Arts and Humanities

Abstract: The article examines, on the basis of a comparative study, the place and scientific significance of Cyclopean structures located within the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in the context of Azerbaijani archaeology. The research focuses on the distribution area, chronology, and architectural features of these monuments in Nakhchivan. It has been determined that the fortress-type Cyclopean structures of Nakhchivan are monuments of great scientific and historical importance in Azerbaijani archaeology. These constructions reflect the formation and development of defensive architecture in the region and make it possible to study their chronology and evolutionary processes. The study demonstrates that these fortresses, built of large unworked stones without the use of mortar, reveal the military–strategic thinking of ancient tribes, their level of social organization, and the importance they attached to the protection of residential spaces. Their wide distribution across the territory of Nakhchivan proves that the region was located on important trade and migration routes and functioned as an active political and economic center. These monuments serve as invaluable sources for the study of early urbanization processes, cultural interactions, and stages of regional development within the territory of Azerbaijan. Keywords: Nakhchivan, Cyclopean structures, fortress, defensive fortification, architectural structure.

Abstract: While skeletal imagery appears across various ancient Andean traditions, the Wari Empire (c. 600–1000 CE) developed a uniquely standardized and widespread skull motif—the uma tullu—distributed throughout its former territory. Through an analysis of 63 artifacts spanning ceramic, textile, and metal media, this study identifies key diagnostic markers of the motif: the representation of the metopic suture and the application of red pigment. By cross-referencing these stylistic features with bioarchaeological data, the research posits that the uma tullu served as a central communicative device. In the absence of a formal script, this motif encoded imperial values and ancestral cult practices, facilitating ideological expansion and state identity. Ultimately, this work demonstrates how standardized iconography functioned as a system of graphic communication and ideological cohesion in the Middle Horizon Andes.

Abstract: Heritage Science generates vast quantities of heterogeneous data; however, the absence of a shared semantic framework frequently results in fragmented knowledge and compromised reproducibility. This paper introduces CRMhs, an ontology developed as a formal extension of the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM), designed to harmonise the documentation of scientific investigations within the cultural heritage domain. By defining specialised classes for scientific activities, study objects and analytical datasets, the model ensures a robust chain of provenance from initial physical sampling to final interpretative outcomes. The efficacy of CRMhs is demonstrated through its ability to successfully align diverse datasets, ranging from materials-based enquiries to environmental measurements, into a coherent and navigable knowledge graph. This approach not only facilitates seamless data interoperability but also establishes the essential semantic foundation for the advancement of Reactive Heritage Digital Twins. The model bridges the gap between raw scientific evidence and art-historical and archaeological interpretation, fostering a more integrated and sustainable approach to the preservation of cultural heritage.

Abstract: The study assesses the effectiveness of various stature estimation methods that utilise biases such as sex and race. Based on the literature gathered, the plausibility that stature estimation methods that use regression equations in their computation may just be a result of mathematical coincidence. In order to evaluate the need for group-biased methods, the research devised its own set of regression equations for the sampled population and compared it against region-biased, sex-biased, and height-categorisation approaches. The sample population was taken entirely from Delhi, India and the English dataset used by Mays (2016). The sampling included all long bone measurements of the humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula, along with the sex and ancestry of the participants. The findings revealed that the general regression model provided the lowest mean standard error estimate (SEE), initially suggesting that a non-biased approach to stature estimation may be more effective. However, upon analysis, it was found that the general model resulted in a fairly consistent overestimation of stature, although no particular trend of how this was occurring was noticeable. Along with this, the height-categorisation method, though mathematically very interesting, produced the highest mean SEE, indicating that the trends seen in stature estimation methods are not a result of mathematical coincidences. Looking at the group-specific models, a consistent performance was noticed in the statistical assessment and in the literature review. With a few caveats of certain bone measurements outperforming others, the group-specific models provide confirmation that the stature of any population has clear trends and can be quantified for estimation purposes. In the field of forensic anthropology, the complexity of accuracy, efficiency, and inclusivity is in constant discussion. Traditional race and sex biases being applied to modern contexts is challenging, especially with the rise of violence towards marginalised groups. Additionally, given the increase in cultural and genetic diversity of populations now, there needs to be immediate reconsideration of the terminology and sampling utilised in these long-standing methodologies. Future research should focus on developing more inclusive and adaptable stature estimation models.

