Search Results (89)

The ancient site of Olympia is located on the northern fringe of the Basin of Makrisia at the confluence of the Kladeos and Alpheios rivers (western Peloponnese, Greece) and was used as a venue for the Panhellenic Games from Archaic times until the 4th century AD. Geophysical prospection (frequency domain electromagnetic induction and electrical resistivity tomography) was carried out as a basis for detailed geoarchaeological investigations. In doing so, we identified a previously unknown building structure adjacent to the Altis, the inner part of the sanctuary at Olympia. Situated south of the Southwest Thermae, this structure measures at least 100 m (WSW-ENE) by 80 m (NNW-SSE). Its external orientation is in line with the orientation of the Southwest Thermae and the Leonidaion. We retrieved sediment cores from 17 different locations in combination with high-resolution direct push sensing from inside the newly found structure. All cores revealed distinct units of organic-rich limnic sediments dominated by clay and fine silt. Geochemical and micropaleontological analyses of selected sediment samples indicate highly eutrophic conditions, as evidenced by elevated phosphorous concentrations and the dominance of the ostracod species Cyprideis torosa, which is able to live under low-oxygen conditions. Moreover, molecular biomarker analyses show a significant input of lipid fecal markers, implying strong anthropogenic pollution. Further, the limnic sediments include numerous charcoal remains and abundant diagnostic artifacts such as ceramic fragments and building material. Radiocarbon dating documents that these limnic conditions persisted within the building structure from at least the 5th century BC to the 6th century AD. The identified building structure lies in the immediate proximity to the Lake of Olympia, which was recently found to have existed from the mid-Holocene to the Medieval period. Its characteristic filling with fine-grained sediments and multiple indications for a strongly polluted and heavily used standing water environment let us hypothesize that it was possibly used as a harbor installation. A harbor at ancient Olympia could have been used to reach the sanctuary by boat and to transport goods of all kinds. Full article

Many volcanological and geoarchaeological studies in the ancient city of Pompeii (Italy) have been devoted to the 79 CE Plinian eruption of Vesuvius, which sealed the city under a thick pyroclastic sequence. Only fragmentary information exists regarding the stratigraphy of the volcanic sediments sandwiched between the 79 CE street level and the volcanic rocks that form the geological framework of the hill on which Pompeii was built, which constitutes the “Pompeii bedrock”. The stratigraphic survey of twenty-one trenches throughout the city, coupled with a geochemical characterization, highlighted that the pre-79 CE stratigraphy includes at least eight late Pleistocene to Holocene tephra layers. Six eruptions were sourced from Somma–Vesuvius (Pomici di Base, Mercato, AP1 to AP4) and two originated from Campi Flegrei (Neapolitan Yellow Tuff and Soccavo 4). The Pompeii bedrock is the product of local vents, the last activity of which possibly shortly predates the 22 ka Pomici di Base eruption. From a geoarchaeological perspective, a relevant result is the absence of the 3.9 ka Avellino tephra in all trenches. This evidence, along with the reappraisal of the stratigraphy of the nearby archaeological site of S. Abbondio, suggests that the Avellino eruption possibly only marginally affected the Pompeii area during the Early Bronze Age. Full article

The River Ter is one of the axes which, in a west-east direction, has historically articulated the population of the extreme north-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Although its upper, middle and part of the lower courses do not present any problems in its course, its mouth in the Mediterrane-an Sea has raised many questions due to the existence of two potential branches, one to the north that would flow into the Gulf of Roses and another to the south that would flow into the Bay of Pals. In 2016, an exhaustive documentary study on the potential southern branch provided exhaustive information on the existence of lake areas and their relationship with the settlement between the 9th and 11th centuries, but raised doubts about the existence of the river in the bay from Pals. Subsequently, between 2020 and 2022, geological studies have been carried out in this area which demonstrate the existence of the river in this area but with a variable course, with changes in the river channel (meandering, diffuse and braided), and with notable changes that conditioned the settlement of this sector of the coast and as was recorded in written documentation between the 9th and 11th centuries. Full article

The Lucanian site of Laurelli represents one of the largest, still poorly investigated, pre-Roman archaeological sites of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni Geopark (southern Italy). The site lies on a large, low-relief surface in the upper portion of the Serrapotamo River basin, a right tributary of the Bussento River. Geomorphological, stratigraphical, archaeobotanical and archaeometric analyses were carried out to understand the following: (1) the choice to settle at the site of the town of Laurelli; (2) the origin of the raw material used to build the town; (3) the vegetation present during the lifetime of the town; and (4) the causes of its abandonment. The results indicate that the site was chosen because it was almost stable from a geomorphological point of view, not being affected by deep landslides. Further investigations are needed to unravel the possible occurrence of flooding as a causative event for the abandonment of Laurelli. Carpinus was widespread and used as a fuel for iron production, but the areas from which the iron was extracted have not yet been discovered. The multidisciplinary approach adopted is suitable for application in other archaeological areas worldwide. Full article

