In ad 1362, a major storm surge drowned wide areas of cultivated medieval marshland along the north‐western coast of Germany and turned them into tidal flats. This study presents a new methodological ...approach for the reconstruction of changing coastal landscapes developed from a study site in the Wadden Sea of North Frisia. Initially, we deciphered long‐term as well as event‐related short‐term geomorphological changes, using a geoscientific standard approach of vibracoring, analyses of sedimentary, geochemical and microfaunal palaeoenvironmental parameters and radiocarbon dating. In a next step, Direct Push (DP)‐based Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) and the Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) were applied at vibracore locations to obtain in situ high‐resolution stratigraphic data. In a last step, multivariate linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was successfully applied to efficiently identify different sedimentary facies (e.g., fossil marsh or tidal flat deposits) from the CPT and HPT test dataset, to map the facies' lateral distribution, also in comparison to reflection seismic measurements and test their potential to interpolate the borehole and CPT/HPT data. The training dataset acquired for the key site from coring and DP sensing finally allows an automated facies classification of CPT/HPT data obtained elsewhere within the study area. The new methodological approach allowed a detailed reconstruction of the local coastal landscape development in the interplay of natural marsh formation, medieval land reclamation and storm surge‐related land losses.
Presenting a new approach of automated facies identification based on palaeoenvironmental parameter (PEP) analyses of vibracores, Direct Push‐based Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) and the Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) sensing data, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and seismic measurements, gradual as well as extreme landscape changes associated with major storm surges in ad 1362 and ad 1634 are reconstructed for a study area in the Wadden Sea of North Frisia (Germany).
THE LATE VIKING-AGE CEMETERY OF OSTRIV, located approximately 80 km south of Kyiv in the region along the Ros' River, was discovered by the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of ...Sciences of Ukraine team in 2017. By 2020, 67 inhumation graves had been excavated in an area of 1400 sq m. Most of the artefacts from Ostriv are uncommon in Ukraine, but frequently found in the East Baltic region. This suggests a complex multi-ethnic population, presumably consisting of Baltic region migrants and local Slavs, and represents the easternmost example of its kind. Ostriv is a vivid example of how research on complex, multi-ethnic ancient populations benefits from multidisciplinary international collaborations. This article provides the first synthesis of the archaeological artefacts and burial rites from Ostriv, informed by the results of
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C-dating, stable isotopes, aDNA, physical anthropology and nondestructive metal analyses. It represents an important contribution to the renewed interest in early medieval migration, ethnic complexity and cultural encounters.
Mesolithic populations throughout Europe used diverse resource exploitation strategies that focused heavily on collecting and hunting wild prey. Between 5500 and 4200 cal BC, agriculturalists ...migrated into northwestern Europe bringing a suite of Neolithic technologies including domesticated animals. Here we investigate to what extent Mesolithic Ertebølle communities in northern Germany had access to domestic pigs, possibly through contact with neighbouring Neolithic agricultural groups. We employ a multidisciplinary approach, applying sequencing of ancient mitochondrial and nuclear DNA (coat colour-coding gene MC1R) as well as traditional and geometric morphometric (molar size and shape) analyses in Sus specimens from 17 Neolithic and Ertebølle sites. Our data from 63 ancient pig specimens show that Ertebølle hunter-gatherers acquired domestic pigs of varying size and coat colour that had both Near Eastern and European mitochondrial DNA ancestry. Our results also reveal that domestic pigs were present in the region ~500 years earlier than previously demonstrated.
In their critique of our paper (Krause-Kyora et al. 2013), Rowley-Conwy and Zeder focus on two primary issues. Firstly, they discuss issues associated with the terminology and definitions of animal ...domestication. Secondly, they question the techniques we employed to explore it. While we completely agree with their points related to terminology, we feel they have misunderstood both the principals and application of shape analyses using geometric morphometrics, and that this misunderstanding undermines their criticism. Having said that, and though our differences are easily overstated, our respective interpretations of the data presented in Krause-Kyora et al. (2013) overlap significantly.
Palaeobiodiversity research based on stable isotope analysis in coastal environments can be severely hampered by the so-called “sea spray” effect. This effect shifts the isotopic signal of ...terrestrial individuals towards too marine values. It is commonly agreed upon that sea spray influences sulphur stable isotopes. However, we were able to approximate a remarkable sea spray effect also in carbon and oxygen stable isotopes of bone carbonate previously. In the present study we could approximate a minimum sea spray effect of about 13.9% even present in oxygen isotope values of bone phosphate, which was validated by Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering. This approximated value is by some magnitudes smaller than the minimum sea spray effect approximated for both δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb, and quite close to the sea spray detected for δ34Scoll in a previous study. It may therefore be interpreted as purer minimum sea spray signal compared to the approximation in bone carbonate. Furthermore, detection of sea spray in δ18Ophos can serve as additional validation of the effect present in bone carbonate, which is more prone to diagenetic alteration compared to bone phosphate. Moreover, the presence of the sea spray effect in both δ18Ocarb and δ18Ophos demonstrates that sea spray can be taken up by terrestrial mammals not only via food (δ18Ocarb) but also via drinking water (δ18Ophos). Finally, this study once more confirmed that calculation of δ18Ophos from δ18Ocarb values using a fixed oxygen isotope spacing (Δδ18O) can be highly misleading, especially in coastal environments affected by sea spray.
