My research employs isotope analysis (C, N, S, O, Sr), charcoal analysis and dental thin-section analysis to reconstruct past mobility of humans and animals, palaeodiet and palaeoclimatic context, with a particular focus on subsistence-related activities. My main area of interest is the European Upper Palaeolithic, but I also work in more recent contexts applying the same set of research methods.
The Late Gravettian site of Kraków Spadzista is important for understanding human behaviour and a... more The Late Gravettian site of Kraków Spadzista is important for understanding human behaviour and adaptation in cold, northern and marginal landscapes approaching the coldest part of the last glacial cycle. This paper focuses on the large assemblage of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus L.) remains found at the site, and presents new data on the mobility patterns and season of death of the animals killed by Gravettian hunters. Laser ablation strontium isotope analysis of teeth from five individuals indicates that each analysed fox was born and grew up in a different and isotopically distinct location, and had migrated tens or hundreds of kilometres into the vicinity of Kraków Spadzista before being killed by Gravettian hunters. Season of death data gathered from the dental cementum of at least 10 fox individuals demonstrate that the majority were killed in a window between late winter and late spring. Given the predictable nature of seasonal changes in Arctic fox hide quality and bodily fat reserves, we argue that the foxes were most likely killed at the start of this window, i.e. in late winter. The results are interesting for reconstructing the context to human hunting strategies in the Late Gravettian, revealing the choices made by hunters about where and when to procure these small prey.
This paper presents the results of excavations conducted at the Late Gravettian site of Lubná VI ... more This paper presents the results of excavations conducted at the Late Gravettian site of Lubná VI in 2012 and 2018. This site is an exceptional example of a short-term Late Gravettian campsite, occupied between 27.5 and 27.1 ka cal BP. Due to the specific location of this site, in an area situated far from lithic raw material sources, the archaeological remains offer a rare possibility to understand the subsistence strategy of highly mobile hunter-gatherers in the Late Pleistocene. The knapped lithic assemblage is composed of erratic Cretaceous flint imported over long distances, and the tool inventory is typical of Late Gravettian assemblages from Central Europe, with a dominance of burins and backed implements. However, the lack of chert and flint raw material in the vicinity of the site inspired the occupants to use bladelet blanks to make hunting weaponry from burin spalls. This specific behaviour is unique among Gravettian inventories known from the western Carpathians. Reindeer dominate the faunal assemblage over other species. The season of occupation at Lubná VI was probably early autumn, and may be associated with the maximum use of environmental resources by the hunter-gatherers. The small campsite was located at a convenient spot for processing reindeer carcasses, where some hearth stone constructions were arranged. Because there was no woody vegetation in the closest vicinity of the site, reindeer bones and fat were used as fuel in hearths. Given the lack of nearby flint raw materials, the accessibility of large numbers of reindeer near Lubná, probably present on a seasonal basis, explains the occurrence of Late Gravettian occupation in this micro-region.
Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe,... more Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe, and are widely identified as dwellings. The first systematic flotation programme of samples from a recently discovered feature at Kostenki 11 in Russia has yielded assemblages of charcoal, burnt bone and microlithic debitage. New radiocarbon dates provide the first coherent chronology for the site, revealing it to be one of the oldest such features on the Russian Plain. The authors discuss the implications for understanding the function of circular mammoth-bone features during the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum.
We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phase... more We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phases of pro-glacial Lake Algonquin in the vicinity of the North Bay outlet, Great Lakes Basin. Data presented comes from a new sedimentary profile obtained from the Balsam Creek kettle lake c. 34 km northeast of the city of North Bay. This site lies close to the northeast margin of the maximum extent of the post-Algonquin lake sequence, which drained through the Ottawa-Mattawa valley system. Our data are presented against a Bayesian age-depth model, supporting and extending regional understanding of vegetation succession in this part of northeast Ontario. The core profile provides a minimum age for the formation of the glacial outwash delta in which the kettle is set, as well as tentative timing for the Payette (post-Algonquin) lake phase. We highlight two discrete intervals during the Early Holocene, with modelled mean ages of: 8475-8040 cal. BP (332-316 cm) and 7645 cal. BP (286 cm), when climatic aridity affected the growth of vegetation within the kettle vicinity. Association with volcanic activity is posited. Cryptotephra dating to 7660-7430 cal. BP (mean age: 7580 cal. BP) is chronologically and geochemically assigned to the Mazama climactic eruption, while an earlier ash accumulation 8710-7865 cal. BP is tentatively sourced to an unknown eruption also in the Cascades region of Oregon. Outside of these periods, the Balsam Creek sequence shows considerable habitat stability and a character akin to that seen at more southerly latitudes. On this evidence we propose that access to reliable resources within kettle features could have aided the initial colonisation of northern Ontario's environmentally dynamic early post-glacial landscape.
This chapter presents a small subset of data measured as part of a broader investigation of these... more This chapter presents a small subset of data measured as part of a broader investigation of these issues, specifically considering the seasonality of hunting behaviours and possible innovation of food storage practices at Gravettian sites in the Pavlov Hills (Seasonality, Mobility and Storage in Palaeolithic hunting societies, funded by The Leverhulme Trust; Pryor et al. forthcoming). The data discussed here come from three reindeer prey excavated from Dolní Vĕstonice II, Western Slope, and contribute towards answering the question: were food-gathering activities in the Pavlov Hills constrained by seasonal migrations of major prey species? This question is addressed here using data for: 1) seasonal faunal mobility – reconstructed using intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic measurements to determine when animals were available to hunt locally near the site; and 2) season of death – determined using dental cementum thin sections, which informs on actual seasonal hunting practices of Gravettian groups. The results are useful not only for reconstructing Pavlovian hunting practices, but also for revealing new ecological information concerning reindeer occupation of these unique mammoth steppe environments.
