This paper reviews the evidence for long term trends in anthropogenic activity and population dyn... more This paper reviews the evidence for long term trends in anthropogenic activity and population dynamics across the Holocene in the central Mediterranean and the chronology of cultural events. The evidence for this has been constituted in a database of 4608 radiocarbon dates (of which 4515 were retained for analysis following initial screening) from 1195 archaeological sites in southern France, Italy and Malta, spanning the Mesolithic to Early Iron Age periods, c. 8000 to 500 BC. We provide an overview of the settlement record for central Mediterranean prehistory and add to this an assessment of the available archaeological radiocarbon evidence in order to review the traditional narratives on the prehistory of the region. This new chronology has enabled us to identify the most significant points in time where activity levels, population dynamics and cultural change have together caused strong temporal patterning in the archaeological record. Some of these episodes were localized to one region, whereas others were part of pan-regional trends and cultural trajectories that took many centuries to play out fully, revealing prehistoric societies subject to collapse, recovery, and continuing instability over the long-term. Using the radiocarbon evidence, we model growth rates in the various regions so that the tempo of change at certain points in space and time can be identified, compared, and discussed in the context of demographic change. Using other published databases of radiocarbon data, we have drawn comparisons across the central Mediterranean to wider prehistoric Europe, and northern Africa. Finally, we include a brief response to the synchronously published but independently developed paper (Palmisano et al. in J World Prehist 34(3), 2021). While there are differences in our respective approaches, we share the general conclusions that large-scale trends can been identified through meta-analyses of the archaeological record, and these offer new perspectives on how society functioned.
This paper presents new bioarchaeological and chronological data from Early-Middle Neolithic buri... more This paper presents new bioarchaeological and chronological data from Early-Middle Neolithic burials from Apulia, and discusses the wider context of these results in terms of the dynamics of the southeast Italian Neolithic. Two burials from the Neolithic village of Fonteviva on the Apulian Tavoliere were radiocarbon dated in tandem with measurements of dietary stable isotopes (13 C, 15 N). These results were then compared to all the currently available chronological and isotopic data for the Apulia region. The radiocarbon dates for the two adult individuals from Fonteviva places them at the mid-6th millennium BC. The analysis of comparative radiocarbon data shows that the mid-6th millennium BC was the 'acme'-the most developed point-of Neolithic settlement activity on the Apulian Tavoliere, which was in-turn one of the most densely-occupied areas in all of Europe in the Neolithic. The analysis of dietary isotopes showed both individuals from Fonteviva to have had diets based on terrestrial proteins, typical for the Apulian and wider European Neolithic. Slightly enriched nitrogen 15 N values in both individuals highlight the potential for underlying dietary variability. This research also demonstrates the importance of revisiting archive collections of human remains with new methodologies and approaches, and similarly taking a renewed look at their wider archaeological context.
Temple places Excavating cultural sustainability in prehistoric Malta Volume 2 of Fragility and Sustainability -Studies on Early Malta, the ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project, 2020
The ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project (Fragility and sustainability in small island environments: adapta... more The ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project (Fragility and sustainability in small island environments: adaptation, culture change and collapse in prehistory, 2013–18) led by Caroline Malone (Queen’s University Belfast) has focused on the unique Temple Culture of Neolithic Malta, and its antecedents and successors through investigation of archaeological sites and monuments. This, the second volume of three, presents the results of excavations at four temple sites and two settlements, together with analysis of chronology, economy and material culture.
The project focused on the integration of three key strands of Malta's early human history (environmental change, human settlement and population) set against a series of questions that interrogated how human activity impacted on the changing natural environment and resources, which in turn impacted on the Neolithic populations. The evidence from early sites together with the human story preserved in burial remains reveals a dynamic and creative response over millennia. The scenario that emerges implies settlement from at least the mid-sixth millennium bc, with extended breaks in occupation, depopulation and environmental stress coupled with episodes of recolonization in response to changing economic, social and environmental opportunities.
