Human dispersion through southern Europe in Early Pleistocene

Geochronologists from the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) have led a study published in the journal Quaternary Geochronology about the chronology of the archaeological site of Gran Dolina, situated in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos), whose results confirm a pulse of human dispersion in southern Europe around one million years ago..

TD4 Level at Gran Dolina site [Credit: CENIEH]

This is a paleomagnetic study of the lower stratigraphic levels of this archaeological site in Burgos, whose objective was to determine the possible presence of the Jaramillo subchron, a geological event of normal magnetic polarity about one million years ago, to improve the chronological framework for the lithic industry found at level TD4, and therefore for human presence in Atapuerca.

"Gran Dolina is one of the sites with the best-preserved sedimentary records of the Middle and Early Pleistocene in Europe, and therefore, knowing the chronology of the stratigraphic levels comprising it is an extremely important element in understanding the presence and development of human activity in the zone," explains Claudia Álvarez Posada, lead author of this paper.

Samples from the levels TD4 to TD6 were analyzed using paleomagnetism, a methodology which is increasingly used for establishing absolute datings given its great versatility and the fact that it has an extremely wide chronological register, because the magnetic field remains captured in sediments when they are formed. These days there is a known register covering a timeline of over 180 million years up to the present, so that as Álvarez affirms, "it's a very powerful tool for chronology."

This method, together with the data furnished by biostratigraphy and the recent dating studies using Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) made at the site, has allowed an age later than the Jaramillo Subchron to be definitively established for the level TD4, that is, less than one million years, consistent with with a pulse of human dispersal across southern Europe during the time interval known as the Lower Pleistocene transition.

Dual study 

This paper forms part of a dual paleomagnetic study of Gran Dolina, encompassing levels TD1 to TD6, undertaken for better understanding of the ages of the different stratigraphic levels which comprise the fillings of the site.

The second paper, which has just been published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, focuses on the chronology of the lower sedimentary fillings, and corroborates the datings found for TD4.

Source: CENIEH [February 28, 2018]

Read more

What the Vikings put in their pillows

Not too many people are able to identify birds by examining a single feather. But a number of folks need to know that sort of thing, and it can actually save lives.

Feathers from the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) aren't exactly what we fill most of our pillows with now
[Credit: Einar Kongshaug]

Your pillows – if they're not synthetic – are almost certainly filled with domestic goose or duck feathers. These are the most common types of fill used for this purpose today. But our ancestors weren't always as discerning.

"Eagle-owls," says Jørgen Rosvold, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) University Museum.

Rosvold is among a handful of individuals in Norway who can identify birds based solely on their feathers. He examined a pillow from a Viking grave and found feathers from Europe's largest owl in it, along with feather residues from a variety of other species.

"This shows that the Vikings valued feathers as an important resource," Rosvold says.

Sometimes all you can say for sure is that a feather came from a duck, but not what kind of duck.
(These are mallards, though.) [Credit: Einar Kongshaug]

Rosvold is part of an NTNU down project (Dunprosjektet), where one of the goals is to develop methods to identify small bits of feather residue. It's not always easy to tell what species a feather comes from, especially if only small fragments of feathers remain.

"Sometimes all you can say for sure is that a feather comes from a duck," says Rosvold.

But not always what kind of duck. Some feathers are just too similar to be certain what species it comes from. You might be able to say whether a feather comes from a game bird or a sparrow, but not always much beyond that.

"It depends on how well preserved the feather is, the kind of feather and whether the species has close relatives," he says.

Large collection helpful

Rosvold can identify some feathers down to the specific species. The NTNU University Museum has a large collection, and if he's able to first determine which family the bird belongs to, he can compare it with specimens from the collection.

Miniscule barbules, the smallest branches of a feather, are examined under a microscope to identify the kind of bird.
Here are two different birds. At bottom left is a rock ptarmigan, a type of game bird with rings around its barbules.
At bottom right is a mallard with triangular growths at the ends of its barbules
[Credit: Jørgen Rosvold, NTNU University Museum]

As a rule, the underneath, most downy parts of feathers have distinctive features that make it possible to identify the former owner. The smallest branches of a feather, called barbules, are the most useful. Their shape and distribution of different growths, tiny irregularities and the colour can provide clues.

