AACAI .’s Post

Another exciting session to be hosted by members of AACAI - Just a reminder that AACAI are convening a session for this year's Australian Archaeological Association (AAA) Conference in Cairns (3-6 December 2024) entitled 'Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc. (AACAI) - Shared Heritage in the Consulting World.' Part of the session abstract is as follows: 'This session presents consulting projects that seek to push the boundaries of Cultural Heritage Management practice, recognising that these boundaries are somewhat different between the states and territories. We explore how these changes have worked in placing a greater emphasis on First Nations’ voices and discuss how this shift in focus might affect a broader change in the public perception of Indigenous cultural heritage where traditional scientific approaches have failed to do so.' Submissions for paper abstracts close this Friday, 21st June. You can submit here: https://lnkd.in/gbiFAHF6

For July we decided to pay homage to the little heroes (?) of the archaeological record with our July theme 𝗢𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗻. For the next four weeks we will be sharing articles from our affiliated journals (JAS, JASREP, AASC, Archaeometry) concerning the archaeological science of understanding little mammals. We open with the recently published on the house mouse: 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘰: 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘪𝘳𝘩𝘢 (5𝘵𝘩 − 1𝘴𝘵 𝘤. 𝘉𝘊) By Á.C. Domínguez-García et al. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (June 2024) 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 The biogeographic and demographic history of the 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗠𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀, has been closely linked to human history since pre-Neolithic times – this species first appeared in the Near East and subsequently dispersed westward with humans into regions with local Mus species. However, if this issue is now well known for the eastern Mediterranean, data are still lacking for the western Mediterranean, and especially for north-western Africa. In the present study, we combine morphological, geometric morphometric and genetic analyses to Mus remains from the Moroccan site of Rirha, dating to the Mauretanian period (5th to 1st century BC). Thanks to this multidisciplinary approach, we were able to confirm the first asserted record of the house mouse in a well-established archaeological context in the Maghreb. The morphometric and genetic results are largely congruent, with a single discrepancy observed for one specimen, which may be linked to possible hybridization between M. m. domesticus and M. spretus species. Further analyses are required on material from other North African sites dating to earlier chrono-cultural periods to better document the oldest appearance and the dispersal of the house mouse in the south-western Mediterranean through time. DOI: https://lnkd.in/eTMATnBA

🕵 Researchers at the University of Vienna, using new archaeological and bioarchaeological technologies, have revealed that a tomb discovered 20 years ago in present-day Austria is much older than initially thought, being almost 500 years older. This discovery could represent the first genetic identification of a mother and daughter in human history. 🕵 The team of researchers, led by anthropologist Sylvia Kirchengast and archaeologist Dominik Hagmann, used osteological studies and ancient DNA analysis to determine the biological sex of buried individuals and propose a family relationship between them. The results of this research were published in the Journal of Archaeological Science Reports. Kirchengast explained that "our research showed that the burial was of two biological women, probably a mother between 40 and 60 years old and her daughter between 20 and 25 years old. The tomb is around 500 years older than initially assumed and clearly dates from Roman times". 🕵 The tomb was first discovered in Wels in 2004 during construction work on the eastern cemetery of Ovilava, an ancient Roman city in present-day Wels, Upper Austria. At that time, it was thought to be an early medieval double burial of a married couple. However, the latest analyses reveal that the tomb dates from the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD. 🕵"What is even more extraordinary is that this is the first burial of Roman antiquity in Austria in which, through genetic analysis, it was possible to clearly identify a biological mother and her daughter, who were also buried at the same time. This makes our results particularly exciting". 🕵 The discovery not only offers a unique insight into Roman burial practices in Austria, but also underlines the potential of combining modern techniques with traditional approaches to archaeological research to broaden our knowledge of the past. 📌🔎 Solve your investigation confidentially 📲 CALL TODAY at 787-276-5619 #FF2 #InvestigationCriminal #ForensicInvestigationPuertoRico

🌱 1st Call for Papers: Roots of Resilience – Archaeological Perspectives on Sustainability 🌍 The Environmental Archaeologists in Ireland (EAI) invite submissions for our upcoming conference, Roots of Resilience: Archaeological Perspectives on Sustainability, taking place at the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Merrion Square, on the 10th of May 2025. In an era of rapid environmental change, this conference seeks to explore how insights from environmental archaeology can help address pressing global challenges such as climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 🌿 Land management practices and human-animal relationships 🌾 Agricultural innovations and ecological invasions 🦷 Evidence from plant remains, pollen, insect populations, dental calculus, and more We welcome 15 minute talks and 5 minute lightning talks that take an interdisciplinary approach, addressing past strategies and contemporary practices in environmental archaeology, particularly in the context of Ireland. I would also like to thank our sponsors IAC Archaeology, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) and Déantán Consulting for their financial support for this conference. Submission Deadline: 📅 3rd of March 2025 Submit here: 🔗 https://rb.gy/lp3j5s

𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 - 𝟓𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫". You are more than welcome to join us at the The Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome. Or you can follow the livestream: https://lnkd.in/dyHNEXdr This three-day conference will explore the impact of the Biferno Valley Survey (BVS) on landscape archaeology and historical interpretation, and trace new paths for future research. The BVS set a new standard in interdisciplinary collaboration and in presenting its results across a wide geographic and temporal range. Since then, two new waves of survey projects have pursued new research questions. The more recent projects have engaged with the BVS in different ways: using it as a conceptual or historical baseline, or as a source of legacy data to build upon. Researchers from Molise-based projects, as well as those from comparable regional landscape projects along the Apennine spine, will reflect on the BVS and the current and future challenges. For the full program ⤵ https://lnkd.in/dS6V6fze

Join the TETRARCHs seminar!