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•First approximation of sea spray effect in δ18Ophos of bone apatite•Detection of a relatively pure sea spray effect in bone phosphate•Sea spray detected in δ18Ophos serves as validation of the effect in carbonate.•Uptake of sea spray signal via both food (δ18Ocarb) and drinking water (δ18Ophos)•Determination of oxygen isotope spacing (Δδ18O) after sea spray correction
Transport of sea spray aerosol in coastal areas (“sea spray” effect) can have a marked influence on isotopic ratios of terrestrial ecosystems shifting terrestrial isotopic ratios towards unusual high ...values masking the original terrestrial signature. It is unclear so far if and to what extend sea spray influences other stable isotopes besides sulphur. In this study, we examined if the effect was also detectable in carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotopes of bone collagen and carbonate, respectively.
Multi-isotope data of mammals sampled from the Viking Haithabu and medieval Schleswig sites in Northern Germany were analysed according to a previously developed approximation procedure and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering in order to quantify the sea spray effect in the isotopes under study.
While we were able to approximate an influence of the sea spray effect of at least 32.8% and 62.8% in δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb, respectively, it was not possible to validate or approximate this effect in δ13Ccoll and δ15Ncoll. Indeed, detection of the sea spray effect not only in δ34Scoll, but also in δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb is of particular importance for studies on both prehistoric and recent material.
GMM clustering on terrestrial herbivorous and marine piscivorous mammals was used to confirm the existing influence and to validate the approximated correction for the sea spray effect in the respective isotopic ratios (δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, δ34Scoll) and the correction for the limnic influence on δ15Ncoll approximated in a previous study. After correction, the clustering results markedly changed corresponding to the actual diet and habitat preference of the examined species. Although our study focused on palaeoecology, we suggest that GMM clustering also constitutes a very useful tool for modern landscape ecology based on stable isotope analyses.
•First approximation of sea spray effect on bone collagen and structural carbonate•Sea spray markedly changes δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, and δ34Scoll ratios.•Validation of established correction procedure by Gaussian Mixture Model clustering•Limnic influence on δ15Ncoll validated by Gaussian Mixture Model clustering.•Corrected isotope values in accordance with actual diet and habitat preference
•Deliberate landscape transformation was performed in the Viking Age proto-town Hedeby.•A large valley-like feature was excavated by humans during the settlement period.•Through this excavation, part ...of the material for the construction of the semi-circular rampart was acquired.•Wastes of different origin were dumped in the feature during the settlement period.
Viking proto-town Hedeby located in Northern Germany belongs to the archaeologically most intensively investigated Viking Age sites. Nevertheless, there is only very scarce information about landscape transformation in Hedeby during the Viking Age. This geoarchaeological research, which included coring transects, geochemical and micromorphological analyses as well as radiocarbon dating, revealed that inhabitants of Hedeby intentionally altered the landscape in the settlement to a much larger extent than thought before. A large buried valley-like feature was discovered in the western part of the settlement following the course of the Hedeby-brook, which represented an important element of the settlement landscape. Based on the estimated dimensions of the valley-like feature, its volume equalling at least 10,000 cubic meters was calculated. A number of considerations allowed excluding natural origin of this feature and suggested human activity to be responsible for its formation. Moreover, it was concluded that the valley-like feature was excavated during the settlement period in the Viking age. Possible reasons for the formation of the valley-like feature were discussed in detail with main hypotheses being material extraction for the construction of the semi-circular rampart and water management in the settlement. Regardless of the initial goal for the formation of the valley-like feature, it started to fill with various material already during the settlement period. On the one hand, waste material originating from neighbouring households and workshops was disposed there. On the other hand, natural sedimentation due to soil erosion from the neighbouring slopes took place there. The end of the settlement period was clearly marked in the stratigraphy by the onset of peat formation followed by a new phase of colluvium deposition triggered by agricultural land use in medieval and modern times. The valley-like feature was part of a large landscape engineering project in Hedeby and it undoubtedly played a major role in the organization and functioning of the proto-town at least in the early settlement phase.
Here we report on the analysis of a metallic Late Neolithic copper axe by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The axe was found at Eskilstorp, ...south-west Scania during archaeological excavations in autumn of 2015. It showed a hint of silver en-richment on the surface which is unusual for Late Neolithic axes from Pile type hoard. To identify the origin of the silver content, we extracted a thin lamella of the axe interior using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technology to reach the internal structure to keep the process extremely minimally invasive. The results revealed the presence of porous external layer of copper oxide enriched with silver particles. It is shown with the corrosion test performed on copper-silver experimental replica that the silver en-richment is attributed to the selective dissolution of copper metal as a resut of corrosion process on the axe. The corrosion experiment is performed in the presence of an organic electrolyte such as Hemic Acid (HA) which replicates soil and natural water environment. In the scope of this research work, we found a strong evidence that the silver on the surface of the axe was not decrative layer and instead remained on the surface due to its more noble character while copper leached out into the soil due to corrosion.
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