In 44 BC, Julius Caesar established Colonia Laus Iulia Corinthiensis, strategically reviving Corinth to dominate Isthmian trade routes and extend Rome’s commercial influence eastwards. At the centre of the colony lies Temple E, an enigmatic structure with an unidentified associated cult. This study investigates the architectural characteristics of Temple E, focusing on the use of marble as the primary building material. Petrographic analysis, elemental chemical profiling (Mn, Mg, Fe, Sr, Y, V, Cd, La, Ce, Yb, U), and isotopic measurements (δ¹⁸O ‰, δ¹³C ‰) are employed to analyse marble samples from the surrounding region, exploring sourcing and construction practices. Statistical comparisons with ancient quarry databases indicate a strong reliance on locally sourced Doliana marble, underscoring the economic significance of regional quarries and suggesting the existence of a local workshop dedicated to architectural production in Roman Corinth. By integrating geological and archaeometric approaches, this study highlights Corinth’s pivotal role in the regional marble trade and its broader economic importance during the Roman Imperial period. The findings emphasise the use of local resources, illustrating a flourishing marble-working industry and enhancing our understanding of the relationship between local materials and Roman architectural practices. Full article

Along the southern North Sea coast from the Netherlands to Denmark, human cultivation efforts have created a unique cultural landscape. Since the Middle Ages, these interactions between humans and natural forces have induced major coastal changes. In North Frisia (Germany), storm floods in 1362 AD and 1634 AD turned wide areas of embanked cultural land into tidal flats. Systematic geoarchaeological investigations between Nordstrand and Hallig Südfall comprise coring, trenching, sedimentary, geochemical and microfaunal palaeoenvironmental parameter analyses and radiocarbon dating. Together with geophysical prospection results and archaeological surveys, they give insights into the landscape’s development and causes for land losses. Results reveal that fens and bogs dominated from c. 800 BC to 1000 AD but are mostly missing in the stratigraphy. Instead, we found 12th to 14th cent. AD settlement remains directly on top of a pre-800 BC fossil marsh. This hiatus of c. 2000 years combined with local ‘Hufen’ settlements implies an extensive removal of peat during cultivation eventually resulting in the use of underlying marshland for agricultural purposes. Fifteenth cent. AD tidal flat deposits on top of the cultivated marsh prove that human impact lowered the ground surface below the mean high water of that time, clearly increasing the coastal vulnerability. We consider these intensive human–environment interactions as a decisive trigger for the massive loss of land and establishment of the tidal flats in North Frisia that are currently part of the UNESCO World Heritage “Wadden Sea”. Full article

Cahuachi (Nazca River Valley, South Peru) was the major ceremonial center of the Nasca civilization. According to previous studies, it was struck and destroyed by three El Niño-Southern Oscillation events, which would have occurred around 100 BCE, 600 CE and 1000 CE, respectively. At the end of the series of events, the ceremonial center would have been buried by a cap of conglomerates. Despite this hypothesis raised well-founded doubts regarding its geochronological and paleoenvironmental implications, it is uncritically used as a reference in geoarchaeological research. In the present study, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results of some samples taken from alluvial deposits at Cahuachi are reported, with the aim to evaluate the literature’s hypothesis. Since the obtained ages are older than the Holocene epoch, such a hypothesis must be rejected. A number of field evidences corroborate this result. Finally, the advancement in fluvial geomorphology knowledge of the Nazca River Valley is briefly discussed. Full article

