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Abstract

A distinct concentration of 150 gallery graves dating to the Late Neolithic (2400–1700 BC) occurs in Göteryd parish in the South Swedish Uplands. This study investigates why such a concentration of gallery graves exists in this region and why these were not exchanged by new monuments in the Bronze Age. In order to discuss these issues, the distribution of the monuments and the stray finds have been analysed and correlated to the results of local pollen analysis. The results support the impression of abandonment at the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The processes of expansion and abandonment seem to reflect general population trends, as discussed in recent works on population dynamics. Göteryd parish is a highland region and marginal from an agricultural point of view, but it borders on fertile and plain coastal areas, which are easily accessible through river valleys. In periods of population growth, Göteryd parish would absorb people from the coastal plains, a process that probably was reversed when the population shrank. The geographical position of the Göteryd area created a particular dynamic and made it vulnerable to changes in population dynamics, social networks, and climate. 

Keywords:

Climate; distribution network; gallery graves; pollen analysis; population dynamics

https://brill.com/view/journals/acar/aop/article-10.1163-16000390-12340006/article-10.1163-16000390-12340006.xml

Abstract

Until now, Šventoji in northwest Lithuania was considered the most northern site of the Neolithic Globular Amphora Culture (hereafter GAC; ca. 3400-2500 cal BC) in Europe. Recently, however, ceramics typologically resembling GAC ware were identified among the materials from the multi-period sites of Abora 1 and Iča in Latvia and further to the north from Tamula in southeast Estonia. Here we present the multi-disciplinary analyses of these ceramics, including their morphology, function and chronology, to ascertain whether they could represent sporadic migrations of GAC groups into the region or exchange and increasing social contacts with the indigenous hunter-gatherers during the period from ca. 3000-2600 cal BC. Overall, our results align with previous studies showing that GAC groups in the Eastern Baltic possibly reorientated their economy from animal husbandry towards fishing, as recently evidenced by the composition of zooarchaeological assemblages, and the organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels, which markedly differ from the GAC communities of Central Europe. Indeed, in several coastal and southern regions of Lithuania, it would appear that some GAC migrants replaced the indigenous Subneolithic forager groups, whilst in other areas, they had little to no impact on the local cultural and economic development.

Keywords:

Eastern Baltic; Globular Amphora Culture; Corded Ware; Culture; pottery; isotopes

Abstract

Under the large ziggurat of Aššur, Iraq, two Baltic amber beads were found in a foundation deposit dating to c. 1800–1750 BC. Thereby, they represent one of the earliest and remotest evidence of this material. Its extreme rarity in the Mediterranean and the Middle East before c. 1550 BC and its restriction there to high-ranking sites could be explained by the fact that the Únětice culture and the Wessex culture controlled the exchange of this raw material. Probably, the amber finds in the south result from a directional exchange with at most only a few intermediaries, as other finds in Europe and the Middle East from the early 2nd millennium BC also indicate. The amber finds may thus represent gifts from well-travelled persons from central or western Europe to the elites in the south. However, after c. 1550 BC the picture changes, and it is perhaps possible to speak of trade through which amber became available in larger quantities in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Keywords:

Aššur; Únětice culture; amber; exchange, long-distance contacts; Early Bronze Age; Middle Bronze Age

Abstract

This article aims to illuminate how the management of drinking water and public health in Trondheim, Norway changed from 950 to 1777, from a private to public responsibility. A systematic analysis of five excavations in Trondheim shows that during the Middle Ages, only a few citizens had a well or a cistern on their property. This suggests that fetching water from above-ground sources was a regular practice. In the

post-medieval period, this changed as the number of wells increased. However, the well water got polluted, and alternative water sources were too far away for the rising population. 18th-century political ideas emphasised how the citizens were now the state’s greatest resource, which prompted new mentalities on how authorities had to take care of the people. In 1777, the public authorities of Trondheim finally established a public water pipe system, ensuring clean water to its citizens.

Keywords:

drinking water; health; medieval; early modern; Trondheim;  Norway

Abstract

The 13 graves excavated in 1894 by Sam Wide at Aphidna only attracted sporadic attention during the first decades, even though he exposed unusually rich burials. However, over the last 20 years, there has been increased interest, but still with most focus on only one grave, Pithos Grave III. This article combines information from several sources to get a more comprehensive picture, including a thorough re-read of Wide’s original publication in German, an examination of his preserved correspondence and notes, also with a newly discovered original photo taken during the excavation. In addition, recent colour photos of the finds kept in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens are provided. This approach may, in a sense, be termed ‘archaeology in reverse’. Wide was a pioneer in Greek prehistoric studies and the first to identify a then-unknown phase between the Early and the Middle Bronze Age, based on the Aphidna finds. His detailed descriptions of the excavation, including the large bowls placed outside the pithos graves, also contribute to reconstructing burial rites. After 130 years, with many new contemporary sites now available, new insights into regional perspectives can be gained. 

