francesa celebrada en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid(UAM) y Museo Arqueológico Regional de la Comunidad de Madrid (MAR)19/20 Diciembre 2005

Un Estudio de los Cazadores-Recolectores de la Patagonia Austral (Argentina)This study sheds new light on the lithic technologies practised by the first Patagonians.

This work investigates hunter-gatherer distributional archaeology within three different regions of southern Patagonia, Argentina - Península Valdís, Lago Argentino and Cerro Castillo. Issues raised include mobility, use of space, risk, climate and paleoclimatic reconstruction, resources and technology.

This volume presents the latest research on Iberian post-Palaeolithic rock art, using innovative methodologies and analyses. With six Appendices of data and extensive site Gazetteers, the work is essential for those specialists and general readers needing an up-to-the-minute account of this archaeological phenomenon.

Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology 66The research design underlying this work is based on attempts to try to find the archaeology of the aboriginal herding people of the Cape: Khoekhoen (Khoikhoi, Quena = 'Hottentots'). With the dating of sheep bones pushing back the age of domestic animals in the Cape to almost 2000 years ago it became evident that the history of pastoralism at the Cape not only was probably of far greater antiquity than had hitherto been realised, but may well have changed significantly over this long period of time.

This work is a study of plant macro remains from the Late Neolithic site of Opovo. Opovo is dated from 4700 to 4500 B.C., and culturally to the late phase of the Vinca culture, which is considered one of the most prominent Neolithic cultures of the Balkans. The Opovo site is located on the southern edge of the Pannonian Plain, in the Banat region, part of the modern province of Voyvodina in Serbia. The site of Opovo was excavated (1983-1989) by an international archaeological team from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, and from the University of California. Through analysis of plant macro remains from the Opovo site, the author provides information on such important issues as vegetation reconstruction, plant use, subsistence, husbandry, wild plant procurement, and intra-site plant distribution at this late Vinca culture site. Relevant data from the artifactual analyses are incorporated in the description of the context from which the plant remains were recovered, with special emphasis on the integration of floral and faunal data. The Opovo site served as a case study of diverse subsistence strategies practiced within the general cultural context of the Vinca culture during the late Neolithic in the Balkans. In reconstructing past subsistence strategies, the author uses ethnohistoric data throughout the book to offer possible analogies for prehistoric activities, drawing selectively on a diverse range of limited analogies, and using multiple sources. Further chapters discuss relevant models of social context and land use during the late Neolithic period in the southern Pannonian Plan and the Balkans.