• Title/Summary/Keyword: Archaeological sites

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New Perspectives on the Xiongnu Iron Works based on Archaeological Study (고고학 자료로 본 흉노의 철기문화 -중국 중원계 철기와의 비교를 중심으로-)

  • Moon, Jea-beom
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.46 no.4
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    • pp.64-77
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    • 2013
  • In China, archaeological research on Xiongnu started later than in foreign countries. In the late $19^{th}$ century, several Russian archaeologists started to study Xiongnu's archaeological culture. However, since the late $20^{th}$ century, archaeological research of the Xiongnu in China quickly gained speed. The Xiongnu culture has been reported in Mongolia, northern steppe of China and eastern part of Eurasian steppe. Mainly, Xiongnu sites, dated from the late 2nd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D., are reported on the west side of Baikal Lake(Zabaikal), Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia of China. Based on the historical records and the archaeological remains, the North Xiongnu culture is defined to be the remains of Zabaikal, and the South Xiongnu culture the archaeological remains of Northern China. The expelled North Xiongnu, while fleeing to the western part of Eurasia, left traces of their own archaeological remains in southern Kazakhstan, Xinjiang of China, Altai, and finally appeared in the Europe as Huns. In order to adapt to the environment of northern steppe of China, Xiongnu used a nomadic economic system, giving uniqueness to its iron works. The most characteristic iron works of the Xiongnu is the highly-sophisticated iron weapons. Compared with the iron works of agricultural economic society, Xiongnu iron-works are short of production tools and various vessels. The "Nomadic type" iron works found in Xiongnu area date back to the Warring Country period or slightly later. Further research need to be conducted on "Nomadic type" Xiongnu iron works.

Scientific Studies on Ancient Silk Fibers Used for Textiles Excavated at Archaeological Sites in Japan, Using Microscopic Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

  • SATO, Masanori
    • Journal of Conservation Science
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    • v.5 no.2 s.6
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    • pp.45-50
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    • 1996
  • Silk fibers excavated at Fujinoki mounted tomb, Shimoikeyana mounted tomb and Kuriyama site were examined using FT-IR microscope and two peaks called amide I and II present in modern silk fibers were compared with those of excavated fibers. It was found that amide ground in a polymer molecule decreased with the progress of degradation and peak intensity of amide group in infrared spectrum decreased correspondingly. The advantages of FT-IR microscopy for the analysis of organic remains in archaeological view point were evaluated and it was concluded that the systematic investigation of spectral change due to the degradation of respective material is essential.

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Confusing a Pollen Grain with a Parasite Egg: an Appraisal of "Paleoparasitological Evidence of Pinworm (Enterobius Vermicularis) Infection in a Female Adolescent Residing in Ancient Tehran"

  • Camacho, Morgana;Reinhard, Karl J.
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.57 no.6
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    • pp.621-625
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    • 2019
  • There is often the risk of confusing pollen grains with helminth eggs from archaeological sites. Thousands to millions of pollen grains can be recovered from archaeological burial sediments that represent past ritual, medication and environment. Some pollen grain types can be similar to parasite eggs. Such a confusion is represented by the diagnosis of enterobiasis in ancient Iran. The authors of this study confused a joint-pine (Ephedra spp.) pollen grain with a pinworm egg. This paper describes the specific Ephedra pollen morphology that can be confused with pinworm eggs.

Study on Distortion Compensation of Underwater Archaeological Images Acquired through a Fisheye Lens and Practical Suggestions for Underwater Photography - A Case of Taean Mado Shipwreck No. 1 and No. 2 -

  • Jung, Young-Hwa;Kim, Gyuho;Yoo, Woo Sik
    • Journal of Conservation Science
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.312-321
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    • 2021
  • Underwater archaeology relies heavily on photography and video image recording during surveillances and excavations like ordinary archaeological studies on land. All underwater images suffer poor image quality and distortions due to poor visibility, low contrast and blur, caused by differences in refractive indices of water and air, properties of selected lenses and shapes of viewports. In the Yellow Sea (between mainland China and the Korean peninsula), the visibility underwater is far less than 1 m, typically in the range of 30 cm to 50 cm, on even a clear day, due to very high turbidity. For photographing 1 m x 1 m grids underwater, a very wide view angle (180°) fisheye lens with an 8 mm focal length is intentionally used despite unwanted severe barrel-shaped image distortion, even with a dome port camera housing. It is very difficult to map wide underwater archaeological excavation sites by combining severely distorted images. Development of practical compensation methods for distorted underwater images acquired through the fisheye lens is strongly desired. In this study, the source of image distortion in underwater photography is investigated. We have identified the source of image distortion as the mismatching, in optical axis and focal points, between dome port housing and fisheye lens. A practical image distortion compensation method, using customized image processing software, was explored and verified using archived underwater excavation images for effectiveness in underwater archaeological applications. To minimize unusable area due to severe distortion after distortion compensation, practical underwater photography guidelines are suggested.

Yangshao Culture and Rice Culture - In Relations to Dissemination of Rice Culture Towards to the North - East of China - (중국 앙소시대 문화와 도작농업 -재배도의 동북방향 전파노선과 관계하여-)

  • Chang, Juzhong;Wang, Xiangkun;Cui, Zong Jun;Heu, Mun Hue
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.376-383
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    • 1996
  • Distribution of archaeological sites where the rice and Itallian millets were excavated was discussed in relation to the rice culture of Yangshao era. According to the distribution of the sites where the rice and Italian millet remains were excavated, the putative border of rice growing area, Italian millet growing area and mixed-cropping area were drawn. Discussions were made about the drifting of the area of mixed-cropping, north and south, depending on the climates of archaeological eras, The climates of the eras were discussed with the various remains of animals and plants excavated from each era's sites. Examining the chronology of mixed-cropping area the extension of rice culture were traced chronologically. And the extension of rice culture towards north-east during the last period of Yangshao era, and the feasibilities of transfer to the Han-river mouth area in Korea, 5,000 aBP(about Before Present), were discussed.