This paper reports intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic data collected from the M2 t... more This paper reports intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic data collected from the M2 tooth enamel of the adult horse found at Klementowice. Strontium isotope ratios were measured using laser ablation, providing 2027 individual measurements over 67.32 mm of enamel. The results are compared with those of local geology to estimate mobility of the horse over the period of tooth growth (approx. 1–2 years). The results indicate phases of movement probably correlated with seasonal changes indicated in the oxygen isotope data, and show the horse did not come near the immediate vicinity of Klementowice during this time. Possible patterns of movement across the surrounding region are discussed.
This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and con... more This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and consumed on a daily basis by Palaeolithic groups. Using Gravettian occupation of the Pavlovské Hills as a case study (dated to around 30,000 years BP), we investigate firewood availability using archaeological, palaeoenvironmental and ecological data, including making inferences from charcoal in Pavlovian hearths. The collated evidence suggests that while dead wood was likely readily available in woodland areas where humans had not recently foraged, longer term occupations – or repeated occupation of the same area by different groups – would have quickly exhausted naturally occurring supplies. Once depleted, the deadwood pool may have taken several generations (~40–120 years) to recover enough to provide fuel for another base camp occupation. Such exhaustion of deadwood supplies is well attested ethnographically. Thus, we argue that Pavlovian groups likely managed firewood supplies using methods similar to those used by recent hunter–gatherers: through planned geographic mobility and by deliberately killing trees years in advance of when wood was required, so leaving time for the wood to dry out. Such management of fuel resources was, we argue, critical to human expansion into these cold, hitherto marginal, ecologies of the Upper Palaeolithic.
Oxygen isotope analysis of bioapatite in vertebrate remains (bones and teeth) is commonly used to... more Oxygen isotope analysis of bioapatite in vertebrate remains (bones and teeth) is commonly used to address questions on palaeoclimate from the Eocene to the recent past. Researchers currently use a range of methods to calibrate their data, enabling the isotopic composition of precipitation and the air temperature to be estimated. In some situations the regression method used can significantly affect the resulting palaeoclimatic interpretations. Furthermore, to understand the uncertainties in the results, it is necessary to quantify the errors involved in calibration. Studies in which isotopic data are converted rarely address these points, and a better understanding of the calibration process is needed. This paper compares regression methods employed in recent publications to calibrate isotopic data for palaeoclimatic interpretation and determines that least-squares regression inverted to x = (y − b) / a is the most appropriate method to use for calibrating causal isotopic relationships. We also identify the main sources of error introduced at each conversion stage, and investigate ways to minimise this error.We demonstrate that larger sample sizes substantially reduce the uncertainties inherent within the calibration process: typical uncertainty in temperature inferred from a single sample is at least ±4 °C, which multiple samples can reduce to ±1–2 °C. Moreover, the gain even from one to four samples is greater than the gain from any further increases. We also show that when converting δ18Oprecipitation to temperature, use of annually averaged data can give significantly less uncertainty in inferred temperatures than use of monthly rainfall data. Equations and an online spreadsheet for the quantification of errors are provided for general use, and could be extended to contexts beyond the specific application of this paper.
Palaeotemperature estimation from isotopic data can be highly informative for our understanding of past climates and their impact on humans and animals. However, for such estimates to be useful, there must be confidence in their accuracy, and this includes an assessment of calibration error. We give a series of recommendations for assessing uncertainty when making calibrations of δ18Obioapatite–δ18Oprecipitation–Temperature. Use of these guidelines will provide a more solid foundation for palaeoclimate inferences made from vertebrate isotopic data.
The classic image of Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe envisages them hunting large m... more The classic image of Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe envisages them hunting large mammals in largely treeless
landscapes. That is partly due to the nature of the surviving archaeological evidence, and the poor preservation of plant remains at such ancient sites. As this study illustrates, however, the potential of Upper Palaeolithic sites to yield macrofossil remains of plants gathered and processed by human groups has been underestimated. Large scale flotation of charred deposits from hearths such as that reported here at Doln´ı V˘estonice II not only provides insight into the variety of flora that may have been locally available, but also suggests that some of it was being processed and consumed as food. The ability to exploit plant foods may have been a vital component in the successful colonisation of these cold European habitats.
Between 50,000 and 20,000 years ago, Europe experienced a series of rapid climate change events k... more Between 50,000 and 20,000 years ago, Europe experienced a series of rapid climate change events known as the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, which may have made areas of northern Europe more attractive for occupation by early modern humans at certain times than at others. This paper investigates when humans were occupying northern Europe in relation to these climatic changes at the archaeological site of Kraków Spadzista Street (B), by applying oxygen isotope analysis of mammoth tooth enamel carbonates (δ18O and δ13C) found at the site. The new isotopic data suggest that mean annual temperatures at Kraków Spadzista were 4–9°C colder than present and, based on comparisons with previously published isotopic data for mammoth in Europe, the Kraków assemblage most likely formed during a cold Dansgaard–Oeschger event. This suggests modern humans were able to occupy and survive in this area of northern Europe during the harsh cold phases that affected Europe at this time.
"Precisely how Upper Palaeolithic human ecology was shaped by changing climate during the Plenigl... more "Precisely how Upper Palaeolithic human ecology was shaped by changing climate during the Pleniglacial remains a matter of debate, for while this generally cold period is now understood to include complex and often rapid flux in climate, there are still considerable difficulties in resolving climatic variations at particular times and places - derived from various lines of proxy evidence - with the high-resolution proxy record of temperature changes from oxygen isotope analysis of the Greenland ice-cores.