Keywords:

Αφίδνα; Prehistoric Attica; Greek Bronze Age; Early Helladic; Middle Helladic; tumulus graves; pithos; archaeology in reverse

Abstract

Archaeological contexts of metallurgical waste discoveries in Lithuania have established the view that metallurgical activities were commonly connected to settlements. However, recent investigations suggest that even in case of small-scale production on a homestead industry level, small isolated smelting bloomeries could have existed outside settlements. 

The work presented in this paper introduces the material acquired from the newly discovered prehistoric site on a small island in Lake Aisetas in Eastern Lithuania. The data was acquired by means of surface and soil sampling surveys, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and small-scale excavations. Metallurgical waste weighing 150 kg in total was collected without supplementary evidence to facilitate archaeological interpretation of the finds and their origins.

This article aims to characterise the metallurgical waste and deduce what was the nature of the activity and processes that produced these by-products on the island. Through an exploration of recovery circumstances and a macroscopic examination as well as composition and micro-structure analysis of the metallurgical waste, this research intends to answer the following questions: what constitutes the metallurgical waste found on the island; what conclusions can be drawn regarding the ironworking techniques, production scope, and chronology; and how favourable was the studied area for early iron production? 

Keywords:

Lithuania; Iron Age; iron production; metallurgical waste; smelting furnaces

Abstract

Copper alloy wire fragments were examined using XRF, optical light microscopy and SEM-EDS. The specimens come from archaeological excavations at Jebel Khalid in Syria, dating from the 3^rd century BCE (the Hellenistic period) to the Roman period. Our results show that several techniques were employed to make the wires: forging, folding, strip twisting, and possibly ‘strip drawing’. We investigated the morphologies, treatments, and fabrications attributed to making wire from copper alloys compared to more ductile materials such as gold and silver. Evidence of extensive annealing and non-uniform, sub-round profiles, and uneven and faceted surfaces represent the challenges of working with the material. There is no obvious evidence of solid wire drawing. The metalworkers used different copper alloys to make wire, some with high levels of lead (Pb). Subtle joins were observed in some samples, whereas others had evident folds and directional structures. The findings contribute new evidence to enhance our understanding of base-metal wire development in antiquity.

Keywords:

Syria; Hellenistic; Roman; copper; alloys; wire-making techniques

Abstract

This article presents the results of a comprehensive investigation of Fårdrup and Valsømagle-type shafthole axes from Denmark and southern Sweden. The combination of artefact style and typology with trace element and lead isotope data in the analysis has provided new insights into the chronological relationship between these two axe types. This way, we open a new window to long-standing debates surrounding these artefact types. Did Fårdrup and Valsømagle type axes evolve parallel, or did they replace each other chronologically in evolutionary progression? The archaeometallurgical dataset presented in this article includes more than 70 axes. Four axes have been analysed for this article. This large set of data is then assessed against a background of metal analyses which trace the long and winding evolution of the use of bronze in Scandinavia c. 2300-1400 BC. Combining these two datasets shows the provenance of the metals and, thus, provides insights into metallurgical developments at the onset of the Nordic Bronze Age (NBA, c. 1600 BC). In particular, the shafthole axes offer new evidence of the use of a novel type of copper from the East Alpine region based on chalcopyrite ores. The first occurrences of this low-impurity copper in southern Scandinavia appeared around 1700 BC. However, it would eventually become dominant in c. 1600 BC, when the local production of shafthole axes began. Significantly, a fraction of the shafthole axes – Fårdrup and Valsømagle-types alike – consist of low impurity copper most likely derived from the Italian Alps (Trentino), which was absent in earlier periods. By NBA II 1500-1300 BC, most metal objects can be related to this northern Italian copper. We interpret this in terms of chronology:  Fårdrup (⁓Koszider) and Valsømagle (⁓Tumulus B1) consisted of similar types of copper, which had declined by the onset of NBA II, all indicating that Fårdrup and Valsømagle style objects flourished before the beginning of NBA II (c. 1500 BC). The small influx of north Italian copper in the axes indicates that its arrival began before the breakthrough of NBA II. Therefore, while the results of the metal analyses cannot exclude chronological differences between the two shafthole axe types over the 16^th century BC, it is probable that their timelines coincided. In summary, our results display correlations between societal developments and thresholds on the one hand and metal provenances and trade routes on the other.