Excavation at the temple site of Santa Verna (Gozo) revealed an occupation earlier than any previously dated site on the islands, whilst geophysical and geoarchaeological study at the nearby temple of Ġgantija revealed a close relationship with a spring, Neolithic soil management, and evidence for domestic and economic activities within the temple area. A targeted excavation at the temple of Skorba (Malta) revisited the chronological questions that were first revealed at the site over 50 years ago, with additional OSL and AMS sampling. The temple site of Kordin III (Malta) was explored to identify the major phases of occupation and to establish the chronology, a century after excavations first revealed the site. Settlement archaeology has long been problematic in Malta, overshadowed by the megalithic temples, but new work at the site of Taċ-Ċawla (Gozo) has gathered significant economic and structural evidence revealing how subsistence strategies supported agricultural communities in early Malta. A study of the second millennium bc Bronze Age site of In-Nuffara (Gozo) likewise has yielded significant economic and chronological information that charts the declining and changing environment of Malta in late prehistory.
From prehistory to the present, caves have always been central places in the natural landscape th... more From prehistory to the present, caves have always been central places in the natural landscape that have drawn our attention. For this very reason, caves and their contents are important reservoirs of archaeological and palaeoecological information, and have an almost unique capacity to capture longterm perspectives on human activity and the environment. In some cases they may be visually prominent features of the landscape, while in other cases cave contexts represent secluded, dark and subterranean spaces. This duality lends itself to a broad spectrum of uses and meanings, reflected in a similarly wide variety of archaeological remains and often complex stratigraphic records. In a practical sense, the diversity of taphonomic processes at play, their occupation histories and duration of use present many challenges to archaeologists working in cave environments. The excavation, exploration and analysis of these places thus requires a considered and multidisciplinary approach. In mind of the broad-spectrum of data, interpretations and methodologies that can be applied in their study, this session aims to draw together active researchers working on the archaeology of cave sites with the view towards discussing and developing a standardised framework of field documentation techniques. We seek contributions discussing innovative and novel approaches to the excavation of caves, ranging from new and emerging methodologies, fieldwork strategies, recording techniques, scientific analyses and post-excavation analyses, to recent theoretical developments. We also seek to bridge the gap between those scholars working on caves from typically practical-or science-led perspectives, with those coming from more with theoretically inclined perspectives. We welcome and encourage a wide variety of contributions from across world archaeology, irrespective of chronological and geographical boundaries.
This paper reviews the evidence for long term trends in anthropogenic activity and population dyn... more This paper reviews the evidence for long term trends in anthropogenic activity and population dynamics across the Holocene in the central Mediterranean and the chronology of cultural events. The evidence for this has been constituted in a database of 4608 radiocarbon dates (of which 4515 were retained for analysis following initial screening) from 1195 archaeological sites in southern France, Italy and Malta, spanning the Mesolithic to Early Iron Age periods, c. 8000 to 500 BC. We provide an overview of the settlement record for central Mediterranean prehistory and add to this an assessment of the available archaeological radiocarbon evidence in order to review the traditional narratives on the prehistory of the region. This new chronology has enabled us to identify the most significant points in time where activity levels, population dynamics and cultural change have together caused strong temporal patterning in the archaeological record. Some of these episodes were localized to one region, whereas others were part of pan-regional trends and cultural trajectories that took many centuries to play out fully, revealing prehistoric societies subject to collapse, recovery, and continuing instability over the long-term. Using the radiocarbon evidence, we model growth rates in the various regions so that the tempo of change at certain points in space and time can be identified, compared, and discussed in the context of demographic change. Using other published databases of radiocarbon data, we have drawn comparisons across the central Mediterranean to wider prehistoric Europe, and northern Africa. Finally, we include a brief response to the synchronously published but independently developed paper (Palmisano et al. in J World Prehist 34(3), 2021). While there are differences in our respective approaches, we share the general conclusions that large-scale trends can been identified through meta-analyses of the archaeological record, and these offer new perspectives on how society functioned.
