Showing papers in "Journal of Archaeological Science in 2012"

TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored three key methodological issues associated with the use of summed probability plots of radiocarbon data: 1) the minimum sample size needed for a statistically reliable plot; 2) the effect of calibration on the structure of these plots; and 3) the application of a taphonomic correction to such time-series data.

TL;DR: This paper presents a computer vision-based approach that is complemented by proven photogrammetric principles to generate orthophotos from a range of uncalibrated oblique and vertical aerial frame images and proves that this approach moves beyond current restrictions due to its applicability to datasets that were previously thought to be unsuited for convenient georeferencing.

TL;DR: A technological analysis of the Kathu Pan 1 stratum 4a assemblage reveals that blades were systematically removed using direct hard hammer percussion from organized blade cores that were extensively prepared via centripetal flaking.

TL;DR: A simple and straightforward overview of 3D scanning methods aimed at non-specialists can be found in this article, where they discuss how these methods can be used to preserve and document osteological material in museums, develop research ideas in the subfields of biological anthropology, and increase the potential for scholarly collaboration.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors carried out detailed analyses of the skull material from the Gravettian Předmosti site, Czech Republic, to investigate the issue whether or not the wolf was domesticated during the early Upper Palaeolithic remains a controversial issue.

TL;DR: The results of this study have important implications for the reconstruction of human diet using isotopic data derived from bone collagen and related tissues, particularly in the prehispanic Andes, but also in Europe and North America during the 19th century, when Peruvian seabird guano was used extensively.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present visualisation techniques of high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) for visual detection of archaeological features, and compare and evaluate different visualisation methods.

TL;DR: In this paper, the early Iron Age was more arid than the preceding Bronze Age, and a sharp increase in Northern Hemisphere temperatures preceded the collapse of Palatial centers, a sharp decrease occurred during their abandonment.

TL;DR: A few pieces of worked bone were previously reported from Sibudu, a site from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa featuring a stratigraphic sequence with pre-Still Bay, Still Bay, still Bay, Howiesons Poort, post-Howiesonspoort, late and final MSA cultural horizons as mentioned in this paper.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used human dental calculus from the pre-Columbian insular Caribbean (dating to ca. 350 B.C. to A.D. 1600) to identify important plant foods in the diet and assess potential dietary differences related to age or sex.

TL;DR: A fragment of a fragmented ocherous pebble bearing a sequence of sub-parallel linear incisions was recovered from Middle Stone Age II levels of Klasies River Cave 1, South Africa and is dated to between 100,000 and 85,000 years ago as discussed by the authors.

TL;DR: In this paper, modern fish bone and water samples were analysed to investigate modern radiocarbon offsets from the atmosphere, and the results showed that the freshwater reservoir offsets in the fish bone were highly correlated with alkalinity of water in modern lake sites analysed.

TL;DR: The results indicate that short stature increased risks of mortality during the medieval epidemic, consistent with previous work that revealed a negative effect of poor health on risk of mortality During the Black Death.

TL;DR: In this paper, a comparison of the human impact from pollen data with a quantification based on 14C dates proves a correlation which supports our appreciation of the value of sum-calibrated probabilities of radiometric measurements as a proxy for demographic developments.

TL;DR: In this article, the results of an ethnographic study on 11 modern dung cakes collected in northern India were analysed for chemical, spherulite and phytolith content.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use both IntCal04 and IntCal09 to simulate and calibrate sequences of radiocarbon dates that represent evenly spaced calendar ages from 12,000 to 9000 BC and simulate two different demographic processes across this interval.

TL;DR: In this article, two portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) instruments, Delta and Omega models, were used to obtain the trace element signatures of five fine-grained volcanic sources and four obsidian sources in the Great Basin.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a multi-technique approach (optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR) with the aim of achieving a better understanding of their paint stratigraphy, composition, and provenance.

TL;DR: This paper examined the isotopic composition (δ13C and δ15N) of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) bone collagen from ten late Holocene (ca. 5200 years BP-AD 1900) archaeological sites in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada.

TL;DR: In this paper, the results of strontium (Sr) isotope analysis of modern and archaeological animal remains and modern plant samples from the Caribbean region were presented to assess if patterns of human mobility can be determined from the archaeological record in an archipelagic setting.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that the mark produced on retouchers differs depending on whether they were used to strike flint or quartzite, and that the areas with superposed traces have a pitted appearance.

TL;DR: This paper presents an innovative way of modeling past movement that generates both natural-looking networks and also indicates the degree of traffic that may have existed on any particular segment of those networks.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a new model for the structural transformation of chalcedony and showed that the major transformation is the loss of silanole (SiOH) and the creation of new Si-O-Si bonds according to the reaction.

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the three Paleoindian point types can be rigorously defined in ways that are usable in daily archaeological practice, and that base shape, rather than the entire shape, is a better discriminator.

TL;DR: In this article, a new database including different types of raw material (mainly flint and quartzite) and Palaeolithic debitage (blade, Levallois, discoid, on anvil, and shaping) has been built for this purpose.

TL;DR: These integrated results present the first comprehensive archaeobotanical evidence of the diversity of plants cultivated, processed, and consumed, by the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of the Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia.

TL;DR: This article provided detailed descriptions of the combustion sediments and associated archaeological assemblages, using field observations and laboratory methods, including soil micromorphology, FTIR, and GIS techniques.

TL;DR: The data indicate that morphological features, and particularly surface and fissure features, will allow for solid identifications of ancient millet starches, while size classes will be helpful, but will not be dependable taxonomic indicators.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the results of an experiment with automated landform delineation and classification from digital elevation models (DEMs) using object-based image analysis (OBIA).

TL;DR: In this article, the presence of radial cracks (RC) on archaeological charcoal is interpreted as the result of the burning of green wood, and the authors propose a verification of this theory by the experimental combustion of seasoned and green wood of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.).