Keywords:

Scandinavia; Nordic Bronze Age; shafthole axes; copper; chalcopyrite ores

Abstract

A kontush sash belonged to costly accessories of ceremonial clothes of Polish nobility. It is a belt made of leather, metal or soft textile, called a sash from the 18th century. In the 2^nd half of the 17th century, there was a change in manufacturing technique and ornamentation compositions, and sashes adorned with metal threads appeared. Persian and Turkish belts were the most popular. They have been excavated as burial equipment at archaeological sites. Analysing these objects is a unique research experience that complements our knowledge of girdle-making in the eighteenth century. The non-invasive archaeometric studies are a significant part of this research. The microscopic observations, X-ray fluorescence and SEM-EDS investigations were made of the metal threads from the textile sashes found in the crypts of Szczuczyn church (North-Eastern Poland).

Keywords:

Poland; church excavation; burials; nobility fashion; belts; metal threads

Abstract

Shears, being everyday objects, have received significantly less attention by archaeometallurgists than other edged tools or weapons. Yet, shear blades were forged with the same techniques as blades of, e.g. knives and swords. The most common shear type in ancient times was the bow shears, where the bow had to be flexible so it could be repeatedly bent without cracking or breaking. The shear-maker, therefore, faced the challenge of combining hard steel (the blades) with soft/flexible steel (the bow). In fact, bow shears are one of the first tools to be invented, where metal acts as a spring. Thus, ancient bow shears can be used for investigating the history and development of spring steel technology, which is currently unclear. Here, we present the metallurgical characterisation of two 11^th – 12^th c. single-bow shears from Sigtuna, Sweden. Both the blades and the bows of the two shears were found to be of decent quality and much better than in older shears from the Roman period. Although the steel qualities are not quite up to modern standards, this does not in itself prove that the Sigtuna blacksmiths lacked the technological knowledge to make ideal spring steel. Shears are relatively cheap everyday objects intended to be used until they break, at which point they are discarded. Therefore, it might not have been worth the Medieval blacksmiths’ time and effort to perfect the material properties of steel used in shears. The shears’ blades are on par with Medieval-period knife blades, and future studies on ancient shear-making should preferably involve comparisons of shears and knives from the same origins.

Keywords:

Medieval archaeology; archaeometallurgy; iron and steel; shears and scissors; microstructure; spring steel

Abstract

Debates over the ethnogenesis of the Sámi and their historical presence in Fennoscandia have long affected scholarly and public discourses. More recently, these debates have been fueled by new propositions launched by Finnish linguists regarding the origin and development of the Sámi language. In this article, we target this corpus of linguistic research and the wide-ranging implications it suggests for the Sámi past. While based on historical and comparative linguistics data, a notable feature of the studies examined is that they also lean heavily on assumptions about the archaeological record in their reasonings. These assumptions, we argue, are, to a large extent, based on very limited or outdated knowledge of archaeological research on the Sámi past, and in particular, that of northern Norway. The article raises critical questions regarding the notions of cultural areas, ancestral homelands, and migrations that abound in these linguistic studies and challenges the a priori primacy assigned to language as the constituent of cultural identity. In conclusion, we outline a Sámi archaeological past that does not concur well with recent linguistic accounts and which, in the end, begs the question of whether this discrepancy can be reconciled and, if so, how this can happen.

Keywords:

Fennoscandia; Sámi past; Saami; linguistics; archaeology; ethnicity

Abstract

This article examines the use and significance of two-horse teams within the Nordic Late Bronze Age cultural sphere in southern Scandinavia and the southwestern Baltic region. Its point of departure is a remarkable hoard found in the late summer of 2014 at Bækkedal in northern Jutland, Denmark. The hoard, dated to Period V of the Bronze Age, differs from many other hoards of this period by virtue of its abundant and almost complete content of bridles and other harness components for a two-horse team, including cheek pieces, phalerae and jingle plates. Furthermore, organic material was preserved in the form of parts of the bridle, with bronzes in situ, together with bits and reins. It, therefore, provides important new information about the group of hoards that contain horse tack, given that it is now possible, for the first time, to see how a bridle was constructed. Moreover, it contributes to our understanding of driving with two-horse teams and four-wheeled wagons, which, given the quantity of horse tack in hoards, must have been more commonplace than indicated by the other archaeologically known finds. Lastly, the local find context of the hoard is examined, which reveals an area rich in other contemporaneous deposited finds and numerous settlement traces.

Keywords:

Horse tack; two-horse teams; four-wheeled wagons, dress accessories, weapons, tools, golden ring