This project represents the first comprehensive study applying molecular and genetic methods to study historical contexts such as migration and trade based on human parasites. Using specially developed techniques, the study focused on parasites with minor symptoms which allowed the infected person to go about their daily business. The combination of state of the art techniques in archaeology, molecular methods and phylogenetic analysis enabled us to develop a novel powerful tool to study historic events. Diseases have a considerable impact on societies. Various publications indicate that human intestinal parasites are commonly found in a variety of archaeological contexts, including latrines, graves and mummies. These parasites can be detected by microscopy which focuses the work on samples which do close association to humans; widespread prevalence and the possibility for reliable microscopic diagnostics suggest that these parasites are an attractive study system for human activities. Infectious diseases have a much short generation time which offers greater opportunity to track historical events at higher resolution. Looking at a range of human parasites, their different life-cycles allowed insight into various aspects of human culture, comparing different origins of the samples allows an estimation of the epidemiological burden of ancient populations. Application of a parallel sequencing approach (MiSeq) enabled building a comprehensive database of sequences from various archaeological sites dating as far back as 3630 BCE. Indepth phylogenetic analysis reveals patterns in the genetic signatures of both coding and non-coding genetic regions, taking various levels of selective pressure into account. This project has produced the oldest pathogen sequence and the most comprehensive database of ancient pathogen sequences.

A partir de la seconde moitié du IVe siècle, les productions de sigillée de l’Argonne, région naturelle située entre Châlons-en-Champagne et Verdun, sont diffusées dans le Diocèse des Gaules et plus largement dans l’ouest de l’Europe. Ce type de céramique, caractérisée par la présence d’un décor en bandeau imprimé à l’aide d’une molette, a longtemps été considéré comme produit uniquement dans les ateliers argonnais. Cependant, les études de ces dernières décennies sur le sujet ont permis d'avancer l'hypothèse de l'existence de plusieurs productions locales imitant les formes et les décors de ces sigillées. Grâce aux méthodes d’analyses archéométriques utilisées (analyses chimiques par fluorescence X, observations pétrographiques, analyses minéralogiques par diffraction des rayons X), l’existence de plusieurs groupes de production est validée. L’adéquation entre le classement statistique des données géochimiques et les hypothèses archéologiques principalement basées sur l’identification des décors à la molette confirme la pertinence du partitionnement obtenu. Ces résultats reflètent la diversité des argiles utilisées pour la fabrication de ces sigillées hors de la région argonnaise (argiles calcaires, argiles peu calcaires et argiles kaolinitiques) et les capacités d’adaptation des artisans aux ressources géologiques disponibles. Les observations pétrographiques et minéralogiques attestent également de l’utilisation de fours à sigillées et des fours à flammes nues (parfois conjointement dans un même atelier) par les potiers. Cette caractérisation met en lumière un phénomène d’essaimage d’ateliers, généralement de taille modeste, qui produisent et distribuent ces sigillées décorées à la molette sur de courtes distances. / From the second half of the 4th century, the East Gaulish red-slipped ware of Argonne, an area located between Châlons-en-Champagne and Verdun, are widely diffused in the Diocese of Gaul and in the west of Europe. This kind of ceramic, characterized by a stringcrouse decoration printed using a roller, has long been considered as only produced in the Argonne’s workshops. However, the studies of these last decades has made it possible to came up with a new theory that suggest the existence of several local productions imitating the forms and the decorations of these sigillata. Using differents methods of archaeometric analysis (chemical analyses by x-ray fluorescence, petrographic observations, mineralogical analyses by x-ray diffraction), the existence of several groups of production is validated. The adequacy between the statistical clustering of the geochemical data and the archaeological assumptions mainly based on the identification of the roller-stamped decorations confirms the relevance of the partitioning obtained. These results reflect the diversity of the clays used for the manufacturing of these red-slipped ware outside of the Argonne area (calcareous clay, non calcareous clay, kaolinitic clay) and the craftsmen’s capacities to adapt to the geological ressources available. The petrographic and mineralogical observations also attest the use of sigillata kilns and updraft kilns by the potters (sometimes both in the same workshop). This characterization highlight a phenomenon of workshops’s swarming, generally of modest size, which produce and distribute these roller-stamped red-slipped ware on short distances.

