Chronicle Heritage’s Post

"The Djoser pyramid in Egypt is known as the oldest in the world at 4,700 years old. A new paper published in Archaeological Prospection calls that record into question with the strong claims of a “prehistoric pyramid” in Indonesia that is up to 27,000 years old. Not everyone is buying the research, however, and now the journal has launched an investigation into the study. “I’m surprised [the paper] was published as is,” Flint Dibble, archaeologist at Cardiff University, told Nature, which first reported the investigation into the paper. Dibble’s questions pertain not so much the data from the Gunung Padang site, but rather to the conclusions drawn by the authors." #archeology

*Please share* If you've ever wondered how data housed by the Archaeology Data Service are used & reused, don't miss KL Seaton's online seminar 'Hiding in Plain Sight' >> Wednesday 12 June 2024 16.30-17.30 BST Zoom registration details & more info at https://lnkd.in/exSq7X76 In the current research landscape, there is an emphasis on ensuring that digital data is made openly available so others can use it. The European Union has spent more than a decade investing in the aggregation and interoperability of heritage data, ensuring that data can be accessed and used. Despite this investment, current perceptions are that archaeological data is not being reused. Using the Archaeology Data Service as a case study has demonstrated that archaeological data is being reused, just not in the way we expected. This presentation will present a comprehensive analysis of the available evidence of the reuse of archaeological data archived with the ADS, providing the quantitative data that has been lacking in the current critiques of our practice. This is a #tetrarchs seminar made possible by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) & CHANSE, Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe #archaeology #heritage #digital #data #repository #search #archive

Next for our 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 theme, we share this article published in our partner journal JAS that aims to model maritime movement in the past: 𝘜𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺 By Matthew Harpster and Henry Chapman, Journal of Archaeological Science (November 2019) 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 • Superimposed polygons can model areas with a higher density of maritime activity. • Results are statistically significant in comparison to coincidence and random data. • Generated only from archaeological data, results are independent from other media. • This method allows scholars to model patterns of maritime movement in Antiquity. • Areas with a higher density of activity may represent places in a maritime landscape. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 The MISAMS (Modeling Inhabited Spaces of the Ancient Mediterranean Sea) Project developed a new GIS-based interpretive methodology that collates and superimposes a series of polygons to model densities of maritime activity in the Mediterranean Sea from the 7th century BC to the 7th century AD. This paper demonstrates and tests results representing activity in the 1st-century BC western-Mediterranean basin. This new approach creates opportunities to understand the movement of people and goods across the Mediterranean in the past, and the varying uses and perceptions of maritime space in antiquity. As this method requires a dense and well-studied corpora of archaeological data, it is theoretically applicable to other maritime regions that have (or will have) the appropriate dataset, and may represent a new research agenda in maritime archaeology. DOI: https://lnkd.in/ejEdTQ84

#TheRealTreasure Was #NotGold: #Surprise #Discovery #Reveals #Secrets of #Ancient #GreekShipwreck #Anthropology #Archaeology -------- https://lnkd.in/gvz99seh -------- #KyreniaShipHull #during #excavation. Kyrenia Ship hull on the seabed off northern Cyprus during underwater excavation in the later 1960s. Credit: Image provided to authors by Kyrenia Ship Excavation team for use with this paper, CC-BY 4.0 #Cornellresearchers have refined the estimated sinking period of the Kyrenia shipwreck to between 286-272 BCE by overcoming dating challenges such as contaminant removal and revising the radiocarbon calibration curve, enhancing both historical understanding and broader scientific research. Historic shipwrecks often evoke dreams of sunken riches waiting on the bottom of the ocean to be reclaimed. For the Cornell researchers trying to date the famous Hellenistic-era Kyrenia shipwreck, which was discovered and recovered off the north coast of Cyprus in the 1960s, the real treasure was not gold coins, but thousands of almonds found in jars among the cargo. The #almonds, combined with newly cleaned wood samples and the team’s modeling and radiocarbon-dating expertise, led the Cornell Tree-Ring Laboratory to identify the likeliest timeline of the Kyrenia’s sinking as between 296-271 BCE, with a strong probability it occurred between 286-272 BCE. The team’s paper was published on June 26 in the journal PLOS ONE. The lead author is Sturt Manning, Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences in Classical Archaeology in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Kyrenia has a storied legacy as the first major Greek Hellenistic-period ship to be found, in 1965, with a largely intact hull. From 1967-69, it was excavated along with its cargo, which included hundreds of ceramic vessels, then reassembled offsite and scientifically studied. “Kyrenia was one of the first times it was realized this type of rich evidence from the classical world could be found largely intact more than 2,000 years later on the seabed, if you could find it,” said Sturt Manning. “It was a bit of a landmark moment, the idea that you actually could dive, excavate, and bring up a classical-era ship and so discover this long-past world directly. Shipwrecks are unique time capsules, and you can get amazing preservation.” Kyrenia Ship hull remains shortly after the reassembly of the timbers recovered from the seabed excavation. Credit: Image provided to authors by Kyrenia Ship Excavation team for use with this paper, CC-BY 4.0