"You can see the pigmentation really well, even after a long time," says Rosvold.For example, you can see pigmentation in feathers from early Viking times, around 800 CE. Game birds are recognizable by the rings around their barbules. Duck feathers have distinctive triangular growths.

"In some cases, if we're unable to identify a feather beyond the family level with microscopes, we can make more headway using DNA analyses. The analyses are easier when we've narrowed down the range of possible birds," says Rosvold.

But this is clearly an art for specialists. Conservator Leena Aulikki Airola at the NTNU University Museum is skilled at detecting the impression of feathers in metal, among other things. This can happen when a sword is laid on a feather pillow in a Viking grave, for example. Over the years, the sword corrodes and the feathers in the pillow become covered with the rusty metal.

Cooperation between birds and people

As part of the project, researchers are studying Swedish and Norwegian grave discoveries from the Nordic Iron Age, including the Oseberg grave, to find out which birds the feathers come from.

A well-preserved feather fragment found in a grave from the Viking era, about one centimetre long. Even after
many hundreds of years you can see the colours and that this is a feather from a crow
[Credit: Jørgen Rosvold, NTNU University Museum]

One of the main goals for the down project is to find out when people established eider farming on the Helgeland coast and in central Norway. These are areas along the coast where people provide nesting shelters for eider ducks to return to year after year.

Eider farmers build nesting boxes and protect the ducks, which in turn leave large amounts of down behind. But we don't yet know how long this cooperation between birds and people has existed.

"The cooperation goes way back in time. We've found a few eider feathers, but also a lot of assorted feathers," says Rosvold.

For a long time people simply took what they had available to stuff their pillows.The researchers have found feather samples that date as far back as the late Germanic Iron (or Merovingian) Age, from around 570 and through the Viking era. No earlier use of feathers in Norway has been discovered, but that doesn't mean that it didn't take place. The Romans used a lot of feathers in their pillows, for example.

Useful for others, too

Archaeologists and biologists aren't the only ones who may be interested in these results. Identifying birds by their feathers may be important in other fields as well.

Feather residues in corroded iron from a Viking sword. Perhaps the sword was laid on a pillow?
[Credit: Jørgen Rosvold, NTNU University Museum]

Any of us might be curious to find out just what kind of feather we found on our woods walk the other day.

Biologists find it useful to identify feathers from scat and pellets, which are undigested parts of food that are regurgitated by birds, to determine what they've been eating. Feathers from bird houses can tell us who lived there.

But knowing your feathers can also potentially solve crimes or save lives, such as for investigators who need to collect evidence. One specialist in the United States works primarily with feathers from birds that have collided with airplanes. Finding out what kind of bird crashed into the plane might enable you to take action to reduce the risks.Those microscopic details could end up being really important.

Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology [February 27, 2018]

Read more

15,000-year-old artefacts discovered along Scotland's Aberdeen bypass

Artefacts and structures found during archaeological excavations on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) project are shedding light on land use and settlement in the north east over the past 15,000 years, including Mesolithic pits, Roman bread ovens, prehistoric roundhouses and a cremation complex.

A beaker from the Chalcolithic period; a fluted carinated bowl from early Neolithic times; impressed ware
from the middle Neolithic [Credit: Transport Scotland]

Since the archaeological excavations were completed, specialists have been analysing the artefacts and samples recovered from the various sites and will be detailing the results in a new limited edition book due to be published later this year.

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work said: “When complete, the AWPR will help to reduce congestion, cut journey times, improve safety and lower pollution in Aberdeen City Centre, as well as enable local authorities to develop public transport solutions."

Cremation urn the remains found in a roundhouse and cremation complex at Nether Beanshill, dating
to the Bronze Age, from around 1,600 to 1,250 BC [Credit: Transport Scotland]

"However, the archaeology has also proven to be yet another huge benefit coming from this project, helping to shine a light on Scotland’s ancient past. The discoveries along the AWPR route, which would have remained undiscovered had the new bypass not been built, are truly remarkable and underline the importance of the value we place on meeting our environmental obligations as we plan and construct this new infrastructure.”