This paper presents new bioarchaeological and chronological data from Early-Middle Neolithic buri... more This paper presents new bioarchaeological and chronological data from Early-Middle Neolithic burials from Apulia, and discusses the wider context of these results in terms of the dynamics of the southeast Italian Neolithic. Two burials from the Neolithic village of Fonteviva on the Apulian Tavoliere were radiocarbon dated in tandem with measurements of dietary stable isotopes (13 C, 15 N). These results were then compared to all the currently available chronological and isotopic data for the Apulia region. The radiocarbon dates for the two adult individuals from Fonteviva places them at the mid-6th millennium BC. The analysis of comparative radiocarbon data shows that the mid-6th millennium BC was the 'acme'-the most developed point-of Neolithic settlement activity on the Apulian Tavoliere, which was in-turn one of the most densely-occupied areas in all of Europe in the Neolithic. The analysis of dietary isotopes showed both individuals from Fonteviva to have had diets based on terrestrial proteins, typical for the Apulian and wider European Neolithic. Slightly enriched nitrogen 15 N values in both individuals highlight the potential for underlying dietary variability. This research also demonstrates the importance of revisiting archive collections of human remains with new methodologies and approaches, and similarly taking a renewed look at their wider archaeological context.
Temple places Excavating cultural sustainability in prehistoric Malta Volume 2 of Fragility and Sustainability -Studies on Early Malta, the ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project, 2020
The ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project (Fragility and sustainability in small island environments: adapta... more The ERC-funded FRAGSUS Project (Fragility and sustainability in small island environments: adaptation, culture change and collapse in prehistory, 2013–18) led by Caroline Malone (Queen’s University Belfast) has focused on the unique Temple Culture of Neolithic Malta, and its antecedents and successors through investigation of archaeological sites and monuments. This, the second volume of three, presents the results of excavations at four temple sites and two settlements, together with analysis of chronology, economy and material culture.
The project focused on the integration of three key strands of Malta's early human history (environmental change, human settlement and population) set against a series of questions that interrogated how human activity impacted on the changing natural environment and resources, which in turn impacted on the Neolithic populations. The evidence from early sites together with the human story preserved in burial remains reveals a dynamic and creative response over millennia. The scenario that emerges implies settlement from at least the mid-sixth millennium bc, with extended breaks in occupation, depopulation and environmental stress coupled with episodes of recolonization in response to changing economic, social and environmental opportunities.
Excavation at the temple site of Santa Verna (Gozo) revealed an occupation earlier than any previously dated site on the islands, whilst geophysical and geoarchaeological study at the nearby temple of Ġgantija revealed a close relationship with a spring, Neolithic soil management, and evidence for domestic and economic activities within the temple area. A targeted excavation at the temple of Skorba (Malta) revisited the chronological questions that were first revealed at the site over 50 years ago, with additional OSL and AMS sampling. The temple site of Kordin III (Malta) was explored to identify the major phases of occupation and to establish the chronology, a century after excavations first revealed the site. Settlement archaeology has long been problematic in Malta, overshadowed by the megalithic temples, but new work at the site of Taċ-Ċawla (Gozo) has gathered significant economic and structural evidence revealing how subsistence strategies supported agricultural communities in early Malta. A study of the second millennium bc Bronze Age site of In-Nuffara (Gozo) likewise has yielded significant economic and chronological information that charts the declining and changing environment of Malta in late prehistory.
