Books published by BAR Publishing

Proceedings of the International Congress Verona (Italy) 20-23 April 2005This book includes papers from the congress: Prehistoric Technology 40 Years Later: Functional Studies and the Russian Legacy held in Verona (Italy), 20-23 April 2005. Sessions: Methodology (seven contributions); Hunter-Gatherers (nine contributions); Food Producers (eight contributions); Complex Polities (six contributions); Burial Context (six contributions); Posters (thirty-two contributions); Round Table (eight contributions).Edited by Laura Longo and Natalia Skakun with the assistance of Massimo Saracino and Martina Dalla Riva.

This study analyses earthenware vessels, including foreign ceramics and other objects found in 15th century burials in the Philippines, to determine the effects of foreign trade and influence on social identity and stratification.

Cardiff Studies in Archaeology

This study investigates the origins and consolidation of Latin Christianity and consequent way of life in the Maltese Islands, up to around 1530 AD. It is the outcome of several years of research on the written and unwritten sources, the partial, and at times conflicting, results of several independent aspects of which have been reported and discussed. The volume is, therefore, an analysis and interpretation of conclusions and hypotheses that have been circulating over the last decade.

This book includes papers from the annual meeting of SEAC (European Society for Astronomy in Culture) held in Kecskemét in Hungary in 2004.

This book, about the application of selected geophysical methods, their processing and interpretation on PC in archaeological prospection, sums up, generalises and comprehensively evaluates results achieved by authorities active in this field across a time-span greater than twenty years. Particular evidence is taken from archaeological localities in the Czech Republic.

The purpose of this book is to help the archaeologists in obtaining proper information on shells and their utilisation. The subject has been divided into chapters on history of malacological research, on shells as archaeological material and as part of the palaeoenvironment, as well as on different uses of molluscs (fishing, nutrition, tools, ornaments, etc). The last chapter summarises various interpretations of shells found in the Aegean area from the Palaeolithic to the Late Bronze Age.

An investigation of the propagandic methods employed by the Severan dynasty. In this thesis, a wide variety of evidence is examined, much of it relating to portraiture.

This book addresses the issue of the temporal origins of transhumant pastoralism in temperate southeastern Europe (northern half of the Balkan Peninsula). In recent years, several hypotheses have been suggested to explain when and why transhumant pastoralism with domestic animals appeared across the southern Mediterranean. Each hypothesis proposes a different point in time when transhumance would appear, ranging from the appearance of the earliest domestic animals (advent of the Early Neolithic), to the appearance of secondary product exploitation (advent of the Post Neolithic), and to the appearance of complex societies (advent of the Iron Age). The hypotheses are tested by examining the tooth remains from three domestic animal taxa (Ovis/Capra, Bos taurus and Sus scrofa) from archaeological sites in the central part of the northern Balkans (also known as the Central Balkans). Data from eleven sites in the region, with statistically sufficient samples and spanning the period from the Early Neolithic through to the Early Iron Age, were tabulated to test the hypotheses.

This work examines the evolution of astronomical thought, as well as the various astronomical and cosmovisional ideas in pharaonic Egypt (c. 2800 -1200 BCE), after the most important religious texts (primarily Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts, and secondarily Book of the Dead). More specifically, the author examines the astronomical conceptions of the ancient Egyptians concerning the stars, the Sun, the Moon and the Planets, as they are revealed in these funerary texts; a statistical analysis and a global comparative study of the corpora of PT and CT are presented here for the first time. The textual study of the Orphic Hymns and the funerary texts of the Egyptians is conducted within the interdisciplinary framework of both Egyptology and Archæoastronomy. The contents of this volume include: Chapter I, develops the theme and the scope of study, and the methodology, and the tools used to analyze the textual material in our comparative study. Chapter II is intended to be viewed as a concise introduction to the modern concepts of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology. Chapter III is the nucleus of the study, where conceptions of ancient Egyptians in relation to the celestial bodies -as they are revealed in their funerary texts- are examined. Chapter IV is dedicated to the Hellenic Orphic Hymns, the textual archæoastronomical dating of their astronomical and cosmovisional notions from c. 1300 BCE (an era coinciding with the NK, viz the early Ramesside period), and the study of the astronomical conceptions that the Orphics had about the celestial bodies (stars, Sun, Moon and Planets). Chapter V is a concise comparative study between the ancient Egyptian and the modern astronomical ideas on the celestial bodies. Chapter VI is the focal point of convergence of the main conclusions and ideas of the work, with a review of the conclusions. The work ends with a series of Tables and the Indexes, presenting readers with a review of various modern and ancient astronomical conceptions, as well as with egyptological notions dealt with in the study (classified and categorized in appropriate sections). Written in French with extensive summaries in French, English, Greek and German.