Bruce Mann, Archaeologist for Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council, explained: "There has been a range of fascinating discoveries from the archaeological works carried out on site. Some raise more questions than they answer about what we thought we knew about the north east. For instance, a very unexpected discovery was the presence of Roman activity at Milltimber, likely dating from around 83/84 AD. Ninety bread ovens were uncovered, which were probably constructed by the Roman army at a time of invasion led by the Roman General Agricola. However, no evidence of an associated camp was found, which is unusual for these types of features. We can only speculate as to why the ovens were at this specific location, and what it says about what was happening in the area at the time.”

Bread ovens used by invading Roman soldiers around 83/84 AD at Milltimber
[Credit: Transport Scotland]

"Going back to the very earliest finds, there was also evidence of stone tool production dating between about 13,000 and 10,000 BC at Milltimber, a near unprecedented body of evidence which pushes back our understanding of human activity in north east Scotland by several thousand years. The same site revealed spreads of flints along with large pits dating between 10,000 BC to 4,100 BC that could have been used by hunter-gatherers to trap deer, elks or aurochs (an ancestor of modern bison). What is particularly exciting is that these finds have been made in an area where our knowledge is rapidly expanding through research projects such as Mesolithic Deeside.”

The discoveries made during the works were not confined to the environs of the River Dee. A structure dating between 7,000 BC to 6,700 BC was also found at Standingstones, in the hills to the west of Dyce. This tent-like shelter was likely only used for a few nights by a small group of people while they collected nuts, berries and tubers or hunted animals in the immediate area.

Hammerstone and cores from digs from Wester Hatton
[Credit: Transport Scotland]

Bruce continued: “Bronze Age activity was identified from Nether Beanshill in the form of a roundhouse and contemporary cremation complex dating from around 1,600 to 1,250 BC.BC. The burial comprised of an urn in which the cremated remains of an individual in their 20s had been placed. This urn was placed in a pit which was then marked by a horseshoe-shaped arrangement of timber posts. Two other similar burials were covered by miniature mounds and surrounded by small ditches.”

Although artefacts of a wide range of dates, materials and types were discovered across the scheme, a particularly well-preserved Beaker period pot found in a post-hole at Milltimber was a highlight. The pot was completely intact when it was found and must have been placed in the ground with a great deal of care. It dates to between 2,400 BC to around 2,200/2,000 BC.

Quern Stone with a hand-stone found in Wester Hatton
[Credit: Transport Scotland]

Bruce added: “These archaeological finds provide real insight into the history and culture of the north east. They are impressive in both in time depth and range of activities represented. They push back known human activity in the region by at least 2,000 years, add new detail to how our ancestors lived and died, and reveal a new dimension to Rome’s invasions of Scotland.”

Leader of Aberdeenshire Council Cllr Jim Gifford added: “The AWPR project isn’t just about construction of the route itself, as important as that is. It’s also about our relationship with the environment and the history of the north-east of Scotland.

Beaker pot found at Milltimber dating from between 2,400 to 2,000 BC
[Credit: Transport Scotland] 

“The book, when it becomes available later this year, captures a slice of history and I would like to thank Bruce and those who worked on this element of the scheme for their hard work in producing this excellent document.”

Aberdeen City Council transport and regeneration spokesman Councillor Ross Grant said: “The archaeology finds are fascinating and highlight just how rich the entire area is in history. It is interesting to find out how our forebearers lived and the Roman bread ovens found at Milltimber paint a picture of everyday life of the incoming army while they were invading."

Remains of a roundhouse found at Gairnhill
[Credit: Transport Scotland]

“While modern-day residents are looking forward to the completion of the AWPR and the benefits it will bring to Aberdeen and the surrounding area, I’m sure they will find these discoveries interesting.”

Other excavations include a small hub of Iron Age activity at Goval dating from around the first and second centuries AD where a roundhouse of around 10 metres in diameter was found which would have provided space to live comfortably. The roundhouse was built of vertical wooden posts supporting a large conical thatched roof and there would have been a central hearth. An area of stone paving – or work surface – was also found outside the entrance of the building.

A furnace found nearby showed evidence of iron smelting, the process of extracting iron from ore. The ore which was most likely extracted from nearby peat bogs, would have been heated in the furnace causing the iron to separate and pool in the bottom of the furnace.