Abstract: This study adopts an agricultural archaeology perspective, integrating excavated remains, artifact genealogies, and pictorial materials to conduct a systematic investigation into the origins, evolution, and cultural significance of traditional Chinese tea-making techniques.By examining tea plant genetic remains dating back 6,000 years, tea-processing tools from the Western Han to Tang-Song periods, Ming-Qing purple clay tea ware, and representative tea paintings from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, this study analyzes the historical development of tea-making techniques, revealing their continuous evolution from the nascent stages of consumption to systematic development.The research demonstrates that archaeological evidence not only provides a solid foundation for chronological progression and technical analysis of traditional Chinese tea-making techniques and related customs, but also reflects the interactive relationship between technological innovation, the dissemination of tea customs, and social structures. Furthermore, archaeological material from Liao Dynasty tombs, Tibetan burial sites, and overseas shipwrecks indicates that tea customs exhibit remarkable cultural adaptability and influence in cross-regional exchanges and global dissemination.This paper argues that agricultural archaeology not only provides material evidence and methodological frameworks for studying traditional crafts but also offers new academic perspectives for understanding the diverse values of Chinese tea culture across temporal and spatial dimensions.

Abstract: According to its published mission, the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH), a most recent flagship initiative of the European Commission, cur-rently being developed by the EU-funded project ECHOES, is “…a digital ecosystem designed to serve as a platform for cultural heritage professionals, researchers, and in-stitutions across Europe… to unify Europe’s fragmented cultural heritage sector through advanced digital collaboration…”. While recognizing that “…one of the most persistent challenges in the European cultural heritage sector is the dispersion of data in incom-patible formats and isolated institutional practices…”, the ECCCH advances “…a unified approach (that) will radically transform and greatly facilitate … collaborative research…”, promoting the engagement with small, peripheric Cultural Heritage (CH) institutions and providing (tangible and intangible) CH data under their custody. The article describes an experiment in assessing the readiness of available digital data on a specific type of CH objects, namely Cypriot Late Bronze Age figurines. Most of the ca. 170 figurines un-earthed were found in Cyprus, where they were also produced. Out of these, ca. a third are hosted in museums in Cyprus, and the others are dispersed in some 36 museums, primarily in the UK, museums across ten EU countries, the USA and the Russian Fed-eration. Less than half of them provide, through their digital, open-access collections catalogue, information on these figurines. The study reported here investigated the usefulness of this information for conducting synthetic research on their nature and the socio-cultural role they may have fulfilled while in use in the past. Consequently, the study explored the potential of the information provided by these museums to be inte-grated and expressed through the Heritage Digital Twin concept, at the core of the ECCCH.

Abstract: Cultural heritage sites in arid regions are often underestimated in terms of flood risk; however, the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events under climate change have significantly amplified threats to these fragile environments. Taking the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China as a case study, this research investigates strategies for flood hazard prevention and control for cultural heritage in arid areas. By situating the study within the broader context of climate change and global heritage conservation, the paper examines the impacts of flooding on heritage sites and the historical evolution of flood control measures. It further integrates an analysis of the site’s geographical characteristics, traditional flood management structures, and contemporary conservation practices. The study systematically elucidates the compound risks of “drought–desertification–sudden flooding” faced by cultural heritage in arid landscapes. The findings suggest that heritage protection should transition from reactive, post-disaster restoration to-ward proactive preventive conservation. This shift requires the integration of both engineering and non-engineering measures, supported by technology-based systems such as environmental monitoring and early warning platforms, to establish a comprehensive risk management framework. The research highlights that overcoming the prevailing misconception that “arid regions are free from flood risks,” embedding heritage flood management into regional planning, and ensuring legal, financial, and interdisciplinary cooperation are essential for the long-term safeguarding of cultural heritage in arid environments. This study offers practical insights and a transferable reference for the protection of heritage sites in similar climatic and geographical contexts worldwide.

Abstract: This study investigates the continuity, change and discontinuity of human settlements in the northern Stig Plain along the Danube River in Serbia, with the aim to explore how the natural environment, human–land interactions, and historical events shaped the establishment, duration, decline, and reconstruction of these settlements. Particular attention is given to the Roman city of Viminacium, now largely covered by fertile farmland. The research combines theoretical perspectives on landscape and human–land relations with a review of sources on Roman urban development, case studies of settlement formation, development, abandonment and transition, and an analysis of Viminacium’s environmental and historical context. It examines why Viminacium remained the landscape’s only major urban centre, with no subsequent settlement built directly above it. Findings show that the natural environment strongly influenced settlement patterns, providing both subsistence and strategic advantages. The plain’s urban potential was fully realised only in the Roman period, through the establishment of a legionary fortress, technological advances, organised labour, and military order that overcame environmental constraints. Viminacium’s heritage integrates remains from multiple historical periods into a unique, evolving cultural landscape that warrants preservation, though its management remains challenging.