In this paper we apply the methodology of large-scale flotation to newly excavated contexts from the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) site of Dolní Vĕstonice II, Czech Republic, to explore the potential of charcoal - as a natural archive of environmental information - to offer information on environmental change towards the end of the middle pleniglacial during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3, between c. 32,500 and 31,200 Cal yr BP. The results of an analysis of ring widths and other anatomical features - interpreted alongside micromorphological data - indicate that this charcoal may capture a higher-resolution record of the changing climatic conditions during which humans were first expanding into these hitherto marginal ecologies and, consequently, shed new light upon the complexity of the lifeways that enabled them to do so."
This paper compares archaeobotanical and other data from new excavations at two Upper Palaeolithi... more This paper compares archaeobotanical and other data from new excavations at two Upper Palaeolithic sites — Dolní Vĕstonice II and Předmostí I — in the Moravian Corridor, Czech Republic. Both contain the traces of broadly contemporary ‘Gravettian’ occupations during the warmer episodes of the Pleistocene which preceded the last glacial maximum. Yet their archaeobotanical remains show striking differences — those from Dolní Vĕstonice II being dominated by large quantities of conifer wood charcoal, while those from Předmostí I are much more scanty and dominated by vitrified plant remains, in association with large quantities of burnt bone. We argue that these differences between these two datasets arise from different uses of fuel at either site: bone at Předmostí I and wood at Dolní Vĕstonice II. Subsequently, we explore the possible reasons for this difference and argue that once likely taphonomic distinctions are accounted for, these data on fuel use offer fresh insights into the functions and durations of these Upper Palaeolithic occupations of the Moravian corridor and some possible implications for how archaeobotanical data from such sites should be interpreted.
The Late Gravettian site of Kraków Spadzista is important for understanding human behaviour and a... more The Late Gravettian site of Kraków Spadzista is important for understanding human behaviour and adaptation in cold, northern and marginal landscapes approaching the coldest part of the last glacial cycle. This paper focuses on the large assemblage of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus L.) remains found at the site, and presents new data on the mobility patterns and season of death of the animals killed by Gravettian hunters. Laser ablation strontium isotope analysis of teeth from five individuals indicates that each analysed fox was born and grew up in a different and isotopically distinct location, and had migrated tens or hundreds of kilometres into the vicinity of Kraków Spadzista before being killed by Gravettian hunters. Season of death data gathered from the dental cementum of at least 10 fox individuals demonstrate that the majority were killed in a window between late winter and late spring. Given the predictable nature of seasonal changes in Arctic fox hide quality and bodily fat reserves, we argue that the foxes were most likely killed at the start of this window, i.e. in late winter. The results are interesting for reconstructing the context to human hunting strategies in the Late Gravettian, revealing the choices made by hunters about where and when to procure these small prey.
This paper presents the results of excavations conducted at the Late Gravettian site of Lubná VI ... more This paper presents the results of excavations conducted at the Late Gravettian site of Lubná VI in 2012 and 2018. This site is an exceptional example of a short-term Late Gravettian campsite, occupied between 27.5 and 27.1 ka cal BP. Due to the specific location of this site, in an area situated far from lithic raw material sources, the archaeological remains offer a rare possibility to understand the subsistence strategy of highly mobile hunter-gatherers in the Late Pleistocene. The knapped lithic assemblage is composed of erratic Cretaceous flint imported over long distances, and the tool inventory is typical of Late Gravettian assemblages from Central Europe, with a dominance of burins and backed implements. However, the lack of chert and flint raw material in the vicinity of the site inspired the occupants to use bladelet blanks to make hunting weaponry from burin spalls. This specific behaviour is unique among Gravettian inventories known from the western Carpathians. Reindeer dominate the faunal assemblage over other species. The season of occupation at Lubná VI was probably early autumn, and may be associated with the maximum use of environmental resources by the hunter-gatherers. The small campsite was located at a convenient spot for processing reindeer carcasses, where some hearth stone constructions were arranged. Because there was no woody vegetation in the closest vicinity of the site, reindeer bones and fat were used as fuel in hearths. Given the lack of nearby flint raw materials, the accessibility of large numbers of reindeer near Lubná, probably present on a seasonal basis, explains the occurrence of Late Gravettian occupation in this micro-region.
Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe,... more Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe, and are widely identified as dwellings. The first systematic flotation programme of samples from a recently discovered feature at Kostenki 11 in Russia has yielded assemblages of charcoal, burnt bone and microlithic debitage. New radiocarbon dates provide the first coherent chronology for the site, revealing it to be one of the oldest such features on the Russian Plain. The authors discuss the implications for understanding the function of circular mammoth-bone features during the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum.
We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phase... more We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phases of pro-glacial Lake Algonquin in the vicinity of the North Bay outlet, Great Lakes Basin. Data presented comes from a new sedimentary profile obtained from the Balsam Creek kettle lake c. 34 km northeast of the city of North Bay. This site lies close to the northeast margin of the maximum extent of the post-Algonquin lake sequence, which drained through the Ottawa-Mattawa valley system. Our data are presented against a Bayesian age-depth model, supporting and extending regional understanding of vegetation succession in this part of northeast Ontario. The core profile provides a minimum age for the formation of the glacial outwash delta in which the kettle is set, as well as tentative timing for the Payette (post-Algonquin) lake phase. We highlight two discrete intervals during the Early Holocene, with modelled mean ages of: 8475-8040 cal. BP (332-316 cm) and 7645 cal. BP (286 cm), when climatic aridity affected the growth of vegetation within the kettle vicinity. Association with volcanic activity is posited. Cryptotephra dating to 7660-7430 cal. BP (mean age: 7580 cal. BP) is chronologically and geochemically assigned to the Mazama climactic eruption, while an earlier ash accumulation 8710-7865 cal. BP is tentatively sourced to an unknown eruption also in the Cascades region of Oregon. Outside of these periods, the Balsam Creek sequence shows considerable habitat stability and a character akin to that seen at more southerly latitudes. On this evidence we propose that access to reliable resources within kettle features could have aided the initial colonisation of northern Ontario's environmentally dynamic early post-glacial landscape.