💡NEW RESEARCH💡 A scoping review of Indigenous Cultural Mapping (ICM) of coastal, island, and marine environments 💻 https://lnkd.in/gVUtX8uE Elsevier 📘 Environmental Science & Policy - Vol 164 #openaccess AUTHORS 🔹 Redbird Ferguson, James Cook University, Australian Institute of Marine Science 🔹 Karen Joyce, James Cook University, Australian Institute of Marine Science 🔹 Christian Reepmeyer, James Cook University, University Commission for Archaeology of Non-European Cultures (KAAK), German Archaeological Institute (DAI) 🔹 Rachel Groom, Northern Institute Charles Darwin University 🔹 Kellie Pollard, Northern Institute Charles Darwin University HIGHLIGHTS ➡️Review articles were distributed around the globe, but most frequently situated in the United States, Australia, and Canada. ➡️The published research incorporating Indigenous knowledges has increased over the past two decades. ➡️Methods are poorly described, or defined, using a wide range of terms, with the majority described as participatory. ➡️Variations in levels of participation are perpetuating practices of tokenism and excluding Indigenous communities. ➡️Standards of practice and policies are needed to improve the interface between knowledge systems. #indigenous #seacountry #participatorymethod #culturalseascapes #CDUResearch Charles Darwin University Steve Rogers Ruth Wallace Steven Greenland Adelle Sefton-Rowston Raphaella Saroukos

The process from collecting samples at an archaeological site to analyzing them using advanced instruments is intricate. In this video, we describe the activities conducted in the micromorphology laboratory of the Department of Geosciences at the Università degli Studi di Padova. This laboratory was established using funds from the ERC Consolidator project "Geodap," led by Professor Cristiano Nicosia. #Micromorphology is a crucial discipline in #geoarchaeology, using geological methods to interpret archaeological contexts. Samples of sediment and soil from archaeological sites and natural sequences are transformed into thin sections, which are then examined under a microscope. These thin sections also serve as a record of the layers within an archaeological site or any sedimentary sequence that may not be visible to the naked eye. The next step involves analyzing the components—such as minerals, organic matter, and artefacts related to human activities—using a petrographic microscope, which utilizes transmitted light to reveal detailed information about the stratification. Micromorphology and thin sections allow us to extract maximum information from an archaeological site, minimizing the loss of pieces that constitute our ancestors' lives. Video by Barbara Paknazar

THIS OLD HOUSE... The archaeological discovery at Svinjarička Čuka, Serbia, has unveiled an 8,000-year-old house that significantly enhances our understanding of early European agricultural societies. This find is linked to the Starčevo culture, one of the earliest Neolithic cultures in the Balkans known for pioneering agriculture in the region. Key Aspects of the Discovery Construction and Preservation: The house was constructed using traditional Neolithic techniques, including wattle and daub combined with wooden posts. Its remarkable state of preservation is due to a fire that caused partial collapse and charring, effectively sealing the floors and preserving various artifacts. Archaeological Significance: This discovery challenges previous assumptions about early Neolithic settlers in the Balkans being primarily nomadic or seasonally settled. Instead, it suggests these communities built stable, permanent houses with facilities for food storage, indicating a shift towards a more sedentary and agrarian lifestyle. Cultural Context: The dwelling is associated with the Starčevo culture, which dates from approximately 6200 to 4500 BCE. This culture was instrumental in spreading agricultural practices from Anatolia into Europe, marking a significant transition in human history from hunting-gathering to farming and permanent settlements. Research and Excavation: Ongoing excavations since 2018 have utilized advanced microarchaeological methods to analyze sediments and remains. These efforts have documented several phases of settlement from the early to middle Neolithic period, providing new insights into resource management and daily life during this era. This discovery not only enriches our understanding of early agricultural societies in Europe but also highlights the sophisticated nature of Neolithic settlements in the Balkans. It challenges long-held views about their lifestyle and societal organization, offering a more nuanced picture of their development and contributions to European prehistory.

New in IA67: Davidson, K., Graham, S. and Huffer, D. 2024 A Protocol for When Social Media Goes Private: Studying archaeological or heritage discourses in closed Facebook groups, Internet Archaeology 67. https://lnkd.in/easAgnGJ Part of a major project to explore the discourses that surround the buying and selling of human remains over social media, this article discusses the research ethics framework established in Canada by the 'Tri-Council' research agencies as it pertains to studying social media, which may be useful for other researchers studying how archaeology and cultural heritage are framed or discussed in these venues and who seek guidance on ethical approaches to study such discourses.