This work defines Neolithic Near East 'Dark Faced Burnished Ware (DFBW)', on the basis of new data, taking into account areas of production, analyses of architectural, economic and environmental information, and the verification of the existence of a specific DFBW region and its characteristics. The distribution of DFBW to external areas is also investigated, with the goal of explaining relations between these regions during this Neolithic phase. This research was prompted by the renewed excavations at Yumuktepe-Mersin, one of the central sites of the so-called 'Syro-Cilician' culture, and by the possibility of analyzing two of the main contexts of DFBW - Judaidah, in the Amuq and Ain el-Kerkh, in the Rouj Basin. The study is presented in three main phases: the technical and typological definition of the DFBW; its distribution and characteristics within the horizon of DFBW producers; and its 'external' distribution. A chapter is devoted to a chronological summary of the analyzed developments, as reconstructed from comparisons in the ceramic assemblages from all the sites, and in correlation with available radiocarbon dates.

South Asian Archaeology Series No. 3

A study of the pluralistic community at Cerro Baul, Peru, offers the opportunity to explore the complex factors that effect the composition of social groups. The observations contribute to understanding of the socio-economic dynamics between the Wari and Tiwanaku cultural groups in the Middle Horizon (c.600 - 1000 AD).

This volume represents the final product of a three-day conference organized by the editors and sponsored by the American Academy in Rome and the École Française de Rome. Archaeological Methods and Approaches: Ancient Industry and Commerce in Italy, April 18-20, 2002, involved 29 papers authored or co-authored by 43 scholars from 24 institutions.

The opportunity to systematically study the prehistoric buildings of Cyprus was presented in the 1970s with the emergence of the Lemba Experimental Project.

This research is a study of the development of weapon technologies in Early Egypt (the interval from earliest times until the end of the 2nd Dynasty of the Egyptian state) through the examination and interpretation of material remains. This includes a detailed assessment of the relevant artefacts from prehistoric and Early Dynastic sites. Weapons are evaluated to determine whether they had a military, hunting or ritual function or indeed combinations of these. The earliest depictions of warriors and warfare are then assessed to determine the influence of military aspects upon Early Egyptian society. Cross-cultural research is used to identify possible anthropological parallels that may lead to a better understanding of the Egyptian evidence. The contribution of warfare during the formation of the Egyptian state is discussed and the possibility of a peaceful origin is assessed. For the purposes of this study the territory occupied by the Egyptian Nile valley culture(s) defines Egypt. Throughout the periods examined the Egyptian culture essentially occupied the Nile valley, extending from the First Cataract in the south to the mouth of each branch of the Nile as it disgorged into the Mediterranean Sea in the north. The author develops a model for warfare in Egypt from its earliest times to the end of the 2nd Dynasty, by reviewing current trends in the archaeology, anthropology and history of warfare. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of warfare during the rise of the Egyptian state. Aspects of warfare in Early Egypt are examined through interpretation of pictorial narratives, fortifications and settlement patterns, cultural expansion and predynastic invasions, and wars from Dynasty 0 to Dynasty 2.

