Radiocarbon (14C) dating is a powerful tool for establishing reliable chronologies for proxy records recovered from environmental archives, including lacustrine sediments. However, lacustrine sediments are often limited with respect to availability of material such as terrestrial macrofossils that are traditionally targeted for 14C dating. Flow cytometry, in combination with physicochemical preprocessing, is an emerging technique for the isolation of pollen from terrestrial sediments, holding the promise of pollen recovery of sufficient purity and efficiency for routine 14C analysis. Here, we examine the performance of this approach by undertaking a comprehensive blank assessment for a new pollen isolation protocol and comparing pollen-14C data against established chronologies for two lake records. Our procedure yields consistent values for constant contamination with extraneous carbon of 1.34±0.40 µg C and an F14C of 0.85±0.04, rendering our method suitable for microscale 14C analysis. The pollen-14C data are largely in agreement with age estimates for the same layers of the lake sediment cores based on macrofossil-14C analysis and tephrochronology. However, we also observe that our pollen samples appear to be, on average, slightly older than their macrofossil counterparts. We hypothesize this to be the result of sedimentary and translocation processes that retard pollen transport and lacustrine deposition.

En este trabajo presentamos los resultados del análisis traceológico de una muestra cerámica procedente de sitios arqueológicos del sector meridional del valle de Abaucán (Tinogasta, Catamarca, Argentina), con el objetivo de visualizar cadenas operativas de los procesos de modelado durante el primer milenio de la era. Para ello la muestra seleccionada, de contextos arqueológicos y relevamientos de piezas de museos, fue sometida al análisis de traza a través de la propuesta de García Roselló y Calvo Trías (2013). Adicionalmente, nos valimos de la experimentación como método de estudio para observar el proceso de manufactura de forma directa y obtener un parámetro controlado que permita la comparación con el material arqueológico. Los resultados brindaron datos con un alto grado de detalle del levantado de las piezas, relacionando las trazas con elecciones técnicas específicas, con herramientas y gestos manuales aplicados por los alfareros en el pasado del oeste de Catamarca.

This article discusses the Impressed Ware (IW) ceramic class from the early Late Chalcolithic 2 period (4200–4000 B.C.), which is considered fundamental for understanding chronological and socio-economic issues related to production and craft specialization in the Northern Mesopotamian region. The unpublished materials from the proto-historic site of Asingeran (Kurdistan region of Iraq) are examined through stylistic and decorative analysis and compared with specimens from contemporary sites across a broad territory, including the north-eastern Altinova plain, the south-eastern Erbil area, the south-western Khabur valley, and the Upper Eastern Tigris Basin. This paper aims to provide an overview of all IW ceramics found in Northern Mesopotamia, highlighting how the presence of this type, despite its diverse versions, serves as a significant means of identifying shared social practices among different communities within a specific ceramic region.

We report new AMS radiocarbon dates of 16 samples from the Holocene deposits of the Vistula Spit, a large coastal barrier landform on the Southern Baltic coast. Collection of the samples was conducted directly from the sedimentary succession excavated during 2020–2022 construction of the Vistula Spit shipping canal. The dated material represents several paleosol horizons and peat lenses buried in the dune deposits, as well as their substrate – beach and shallow marine deposits.

The bulk organic-matter content of near-surface sediment is widely used for radiocarbon (14C) dating, despite often containing organic carbon (OC) older than the depositional age. Low-temperature combustion can mitigate the influence of old OC, producing ages closer to the depositional age. We developed a simple method to determine the 14C age of the low-temperature (<250°C) component of bulk sediment. Sediment samples from five Arctic lakes were heated up to 400°C, revealing that at 250°C, about half of the OC combusts, leaving behind the more recalcitrant fraction. We applied this method to 64 samples from late glacial and Holocene sediment cores, analyzing 14C and % OC in two aliquots: one heated at 250°C and one unheated. The low-temperature 14C age was calculated by difference using a two-component mixing model. Accuracy was assessed by comparing ages with macrofossils from 48 samples, and reproducibility was tested using a standard reference material. Results show that low-temperature combustion yields 14C ages with an interquartile range of 115 years, and with reproducibility on par with that of macrofossil dating. On average, the ages differ by 932 years from macrofossils, compared to a 2425-year difference for conventional bulk-sediment ages analyzed in this study. Accuracy improves for samples where the proportion of residual OC after heating is low. This practical and efficient method complements macrofossil dating, supports analysis of a large number of samples, and provides insights into sedimentary carbon cycling.

The excavation of the site of Gatwa-sûr in the Zagros region of the Kurdistan region of Iraq has provided valuable insights into Early Christian burial practices in Northern Iraq during the Sasanian period. The discovery of an earthenware coffin adorned with symbols that highlight the presence of Christian oriented groups in the region provides new data on burial customs under Sasanian rule. This archaeological evidence strengthens our knowledge of the coexistence of different religious faiths within the Sasanian Empire. Despite the challenges posed by repeated disturbances to the burial site over ancient and modern times, the recovered skeletal remains offer crucial evidence for understanding the health, lifestyle, and demographic profile of individuals during this era. Anthropological analysis revealed common ailments such as tooth loss, degenerative osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and infectious periostitis. Additionally, the presence of enthesopathies suggests engagement in strenuous physical activities, likely related to agricultural or manual labor. The interdisciplinary approach, involving archaeologists, residents, and media, has raised awareness about the importance of protecting archaeological sites and fostering community engagement in research endeavors. Overall, the Gatwa-sûr excavation contributes significantly to our understanding of religious, cultural, and social dynamics in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in Late Antiquity, emphasizing the need for further exploration and preservation efforts in the region.

The Shamash Gate of Nineveh is one of the major gates that leads into the city from the east. Archaeological work at the gate has been on hold since the early 1970s, when the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage embarked on excavations and reconstruction of the gate. A preliminary investigation of the Shamash Gate in 2020 by the Iraqi–Italian Nineveh Expedition (NINEV_E), under the directorship of Nicolò Marchetti, revealed both the considerable extent of the damage and destruction wreaked on this important and historic landmark of ancient Nineveh and Mosul during the period of ISIS control and the urgent need to stabilise the surviving remains of the gate. This investigation also confirmed that the core of the gate complex remains intact and would benefit greatly from a carefully planned and judiciously implemented research program. In this paper we provide a summary report on three seasons of work at the Shamash Gate, including mapping, stabilising, and excavation.

The use of ultrafiltration remains a subject of ongoing debate among pretreatment methods employed in radiocarbon dating of mammalian archaeological bone. However, such discourse had not previously extended to the archaeology of the Canary Islands (Spain), where detailed descriptions of laboratory processing methods for collagen purification often remain absent. Our study presents a case study involving a new set of radiocarbon dates obtained from the remains of ancient natives of Tenerife Island. For the first time in this region, we compared the results of ultrafiltered with non-ultrafiltered collagen from the same individuals, focusing on the method’s implications for dating accuracy in the Canaries. Through an examination of the cleaning protocols of ultrafilters and an assessment of the reliability of radiocarbon dating outcomes, we have found that ultrafiltration may influence the accuracy of results. However, given the additional handling required and the potential risk of contaminating the samples, its application should be carefully considered. In the context of the Canary Islands, ultrafiltration may be most relevant for samples associated with early human occupation, though further research is needed to assess its necessity across different biogeographical contexts. This communication further contributes to a broader understanding of preparation methods for radiocarbon dating bone from various environmental contexts, emphasizing the uniqueness of each case. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of our findings for archaeological research in the Canary Islands, highlighting the methodological gaps that persist in the region and underscoring the importance of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of chronological interpretations in archaeological investigations.