Contemporary Archeology

Those that have stood within 5km of a Titan/Delta rocket launch -- you know the Air Force makes ground shake, rattle & the air hum.

Though 1500 (or more) yrs before that, Shaman from the Chumash -- sourcing & consuming Solanaceae (nightshade) were rockin’ w/Mother Earth in their own inimitable fashion.

Chumash call it Humqaq, “The Raven Comes”, and regard it as one of the most sacred sites not only in Chumash territory, but in all of N. America: the "western gate".

Though where the coastline, just north of Santa Barbara, lies in a distinct east/west direction it's known today as Pt. Conception: a key asset of NASA’s Western Test Range.

The American space industry ironically is using the same site used for thousands of years as a departure point into the Milky Way by the Chumash souls of the dead -- as a technological departure point ito space.

For the Chumash it is spiritually strategic as a prime spot where the souls depart for Shimilaqsha -- realm of the dead. For the USA, adjacent Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) is perhaps the most militarily strategic position on the Pacific coast, from where inter-continental ballistic missiles safely avoid land mass and are launched out into the ocean, and rockets thrust into space.

It's home to more than 1600 prehistoric archaeological sites including 14 rock art sites, five historic Chumash villages, Space Launch Complex-10 Nat. Historic Landmark, 26 Cold War era complexes & Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trl.

Résumé : L’urbanisme et la topographie antique de Vaison-la-Romaine dans le cadre de prospections archéologiques dans le bâti ancien
Cette étude, entreprise sur la ville de Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse, 84), se déroule dans le cadre de deux années de Master I et II. Ce sujet permet l’exécution d’une synthèse regroupant des données anciennes et inédites, notamment grâce aux prospections dans les caves. Il permettra une meilleure compréhension de la trame urbaine et de la topographie de Vasio. Ces données sont situées dans la trame urbaine de la ville sous la forme d’un document cartographique de synthèse inédit préparant le SIG. Les résultats obtenus sont novateurs et permettent d’aborder des zones de la ville antique peu, pas du tout ou anciennement étudiées d’une autre manière.
Cette étude s’insère dans le dynamisme actuel des diverses recherches archéologiques menées sur la ville de Vaison-la-Romaine. Elle s’intègre pleinement dans la mouvance du PCR des « Atlas Topographiques de Gaulle Méridionale », puisqu’il pose en partie les bases de ce travail et de l’Atlas Topographique sur Vasio.

Abstract : Urbanism and topography antique of Vaison-la-Romaine in the context of archaeological prospections in ancient buildings
This study, undertaken on the city of Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse, 84), takes place within the framework of two years of Master I and II. This subject enables the execution of a synthesis bringing together old and new data, particulary thanks to the surveys in the cellars. It will allow a better understanding of the urban fabric and the topography of Vasio. These data are located in the urban fabric of the city in the form of a synthetic cartographic document, wich is unpublished yet and is preparing for the GIS. The results thus obtained are innovative and make it possible to approach areas of the ancient city, that are either formerly and differently studied or where little, if any, reserch were conducted.
This study is part of the current dynamism of the various archaeological research carried out on the town of Vaison-la-Romaine. It fits entirely in the evolution of the Collective Project of Research named « Topographical Atlas of Southern Gaul », because it lays partially the basis of this work and the Topographical Atlas on Vasio.

Riassunto : Urbanistica e topografia antica di Vaison-la-Romaine nel contesto delle indagini archeologiche degli antichi edifici.
Questo studio, sviluppato sulla città di Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse, 84), si svolge nel giro di due anni di Master I e II. Questo tema offre la possibilità in una sintesi di riunire dei dati antichi e inediti, in particolare attraverso indagini nelle cantine. Essa consentirà una migliore comprensione della struttura urbana e la topografia di Vasio. Questi dati sono situati nel tessuto urbano della città sotto forma di un documento cartografico di sintesi inedito che prepara il GIS. I risultati sono innovativi e permettono di affrontare le aree della città antica poco, o per niente precedentemente studiati.
Questo studio si inserisce nel dinamismo attuale delle varie ricerche archeologiche condotto sulla città di Vaison-la-Romaine. Entra pienamente come parte del PCR « Atlas Topographiques de Gaulle Méridionale », perché solleva in una certa misura le basi di questo lavoro e del’Atlas topografico su Vasio.

The paper presents the first archaeological field research focused on the material remains of partisan activities during World War II in Czech Republic. Subject to non-destructive research was the Jan Hus Partisan Brigade headquarters at Zbyslavce (Železné Hory-Iron Mountains, East Bohemia, distr. of Chrudim), which was used from late October to early December 1944 when the base was abandoned after betrayal. A German strike at the end of 1944 meant its demise. Thanks to a preserved report we have detailed information about its shape and equipment, based on the lists of gear and other items left in the base. According to the description, the base was formed by a dugout covered with timber and soil, the size being 4 × 4 m and depth 2 m. Its remains on the ground were verified by an archaeological survey, which also covered the whole adjoining area. Remains of a partisan bunker, which was documented in detail using non-destructive methods, are still very well preserved and its dimensions, taking into account the erosion and filling of the concave-shape feature, match report of 1944. A surprising finding is the spatial context of the base. The partisan base was established in a High-Late Medieval surface mining complex represented by a large amounts of concave and convex relief features situated along the Starkočský stream. It is possible that the presence of such objects that can be used as a natural shelter led to the choice of the Partisan base location. The dugout remains differ from the other recessed objects on the site only in the regular shapes. A possible use of older mining features by the partisan troop cannot be ruled out, but it can only be proved by archaeological excavation. The potential of the documented Partisan dugout, which is comparable to the archaic sunken dwellings used in prehistoric period, the Middle Ages and in some parts of Europe even in the Post-medieval and Modern Era, can also be seen in studying the formation process of the archaeological redord.
The next stage of research will focus on documentation of other partisan bases in Železné hory (Iron Mountains), comparison of individual features and their location in the landscape. Detailed information on the form of bunkers, equipment and personal effects of the members can only be provided through archaeological excavation, which could also focus on the issue of archaeological transformation of these objects. We consider archaeological research and study of the material sources to be a necessary component of the knowledge of partisan activities during the Second World War, as demonstrated by archaeological projects focused on the guerrilla war e.g. in Spain (civil war) and Lithuania (post-war resistance).