Un enterramiento colectivo en cueva del III milenio AC en el centro de la Península Ibérica: el Rebollosillo (Torrelaguna, Madrid)

El Rebollosillo is a small karstic cave located in the center of Iberia used for the disposition of secondary burials during the mid third millennium BC. We present bioanthropological, isotopic ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, δ 13 C y δ 18 O) analyses and 16 radiocarbon dates on human remains, as well as mineralogical characterization of 6 beads (4 of them variscite from Palazuelo de las Cuevas, Zamora), and a quantitative analysis of 43 pottery fragments recovered during the 1989 excavations. A minimum of 21 individu-als have been identified, covering all age ranges and sex. Low percentages of pathologies have been detected, mainly dental calculus and caries, with specific cases of cribra orbitalia, periostosis and arthritis. Only adults received a clearly individualized treatment, suggestive of achieved status. We interpret the evidence as a multi-staged mortuary program, the last phase of which is documented at the site, with previous stages perhaps carried out elsewhere, and we evaluate these results in the context of the regional funerary record.El Rebollosillo es una pequeña cueva kárstica situada en el centro de la Península Ibérica utilizada para la disposición de enterramientos secundarios en la mitad del III milenio AC. Presentamos resultados bioantropológicos, isotópicos (87Sr/86Sr, δ13C y δ18O) y 16 dataciones radiocarbónicas de los restos humanos, una descripción cuantificada de los 43 fragmentos cerámicos y de caracterización mineralógica de 6 cuentas recuperadas durante la excavación de 1989, cuatro de las cuales probablemente proceden de Palazuelo de las Cuevas (Zamora). El análisis bioantropológico indica un mínimo de 21 individuos con todos los rangos de edad y sexo. Se han detectado bajos porcentajes de patologías, mayoritariamente cálculo dental y caries, con casos puntuales de cribra orbitalia, periostosis y artrosis. La disposición de los restos sugiere que sólo los adultos recibieron un tratamiento claramente individualizado, quizás acorde con un estatus adquirido con la edad. Proponemos que el registro representa la última fase de un programa mortuorio cuyas etapas previas debieron desarrollarse en otros lugares y valoramos estos resultados en el contexto del registro funerario regionalInvestigación desarrollada en el contexto de los proyectos HAR2013-47776-R y CGL2012-35199 del Ministerio de Ciencia y Competitividad y el proyecto Cód. 099100 de la FUA

Long-Distance Obsidian Trade In Indonesia.

Long-distance trade in obsidian from sources in the southwest Pacific has been well-documented for the Lapita culture complex, beginning about 1600 BC Analyses of obsidian artifacts from recent excavations at Bukit Tengkorak in southeastern Sabah (Borneo, Malaysia) indicate the use of obsidian from multiple sources in Melanesia as early as the 5th millennium BC The archaeological presence of obsidian, up to more than 3500 Ian from its source, is the surviving evidence of what was almost certainly the longest Neolithic trade route in the world. In addition, these results indicate that long-distance trade networks existed in Indonesia at least 2500 years prior to the Lapita culture, and strengthen hypotheses of its origins in southeast Asia

Archaeometric Study of Iron Age Pottery Production in Central Sicily: A Case of Technological Conservatism

This study presents an in-depth archaeometric investigation of Iron Age ceramic assemblage dating from 950 to 750 BCE from the sanctuary at Polizzello Mountain, Sicily. The site, a key sanctuary utilized by indigenous communities for ritual activities, is examined for its strategic location, structural developments, pottery assemblages, and evidence of communal activities. The study employs petrographic analysis on thin sections, integrated with other analytical methods, to explore the technology behind pottery production. It investigates whether such production reflects a common technological knowledge shared by a broader community or if they represent a blend of different manufacturing traditions. The findings highlight that the pottery from Polizzello Mountain aligns with the well-established Sicilian tradition of combining calcareous components and grog, indicating a local tradition of pottery production with no significant compositional differences suggesting specialized production at the workshop level

Early metallurgy in Sardinia: characterizing the evidence from Su Coddu

This paper contextualizes analyses of a collection of metal artifacts and ostensible metallurgical slag from the prehistoric settlement of Su Coddu in south-central Sardinia (ca. 3400–2850 BCE). To characterize the types of metals and associated alloys utilized by the earliest residents of Su Coddu, two pins and an unshaped lump of unknown composition were analyzed using portable XRF spectrometry. In addition to metal artifacts, a large quantity of putative slag was discovered at the site that is consistently cited as the earliest evidence of in situ smelting in prehistoric Sardinia. To reconstruct firing temperatures and characterize mineral phases, four samples of the overfired material were selected for thin section petrography and powder XRD analysis. The results of this study indicate that the two pins were made of copper while the unshaped lump was composed of pure lead, making it the earliest lead-based artifact on Sardinia. XRD and petrographic analyses of the fired “slags” reveal that these samples are unrelated to metallurgical smelting and are likely burnt wall coatings whose mineralogical phases correspond with unfired plasters also recovered from the site. These results in combination contribute towards understanding early metallurgical practices in Sardinia and are relevant in reconstructing the events that have shaped the life history of Su Coddu

Obsidian from the Site of Piano dei Cardoni, Ustica (Palermo, Italy): Preliminary Results on the First Occupation of the Island