Pour les périodes dites préhistoriques, la tendance générale d’assimiler les objets aux personnes et les communautés aux cultures persiste toujours. Ce phénomène est particulièrement observé pour la production céramique halafienne (datée de 6400 à 5400 BC cal.). Or, toute production céramique ne se résume pas à un objet et encore moins à de la vaisselle. C’est avant tout une matière première (l’argile) qui a vécu différentes étapes de transformation. L’objet n’est que l’aboutissement d’un projet pour lequel a été mis en œuvre une chaîne opératoire spécifique, se déroulant dans un temps imparti, le tout répondant à une nécessité. Dans une perspective de recherche pluridisciplinaire associant trois domaines : l'archéologie, l'archéométrie et l'ethnographie/ethnologie, nous nous proposons de reprendre une partie du dossier Halafien. Nous montrerons, à partir d'études de cas portant sur du matériel attribué aux phases de transition Proto-Halaf/Halaf ancien et "Halaf-Ubaid-Transitional", que bien plus qu'un marqueur culturel, la production céramique (qu'il s'agisse de vaisselle, de jetons, de figurines, de disques….) est un marqueur technique et social qui informe sur les activités, les modes de vie des communautés ; en quelques mots, l'état d'une société, mais aussi les transformations auxquelles elle est sujette. / Generally speaking, for prehistoric periods, pottery is compared to people, and by extension, to culture concept. Evidence of such a combination was noted for halafian remains (dated from 6400-5400 BC cal.). However, ceramic production can't be reduced to sherds, even less to vessel typology. Above all, it's a raw material (clay) which is affected by various transformations' stages. Final object is just the result of a previous project answering to life necessity. The execution requires a specific "chaîne opératoire", which takes allowed time.Following this point of view, pluridisciplinary research was selected and three fields were used : archaeology, archaeometry and ethnography. With this subject, we propose to take again part of the Halafian discussion. Intend to demonstrate that more than a cultural marker, halafian ceramic production (vessel type, tokens, figurines, disks…) can be considered as a technical fact or a social fact indicator which gives informations about activities, way of life of various communities, but also about the state of the society and its transformations, we decide to study ceramic assemblage coming form characteristic Proto-Halaf/Halaf and Halaf-Ubaid Transitional sites.

This thesis paper examines the feasibility of using external-beam PIXE to study the surface enrichment effect in metal artifacts. By varying the energy of the incident proton beam, we penetrated the artifact's surface to different levels and were able to produce a depth profile of the elemental composition of the sample. In this study, the sample set we chose to examine consisted of ancient and modern coins. This paper first describes the surface enrichment effect and theoretically how PIXE can be used to study it. It then details the construction of the components of the external-beam setup. Many of the refinements of the hardware and experimental methods are discussed. It recounts the means of calibration of the detector and analytical tools. Finally, an accounting of the research performed on several coins is set forth, along with data showing the effectiveness of PIXE in complementing other methods of elemental analysis. We found that PIXE revealed statistically significant differences in concentrations of modern coins at the two beam energies we used. Ancient coins did not have similarly significant discrepancies between the two beam energies. The modern coin data suggested depletion in copper in copper-silver and copper-gold alloys, which is consistent with predictions of the theory of the surface enrichment effect. We suggest that the ancient coins are so deeply corroded that the PIXE beam is unable to penetrate adequately to observe surface enrichment. Comparison of our PIXE data to XRF and SEM data suggest that the trends we observed in modern coins are verified by the other methods. We therefore assert that external-beam PIXE is an effective tool for studying the surface enrichment effect, though with the beam energies available at Brigham Young University, the study must be limited to fairly modern coins.

no / Geophysical survey techniques are a highly visible part of the scientific toolkit that is now used by archaeologists. In this paper, the history of the use of geophysical techniques in archaeology will be discussed, as will significant research themes associated with the most widely used prospecting devices. It is apparent that while the use of geophysical techniques is at an all-time high, there are many key areas where prospecting is rapidly developing. Some of the advances relate to fundamental aspects of the techniques, while others dictate how we undertake survey in the future. There is a movement away from pre-gridded survey areas towards real-time GPS for navigation. This allows greater integration, or fusion, of disparate data sources using visualization techniques derived from associated disciplines. The analysis of landscapes has become a major component of the application of new technology and there are many challenges to be tackled, including how to analyse and interpret significant archaeology within large-scale, data-rich, multi-technique investigations. The reflective nature of the review acknowledges the important role of Archaeometry in the development of archaeological geophysics.