The Aeolian Islands, though a small archipelago, figured prominently in ancient civilisation. Their centrality in the south Tyrrhenian sea attracted the attention of outsiders, from the neighbouring regions in the eastern Mediterranean world in the proto-history period, to the Cnidians and Rhodians in the Archaic period and to the Romans afterwards; these groups controlled the islands as a whole or merely used them to exploit their strategic position together with the natural resources. When the proto-historic peoples or the Greeks or the Romans settled in the islands or even sailed off the islands they left highly distinctive remains of ancient maritime activity that came to light in the extensive excavations by Bernabò Brea and Cavalier. These archaeological remains either from land or underwater research have provided a wealth of maritime data, which has been exposed to partial analysis. Systematic work on Mediterranean seafaring society has greatly improved our knowledge of the maritime world that left such valuable data. These advances have occasioned a fresh context in which to plot the maritime activity data provided by the Aeolian Islands, and the time seems ripe for a re-examination of these data. This book intends to provide a detailed account of the Mediterranean maritime routes crossing the south Tyrrhenian through the Aeolian Islands from prehistory to Roman period. Within a chronological approach it presents a systematic study of archaeological sites found on the seabed around the Aeolian Islands and their relationship with historical events, as well as a view of the economy of the societies involved. In view of the variety of types of sites now lying below the sea's surface, a study of maritime archaeology requires a research strategy combining archaeological, geological, and marine meteorological data in order to identify the ancient coastlines and link the various finds to them. The archaeological sites involved in this work consist predominantly of wrecks of ancient ships and their cargoes. These are indisputable witnesses to the precise movements of the commercial activity of the times. Furthermore, they represent an important and unique sample of Mediterranean underwater heritage, which document almost four millennia of history. This book takes as its focus not only the wrecks of ancient ships and their cargoes, but also, wherever possible, the topography of maritime landing places, areas of anchorage and of shelter from prevailing winds, and thus of those sites related to ancient shipping and to the most heavily travelled routes of the Lower Tyrrhenian sea. The research strategy adopted is the result of a combination of archaeological, geological, and marine meteorological data, seeking to evaluate the interaction between two main maritime components, either in terms of the ancient economy or of the maritime landing places involved in the ancient seafaring world.

The settlement site of Sion-Avenue Ritz, located in central Valais (Switzerland), was occupied during the middle Neolithic (Cortaillod). The analyzed faunal remains come mainly from dump pits and they are mostly consumption or butchery wastes, belonging to domestic animals. One exceptional pit contained the skeletons of at least 15 sheep in partial anatomical connection. The zooarchaeological analysis of these special remains show that the animals, ranging from very young to sub-adult individuals, were very likely to have been thrown complete in the pit, simultaneously and probably following the bodies' cremation. Although several hypothetical interpretations of this context are essayed, one is considered the most tenable by the author: the stock may have died from an epizootic which hit the flock during spring, and were buried in a pit specially dug for them after they were partially burnt. The zooarchaeological analysis of this site, particularly of the '15 sheep pit', yields data of an exceptional quality in the context of Neolithic settlements in the middle and high Rhone valley where faunal remains are usually poorly preserved. It allows, among other things. An attempt to extrapolate interpretations on the stock's assessment and to understand the breeding conditions of these animals.

with contributions by C.S. Lightfoot, E.A. Ivison and M.T. WypyskiThe site of Amorium is located in western Turkey, some 168 km southwest of Ankara, and some 70 km to the northeast of the modern provincial capital of Afyon. Its strategic position explains in part its prominence in Byzantine times, when Amorium served as the provincial capital and military headquarters. This first volume in the series of excavation monographs details the glass finds from this important site. After a detailed introduction, the author describes in two sections the finds made between 1987-1992 and 1993-1997. In each section the glass is presented according to category and type, and is followed by context concordances. A short section of concluding remarks completes the volume. The Amorium monograph series will present the definitive final results of the Amorium excavations, which have been the subject of detailed preliminary reports since 1988. In planning the series, the editors decided to adopt the model set by other excavations by designating volumes for categories of excavated materials and for trench histories. These volumes will also contain technical reports on distinct groups of materials, such as textiles, pigments, human remains, flora and fauna. This first volume marks a substantial contribution to the study of Roman and Byzantine glass in Anatolia.

with contributions by Anthony Johnson and David WilliamsThis work details one of the 6th-century Byzantine wrecks located at Dor, off the Carmel coast, Israel. The anchorages of Dor have attracted much recent interest and the discoveries form part of a vast and highly informative body of maritime heritage. Wreck D provides significant insights, especially as regards amphorae finds, into the trade in wine of the period.

Four skeletal samples comprising a total of 500 skeletons, dated to the Bronze and Iron Ages, were examined. Investigated were health, morbidity and mortality. Parameters included measures of mortality, growth, growth disturbances, joint disease, trauma and dental health. The information was integrated with archaeological and ethnographic evidence. The results indicated a general improvement in health through the time periods studies.