This chapter presents a small subset of data measured as part of a broader investigation of these... more This chapter presents a small subset of data measured as part of a broader investigation of these issues, specifically considering the seasonality of hunting behaviours and possible innovation of food storage practices at Gravettian sites in the Pavlov Hills (Seasonality, Mobility and Storage in Palaeolithic hunting societies, funded by The Leverhulme Trust; Pryor et al. forthcoming). The data discussed here come from three reindeer prey excavated from Dolní Vĕstonice II, Western Slope, and contribute towards answering the question: were food-gathering activities in the Pavlov Hills constrained by seasonal migrations of major prey species? This question is addressed here using data for: 1) seasonal faunal mobility – reconstructed using intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic measurements to determine when animals were available to hunt locally near the site; and 2) season of death – determined using dental cementum thin sections, which informs on actual seasonal hunting practices of Gravettian groups. The results are useful not only for reconstructing Pavlovian hunting practices, but also for revealing new ecological information concerning reindeer occupation of these unique mammoth steppe environments.
This paper reports intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic data collected from the M2 t... more This paper reports intra-tooth oxygen, carbon and strontium isotopic data collected from the M2 tooth enamel of the adult horse found at Klementowice. Strontium isotope ratios were measured using laser ablation, providing 2027 individual measurements over 67.32 mm of enamel. The results are compared with those of local geology to estimate mobility of the horse over the period of tooth growth (approx. 1–2 years). The results indicate phases of movement probably correlated with seasonal changes indicated in the oxygen isotope data, and show the horse did not come near the immediate vicinity of Klementowice during this time. Possible patterns of movement across the surrounding region are discussed.
This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and con... more This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and consumed on a daily basis by Palaeolithic groups. Using Gravettian occupation of the Pavlovské Hills as a case study (dated to around 30,000 years BP), we investigate firewood availability using archaeological, palaeoenvironmental and ecological data, including making inferences from charcoal in Pavlovian hearths. The collated evidence suggests that while dead wood was likely readily available in woodland areas where humans had not recently foraged, longer term occupations – or repeated occupation of the same area by different groups – would have quickly exhausted naturally occurring supplies. Once depleted, the deadwood pool may have taken several generations (~40–120 years) to recover enough to provide fuel for another base camp occupation. Such exhaustion of deadwood supplies is well attested ethnographically. Thus, we argue that Pavlovian groups likely managed firewood supplies using methods similar to those used by recent hunter–gatherers: through planned geographic mobility and by deliberately killing trees years in advance of when wood was required, so leaving time for the wood to dry out. Such management of fuel resources was, we argue, critical to human expansion into these cold, hitherto marginal, ecologies of the Upper Palaeolithic.
Oxygen isotope analysis of bioapatite in vertebrate remains (bones and teeth) is commonly used to... more Oxygen isotope analysis of bioapatite in vertebrate remains (bones and teeth) is commonly used to address questions on palaeoclimate from the Eocene to the recent past. Researchers currently use a range of methods to calibrate their data, enabling the isotopic composition of precipitation and the air temperature to be estimated. In some situations the regression method used can significantly affect the resulting palaeoclimatic interpretations. Furthermore, to understand the uncertainties in the results, it is necessary to quantify the errors involved in calibration. Studies in which isotopic data are converted rarely address these points, and a better understanding of the calibration process is needed. This paper compares regression methods employed in recent publications to calibrate isotopic data for palaeoclimatic interpretation and determines that least-squares regression inverted to x = (y − b) / a is the most appropriate method to use for calibrating causal isotopic relationships. We also identify the main sources of error introduced at each conversion stage, and investigate ways to minimise this error.We demonstrate that larger sample sizes substantially reduce the uncertainties inherent within the calibration process: typical uncertainty in temperature inferred from a single sample is at least ±4 °C, which multiple samples can reduce to ±1–2 °C. Moreover, the gain even from one to four samples is greater than the gain from any further increases. We also show that when converting δ18Oprecipitation to temperature, use of annually averaged data can give significantly less uncertainty in inferred temperatures than use of monthly rainfall data. Equations and an online spreadsheet for the quantification of errors are provided for general use, and could be extended to contexts beyond the specific application of this paper.
Palaeotemperature estimation from isotopic data can be highly informative for our understanding of past climates and their impact on humans and animals. However, for such estimates to be useful, there must be confidence in their accuracy, and this includes an assessment of calibration error. We give a series of recommendations for assessing uncertainty when making calibrations of δ18Obioapatite–δ18Oprecipitation–Temperature. Use of these guidelines will provide a more solid foundation for palaeoclimate inferences made from vertebrate isotopic data.
The classic image of Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe envisages them hunting large m... more The classic image of Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe envisages them hunting large mammals in largely treeless
landscapes. That is partly due to the nature of the surviving archaeological evidence, and the poor preservation of plant remains at such ancient sites. As this study illustrates, however, the potential of Upper Palaeolithic sites to yield macrofossil remains of plants gathered and processed by human groups has been underestimated. Large scale flotation of charred deposits from hearths such as that reported here at Doln´ı V˘estonice II not only provides insight into the variety of flora that may have been locally available, but also suggests that some of it was being processed and consumed as food. The ability to exploit plant foods may have been a vital component in the successful colonisation of these cold European habitats.