Abstract: In this study, we employed the 5-meter Accuracy Digital Elevation Model (DEM) developed by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, to analyze the spatial distribution of Yayoi-period archaeological sites. Rather than relying on conventional regional cross-tabulations—such as prefecture-level classifications—this approach adopts a Geographic Information System (GIS)–based analysis that enables higher spatial precision as well as more intuitive and visually accessible interpretation. Through this methodology, we aim to reconstruct the geographical conditions of ancient Japan at the end of the Yayoi period, approximately 1,800 years ago, and to offer a new perspective on the long-standing debate concerning the location of Yamatai (Yamataikoku). The results of analyses using the 5m DEM substantially increase the likelihood that Yamatai was located in northern Kyushu. In addition, northern Kyushu exhibits highly distinctive patterns of land use that vary markedly by region. The areas surrounding present-day Asakura City and Ogori City appear to have been specialized primarily for military purposes. In contrast, the Yoshinogari site—one of the largest Yayoi-period settlements in Japan—shows a pronounced specialization in agriculture, particularly large-scale wet-rice cultivation. The area corresponding to modern Fukuoka City, meanwhile, functioned as a major urban center in which both military and agricultural functions were concentrated. Furthermore, the “Jimmu’s Eastern Expedition” undertaken by the first Emperor Jimmu cannot necessarily be dismissed as a purely legendary event; it likely reflects certain historical facts. By introducing a GIS-based approach that has been relatively underutilized in previous research, this study serves as a pilot project while simultaneously representing an ambitious attempt to expand the horizons of visualization in ancient Japanese historical studies.

Abstract:

An archaeological exposure near Hachum, featuring a Ditch profile interpreted as part of a Neolithic earthwork, was characterized using DNA analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA from soil samples. The results showed that the middle and lower parts of the Ditch fill could be clearly distinguished from each other and from the surrounding area based on the composition of soil bacterial DNA. Genera detected predominantly in the lower part of the Ditch suggest that, after the Ditch was completed, organic matter, animal dung, and possibly even human feces were accumulated at the bottom. The investigations demonstrate that analyses of soil bacterial communities can provide valuable insights into the history and function of a Neolithic earthwork and, more generally, represent an important additional source of information for interpreting archaeological contexts that are devoid of or poor in finds.

Abstract: In this article, Engineer Alberto Donini presents an innovative method, the “Relative Erosion Method” (REM), which he developed to determine the construction date of ancient structures. He applies this method to the two largest pyramids on the Giza Plateau—those of Akhet Khufu (“The Luminous Spirit of Khufu”) and Khafra—as well as to two of the three smaller Queens’ pyramids located next to the pyramid of Akhet Khufu. Is it possible that the current archaeological dating of these ancient Egyptian monuments is incorrect? Is it also possible that the alternative dates proposed by various researchers are likewise incorrect? To address these questions, the author analyses the pyramids of Giza from an unconventional perspective in order to determine the most probable period of their construction. The REM is based on the ratio between two types of erosion affecting the same type of rock in the same location: one with a known date and the other with a date to be determined. This ratio is then used to calculate the age of the stone block under examination.

Abstract: Bioarchaeological materials represent finite and irreplaceable resources, with many analytical techniques requiring consumptive sampling that permanently limits future research opportunities. This challenge is particularly acute for Modern era contexts (1492–1945 CE), where industrial and colonial period collections offer crucial evidence of health transitions and disease emergence yet remain under-utilised due to data accessibility challenges. Evidence from 145 bioarchaeology specialists across 23 countries demonstrates that whilst 97% recognise data reuse as critical, fewer than half consistently implement basic measures such as persistent identifiers. Only ancient DNA research consistently meets FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) standards. Meanwhile, data volumes expand exponentially through technological advances. The situation is unsustainable and ethically problematic. This perspective argues three integrated commitments are essential: universal adoption of FAIR principles with appropriate infrastructure, implementation of CARE (Collective benefit, Authority, Responsibility, Ethics) principles ensuring ethical treatment of human remains, and strategic development of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for knowledge extraction. The finite nature of bioarchaeological materials makes transformation urgent. Every sample destroyed without proper data preservation represents irreversible loss of knowledge about human heritage.