No description available.

Ce projet vise à développer un protocole d’analyses par fluorescence aux rayons X (XRF) afin d’appréhender le potentiel de cette méthode d’analyse géochimique à distinguer des sources de cherts du Nord-Ouest irlandais. Ces échantillons de roches ont été récoltés dans le cadre du projet Irish Lithic Landscapes dirigé par Killian Driscoll, Adrian Burke et Heather Short. Le but est donc la caractérisation des sources de matières premières utilisées par les populations préhistoriques durant la fin du Mésolithique, le Néolithique ainsi qu’au début de l’Âge du Bronze. Ces analyses pourraient ainsi compléter la base de données LIR (Lithotheque Ireland) référençant les sources de matières premières lithiques irlandaises, cette dernière pouvant ainsi être utilisée pour comparer les données géologiques et archéologiques et permettre de considérer les stratégies d’acquisition des populations anciennes et d’identifier la source de certains artéfacts en chert. La technique analytique de la fluorescence X n’étant pas sans contraintes, l’analyse statistique fut un défi. Ce projet de mémoire a mis en avant la difficulté que représentent les limites de détections propres à l’appareil XRF PANalytical Epsilon 3 ainsi que les problèmes liés à la taille des échantillonnages et à la variabilité intra-source lorsqu’elle est supérieure à celle inter-source. Bien que les résultats ne soient pas aussi concluants que souhaités, il en reste néanmoins que cette recherche est un premier pas pour des études plus poussées sur les cherts de cette région et ainsi comprendre et dépasser les problèmes rencontrés. / The aim of this project is to develop an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis protocol in order to understand the potential of this geochemical analysis method to distinguish between sources of cherts in the North-West of Ireland. These rock samples were collected as part of the Irish Lithic Landscapes project led by Killian Driscoll, Adrian Burke and Heather Short, with the aim of characterizing the sources of raw materials used by prehistoric populations during the Late Mesolithic, Neolithic and early Bronze Ages. These analyses could thus complement the LIR (Lithotheque Ireland) database referencing Irish lithic raw material sources, which could then be used to compare geological and archaeological data, to consider the acquisition strategies of ancient populations and to identify the source of certain chert artifacts. As the analytical technique of X-ray fluorescence is not without its constraints, statistical analysis was a challenge. This dissertation project highlighted the difficulty represented by the detection limits specific to the PANalytical Epsilon 3 XRF instrument, as well as problems linked to sampling size and intra-source variability when it is greater than inter-source variability. Although the results are not as conclusive as desired, the fact remains that this research is a first step towards more in-depth studies of the cherts in this region, in order to understand and overcome the problems encountered.

