Analytical survey of the above ground evidence has been undertaken on twelve areas of prehistoric fields in southern Britain. In all cases at least two phases were noted, one directly overlying the other; in ten of these areas the earlier phase comprised an extensive rectilinear grid and the later smaller areas of aggregated fields. The earlier field systems could be externally bounded and left little land unenclosed for open grazing and timber production, movement was only allowed along high ridges. It is suggested that the earliest of these fields date to the beginning of the 2nd millennium, on both sides of the Channel, where they were regarded as symbolic of status within a period of visible ostentatious possessions. The majority were created in the middle centuries of that period, possibly as a reaction to perceived land pressure. No settlements could be identified as coeval with these fields. The later fields represent a major contraction of enclosed land and their design is more suited to stock, rather than arable, production. Larger areas around the fields were marked by linear ditch systems or by cross ridge dykes. Settlements were frequently, and presumably deliberately, placed over the boundaries of the earlier fields, possibly in an act of incorporation; these settlements tend to date to the two centuries on either side of 1000BC, and it is likely, though not certain, that the later fields were contemporary with these settlements. The production of stock as evidence of wealth led to feasting, as exemplified by midden sites, and to a raiding culture within which aggression is more likely, but warfare not proven. The point is made that, with no structure visible at excavation across lynchets, analytical survey is the best method of recording phase differences. Also, given the lack of below ground evidence these sites, though widespread, are a diminishing resource and protection of the best examples is highly desirable.

Deteriorating climate in the period leading up to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) 20,000 years ago caused global sea levels to fall to a lowstand of 125m below modern levels. This resulted in the recession of the Sicilian palaeoshoreline by up to 150km and the emergence of vast tracts of coastal lowland. Following climate amelioration and deglaciation, rising sea levels inundated these formerly exposed areas. The earliest indication of a modern human presence on Sicily comes from Fontana Nuova, in the southeast of the island. The timing of this occupation, on the basis of cross-dating of Aurignacian lithic typology, is about 37,000 BP – a time when sea levels around the Sicilian coastline were some 40-80m lower than at present. The oldest scientifically-dated human remains come from Addaura Caprara, dated to 15,643–15,177 cal BP. Some archaeologists interpret the evidence as suggesting a brief, solitary visit to the island at around 37,000 BP followed by a gap of some 20,000 years before the establishment of a permanent presence during the 16th millennium BP. Others dismiss the veracity of the evidence from Fontana Nuova and hold that Sicily was never settled until some considerable time after the LGM. Until late 20th-century studies demonstrated the attractions of coastal ecotones, absence of evidence was sometimes interpreted as a rejection of coastal landscapes by Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. My thesis will argue that Sicily was not uninhabited for 20,000 years or more but that any evidence for human coastal presence throughout prehistory is potentially submerged. I consider the attractions of coastlands for early modern humans. I discuss the physical background to glaciation and deglaciation resulting in sea-level change. By combining data on absolute sea-level change with evidence for terrestrial displacement resulting from tectonic forces, I have determined relative sea-level change affecting the coastlines of Sicily from 37,000 BP until the Iron Age (ending c750 BC). The results have been combined with digital bathymetric data within an ESRI ArcMap GIS program to produce a series of maps at archaeologically-significant dates. The very areas that are now recognised as being attractive to modern humans will be shown to be submerged today. With reference to modern scientific techniques and their application by specialists in a variety of locations, I shall demonstrate that the successful recovery of submerged archaeological evidence is achievable. I shall also consider a number of phenomena revealed by my field observations that have conspired to conceal or destroy the coastal archaeological record, the absence of such evidence being used illegitimately to support claims for an unpopulated island. These phenomena include natural catastrophes such as earthquakes and related tsunamis, volcanic activity and landslides. Additionally, coastline modification resulting from river estuary migration, and anthropogenic impacts will be considered.

A high resolution magnetic survey was carried out at the archaeological site of Birka, situated approximately 20 km west of Stockholm. A new-generation optically pumped cesium magnetometer, G-858 from Geometrics, with a maximum sensitivity of 0.01 nT was used in the survey. An area of totally 504 m2 was covered in three windy days in September 1997 with the cesium magnetometer working in vertical-gradient mode. Remnants of the old houses, some of the oldest ditches and an earlier excavation could be seen in the gradient data after processing. Also a total-field measurement was carried out to search for the oldest defence wall at Birka. The bad positioning that followed with the continuous-scan mode made the data very difficult to process efficiently. Some processing was done in Matlab to eliminate effects that might be caused by the geology, but no substantial archaeological results emerged.This work shows that high resolution magnetic surveys can be efficient in detecting archaeological remains even in a very heterogeneous soil, provided very sensitive equipment and correct choice of method. It also emphasized the importance of good positioning in a survey.