Abstract: Resilience is often treated as a property of coherent systems. Drawing on assemblage theory and the concept of the event, this article reinterprets resilience archaeologically as a material effect of relations among people, things, and landscapes. Rather than measuring the stability of pre-given entities, we read resilience in the archaeological record through reconfigurations, continuities, ruptures, and redistributions that leave durable traces. This theoretical move clarifies how “collapse,” reorganization, and emergence appear materially and why not all disturbances become events. We then pivot from theory to practice: heritage is framed as the afterlife of events, an assemblage that stabilizes the aftermath of rupture through conservation, commemoration, and care. Heritage’s endurance is both fragile and generative: it depends on ongoing work while enabling communities to orient themselves amid uncertainty. The article thus positions archaeological theory to illuminate heritage practice, offering a material, relational account of how endurance is made and maintained. We close by outlining the ethical and political limits of “resilience” and proposing a reflexive, assemblage-based approach to heritage as reorganization.

Abstract:

The chronology of the Petralona hominid continues to stimulate vigorous debate, and the recent contribution by Falguères assigning an age of ~300 ka has prompted me to a short commentary and critically recall and reassess the reported age with earlier investigations, most of which were missing from the said publication. Between 1980 and 1984 a series of seven papers devoted to the radiochemical dating of speleothems and travertines from Petralona Cave. These works represented some of the earliest systematic applications of Uranium–Thorium disequilibrium dating (U-234/Th-230) to the archaeological context of a hominid fossil. Taken together, earlier seven published studies, the methodological refinement for handling contamination, and the stratigraphic confirmation from the Mausoleum chamber all support a secure assignment of the Petralona hominid to at least 230 ka, most probably 250–300 ka BP.

Abstract: The cave of Altamira (Spain), a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains one of the most fragile and inaccessible Paleolithic rock-art environments in Europe, where conventional geomatics workflows are limited by severe spatial, lighting, and safety constraints. This study applies a confined-space UAV equipped with LiDAR-based SLAM navigation to document and assess the stability of the vertical rock wall leading to “La Hoya” Hall, a structurally sensitive sector of the cave. Twelve autonomous and assisted flights were conducted, generating dense LiDAR point clouds and video sequences processed through videogrammetry to produce high-resolution 3D meshes. A Mask R-CNN deep learning model was trained using manually segmented images to automatically detect cracks under variable illumination and viewing conditions. The results reveal active fractures, overhanging blocks, and sediment accumulations located on inaccessible ledges, demonstrating the capacity of UAV-SLAM workflows to overcome the limitations of traditional surveys in confined subterranean environments. All datasets were integrated into the DiGHER digital twin platform, enabling long-term storage, multitemporal comparison, and collaborative annotation. The study confirms the feasibility of UAV-based SLAM mapping combined with videogrammetry and deep learning segmentation as a robust approach for structural assessment and preventive conservation in Paleolithic caves and similarly constrained cultural heritage contexts.

Abstract: Shell middens of Guyana’s northwestern coast are a tangible record of prehistoric occupation and land use during the Holocene, an era saw increased human impacts on the landscape. Drawing from regional and local environmental data, this paper reviews archival and recently excavated zooarchaeological, bioarchaeological and environmental data sets as an aid to understanding prehistoric land-use, shell midden function, and the complex relationship between Archaic populations and their landscape. We analyse archival and previously published materials which coverers the spectrum of faunal exploitation and incorporates recent isotopic data of human and faunal remains from seven Early to Mid-Holocene Guyanese shell middens as a proxy to infer land use and human predation. We conclude that climate fluctuations during the Mid Holocene influenced fishing intensification and subsequently a shift in human predation, which affected small-to medium-sized fauna as well as vegetation patterns. These changes were shaped by landscape manipulation, influenced by shoreline movement and population mobility. Together these processes left enduring ecological legacies along the northwestern coast of Guyana.