De son apparition dans les cours raffinées du lointain Orient islamisé à son exploitation industrielle en Occident, les procédés d’élaboration et les usages de la faïence ont évolué. En France, en l’état actuel des connaissances, l’introduction de cette technique remonte à l’époque gothique. Elle se manifeste alors de manière simultanée, dans des zones géographiques spécifiques, ponctuellement utilisée dans la composition de quelques luxueux pavements, où elle coexiste fréquemment avec des carreaux de terre cuite à glaçure transparente de tradition indigène. De tels pavements, parce qu’ils témoignent de la rencontre entre deux traditions techniques et culturelles, apparaissent comme des objets d’étude privilégiés pour appréhender conjointement les questions relatives à l’origine, la production et la consommation que pose la « faïence » à ses débuts en France. À partir de l’approche globale du cas de Suscinio, choisi en raison de son exemplarité, les chemins que cette technique exogène a empruntés et les raisons de son utilisation ont pu être précisés. Les données techniques, iconographiques et analytiques collectées grâce à la démarche méthodologique proposée apportent de nouveaux éléments de réponse. Ainsi, l’importation de produits finis et l’expérimentation locale ont pu être exclues au profit de l’importation de savoirs techniques ou du transfert de connaissances. Le répertoire iconographique et le style de tradition gothique ont montré qu’il y avait eu adaptation de la technique à un nouveau milieu socio-culturel. Son utilisation dans des lieux de l’édifice particuliers et particulièrement importants ne servait pas seulement une démonstration de pouvoir mais lui conférait également le statut de marqueur spatial, hiérarchique et social. / Tin-glazed earthenware manufacturing and use changed from its beginnings in the refined courts of the Islamic Far East up to its manufacturing in the West. In France, the technique was introduced during the Gothic period. It appears simultaneously, in specific geographical areas, at times used in the composition of luxurious floor-tiles where it often coexists with indigenous transparent high-lead glazed tiles. Such floor-tiles bear witness to the meeting between two technical and cultural traditions. That is the reason why they are particularly appropriate when studying together issues relating to the geographical origin, production and consumption of tin-glazed earthenware technique at its beginnings in France. The ways followed by this exogenous technique and the reasons for its use were clarified through the overall approach of the exemplary case of Suscinio. Technical, iconographical and analytical data collected by using a multidisciplinary methodology have provided some answers. Imported products and local experimentation can be excluded in favor of imported skills or transfer of knowledge. The Gothic tradition of the iconography and the style showed that the technique was adapted to a new socio-cultural context. Its use in particular and particularly important places was not only reserved to a manifestation of power but also worked as spatial, hierarchical and social markers.

Técnicas de caracterização microestrutural, incluindo microanálise química EDS (energy dispersive spectrometry), foram usadas para investigar as inclusões não-metálicas de amostras ferrosas da Real Fábrica de Ferro São João de Ipanema (Sorocaba, século XIX), da Ponte D. Pedro II (Bahia, produzida na Escócia, Mossend Iron Works, século XIX) e dos sítios arqueológicos de São Miguel das Missões (Rio Grande do Sul, século XVII) e de Afonso Sardinha (Sorocaba, século XVI). Estes resultados foram analisados por métodos estatísticos com o objetivo de estabelecer a assinatura química de cada uma das quatro procedências testadas. A análise dos gráficos bivariantes dos resultados de microanálise de inclusões \"globais\" (% SiO2 versus %Al2O3; %CaO versus %K2O; %MgO versus %Al2O3 e % SiO2 versus %FeO) não permitiu separar os resultados em agrupamentos significativos com relação à procedência das amostras. Os resultados de microanálise da correlação dos teores de %TiO2 e %V2O5 presentes na fase wüstita da microestrutura das inclusões de escória mostraram, no entanto, um agrupamento significativo para os resultados dos artefatos ferrosos de Bahia e de Missões, mas não permitiram separar os resultados dos artefatos de Ipanema e de Sardinha. Deste modo, foi usada a análise hierárquica de conglomerados dos resultados de microanálise das inclusões \"globais\" e de seus microconstituintes (fase wüstita e \"matriz\") com o objetivo de separar os resultados em quatro grupos coincidentes com as quatro procedências investigadas. Somente a análise hierárquica de conglomerados usando os teores de %MgO, %TiO2, %V2O5, %MnO e %Al2O3 presentes na fase wüstita permitiu separar com sucesso os quatro grupos de resultados. Finalmente, a baixa fração volumétrica de inclusões de escória das amostras de Ipanema (~1% contra uma média de 4% das demais amostras) indica a existência de certo grau de domínio tecnológico dos processos produtivos da Real Fábrica de Ferro São João de Ipanema. / Microstructural characterization techniques, including EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis) microanalyses, were used to investigate the slag inclusions of the microstructure of ferrous artifacts of the Royal Iron Factory of São João de Ipanema (first steel plant of Brazil, XIX century), the D. Pedro II Bridge (located in Bahia, assembled in XIX century and produced in Scotland) and the archaeological sites of São Miguel de Missões (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, production site of iron artifacts, the XVIII century) and Afonso Sardinha (São Paulo, Brazil production site of iron artifacts, XVI century). The microanalyses results were analyzed by a hierarchical cluster analysis and the dendrogram with the microanalyses results of the wustite phase (using as critical variables the contents of MnO, MgO, Al2O3, V2O5 and TiO2) allowed the identification of four clusters, which successfully represented the samples of the four production sites (Ipanema, Sardinha, Missões and Bahia). The comparatively low volumetric fraction of slag inclusions in the samples of Ipanema (~1% whit an average of 4% others samples) indicated the existence of some degree of proficiency in the ironmaking processing of the Royal Iron Factory of São João de Ipanema.

