The practice of settling former soldiers in ‘colonies’ is well attested in Anatolia. The area of and around Pisidia received several such colonies during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, a phenomenon which must have had a significant demographic impact on the region. Building on previous research that has investigated the colonies of this region of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods, this paper collects the evidence for further settlements being planted on the various peripheries of Pisidia: first, in the territory of Apollonia, in the northern borderlands between Pisidia and Phrygia; second, on the Cillanaean Plain on the eastern fringes of Pisidia; and finally in Milyas, the territory on the southern boundaries between Pisidia and Lycia. It argues that significant groups of Lycian and Thracian ex-servicemen were settled in these areas, and suggests that this happened in a relatively short period of time between 36 BC and 25 BC, during the short reign of a local king, Amyntas. Sandwiched between the period of the Hellenistic poleis that preceded it, and the time of direct Roman rule that came after, the reign of Amyntas nonetheless left a lasting legacy on the landscape in the form of these new settlements.

This study delves into the comprehensive examination of an anta capital discovered during the 2008 excavations at the ancient site of Alabanda in Caria, now housed in the Aydın Archaeological Museum. Employing a typological and stylistic analysis, the research attributes the capital to the latter part of the fifth century BC, emphasising its intricate architectural ornamentation and sculptural details that reflect significant artistic and cultural developments of the period. The capital features elaborate ornament bands and mythological reliefs, including depictions of Bellerophon-Pegasus and Chimera, and a griffin attacking a horse, which are analysed for their iconographic and symbolic significance within the broader Anatolian and Mediterranean contexts. The study also explores the potential original architectural setting of the capital, suggesting its use in a monumental tomb, a hypothesis supported by its dimensions and decorative complexity. Furthermore, the article discusses the role of such imagery in asserting local identities and engaging with wider Hellenic cultural and political themes, particularly considering the complex interactions between local Carian traditions and the dominant Greek culture of the period. The findings not only contribute to our understanding of Carian art and architecture but also highlight the region’s active participation in the cultural dialogues of the Classical world.

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a worldwide recognized method for radiocarbon (14C) dating. The advantageous aspects of this method include the variety of materials and the small sample size (1 mg of carbon) that can be measured. However, these pose several challenges in the laboratory, such as developing appropriate chemical pretreatment methods. In the summer of 2022, the Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory in Gliwice, Poland, launched the MICADAS accelerator spectrometer. The report on background and reference materials measurement results for the period from September 2022 to July 2024 is presented in this publication. Quality assurance and quality control processes are extremely important to guarantee the high quality of the results obtained in the laboratory. Hence, our Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory in Gliwice took part in the Glasgow International Radiocarbon Inter-Comparison (GIRI) program. The radiocarbon ages for wood, bone, humic acid, and barley mash samples were determined and compared with reported values. The resulting data confirmed that our Laboratory is capable of dating samples across a spectrum of materials and ages ranging from contemporary to the limits of the radiocarbon method, achieving precision on par with that of other laboratories.

In this paper we present new AMS radiocarbon dates from the Bronze Age cemetery of Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom excavated between 1961 and 1972. The cemetery provides crucial information on the cultural development and chronology of the Bronze Age Otomani-Füzesabony and the Tumulus cultures of Eastern Central Europe, in addition to the transition between the Middle and Late Bronze Age (approx. 1500 BC) in the Great Hungarian Plain.

Large datasets, combined with modeling techniques, provide a quantitative way to estimate when known archaeological sites will be impacted by climatological changes. With over 4,000 archaeological sites recorded on the coast of Georgia, USA, the state provides an ideal opportunity to compare methods. Here, we compare the popular passive “bathtub” modeling with the dynamic Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) combined with the Marshes Equilibrium Model (MEM). The goal of this effort is to evaluate prior modeling and test the benefits of more detailed ecological modeling in assessing site loss. Our findings indicate that although rough counts of archaeological sites destroyed by sea-level rise (SLR) are similar in all approaches, using the latter two methods provides critical information needed in prioritizing site studies and documentation before irrevocable damages occur. Our results indicate that within the next 80 years, approximately 40% of Georgia's coastal sites will undergo a loss of archaeological context due to wetlands shifting from dry ecological zones to transitional marshlands or submerged estuaries and swamps.

Over the last decades, archaeology has experienced a transformative revolution in the wake of the digital that has shaped the ways in which it is researched and published. A key concept, openness, has emerged from this shift. This article explores digital approaches to data management conducted within the framework of the PERAIA project, which provides a comprehensive open database and a web application that integrate data on archaeological heritage spanning from late prehistory to antiquity, covering the Aegean area (Crete) and northeastern Libya / northwestern Egypt (Marmarica). We used a methodology that integrates legacy data with historical aerial and satellite imagery to identify archaeological features in the landscape, thereby enriching them with associated environmental and historical (meta)data. Our open data practices reflect a commitment to open science, in which digital technology and the LOUD+FAIR principles have been at the core of the project to achieve data openness, fair access to information, and enhanced data reusability potential.