From prehistory to the present, caves have always been central places in the natural landscape th... more From prehistory to the present, caves have always been central places in the natural landscape that have drawn our attention. For this very reason, caves and their contents are important reservoirs of archaeological and palaeoecological information, and have an almost unique capacity to capture longterm perspectives on human activity and the environment. In some cases they may be visually prominent features of the landscape, while in other cases cave contexts represent secluded, dark and subterranean spaces. This duality lends itself to a broad spectrum of uses and meanings, reflected in a similarly wide variety of archaeological remains and often complex stratigraphic records. In a practical sense, the diversity of taphonomic processes at play, their occupation histories and duration of use present many challenges to archaeologists working in cave environments. The excavation, exploration and analysis of these places thus requires a considered and multidisciplinary approach. In mind of the broad-spectrum of data, interpretations and methodologies that can be applied in their study, this session aims to draw together active researchers working on the archaeology of cave sites with the view towards discussing and developing a standardised framework of field documentation techniques. We seek contributions discussing innovative and novel approaches to the excavation of caves, ranging from new and emerging methodologies, fieldwork strategies, recording techniques, scientific analyses and post-excavation analyses, to recent theoretical developments. We also seek to bridge the gap between those scholars working on caves from typically practical-or science-led perspectives, with those coming from more with theoretically inclined perspectives. We welcome and encourage a wide variety of contributions from across world archaeology, irrespective of chronological and geographical boundaries.
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The project focused on the integration of three key strands of Malta's early human history (environmental change, human settlement and population) set against a series of questions that interrogated how human activity impacted on the changing natural environment and resources, which in turn impacted on the Neolithic populations. The evidence from early sites together with the human story preserved in burial remains reveals a dynamic and creative response over millennia. The scenario that emerges implies settlement from at least the mid-sixth millennium bc, with extended breaks in occupation, depopulation and environmental stress coupled with episodes of recolonization in response to changing economic, social and environmental opportunities.
Excavation at the temple site of Santa Verna (Gozo) revealed an occupation earlier than any previously dated site on the islands, whilst geophysical and geoarchaeological study at the nearby temple of Ġgantija revealed a close relationship with a spring, Neolithic soil management, and evidence for domestic and economic activities within the temple area. A targeted excavation at the temple of Skorba (Malta) revisited the chronological questions that were first revealed at the site over 50 years ago, with additional OSL and AMS sampling. The temple site of Kordin III (Malta) was explored to identify the major phases of occupation and to establish the chronology, a century after excavations first revealed the site. Settlement archaeology has long been problematic in Malta, overshadowed by the megalithic temples, but new work at the site of Taċ-Ċawla (Gozo) has gathered significant economic and structural evidence revealing how subsistence strategies supported agricultural communities in early Malta. A study of the second millennium bc Bronze Age site of In-Nuffara (Gozo) likewise has yielded significant economic and chronological information that charts the declining and changing environment of Malta in late prehistory.
Book Reviews by Eoin Parkinson
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The project focused on the integration of three key strands of Malta's early human history (environmental change, human settlement and population) set against a series of questions that interrogated how human activity impacted on the changing natural environment and resources, which in turn impacted on the Neolithic populations. The evidence from early sites together with the human story preserved in burial remains reveals a dynamic and creative response over millennia. The scenario that emerges implies settlement from at least the mid-sixth millennium bc, with extended breaks in occupation, depopulation and environmental stress coupled with episodes of recolonization in response to changing economic, social and environmental opportunities.
Excavation at the temple site of Santa Verna (Gozo) revealed an occupation earlier than any previously dated site on the islands, whilst geophysical and geoarchaeological study at the nearby temple of Ġgantija revealed a close relationship with a spring, Neolithic soil management, and evidence for domestic and economic activities within the temple area. A targeted excavation at the temple of Skorba (Malta) revisited the chronological questions that were first revealed at the site over 50 years ago, with additional OSL and AMS sampling. The temple site of Kordin III (Malta) was explored to identify the major phases of occupation and to establish the chronology, a century after excavations first revealed the site. Settlement archaeology has long been problematic in Malta, overshadowed by the megalithic temples, but new work at the site of Taċ-Ċawla (Gozo) has gathered significant economic and structural evidence revealing how subsistence strategies supported agricultural communities in early Malta. A study of the second millennium bc Bronze Age site of In-Nuffara (Gozo) likewise has yielded significant economic and chronological information that charts the declining and changing environment of Malta in late prehistory.