Os primeiros vestígios arqueológicos cerâmicos do sítio arqueológico Santa Luzia foram descobertos durante a realização de curvas de nível na fazenda homônima; os fragmentos foram então enviados ao IEPHA-MG para restauração. Desde 2014, o sítio foi inserido no âmbito do Projeto Quebra-Anzol por Alves e equipe a fim de se estudar a história de longa duração da ocupação indígena no vale do Paranaíba; as datações preliminares colocam o sítio Santa Luzia como o sítio lito-cerâmico mais antigo da região, com cerca de 1830 anos. O presente trabalho descreve tanto o trabalho de campo realizado, com prospecções com coleta de superfície e pesquisa intensiva de campo, bem como as análises morfológicas e arqueométricas realizadas sobre os fragmentos cerâmicos e análises tipológicas dos artefatos líticos encontrados no sítio arqueológico, dentro dos conceitos de cultura material, fato social total, habitus, cadeias operatórias e sistemas tecnológicos, cadeias comportamentais e Arqueologia da Paisagem. Através da análise da cerâmica, bem como da tipologia lítica, buscou-se assim evidenciar as cadeias operatórias presentes na produção material do assentamento descoberto. Foi possível perceber o profundo domínio do meio ambiente, através da escolha do local onde o sítio se encontra, que se constitui em um lugar persistente dentro do contexto estudado no Projeto Quebra-Anzol, estando a meia-vertente e próximo a fontes de água. Também é inegável o domínio tecnológico do povo que ali viveu, seja pela produção de grandes vasilhames cerâmicos, alguns com mais de 400 litros, seja pela manufatura lítica. Os dados aqui discutidos mostram que era um povo agricultor-ceramista e com grande adensamento populacional, relacionado aos Kayapó Meridionais. Por fim, a fim das peças não se tornarem estáticas e mortas atrás de vitrines de Museu, também foi realizada uma proposta de educação patrimonial, considerando os processos de ressignificação no fato museal, bem como a questão da acessibilidade, além de possibilidades de se levar os vestígios à sala de aula. Também se pensou na ocupação do Museu de Arqueologia pelo público através de propostas como oficinas de lascamento e de bordado ou programas radiofônicos. / The first ceramic archaeological sherds of the archaeological site Santa Luzia were discovered when the contour lines were being made in the homonymous farm; the sherds were then sent to IEPHA-MG for restauration. Since 2014, the site has been inserted in the framework of Projeto Quebra-Anzol by Alves and team to study the history of long duration of the indigenous occupation in Paranaíba valley; the preliminary datings place the site of Santa Luzia as the oldest litho-ceramic site in the region, dating back to about 1830 years. The present work describes both the fieldwork carried out with prospecting with surface collection and intensive field research, as well as the morphological and archaeometric analysis carried out on the ceramic fragments and typological analysis of the lithic artifacts found in the archaeological site, within the concepts of material culture, total social fact, habitus, operational chains and technological systems, behavioral chains and Archeology of Landscape. Through the analysis of the ceramic, as well as of the lithic typology, it was sought to show the operational chains present in the material production of the discovered settlement. It was possible to perceive the deep domain of the environment, by choosing the place where the site is located, which is a persistent place within the context studied in the Projeto Quebra-Anzol, being in the half-slope and close to water sources. It is also undeniable the technological domination of the people who lived there, either by the production of large ceramic vessels, some with more than 400 liters, or by the lithic manufacture. The data discussed here shows that it the site was occupied by farming-ceramist people with great population density, related to the Southern Kayapó. Finally, in order to make the pieces not static and dead behind Museum showcases, a proposal of heritage education was also carried out, considering the processes of resignification in the museum fact, as well the necessity of accessibility, besides the possibilities regarding taking the vestiges to the classroom. It was also thought of the occupation of the Museum of Archeology by the public through proposals such as chipped-stone industry production and embroidery workshops or radio programs.