Source: Scottish Government [February 26, 2018]

Read more

Life in Britain during twilight of Roman empire revealed by rings

Researchers from Newcastle and Oxford Universities have for the first time catalogued in detail each of the 54 Brancaster-type rings known to exist in the UK today and say that they can be dated with confidence due to their design and the material they’re made from.

Roman 'Brancaster type' gold finger ring [Credit: Portable Antiquities Scheme]

Named after the Roman Fort and Norfolk village where the first example was discovered in the mid-19th century, a Brancaster ring is a type of signet ring with a characteristic square or rectangular bezel, inscribed with characters or text.

Most of the 54 rings are made from silver, and a small number from gold. This contrasts with the early Roman period when the majority of rings tended to be made from bronze. They are also different to early Anglo Saxon rings, which were much plainer and rarer.

As well as being worn as an item of jewellery, they were commonly used with wax to seal letters and other important documents. Seals were also often used as a security device to protect belongings in the home and while in transit.

Writing in the German journal Bonner Jahrbücher, the research team say that the fact the rings are made from precious metals and were used with important documents and goods point to them being owned by wealthy, educated individuals – the elite of British society at the time.

Dr James Gerrard, Senior Lecturer in Roman Archaeology, explains: “These were ostentatious rings and would have been a very visible sign of the wearer’s status and their confidence in expressing themselves as a Roman citizen.

“The fifth century was a period of major upheaval and marked the start of the transition from Roman Empire to Anglo Saxon Britain. These rings and their inscriptions provide a glimpse of what Britain was like during these years and give an insight into the dress, beliefs, ideologies and education level of the elite at the time.”

One famous Brancaster ring, the Senicianus ring, is thought to have inspired JRR Tolkien to write The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The gold ring has been linked to a Roman curse tablet found at the site of a Roman temple in 1785, which said: ‘To the god Nodens: Silvianus has lost his ring and promises half its value to Nodens. Among those named Senecianus, let none enjoy health until he brings it back to the temple of Nodens.’ Nearly 150 years later, archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler is believed to have discussed the ring with Tolkien, who was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University at the time, after realising the ring could potentially be the one referred to by the curse.

The rings were discovered over several years at sites predominantly in the south and east of Britain.  Some were found during archaeological excavations at known villa locations but many were found as part of buried hoards alongside other artefacts such as coins and jewellery. A large number of rings were also discovered by metal-detectorists and reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Many of the hoards that include these rings also contain large numbers of late Roman silver coins. In many cases these coins have been clipped around the edges. Tampering with coins was illegal during the Roman period and it is believed that this clipping dates to the fifth century. This is further evidence of the fifth-century date of the rings.

The rings are engraved with a wide variety of designs. Some have what appear to be portraits of the emperor, soldiers or lovers while others feature several dolphins and mythical sea creatures such as sea griffins, which are frequently depicted in late Roman art.

In addition, many of the rings also bear references to Christianity, either in the inscription or the images depicted on the bezel, such as doves or peacocks. These images have long been associated with Christianity, which had started to spread across the Roman Empire from the fourth century, when Constantine the Great converted and encouraged other Roman citizens to convert.

Dr Gerrard adds: “Taken together, the use of silver and gold, the Christian iconography, the style of the designs and their associations with clipped silver coins, all point to Brancaster rings being of a particular time – in this case, we can be confident in firmly placing them at the very end fourth and in the fifth century.”

Source: Newcastle University [February 24, 2018]

Read more

Medieval burials found under Copenhagen City Hall Square

Since December, a team of archaeologists from the Museum of Copenhagen have secretly been excavating 20 skeletons discovered under City Hall Square.

Credit: Copenhagen Museum

The skeletons belong to men, women and children who are believed to have lived around 1,000 years ago, and which archaeologists believe were the first Copenhageners.

“It’s amazing. The graves with the skeletons in good condition are lying just a metre under the asphalt on the busiest square in Denmark,” Jane Jark Jensen, an archaeologist and curator with Copenhagen Museum, told Politiken newspaper.

The archaeologists believe that there are two additional layers of skeletons underneath the layer they are currently excavating.

The discovery has been kept hidden from the public in tents to prevent the site from being contaminated by curious citizens wanting to have a peek at the dig.