The main indicator for the presence of an ancient settlement at a certain location is the find of pottery fragments. With regard previously to the sites of continental Croatia, it has been the practice to date fragments to a broad period of 'medieval times'. This volume marks the first full-scale attempt to closely examine 10th to 13th Croatian pottery typologically and chronologically. As well as pottery analysis, data obtained from cemeteries and Romanesque architectural remains, as well as other types of finds such as coin hoards and swords, were included in the study. This, and information taken from historical sources, has considerably increased the available knowledge on the organization of settlements in the Sava-Drava interfluves during the period of 10th to 13th centuries.

Based on her Doctoral research, Katherine Giles's study focuses on the physical structure and spatial arrangement of medieval guildhalls.

The book analyses exchange and trade in their social contexts, during the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, with a professed interest in long-term changes occurring over a vast area of central and eastern Europe. Different areas of central Europe were united by symbolic and commercial systems.

La necropoli di Capestrano (AQ), celebre per la famosa statua di guerriero, rappresenta il sito archeologico più noto dell'età preromana dell'Italia medio-adriatica. Fin dal 1934 gli scavi archeologici hanno scoperto una complessa area funeraria databile al periodo tra VIII sec. a.C. e gli inizi del II sec. d.C. per un totale di circa 500 tombe. Nel primo volume gli autori offrono un catalogo completo degli scavi condotti nell'area di Fossascopana, il settore centrale della necropoli, tra il 2003 e il 2009. La completa documentazione delle indagini archeologiche qui condotte include: storia delle ricerche, aspetti del rituale funerario, tipologia degli oggetti di corredo, indicatori dell'organizzazione sociale, analisi tafonomica, dati antropologici e paleopatologici.The necropolis of Capestrano (AQ, Abruzzo), well-known for its warrior statue, is the most famous archaeological site of the pre-Roman middle-Adriatic area of Italy. From 1934 onwards, archaeological investigations have uncovered a complex funerary area dating to the period between the 8th century BC and the 2nd century AD, with a total of about 500 burials. In this first volume, the authors offer a complete catalogue of the excavation in the Fossascopana, a central sector of the necropolis, investigated between 2003 and 2009. They present a documented review of the history of research on the site, archaeological artefact typologies, funerary aspects, burial rituals and social organization, alongside taphonomic, anthropological and palaeopathological data.With contributions by Silvia D'Alessandro, Francesca Delle Grazie, Serafino Lorenzo Ferreri, Francesca Mancini, Stefania Montanaro, Federica Properzio, Elena Rossi, Laura Sagripanti and Serena Torello Di Nino

Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, this work presents an integration of osteological and historical evidence to examine the detrimental impact of the workhouse on inmates in nineteenth-century London and to assess whether the 1834 change to the English Poor Laws led to deterioration in health. Due to the new legalities of the New Poor Laws, reformers sought to create a nationalised system of welfare, which culminated in the establishment of the Union workhouse. All aspects of daily life were influenced within the institution, in an attempt to instil the 'virtues of the independent labourer'. It is hypothesised that the effects of the New Poor law would have exposed inmates to episodes of dietary deficiencies and infectious disease, detectable in the osteological record. This was investigated utilising published osteological data for five Post-Medieval London cemeteries and four associated historical registers of burials.

This study of the area around St Saviour's Abbey (Alto Lazio/Tuscia, Viterbo, southern Etruria, Italy) is based on multidisciplinary research methods which employ analyses of documents, surveys, aerial archaeology, and modern computer technologies to determine the connection between archaeological and documentary data. The abbey, according to tradition, was founded by the Lombard King Ratchis. The main objective of this volume is to determine archaeological evidence that may be linked to the many settlements reported in the abbey's extant literary and MSS resources.

South Asian Archaeology Series No. 10

Written records of knowledge in the pre-Columbian New World are virtually non-existent (in contrast to an abundance of such records for ancient China and the Near East). Consequently chemical knowledge in the Americas, prior to the arrival of Europeans, is poorly documented. The arts and technologies discussed in this volume are those known to have existed in pre-Columbian times, as well as those thought to have been developed by native peoples (independently of foreign influence) during the five centuries since the European conquest of the Americas began.