The studies described here introduce a model for residue preservation on stone tools. They simulate stone tool manufacture in order to define parameters important for the study of DNA residues. Microscopic examination of stone tools has identified microcracks that trap DNA and protein from animal blood cells. Thorough investigation of different methods to recover residues from stone tools shows that surface washing leaves DNA and protein, trapped in subsurface microcracks. However, other extraction techniques are able to release 60-80% of DNA and protein residues. Previous research documents the identification of protein from stone tools sonicated in 5% ammonium hydroxide, but it remains untested whether the same treatment yields useable DNA. Using this treatment, I identified 13-year-old DNA residues from experimentally manufactured stone tools. In addition, results clearly indicate that washing procedures typically used to curate stone tools removed only a small fraction of the DNA deposited during animal butchery. Twenty-four pieces of chipped stone recovered from the Bugas-Holding site were studied to explore the validity of ancient DNA residue identifications. Nine tools yielded DNA residues. Modern humans did not touch three of these tools, which suggests that the DNA recovered from them was present prior to excavation. One tool, which was handled by excavators without gloves, harbored DNA from three species, and these templates competed during PCR. On at least two tools, handling after excavation introduced animal DNA unrelated to tool use. Careful testing of Bugas-Holding chipped stone suggests that stone tools may harbor both ancient and modern DNA, and that investigators must take great care to exclude modern DNA from ancient specimens. Ultimately, I developed and streamlined a method to analyze DNA-containing residues preserved on stone tools. This led to several technical improvements in ancient DNA residue analysis. These include a more effective DNA recovery protocol, methods to measure sensitivity and inhibition of PCR in each sample, and strategies to surmount competition between templates during amplification, which can occur in samples that contain DNA from multiple species. These new developments will help future investigators achieve the full potential of ancient DNA residue analysis. / Graduation date: 2003

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 2002. / Adviser: Charles Schweger. Includes bibliographical references.

A direct historical approach is used in this thesis to document the lost wax casting technique as currently practiced by indigenous metallurgists in northeastern Thailand. The smiths observed at Ban Pba Ao, Ubon Ratchathani Province are the last practicing members of a bronze working tradition that has been in continuous operation at the village for two centuries. An account of the processes used to create bronze bells is provided. Of particular significance is the fact that the yard in which casting activities are performed did not receive clean up operations following the bells production. As a result, hearths, bowl furnaces, crucibles and fragments of clay moulds are left scattered about the yard. These materials accumulating in one location would eventually create a mound of cultural debris. The discarded materials from the lost wax casting process as practiced at Ban Pba Ao provide considerable insight into what might be found in the stratigraphy of Peninsular Southeast Asian prehistoric sites that were involved in the production of bronze objects. The study concludes that attention needs to be paid to the stratigraphic sequences from which bronze artifacts are extracted, rather than relying on the artifacts to determine the type of process used in their manufacture.

The workshop on Poros which forms the basis of this collection of papers was entitled ‘Archaeological ethnographies: charting a fi eld, devising methodologies’. Both the workshop and the present volume that resulted from it constitute attempts to establish a new fi eld, with its own methodologies and its own contested practices, at the interface of several existing disciplines and fi elds of research. My comment takes the workshop on Poros and its results as a starting point but intends to raise some relevant wider issues concerning the dynamics of academic practice. / <p>The journal is available online at www.ingentaconnect.com/content/maney</p>

A direct historical approach is used in this thesis to document the lost wax casting technique as currently practiced by indigenous metallurgists in northeastern Thailand. The smiths observed at Ban Pba Ao, Ubon Ratchathani Province are the last practicing members of a bronze working tradition that has been in continuous operation at the village for two centuries. An account of the processes used to create bronze bells is provided. Of particular significance is the fact that the yard in which casting activities are performed did not receive clean up operations following the bells production. As a result, hearths, bowl furnaces, crucibles and fragments of clay moulds are left scattered about the yard. These materials accumulating in one location would eventually create a mound of cultural debris. The discarded materials from the lost wax casting process as practiced at Ban Pba Ao provide considerable insight into what might be found in the stratigraphy of Peninsular Southeast Asian prehistoric sites that were involved in the production of bronze objects. The study concludes that attention needs to be paid to the stratigraphic sequences from which bronze artifacts are extracted, rather than relying on the artifacts to determine the type of process used in their manufacture.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Glasgow, 2005. / Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow, 2005. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

Thesis ( M.A.) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.