A submerged elevation located off the coast of Le Castella, a small village on the Ionian Coast of Calabria (Italy) populated for thousands of years that features notable archaeological remains from the Great Greece (Magna Graecia) and the Middle Ages, was investigated through in-depth, multidisciplinary, geoarchaeological research. This submarine elevation, once aligned with the marine terrace MIS 3 of Le Castella and still completely emerged between 10 and 8 ka years ago, slowly sank due to erosion and local tectonic-structural subsidence and was also favoured by a submerged normal fault that cuts the terrace in two. The dismantling and sinking of this part of the marine terrace has significantly changed the Late Holocene shorelines, with notable consequences on a topographic and archaeological level. In fact, one of the consequences of the sinking of this ancient promontory was the disappearance of two small islands that were reported to be right in front of Le Castella by numerous historical and cartographic sources. In the last decades, there has been a scientific debate over the existence of these islets, but no convincing evidence has been found about their actual presence up until now. This research, funded by the Marine Protected Area “Capo Rizzuto”, was conducted by means of underwater archaeological and geological surveys, geophysical seabed mapping systems, and both direct and instrumental optical surveys made with an Autonomous Surface Vehicle. The outcomes allow us to confirm the presence of these two partially emerged rock bodies up to half a millennium ago. In addition, the presence of anthropogenic extrabasinal materials in a marine area corresponding to one of the highest points of the submerged elevation allows us to define the exact position of one of the two islets. These archaeological findings have been subject, for the first time ever, to a thorough topographical and architectural analysis, then compared with other near and very similar submerged structures. On the basis of these comparisons, the findings should be attributed to the Byzantine Age or, at most, to the Middle Ages. In-depth archival research on portolan charts and navigation maps, in many cases unpublished and dating from the Middle Ages to the early 18th century, supports the results of our marine investigations from a historical point of view. Full article

This paper discusses the evolution of human settlement in ancient Macedonia from the Neolithic to the Late Roman periods, based on the results of a new multi-disciplinary and multi-scale archaeological survey in northern Grevena (NW Greece). Building upon an unpublished (legacy) survey, we developed a GIS-structured workflow that integrates site-revisiting and surveying strategies (material collection and test pits) with multi-temporal remote-sensing analyses, offering analytical information about site distribution, characterisation, dating, and taphonomy. Notably, the new study led to a 64% increase in the number of known sites. The combined results indicate that prehistory is less represented in the surface record than historical periods, likely due to the impact of soil erosion episodes. The Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age saw increased site numbers and the emergence of a settlement structure that characterised the area until the Hellenistic period. During the Roman period, the pattern shifted from a seemingly limited use of the landscape towards a model of more extensive habitation. This was driven by the appearance of new rural sites that introduced a land-use regime designed to support agricultural intensification by implementing anti-erosion measures, such as field terraces. Full article

Concentrations of trace elements such as Cr, Zn, Cd, Co, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Fe were investigated in water, bottom sediments, and macrophytes (Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia L.) collected from the Borków, Wilków, and Rejów water reservoirs in the Kielce Upland (Poland). The main objective of this study was to investigate the condition of water, bottom sediments, and macrophytes in selected three sedimentary basins of the Kielce Upland and to identify natural and anthropogenic factors influencing this condition. The secondary objectives were (i) to determine the contents of trace metals in water, bottom sediments, and macrophytes, (ii) to assess the quality of abiotic and biotic elements of the ecosystem based on selected criteria, (iii) to compare reservoirs in terms of pollution, and (iv) to determine the ability of macrophytes to be used as a bioindicator of water/sediment pollution. Field tests were conducted in 2021. The trace metals in water were determined by ETAAS (Cr, Cd, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb) and FAAS (Zn), and spectrophotometry method (Fe). The trace metals in sediments and macrophytes, including Cr, Zn, Cd, Co, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Fe, were detected using ICP-OES method. Contamination of bottom sediments with potentially toxic metals was determined based on the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), and pollutant load index (PLI). Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistica PL 13.1. The analyses showed that the accumulation of trace elements in the surface layer of the reservoir sediments increases as follows: in Borków, Cd < Co < Ni < Cu < Pb < Cr < Zn < Mn < Fe; in Wilków, Cd < Co < Cu < Ni < Pb < Cr < Zn < Mn < Fe; and in Rejow, Cd < Co = Cu = Ni = Pb < Zn < Cr < Mn < Fe. It was shown that the average distribution of metals in the bottom sediments of the studied reservoirs was as follows: Borków > Wilków > Rejów. Research has shown that the degree of trace metal accumulation increases as follows: water < sediments < macrophytes (except Pb from the reservoir in Borków). Full article

In the midlatitudes of the planet, we are facing the imminent disappearance of one of our best high-resolution (pre)historic climate and anthropogenic pollution archives, namely the loss of glacial ice, through accelerated global warming. To capture these records and interpret these vanishing archives, it is imperative that we extract ice-cores from midlatitude regions where glaciers still survive and analyse them within frameworks of inter-disciplinary research. In this paper, we focus on Georgia, part of the Greater Caucasus. Results of ice-core analyses from the region have never, to date, been integrated with its other abundant palaeo-environmental, archaeological and historical sources. We review the results of international projects on palaeo-environmental/geoarchaeological sediment archives, the archaeology of metal economies and preliminary ice-core data in Georgia. Collectively, we show that the different strands need to be integrated to fully explore relationships between climate/landscape change and human societal transformations. We then introduce an inclusive interdisciplinary framework for ongoing research on these themes, with an ultimate future goal of using data from the past to inform societal resilience strategies in the present. Full article