During the Late Classic (a.d. 600–900), Maya stone monuments from the Western Lowlands documented people with the sajal title. This position was associated with corporate group leaders who acted as governors of secondary sites, supervised warfare-related activities, and manufactured and distributed goods. The increase in records, along with the elaboration of monuments by sajals with differing narratives from those of the rulers, has been identified as a contributing factor to the regional political instability that led to the abandonment of Classic Maya capitals. This article aims to analyze monuments from the political spheres of Yaxchilan, Piedras Negras, and Palenque using a discourse analysis approach to identify the discursive strategies sajals used to showcase and strengthen their hierarchical positions. To accomplish this, I will analyze the discourse in relation to the intermediality of monuments to examine how sajals rivaled the rulers of these cities. Additionally, I will explore the correlation between these discourses and the sociopolitical transformations that preceded the regional collapse in the ninth century a.d.

Zoroastrians are one of Iran's religious minorities, who managed to survive pressures and adversities during many centuries after the rise of Islam. Despite threats and dangers, this minority always tried to resist the pressures and maintain their identity and social cohesion with some measures. Aqda Cave is one of the examples of material culture left by the Zoroastrians, which can be very helpful for a better understanding of the preservation of their identity and social cohesion over time, a heritage that, based on the assessment of social values, can be effective in the sense of identity, sense of place and sense of belonging of this community. The presentation and preservation of this cultural heritage with the help of Zoroastrians will provide a foundation to acknowledge their rights and construct a respectful character for this minority group. Consequently, the preservation of this heritage could be an attempt to respect cultural diversity, heritage rights and equity as the factors of inclusive social development and world peace.

This article examines the Qhapaq Ñan Project in Peru and its unprecedented mobilization of heritage policymaking to foster a participatory approach. The World Heritage listing of the Qhapaq Ñan, or Inca road system, catalyzed a new ethos in the Peruvian cultural heritage sector, reflected in a cohesive set of values and practices centered on community participation. This study analyzes the crafting of a participatory approach within Peruvian national heritage regulations despite legal, technical, and ideological constraints, following the rationales and processes that challenged traditional material-centered paradigms. It focuses on how heritage specialists reimagined their ethical commitments in conceptualizing and implementing this framework. It further demonstrates how participatory practices intersect with official regulations and informal practices within pre-existing technical and normative structures, integrating elements such as benefits, consultation, and collaboration. Therefore, the adoption of the Qhapaq Ñan’s participatory approach is argued not merely as a passive compliance with intergovernmental policy recommendations but as an active assertion of ethical perspectives and practices by heritage specialists.

Excavation at the site of Bhagatrav yielded four layers of cultural deposits: the lowermost being the Sorath Harappan, the upper two are medieval, and layer three caps the Sorath Harappan layer. A horn-deity painted dish was found in a stratified context at the lowest level. The medieval deposit includes turquoise glazed and celadon wares, followed by an abundance of Monochrome Glazed Ware, which is otherwise known as Khambhat ware. The date of the Sorath Harappan layer of the site, the time and space of the horn-deity motif in the Harappan world, and the date of Khambhat ware have long been subjects of discussion. With the help of a series of absolute dating (radiocarbon and luminescence), this paper attempts to place the site, horn-deity motif, and the Khambhat ware in the cultural chronology of Gujarat.

Datos históricos, lingüísticos y etnográficos muestran que, cuando se utilizan para apoyar la existencia de mercados durante la época prehispánica en el área maya, demandan una interpretación más cautelosa y crítica. En este trabajo se argumenta que fue hasta finales del período posclásico cuando las plazas funcionaron exclusivamente como lugares de mercado de forma cotidiana, ya que antes de ese período las plazas fueron los espacios donde se celebraron numerosos eventos sociales donde también ocurrió un intercambio de mercado, aunque de manera periódica. Además, ciertos términos económicos del lenguaje maya sugieren que transacciones de compra y venta, así como el intercambio por trueque, canje o permuta, pudieron haberse utilizado desde el período preclásico en esos acuerdos económicos. Ambos tipos de transacción forman parte de los intercambios de mercado y, en este artículo, se profundiza en la explicación de cómo pudo haber operado el trueque o canje, tomando en cuenta que, hasta hoy día, la permuta de bienes y/o servicios continúa jugando un papel importantísimo en las transacciones económicas que se realizan en diferentes mercados de México. Un tercer tema analizado en el presente artículo se enfoca en mercaderes quienes concurrían o reunían con otros mercaderes en “puertos francos” o centros de comercio o trasbordo para el intercambio de mercancías, ya sea por trueque o por compra y venta. Estos mercaderes parecen haber sido proveedores de productos que pudieron haber vendido al por mayor a otros mercaderes, o bien, los vendieron a otros comerciantes quienes a su vez realizaron ventas al por menor.

La Milpa, situated in northern Belize, stands out as one of the region's largest archaeological sites, having served as the capital of an ancient Maya city-state. Its significance is indicated by extensive monumental architecture, with the epicenter covering approximately 8.8 ha. The site's corpus of monuments, comprising 23 stelae and several altars, underscores its prominence in northern Belize, rivaling the corpora of sites such as Nim li Punit and Caracol. Despite its remote location, La Milpa has garnered the attention of researchers, particularly since the first modern survey of the site in 1988. Subsequent studies—in particular, that by Nikolai Grube in the 1990s—has provided detailed analyses of the site's corpus of carved monuments. Recent efforts, including epigraphic documentation in 2019, serve to enhance our understanding of La Milpa's dynastic history through traditional epigraphic and computational photographic methods. Utilizing field observations, raking light photography, and 3D photogrammetric models, we have refined previous analyses and provide new insights into the iconography and textual segments of the monuments. Here, we present the results of these recent efforts as well as our new analyses of a selection of monuments.