This is extremely interesting (if somewhat alarming) - will be interesting to see how prevalent such contamination is and how best to predict microplastic contamination for archaeological sites: perhaps time for a microplastics potential subsection in our DBAs 🤔 😂 #archaeology #microplastics #heritage #planning

🌍 Microplastics in Archaeology 🏛️   Microplastic contamination has been found in 'pristine' archaeological remains, revealing a new challenge for preservation and research. Scientists in the UK have uncovered evidence of microplastics in soil samples dating back to the first or early second century, turning the spotlight on the impact of plastic pollution on historical sites.   This unexpected finding raises questions about the scientific value of preserved archaeological remains and calls for further research into the long-term effects of microplastics on organic materials. Could this discovery change the way we approach conservation and preservation of archaeological sites?   Join the conversation on the intersection of archaeology, environmental science, and pollution control. Let's explore the implications of this discovery together! 🏛️🔬🌍 #Archaeology #Microplastics #EnvironmentalScience #PollutionControl #HistoricalPreservation https://lnkd.in/gX5HUvZb

For millennia #humanity has faced trajectories of #development and #collapse, #population increase and decrease, and the rise formation and fall of #states and #empires. However, a fine-tuned analysis of the drivers and variables that influenced these trends was still to be conducted. By using large #archeological and #paleoenvironmental datasets from the Ancient Near East, together with a multidisciplinary team from University of Bologna, I attempted to shed light on the socioeconomic and environmental variables that triggered the main urban and #demographic cycles over 5000 years in ancient #Mesopotamia. Among others, this study provides an important contribution on the wider debate on the human adaptation strategies in response to #climatechange over time. https://lnkd.in/dGq7VjNN

I am pleased to present the first published article of my new research area of Historic Rural Landscapes. My principal aims in conducting this research are firstly to find evidence proving that the rural landscape is an important source of information that can be systematically interrogated to learn about past societies. My second aim is to raise awareness of the wider notion of sustainability that not only considers the environment but also cultural heritage.   This first article is an introduction to this area of research, and presents an overview of the development of Landscape Archaeology in Britain. A second article currently being prepared introduces a novel methodology using Landscape Archaeology to reveal what Rural Landscapes can tell us about ancient societies. https://lnkd.in/eMXh4KaG

What to do about the #CSCS card debacle for #Archaeologists who work on #construction sites? Nobody really seems to have a plan, or to know exactly, but things will probably be OK in the end. My colleague Dr Guillermo Diaz has written a blog based on his research into the tricky relationship between archaeology and construction: - what does the CSCS card situation have to contribute about discussions of power dynamics? - should we be worried about how this reflects on perceptions of our value to construction? https://lnkd.in/dZ9n5Mg7

📢 Event Alert: Are Archaeological Archives in Crisis? Archives are an integral part of the archaeological process, but how do we balance the importance of keeping valuable archaeological data with limited storage options - and an eye towards sustainability? With an ever-growing amount of physical and digital data to be archived, archaeologists are increasingly responsible for creating sustainable, usable archives that meet the needs of future researchers and support public benefit. From local community archaeology projects to large-scale development-led archaeology, archives need to be consistent, purposeful, and accessible. In this latest DV Trends event, we've drawn a panel of top consultants and sector colleagues working on national-level solutions. The panel will discuss recent projects such as Chartered Institute for Archaeologists' DigDigital and Historic England's 'Future for Archaeological Archives' Project which address pressing challenges for archives: from creation and management, to legal and planning impacts, costs, and what we deposit , where, and why. 🗓 Date: 30th July 2024, 12:30pm 💻 Location: Online (free) 📚 Our panellists: - Sam Paul, Founder, Sam Paul Heritage - Tim Evans, Deputy Director, Archaeology Data Service - Manda Forster, Chief Operating Officer, DigVentures ✅ What we’ll discuss: *The key issues facing archives today *Solutions for better archival processes *Future-proofing digital and physical archives *Q&A DV Trends will be back in early autumn with our next disucssions about leadership, new business models, and what a bold new future could look like for archaeology. Stay tuned! REGISTER NOW: https://lnkd.in/eSNEu-RZ