A multidisciplinary study, including geomorphological, stratigraphic, paleontological and archaeological methods and techniques, allowed for a detailed exploration of coastal landforms and environments in front of the ancient city of Pompeii (southern Italy). The famous site of Pompeii sits on a small volcanic hill in the alluvial-coastal plain of the Sarno River, very close to the ancient paleoshoreline. When the Roman city was buried during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, pyroclastic fall and flow deposits covered the urban centres and ancient coastal landforms. In this study, 83 new boreholes were carried out up to a depth of 10 m. Some of them (15) were analysed for their sedimentological, stratigraphical and paleontological characterisation, in order to reconstruct the sedimentary environments in 79 CE. The data collected allow for new hypotheses to be formulated regarding the paleoshorelines, as well as the 79 CE coastal landforms and environments. In particular, litho-stratigraphic and fossil assemblages highlight the presence of shallow marine environments in a large back-ridge depression, named Masseria Curati, that is located just outside the city walls. This hypothesis opens new insights on the unknown location of the harbour of the Roman city. Full article

The newly constructed Bois d’Arc Lake Reservoir in Fannin County, Texas, USA, inevitably flooded a large ground surface area (67.34 km²) when the reservoir began impounding water in April 2021. Inside this (now) flooded area, land-based archaeological data recovery investigations discovered and documented several archaeological sites, now registered in the state of Texas; though, only two neighboring sites, namely, 41FN178 and 41FN244, are examined here. The first phase of archaeological testing at these sites included shovel testing, test unit excavations, and geoarchaeological trenching that yielded archaeological artifacts suggesting that Middle Caddo Indian peoples (AD 1200–1400) might have occupied this landscape. As the sites were recognized before the reservoir’s impoundment phase, this merited a non-invasive, non-destructive, high-resolution near-surface geophysical study to map strategic areas within sites 41FN178 and 41FN244 that might yield potential shallow targets of archaeological context. The adopted geophysical survey comprised 3D direct current electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) and land horizontal magnetic gradiometry (HMG), each mapping a total surface area of 2133 and 15,640 m², respectively. The combination of 3D ERI and land HMG surveys was instrumental in rapidly mapping the horizontal and vertical extent of shallowly buried anomalies within a large area prior to the completion of the dam and the beginning of water impoundment. Based on the geophysical insights, the outline of several Caddo houses with functional internal and external features (e.g., burnt cooking surfaces, storage pits, refuse pits, fired soil, ditches, a dump site, and a compound fence) are thought to exist within the uppermost 2 m of the Quaternary stratigraphy at both sites. At site 41FN244, 3D ERI found numerous resistive anomalies surrounding a conductive anomaly, collectively interpreted as a group of post-holes surrounding the remains of a Caddo house’s inner clay floor. It also found a cluster of several resistive anomalies interpreted as midden or middens. The HMG survey carried across areas from which archaeological test units also yielded positive findings, at sites 41FN178 and 41FN244, identified numerous scattered monopolar and dipolar anomalies interpreted as post-molds of Caddo houses, compound enclosures or fences, and adjacent middens. Archaeological excavations guided by the geophysical results yielded significant cultural material and post-mold features at site 244, which validate the geophysical interpretation in a preliminary context. Additionally, several dispersed magnetic anomalies are thought to be shallowly buried hearths, burn cooking surfaces, storage pits, and ditches. The mapped magnetic anomalies agree with the location and distribution of previously found archaeological artifacts and the extent of resistive and conductive resistivity anomalies. Follow-up archaeological excavations of these geophysical anomalies have preliminarily confirmed interpretations. Full article

Finding prehistoric sites, on the sea floor off the United States, has proven to be a difficult task. Over four decades of innovative attempts have produced few discoveries. This discussion outlines the difficulties in finding submerged prehistory on the sea floor, examines current methodology(ies), and presents a new methodology that demonstrates promise based on research conducted over the past decade. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the problems facing archaeologists searching the sea floor for archaeological sites. It is less of a critique of past efforts and methodologies used in those attempts. Without those efforts, a reason for developing a different methodological approach would be unnecessary. Any “one size fits all” methodology is limiting, and the scant number of marine archaeological sites located off the shores of the United States can attest to the need for practitioners to continue refining their methods. This is especially the case on the continental shelf of the eastern United States, where sediment cover is often meters, or several meters, thick. This opportunistic methodology developed on the continental shelf of the Georgia Bight, western Atlantic Ocean, has located intact paleo-landforms with in situ, palaeoecological remains thereby offering promise for future archaeological discoveries. Full article