This paper presents a detailed chronological study of the previously undisturbed burial ground of Choburak-I of the Bulan-Koby Culture in the Northern Altai using a program of comprehensive dating, including AMS 14C dating of human and animal remains (26 14C dates from 12 kurgans in total), and archaeological dating of the associated artifacts. This completely excavated cemetery contained numerous grave goods and various organic remains (anthropological and archaeozoological) critical for understanding the social and chronological dynamics of this culture during the Rouran period in Altai (second half of the 4th–first half of the 6th century CE). The results of archaeological dating, supported by the largest set of AMS 14C dates for the Bulan-Koby Culture, and further aided by Bayesian analysis, demonstrate the likely continuous existence of the necropolis within the period of 310–400 cal CE, which broadly corresponds to the beginning of the Rouran period in the history of Altai, with a maximum duration of 66 years. The presented results make it possible to consider the necropolis of Choburak-I as a chronologically defining monument of the Rouran period of Northern Altai and permit a new level of relative and absolute chronological reconstructions for archaeological sites of this region and adjacent territories at the turn of late antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

The development of freestanding stone sculpture by the Olmec people of Mesoamerica's Gulf lowlands has long been considered one of the defining artistic achievements of the Formative period. However, by the Middle Formative period the production of freestanding sculpture was often eclipsed by the contemporaneous creation of rock art outside the Gulf lowlands. In this article I argue that Gulf Olmec sculptors and audiences occasionally co-opted the aesthetic and ritual treatments of rock art at topographic shrines to construct and reinforce the sacred geographies of primary site cores. In so doing, Olmec elites converted the ideological power of the wild and the animate earth into a form of political capital.

This paper discusses the approach used to identify the most relevant chronological information on the historic development of the abandoned site of AlUla Old Town, in the northwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Western Asia). The approach is based on the use of the radiocarbon method to date earth mortars samples and soil layers used to create the constructive sequence of some buildings and, in turn, the chronological evolution of the site. Eleven samples of organic material (i.e., charcoal and vegetable fibers) were carefully removed from mortar samples and soil levels from six buildings and structures in the northern and southern areas of the town. Buildings and soil layers were chosen for their stratigraphic relevance and conservation conditions, based on an initial archaeological analysis of both, buildings and underground structures. Laboratory-based mortar analysis led to the characterization of the mortar’s inorganic fraction, and to the isolation of the organic material for the radiocarbon dating. Results from the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) laboratory provides evidence of a Late Mamluk/Early Ottoman constructive phase (i.e., 15th–17th c. AD) of the Old Town that was only partially known until very recently. Furthermore, the results allowed the identification of an Ottoman phase (i.e., 17th–19th c. AD) during which most of the buildings and structures were rebuilt, and of a Late Ottoman phase (i.e., 19th–20th c. AD) representing the most recent interventions before the end of the Ottoman occupation of the area.

This study aims to determine the chronological sequence of the collective burials in the hypogea of the prehistoric cemetery of La Beleña (Cabra, Córdoba) through Bayesian analyses of 14C dates obtained from human remains. The data from this site are not only key to grasping the phenomenon of the introduction and spread of hypogea throughout the western Mediterranean, but to gain insight into multi-stage funerary practices during the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic. The dataset comprises 14C dates of 71 of the 79 individuals placed in five of La Beleña’s six hypogea. The findings suggest: (i) La Beleña is one of the oldest assemblages of hypogea in Iberia, (ii) that this type of collective burial spread rapidly throughout the western Mediterranean area, (iii) that La Beleña is marked by two main phases of funerary activity interspersed by brief burial surges, (iv) funerary intensity at La Beleña increased between cal BC 3400–2900 (2σ), and (v) the cemetery saw a very brief surge of burials potentially related to a catastrophic event. The results of this analysis thus shed light on the little-known chronological sequence of prehistoric hypogea or rock-cut tombs in Iberia, their spread, and their relation to other Late Neolithic collective burials in western Europe.

The 1st-c. CE Roman siege system of Masada exhibits a high degree of preservation due to its remote location and the arid climate. However, unlike the thoroughly excavated Masada fortress, the siege system has not received due attention. This article is part of a research project aimed at advancing our understanding of the conflict landscape around Masada using contemporary archaeological methods. Following a comprehensive surface survey and photogrammetric 3D modelling, we show that the circumvallation wall stood to a height of 2–2.5 m and served several functions – as an obstacle, a means of psychological warfare, and a platform from which to mount counterattacks. Based on our measurements and workload estimations, we argue that the construction of the siege wall and the camps around Masada occurred fairly quickly.

The automatic graphitization system (AGE3) by IonPlus is very popular among radiocarbon dating laboratories. Usually, solid samples are burnt in an elemental analyzer (EA), and the gaseous CO2 is transferred for graphitization. Our system is coupled also with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), which measures the δ13C and δ15N of that gas. Some less routine pretreatment protocols require the production of gaseous samples and prevent the possibility of using the EA-AGE3 system, as the EA is used for solid samples only. In order to use that system, including the measurements of stable isotopes, we developed a glass tube cracker that connects to the EA. The device is routinely used in our laboratory and is mainly built from Swaglok catalog parts. We show that the background (blank) levels of a marble standard are indistinguishable between using the cracker and burning solid marble using the EA. We further demonstrate that the δ13C values are consistent and that the extraction efficiency when using the device is above 93%. Full descriptions, drawings, and working protocol are supplied.

This study suggests that there may be considerable difficulties in providing accurate calendar age estimates in the Roman period in Europe, between ca. AD 60 and ca. AD 230, using the radiocarbon calibration datasets that are currently available. Incorporating the potential for systematic offsets between the measured data and the calibration curve using the ΔR approach suggested by Hogg et al. (2019), only marginally mitigates the biases in calendar date estimates observed. At present, it clearly behoves researchers in this period to “caveat emptor” and validate the accuracy of their calibrated radiocarbon dates and chronological models against other sources of dating information.