Abstract:

This study presents a zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of the remaining portion of the Mousterian faunal assemblage from Unit A9 at Grotta di Fumane (northeastern Italy), offering refined insights into Neanderthal subsistence behaviour during Marine Isotope Stage 3. Building on the previously published analysis of the principal portion of the assemblage [1], the new data reaffirm a subsistence strategy focused on selective transport and intensive on-site processing of high-utility carcass components. The ungulate assemblage—dominated by Cervus elaphus and Capreolus capreolus, with additional contributions from Rupicapra rupicapra and Capra ibex—characterised by the dominance of hindlimb elements, moderate cranial representation, and a pronounced scarcity of axial remains. These patterns indicate that carcass reduction commenced at kill sites, where low-yield trunk segments were removed, while high-nutritional-value limb portions were preferentially transported to the cave for secondary processing. Taphonomic indicators, including abundant cut marks, percussion notches, and extensive bone fragmentation, demonstrate systematic defleshing, marrow extraction, and possible grease rendering within the cave, activities that were spatially associated with combustion features. Occasional cranial transport suggests targeted acquisition of high-fat tissues such as brains and tongue, behaviour consistent with cold-climate optimisation strategies documented in both ethnographic and experimental contexts. Collectively, the evidence indicates that Unit A9 served as a residential locus embedded within a logistically organised mobility system, where carcass processing, resource exploitation, and lithic activities were closely integrated. These findings reinforce the broader picture of late Neanderthals as adaptable and behaviourally sophisticated foragers capable of strategic planning and efficient exploitation of ungulate prey within the dynamic environments of northern Italy.

Abstract: From the 9th century onwards, Tāmdult was one of the three major caravan ports in west-ern Maghreb, alongside Sijilmāssa and Nūl Lamṭa. By the mid-20th century, the remains of dwellings, metallurgical production sites and fortifications had been located a few kilo-metres south of the present-day oasis of Aqqa, which is irrigated by the resurgence of the wadi of the same name. In 1999, our research, which was based on field surveys and aerial photographs, revealed exceptionally well-preserved traces of a large-scale agricultural system and an irrigation canal network adjacent to the ruins. This completed the picture of this pre-Saharan oasis. An initial study was published in 2011. However, the question of the chronological relationship between the two oases, Tāmdult and Aqqa, remained unre-solved. Processing recent satellite images (Airbus © 2023) of these two oases and creating a WebGIS interface now enables us to refine and correct our observations from 1999. This new data largely confirms our initial proposals, such as the joint development of an urban settlement and an agricultural area with an irrigation network. Furthermore, these new images show the branching structure of the various water distribution channels, the regu-larity of the agricultural land parcels and the existence of interstitial rural settlements. They thus reveal a hierarchy in this distribution that was perhaps insufficiently explored in our initial publication. Given the limited historical sources available, we can now make more informed arguments regarding the possibility of the two oases coexisting over time. We can also propose initial hypotheses about the main reasons for the abandonment of one of the oases and discuss the identity of their founders, which could be local tribal groups and/or branches of the Idrisid dynasty. The central issue of the dossier to which our contribution is addressed — 'The Role of Urban Elites in the Construction of Rural Landscape' — is adapted here to the specific characteristics of the pre-Saharan context in terms of both climate and settlement structure.

Abstract: Oil tanker shipwrecks represent both cultural heritage and environmental risk. These wrecks are historically significant as war graves and simultaneously pose long term threats to marine ecosystems through the potential release of petroleum cargo. During World War II, German U boats targeted tankers along the U.S. East Coast, especially during Operation Drumbeat in 1942. Hundreds of tankers were sunk globally, and many of these wrecks remain intact and retain much of their fuel cargo, classifying them as potentially polluting wrecks (PPWs) which could release millions of gallons of oil if hull structures collapse. Tankers developed from modified sailing ships to standardized steel designs, highlighting petroleum’s strategic importance in modern warfare. The wrecks of these vessels exemplify the intersection of maritime archaeology and environmental conservation, demanding urgent interdisciplinary study to safeguard ecosystems while preserving ocean heritage.

Abstract: This study reviews recent advances in the scientific and technological archaeology of ancient Chinese jade artifacts, focusing on material identification, alteration, provenance tracing. Using non-destructive analytical techniques such as portable XRF, SEM, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and LA-ICP-MS, archaeometric research has clarified the mineralogical diversity of jades and established systematic methods for differentiating nephrite and turquoise sources. Controlled heating and acid–base experiments have elucidated the mechanisms and color formation of alteration, providing key insights into post-depositional processes. Provenance studies integrating trace-element, rare-earth-element, and isotopic analyses have built multi-level hierarchical models for source discrimination. Micro-wear and experimental replication have reconstructed ancient jade-working technologies, while machine learning offers new perspectives for typology and cultural interpretation. Overall, these interdisciplinary approaches demonstrate that the integration of material science and archaeology is crucial for understanding the technological, cultural, and exchange networks that shaped Chinese jade culture from the Neolithic to the Qing period.