Between 50,000 and 20,000 years ago, Europe experienced a series of rapid climate change events k... more Between 50,000 and 20,000 years ago, Europe experienced a series of rapid climate change events known as the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, which may have made areas of northern Europe more attractive for occupation by early modern humans at certain times than at others. This paper investigates when humans were occupying northern Europe in relation to these climatic changes at the archaeological site of Kraków Spadzista Street (B), by applying oxygen isotope analysis of mammoth tooth enamel carbonates (δ18O and δ13C) found at the site. The new isotopic data suggest that mean annual temperatures at Kraków Spadzista were 4–9°C colder than present and, based on comparisons with previously published isotopic data for mammoth in Europe, the Kraków assemblage most likely formed during a cold Dansgaard–Oeschger event. This suggests modern humans were able to occupy and survive in this area of northern Europe during the harsh cold phases that affected Europe at this time.
"Precisely how Upper Palaeolithic human ecology was shaped by changing climate during the Plenigl... more "Precisely how Upper Palaeolithic human ecology was shaped by changing climate during the Pleniglacial remains a matter of debate, for while this generally cold period is now understood to include complex and often rapid flux in climate, there are still considerable difficulties in resolving climatic variations at particular times and places - derived from various lines of proxy evidence - with the high-resolution proxy record of temperature changes from oxygen isotope analysis of the Greenland ice-cores.
In this paper we apply the methodology of large-scale flotation to newly excavated contexts from the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) site of Dolní Vĕstonice II, Czech Republic, to explore the potential of charcoal - as a natural archive of environmental information - to offer information on environmental change towards the end of the middle pleniglacial during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3, between c. 32,500 and 31,200 Cal yr BP. The results of an analysis of ring widths and other anatomical features - interpreted alongside micromorphological data - indicate that this charcoal may capture a higher-resolution record of the changing climatic conditions during which humans were first expanding into these hitherto marginal ecologies and, consequently, shed new light upon the complexity of the lifeways that enabled them to do so."
This paper compares archaeobotanical and other data from new excavations at two Upper Palaeolithi... more This paper compares archaeobotanical and other data from new excavations at two Upper Palaeolithic sites — Dolní Vĕstonice II and Předmostí I — in the Moravian Corridor, Czech Republic. Both contain the traces of broadly contemporary ‘Gravettian’ occupations during the warmer episodes of the Pleistocene which preceded the last glacial maximum. Yet their archaeobotanical remains show striking differences — those from Dolní Vĕstonice II being dominated by large quantities of conifer wood charcoal, while those from Předmostí I are much more scanty and dominated by vitrified plant remains, in association with large quantities of burnt bone. We argue that these differences between these two datasets arise from different uses of fuel at either site: bone at Předmostí I and wood at Dolní Vĕstonice II. Subsequently, we explore the possible reasons for this difference and argue that once likely taphonomic distinctions are accounted for, these data on fuel use offer fresh insights into the functions and durations of these Upper Palaeolithic occupations of the Moravian corridor and some possible implications for how archaeobotanical data from such sites should be interpreted.
This report presents the results of the ‘Time Detectives’ programme of archaeological excavation ... more This report presents the results of the ‘Time Detectives’ programme of archaeological excavation of 10 1m2 ‘test pits’ in the Cambridgeshire village of Swaffham Bulbeck in spring 2012. The programme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and was intended to enable schools pupils and adults affected by autism engaging with local charity Red2Green to work together to explore their local heritage. Over three days, more than 50 people took part in the excavations which provided new evidence for the development of the area now occupied by the village from the prehistoric period onwards. This appears to have been lightly used by humans in the prehistoric and Roman period until the late 9th century AD when a small settlement appears to have developed near the site of the present church. This settlement expanded north in the 12th-14th centuries, when a new planned extension, Newnham End, was founded. This period of growth ceased in the 14th century, when the new settlement may have been at least partly abandoned. Revival did not take hold until perhaps the 17th or 18th centuries. By successfully involving adults affected by autism, local primary and secondary school pupils and local residents in organising and undertaking the excavations, the ‘Time Detectives’ excavations enabled participants to find out more about autism and about their local heritage, and showed how effectively archaeological excavation can bring diverse people together.
This report details the project design, results and interpretations of archaeological investigati... more This report details the project design, results and interpretations of archaeological investigations in August 2013 in the interior of a circular earthwork enclosure, defined on the HER as a medieval moated site, in Castle Close, Sharnbrook, (Beds HER 994 and SAM 20404). The excavation was funded jointly by the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘All Our Stories’ scheme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council R4CH ‘Cambridge Community Heritage’ programme. The Castle Close project was proposed by Sharnbrook Local History Group, and developed with guidance from Access Cambridge Archaeology (University of Cambridge) and English Heritage. The project was conducted as a community excavation, where volunteers undertook excavations under the supervision of archaeologists from Access Cambridge Archaeology (University of Cambridge). Excavation over four days of a 2m2 trench within the circular earthwork exposed a hearth or oven with associated stoke hole and parts of several other features hinting at the presence of one or more built structures, all dated by associated pottery to the 12th century AD. The character of the features appeared to be largely domestic, although some specialisation is indicated and the presence of a sizeable assemblage of horseshoe nails supports the suggestion that the site was moderately high-status. Occupation was short-lived, certainly spanning less than a century and possibly only a decade or so. The date (12th century) and the form (circular and embanked) are both atypical of moated sites and the site is now better defined as a small, late ringwork: it may represent a transitional phase between ringworks and moated sites. Historical records suggest it may have been the documented ‘bury’ of Trikets manor. The likely context for its construction is the Anarchy of the early 12th century and it was probably abandoned after Henry II came to power in 1154 AD. The 2013 excavation in Castle Close has added to the significance of this site by dating this unusual circular earthwork and by identifying it as a ringwork rather than an early moated site. The excavation also gave members of the public living in and around Sharnbrook the chance to take part in archaeological investigations on a site at the centre of their community, during which they developed a wide range of practical and analytical archaeological skills including archaeological excavation, recording, augering and finds processing. The excavation also provided data which will be able to inform and guide future conservation, management, interpretation and presentation of the monument in Castle Close.