Abstract New investigations on Ustica (Palermo, Sicily) originated from the need to improve our knowledge of the island's archaeological and environmental heritage. Through field surveys, particular attention was paid to human occupation in the Neolithic phases and focused on the less investigated southern side of the island. The systematic survey of the area of Piano dei Cardoni in 2018 brought to light a new Middle/Late Neolithic site, already partially documented in the literature. The island was settled for the first time during these phases, as also testified from the area of Punta Spalmatore. The presence of Serra d'Alto, incised dark burnished, and Diana styles suggests that the site and the archaeological assemblage dates from the mid to late 5th millennium BC, as confirmed by AMS dating. In addition to pottery, obsidian artifacts were also recovered, and a preliminary study of these materials is presented here. Portable XRF analyses on a sample of 41 obsidian artifacts, representing a high percentage of the lithic assemblage compared to chert tools, show that the provenance of the raw material is Gabellotto Gorge (Lipari) and Balata dei Turchi (Pantelleria). These results provide new insight into broader regional debates about obsidian technology and its exchange during the Neolithic and open an important consideration for sites that are far from the raw material sources

Diet and mobility in Late Antique Sicily: Isotopic data from the catacombs of Santa Lucia, Siracusa (Italy)

The catacombs of Santa Lucia were built during the 3rd century CE in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, as a burial site for members of the local Christian community until the early 8th century CE. This site is an important cemeterial context of the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. The tombs and artifacts found suggest that individuals of varying wealth were buried in the catacombs. Historical accounts also confirm the presence of a significant Christian community from Syria and the Levant in Siracusa during this period. The objective of this research is to investigate the life histories of the Late Antique community interred in the catacombs using stable isotope analysis. This technique aimed to clarify the dietary differences between individuals of different social status and geographical origins, in order to re-evaluate the data from historical documents. To achieve this, we conducted stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analyses on skeletal samples from 25 individuals recovered from the catacombs of Santa Lucia, using established methods. The results revealed significant dietary diversity among the individuals buried in the catacombs, with evidence of the consumption of both C3 and C4 plants, as well as fish from both freshwater and sea sources. The oxygen isotopes show a particularly broad range in both the small sample set of bones and the larger set of teeth, suggesting a significant degree of mobility for most of the individuals tested. The high variability found in the diet and the evidence of mobility for most of the individuals tested not only between early age and adulthood, but also throughout their lives. It raises new questions and calls for the consideration of the archaeological and historical implications of these novel discoveries

Diet in the Sardinian Bronze Age: models, collagen isotopic data, issues and perspectives

Traditional reconstructions depict Sardinian Bronze Age economy as a mixed one characterized by a remarkable importance of pastoralism, opposed to a more ‘agricultural’ Neolithic. The first few isotopic data, though not unambiguously, seem to indicate quite the opposite compared with earlier times, reflecting possibly a higher dependence on vegetal foods, with possible marginal contributions of aquatic foods and/or C4 plants at one coastal site. However, the importance of ecosystem-wide shifts in interpreting collagen data for comparative purposes is underlined, with specific examples from Sardinia, and so is the rarity of collections including faunal and botanical specimens alongside humans, which would help establish a local isotopic baseline. Efforts to discriminate animal vs. vegetal contributions in Bronze Age diets that are fully based on C3 ecosystems, therefore, remain tentative. Isotopic research in progress on Sardinian diet and climate from the Copper Age up to the Nuragic Late Bronze (2800-1100 BC) is expected to provide a better grasp on temporal and geographic variation.Les reconstitutions alimentaires traditionnelles dépeignent l’économie de l’âge du Bronze en Sardaigne comme une économie mixte caractérisée par une grande importance de l’élevage des moutons, juxtaposée à une période néolithique plus agricole. Les premières données isotopiques, bien que peu nombreuses encore, semblent, d’une façon ambigüe, plutôt indiquer le contraire lorsqu’on les compare aux données des périodes précédentes. Elles montrent une plus grande dépendance des aliments végétaux avec peut-être la contribution marginale d’aliments aquatiques et/ou des plantes issues du milieu côtier. Afin de palier le manque d’études sur les restes fauniques et botaniques et dans le but de réaliser des comparaisons à l’échelle de la Sardaigne, une analyse détaillée des données isotopiques des collagènes a été réalisée pour cerner l’importance de modifications isotopiques de l’écosystème tout entier. Une recherche en cours sur la diète et sur le climat dans la Sardaigne à partir du Néolithique jusqu’à l’âge du Fer (4700-500 avant J.C.) devrait permettre une meilleure interprétation de la variabilité isotopique d’un point de vue chronologique et géographique

Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis: diet before and after the arrival of ceramic at Forte Marechal Luz Site

This study focused on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysisof dentin and enamel of individuals buried in pre-ceramic and ceramic layers ofthe Forte Marechal Luz site, located in the coast of Santa Catarina State, southernBrazil. The dentin collagen values indicate that the individuals had a proteindiet based mainly on marine resources during the formation period of theanalyzed teeth. However, there is a slight difference in the carbon results betweenthe individuals related to the pre-ceramic and the ceramic periods, suggesting thatthe latter inhabitants were consuming a little bit more resources like C3 plantsand terrestrial fauna than before, and therefore indicating that there was a greaterdiversification in the diet after the arrival of the ceramic in the region.Bioarchaeology; isotopic analysis, shell mounds, potteryNesse estudo foram realizadas análises de isótopos de carbono e nitrogênio de esmalte dentário e dentina de indivíduos sepultados em camadas sem e com cerâmica do sítio Forte Marechal Luz, localizado no litoral de Santa Catarina. Os resultados do colágeno da dentina sugerem que os indivíduos teriam uma dieta proteica rica em recursos marinhos durante o período de formação dos dentes analisados. No entanto, comparando períodos anteriores com posteriores à presença da cerâmica, observa-se uma leve tendência para resultados mais negativos no carbono nas camadas com cerâmica, indicando um maior consumo de recursos como plantas C3 e animais terrestres durante os períodos posteriores de ocupação do sítio e, consequentemente uma evidência de maior diversificação alimentar