This report presents the results of a programme of rchaeological excavation of 32 1m2 ‘test pits... more This report presents the results of a programme of rchaeological excavation of 32 1m2 ‘test pits’ in the Cambridgeshire village of Meldreth carried out in summer 2013. The programme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through its ‘All Our Stories’ programme and supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Connected Communities theme which funded the Cambridge Community Heritage programme at the University of Cambridge in 20012-13. Over three weekends, more than 300 residents of the village of Meldreth and the local area took part in the excavations in 32 different locations throughout the present village. The results provided new evidence for the development of the area now occupied by the village, which mostly lies alongside a small stream, from the prehistoric period onwards. Parts of the area appears to have quite intensively used by humans in the prehistoric period, with unusually large volumes of Bronze Age pottery recovered from at least four different sites likely to be indicative of settlement and/or burial. Pottery of Roman date favours the south of the present village, and suggests settlement took the form of a dispersed scatter of small settlements such as farmsteads surrounded by arable fields to the north. No evidence was found for any activity dating to the period between the 5th –9th centuries AD, but Saxo-Norman pottery was found widely, with particular concentrations on the manorial site of Topcliffe as well in the south of the village around Flambards moated site. The absence of any Thetford ware from Meldreth suggests that this activity is likely to be post-Conquest in date and that the medieval settlement originates in this period rather than earlier. The high medieval period sees the settlement extend westwards, probably laid out in the 12th or 13th century over former arable, with apparently new settlement sites founded at Chiswick and North End. This growth ceases in the late medieval period, although Meldreth does not appear to be as badly affected in this period of widespread demographic and settlement contraction as many settlements in the eastern region. In the post-medieval period, however, the test pit data indicates that Meldreth stagnated, with the southern end of the settlement particularly badly affected.
This report presents the results of a programme of archaeological excavation of 16 1m2 ‘test pits... more This report presents the results of a programme of archaeological excavation of 16 1m2 ‘test pits’ in the Cambridgeshire village of Toft carried out in summer 2013. The programme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through its ‘All Our Stories’ programme and supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Connected Communities theme which funded the Cambridge Community Heritage programme at the University of Cambridge in 20012-13. Over three weekends, more than 600 residents of the village of Toft and the local area took part in the excavations in 16 different locations throughout the present village. The results provided new evidence for the development of the southern part of the village, near to the church and alongside a small stream, from the prehistoric period onwards. Parts of the area appears to have intermittently and lightly used by humans in the prehistoric period, with possible indications of a small settlement of Neolithic date beside the stream. Pottery of Roman date clearly clustered just beyond the south-eastern limits of the present settlement show a settlement to have been present here, and there is some indication of some sort of presence in the same area sometime between the 5th and 9th centuries. The present village seems to have been founded in the late Anglo-Saxon period, with settlement clearly present in the same stream-side location as the Romano-British settlement. This continued and expanded in the high medieval period, when the settlement appears to have extended northwards, but experienced sever contraction in the late medieval period, when the stream-side area of settlement was entirely abandoned. When the settlement began to recover, possibly rather falteringly, in the post medieval period, its focus appears to have shifted north towards the Comberton Road, with the stream-side settlement remaining permanently deserted. The project involved hundreds of members of the local community, and provided many new perspectives on the past development of this Cambridgeshire village
This report presents the results of a programme of archaeological excavation of 23 1m2 ‘test pits... more This report presents the results of a programme of archaeological excavation of 23 1m2 ‘test pits’ in the Bedfordshire village of Shillington carried out in summer 2013. The programme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through its ‘All Our Stories’ programme and supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Connected Communities theme which funded the Cambridge Community Heritage programme at the University of Cambridge in 20012-13. Over three days, more than 300 residents of the village of Shillington and the local area took part in the excavations in 23 different locations throughout the present village. The results provided new evidence for the development of the area now occupied by the village, which mostly lies alongside a small stream, from the prehistoric period onwards. The landscape was used by humans in the prehistoric period, apparently favouring the area nearer the small brook running west of the prominent hill which dominates the land around the parish. One test pit near this stream produced convincing evidence for undisturbed settlement remains in the immediate vicinity. Small quantities of pottery of Roman date came from five different sites, two of them away from the Brookside area hinting at a pattern of settlement or agricultural land use moving beyond the lower lying zones. No evidence was found for any activity dating to the period between the 5th – 9th centuries AD, but Saxo-Norman pottery of 10th – 11th century date was found in two distinct concentrations, suggesting more than one hamlet present, possibly part of a nucleated pattern of settlement, at this time. The high medieval period saw settlement at these sites grow and that at three other ‘ends’ appear, indicating a pattern of mixed dispersed and nucleated settlement. This growth ceases in the late medieval period, with Shillington particularly badly affected in this period of widespread demographic and settlement contraction compared to many settlements in the eastern region. In the post-medieval period, however, the test pit data indicates that Shillington gradually recovered, with former dispersed settlements mostly reoccupied, although it did not achieve its pre-14th century levels and some of the medieval ‘ends’ remained uninhabited until the 19th century.
Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe,... more Circular features made from mammoth bone are known from across Upper Palaeolithic Eastern Europe, and are widely identified as dwellings. The first systematic flotation programme of samples from a recently discovered feature at Kostenki 11 in Russia has yielded assemblages of charcoal, burnt bone and microlithic debitage. New radiocarbon dates provide the first coherent chronology for the site, revealing it to be one of the oldest such features on the Russian Plain. The authors discuss the implications for understanding the function of circular mammoth-bone features during the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum.
We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phase... more We present a multi-proxy study of environmental conditions during and after the recessional phases of pro-glacial Lake Algonquin in the vicinity of the North Bay outlet, Great Lakes Basin. Data presented comes from a new sedimentary profile obtained from the Balsam Creek kettle lake c. 34 km northeast of the city of North Bay. This site lies close to the northeast margin of the maximum extent of the post-Algonquin lake sequence, which drained through the Ottawa-Mattawa valley system. Our data are presented against a Bayesian age-depth model, supporting and extending regional understanding of vegetation succession in this part of northeast Ontario. The core profile provides a minimum age for the formation of the glacial outwash delta in which the kettle is set, as well as tentative timing for the Payette (post-Algonquin) lake phase. We highlight two discrete intervals during the Early Holocene, with modelled mean ages of: 8475-8040 cal. BP (332-316 cm) and 7645 cal. BP (286 cm), when climatic aridity affected the growth of vegetation within the kettle vicinity. Association with volcanic activity is posited. Cryptotephra dating to 7660-7430 cal. BP (mean age: 7580 cal. BP) is chronologically and geochemically assigned to the Mazama climactic eruption, while an earlier ash accumulation 8710-7865 cal. BP is tentatively sourced to an unknown eruption also in the Cascades region of Oregon. Outside of these periods, the Balsam Creek sequence shows considerable habitat stability and a character akin to that seen at more southerly latitudes. On this evidence we propose that access to reliable resources within kettle features could have aided the initial colonisation of northern Ontario's environmentally dynamic early post-glacial landscape.
This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and con... more This paper draws attention to firewood as a natural resource that was gathered, processed and consumed on a daily basis by Palaeolithic groups. Using Gravettian occupation of the Pavlovské Hills as a case study (dated to around 30,000 years BP), we investigate firewood availability using archaeological, palaeoenvironmental and ecological data, including making inferences from charcoal in Pavlovian hearths. The collated evidence suggests that while dead wood was likely readily available in woodland areas where humans had not recently foraged, longer term occupations – or repeated occupation of the same area by different groups – would have quickly exhausted naturally occurring supplies. Once depleted, the deadwood pool may have taken several generations ($40–120 years) to recover enough to provide fuel for another base camp occupation. Such exhaustion of deadwood supplies is well attested ethnographically. Thus, we argue that Pavlovian groups likely managed firewood supplies using methods similar to those used by recent hunter–gatherers: through planned geographic mobility and by deliberately killing trees years in advance of when wood was required, so leaving time for the wood to dry out. Such management of fuel resources was, we argue, critical to human expansion into these cold, hitherto marginal, ecologies of the Upper Palaeolithic.
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Papers by Alex Pryor
ablation, providing 2027 individual measurements over 67.32 mm of enamel. The results are compared with those of local geology to estimate mobility of the horse over the period of tooth growth (approx. 1–2 years). The results indicate phases of movement probably correlated with seasonal changes indicated in the oxygen isotope data, and show the horse did not come near the immediate vicinity of Klementowice during this time. Possible patterns of movement across the surrounding region are discussed.
Palaeotemperature estimation from isotopic data can be highly informative for our understanding of past climates and their impact on humans and animals. However, for such estimates to be useful, there must be confidence in their accuracy, and this includes an assessment of calibration error. We give a series of recommendations for assessing uncertainty when making calibrations of δ18Obioapatite–δ18Oprecipitation–Temperature. Use of these guidelines will provide a more solid foundation for palaeoclimate inferences made from vertebrate isotopic data.
landscapes. That is partly due to the nature of the surviving archaeological evidence, and the poor preservation of plant remains at such ancient sites. As this study illustrates, however, the potential of Upper Palaeolithic sites to yield macrofossil remains of plants gathered and processed by human groups has been underestimated. Large scale flotation of charred deposits from hearths such as that reported here at Doln´ı V˘estonice II not only provides insight into the variety of flora that may have been locally available, but also suggests that some of it was being processed and consumed as food. The ability to exploit plant foods may have been a vital component in the successful colonisation of these cold European habitats.
In this paper we apply the methodology of large-scale flotation to newly excavated contexts from the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) site of Dolní Vĕstonice II, Czech Republic, to explore the potential of charcoal - as a natural archive of environmental information - to offer information on environmental change towards the end of the middle pleniglacial during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3, between c. 32,500 and 31,200 Cal yr BP. The results of an analysis of ring widths and other anatomical features - interpreted alongside micromorphological data - indicate that this charcoal may capture a higher-resolution record of the changing climatic conditions during which humans were first expanding into these hitherto marginal ecologies and, consequently, shed new light upon the complexity of the lifeways that enabled them to do so."
ablation, providing 2027 individual measurements over 67.32 mm of enamel. The results are compared with those of local geology to estimate mobility of the horse over the period of tooth growth (approx. 1–2 years). The results indicate phases of movement probably correlated with seasonal changes indicated in the oxygen isotope data, and show the horse did not come near the immediate vicinity of Klementowice during this time. Possible patterns of movement across the surrounding region are discussed.
Palaeotemperature estimation from isotopic data can be highly informative for our understanding of past climates and their impact on humans and animals. However, for such estimates to be useful, there must be confidence in their accuracy, and this includes an assessment of calibration error. We give a series of recommendations for assessing uncertainty when making calibrations of δ18Obioapatite–δ18Oprecipitation–Temperature. Use of these guidelines will provide a more solid foundation for palaeoclimate inferences made from vertebrate isotopic data.
landscapes. That is partly due to the nature of the surviving archaeological evidence, and the poor preservation of plant remains at such ancient sites. As this study illustrates, however, the potential of Upper Palaeolithic sites to yield macrofossil remains of plants gathered and processed by human groups has been underestimated. Large scale flotation of charred deposits from hearths such as that reported here at Doln´ı V˘estonice II not only provides insight into the variety of flora that may have been locally available, but also suggests that some of it was being processed and consumed as food. The ability to exploit plant foods may have been a vital component in the successful colonisation of these cold European habitats.
In this paper we apply the methodology of large-scale flotation to newly excavated contexts from the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) site of Dolní Vĕstonice II, Czech Republic, to explore the potential of charcoal - as a natural archive of environmental information - to offer information on environmental change towards the end of the middle pleniglacial during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3, between c. 32,500 and 31,200 Cal yr BP. The results of an analysis of ring widths and other anatomical features - interpreted alongside micromorphological data - indicate that this charcoal may capture a higher-resolution record of the changing climatic conditions during which humans were first expanding into these hitherto marginal ecologies and, consequently, shed new light upon the complexity of the lifeways that enabled them to do so."
2012. The programme was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and was intended to enable schools pupils and adults affected by autism engaging with local charity Red2Green
to work together to explore their local heritage. Over three days, more than 50 people took part in the excavations which provided new evidence for the development of the area now
occupied by the village from the prehistoric period onwards. This appears to have been lightly used by humans in the prehistoric and Roman period until the late 9th century AD
when a small settlement appears to have developed near the site of the present church. This settlement expanded north in the 12th-14th centuries, when a new planned extension,
Newnham End, was founded. This period of growth ceased in the 14th century, when the new settlement may have been at least partly abandoned. Revival did not take hold until
perhaps the 17th or 18th centuries. By successfully involving adults affected by autism, local primary and secondary school
pupils and local residents in organising and undertaking the excavations, the ‘Time Detectives’ excavations enabled participants to find out more about autism and about their
local heritage, and showed how effectively archaeological excavation can bring diverse people together.
Excavation over four days of a 2m2 trench within the circular earthwork exposed a hearth or oven with associated stoke hole and parts of several other features hinting at the presence of one or more built structures, all dated by associated pottery to the 12th century AD. The character of the features appeared to be largely domestic, although some specialisation is indicated and the presence of a sizeable assemblage of horseshoe nails supports the suggestion that the site was moderately high-status. Occupation was short-lived, certainly spanning less than a century and possibly only a decade or so.
The date (12th century) and the form (circular and embanked) are both atypical of moated sites and the site is now better defined as a small, late ringwork: it may represent a transitional phase between ringworks and moated sites. Historical records suggest it may have been the documented ‘bury’ of Trikets manor. The likely context for its construction is the Anarchy of the early 12th century and it was probably abandoned after Henry II came to power in 1154 AD.
The 2013 excavation in Castle Close has added to the significance of this site by dating this unusual circular earthwork and by identifying it as a ringwork rather than an early moated site. The excavation also gave members of the public living in and around Sharnbrook the chance to take part in archaeological investigations on a site at the centre of their community, during which they developed a wide range of practical and analytical archaeological skills including archaeological excavation, recording, augering and finds processing. The excavation also provided data which will be able to inform and guide future conservation, management, interpretation and presentation of the monument in Castle Close.
Parts of the area appears to have intermittently and lightly used by humans in the prehistoric period, with possible indications of a small settlement of Neolithic date beside the stream. Pottery of Roman date clearly clustered just beyond the south-eastern limits of the present settlement show a settlement to have been present here, and there is some indication of some sort of presence in the same area sometime between the 5th and 9th centuries. The present village seems to have been founded in the late Anglo-Saxon period, with settlement clearly present in the same stream-side location as the Romano-British settlement. This continued and expanded in the high medieval period, when the settlement appears to have extended northwards, but experienced sever contraction in the late medieval period, when the stream-side area of settlement was entirely abandoned. When the settlement began to recover, possibly rather falteringly, in the post medieval period, its focus appears to have shifted north towards the Comberton Road, with the stream-side settlement remaining permanently deserted. The project involved hundreds of members of the local community, and provided many new perspectives on the past development of this Cambridgeshire village
The results provided new evidence for the development of the area now occupied by the village, which mostly lies alongside a small stream, from the prehistoric period onwards. The landscape was used by humans in the prehistoric period, apparently favouring the area nearer the small brook running west of the prominent hill which dominates the land around the parish. One test pit near this stream produced convincing evidence for undisturbed settlement remains in the immediate vicinity. Small quantities of pottery of Roman date came from five different sites, two of them away from the Brookside area hinting at a pattern of settlement or agricultural land use moving beyond the lower lying zones. No evidence was found for any activity dating to the period between the 5th – 9th centuries AD, but Saxo-Norman pottery of 10th – 11th century date was found in two distinct concentrations, suggesting more than one hamlet present, possibly part of a nucleated pattern of settlement, at this time. The high medieval period saw settlement at these sites grow and that at three other ‘ends’ appear, indicating a pattern of mixed dispersed and nucleated settlement. This growth ceases in the late medieval period, with Shillington particularly badly affected in this period of widespread demographic and settlement contraction compared to many settlements in the eastern region. In the post-medieval period, however, the test pit data indicates that Shillington gradually recovered, with former dispersed settlements mostly reoccupied, although it did not achieve its pre-14th century levels and some of the medieval ‘ends’ remained uninhabited until the 19th century.