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Urban archaeological investigations using surface 3D Ground Penetrating Radar and Electrical Resistivity Tomography methods (3차원 지표레이다와 전기비저항 탐사를 이용한 도심지 유적 조사)

  • Papadopoulos, Nikos;Sarris, Apostolos;Yi, Myeong-Jong;Kim, Jung-Ho
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.56-68
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    • 2009
  • Ongoing and extensive urbanisation, which is frequently accompanied with careless construction works, may threaten important archaeological structures that are still buried in the urban areas. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) methods are most promising alternatives for resolving buried archaeological structures in urban territories. In this work, three case studies are presented, each of which involves an integrated geophysical survey employing the surface three-dimensional (3D) ERT and GPR techniques, in order to archaeologically characterise the investigated areas. The test field sites are located at the historical centres of two of the most populated cities of the island of Crete, in Greece. The ERT and GPR data were collected along a dense network of parallel profiles. The subsurface resistivity structure was reconstructed by processing the apparent resistivity data with a 3D inversion algorithm. The GPR sections were processed with a systematic way, applying specific filters to the data in order to enhance their information content. Finally, horizontal depth slices representing the 3D variation of the physical properties were created. The GPR and ERT images significantly contributed in reconstructing the complex subsurface properties in these urban areas. Strong GPR reflections and highresistivity anomalies were correlated with possible archaeological structures. Subsequent excavations in specific places at both sites verified the geophysical results. The specific case studies demonstrated the applicability of ERT and GPR techniques during the design and construction stages of urban infrastructure works, indicating areas of archaeological significance and guiding archaeological excavations before construction work.

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Enterobius vermicularis (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) in the Prehistoric Americas

  • Reinhard, Karl J.;Araujo, Adauto;Morrow, Johnica J.
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.54 no.5
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    • pp.591-603
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    • 2016
  • Investigations of Enterobius sp. infection in prehistory have produced a body of data that can be used to evaluate the geographic distribution of infection through time in the Americas. Regional variations in prevalence are evident. In North America, 119 pinworm positive samples were found in 1,112 samples from 28 sites with a prevalence of 10.7%. Almost all of the positive samples came from agricultural sites. From Brazil, 0 pinworm positive samples were found in 325 samples from 7 sites. For the Andes region, 22 pinworm positive samples were found in 411 samples from 26 sites for a prevalence of 5.3%. Detailed analyses of these data defined several trends. First, preagricultural sites less frequently show evidence of infection compared to agricultural populations. This is especially clear in the data from North America, but is also evident in the data from South America. Second, there is an apparent relationship between the commonality of pinworms in coprolites and the manner of constructing villages. These analyses show that ancient parasitism has substantial value in documenting the range of human behaviors that influence parasitic infections.

Archaeological geophysics: 3D imaging of the Muweilah archaeological site, United Arab Emirates

  • Evangelista Ryz;Wedepohl Eric
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.93-98
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    • 2004
  • The sand-covered Muweilah archaeological site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a unique Iron Age site, and has been subject to intensive investigations. However, excavations are time consuming and may require twenty years to complete. Thus geophysical surveys were undertaken with the objective of characterising the site more expeditiously. This paper presents preliminary results of these surveys. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was tested as a primary imaging tool, with an ancillary shallow time domain EM (MetalMapper) system. Dense 3D GPR datasets were migrated to produce horizontal (plan view) depth slices at 10 cm intervals, which is conceptually similar to the archaeologists' excavation methodology. The objective was to map all features associated with anthropogenic activity. This required delineating extensive linear and planar features, which could represent infrastructure. The correlation between these and isolated point reflectors, which could indicate anthropogenic activity, was then assessed. Finally, MetalMapper images were used to discriminate between metallic and non-metallic scatterers. The moderately resistive sand cover allowed GPR depth penetration of up to 5 m with a 500 MHz system. GPR successfully mapped floor levels, walls, and isolated anthropogenic activity, but crumbling walls were difficult to track in some cases. From this study, two possible courtyard areas were recognised. The MetalMapper was less successful because of its limited depth penetration of 50 cm. Despite this, the system was still useful in detecting modem-day ferruginous waste and bronze artefacts. The results (subject to ongoing ground-truthing) indicated that GPR was optimal for sites like Muweilah, which are buried under a few metres of sand. The 3D survey methodology proved essential to achieve line-to-line correlation for tracking walls. In performing the surveys, a significant improvement in data quality ensued when survey areas were flattened and de-vegetated. Although MetalMapper surveys were not as useful, they certainly indicated the value of including other geophysical data to constrain interpretation of complex GPR features.

SOC Project Plans and Cultural Resource Management in the North Korean Region : Suggestions for Systematic Investigation and Management of North Korean Cultural Heritage (북한지역 SOC사업 구상과 문화유산 - 북한 문화유산의 효율적인 조사·관리를 위한 제언 -)

  • Kim, Beom-Cheol
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.52 no.2
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    • pp.4-19
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    • 2019
  • Despite continuous volatility in ideological leanings, South Korean governments, conservative or progressive, have published a series of plans for aiding the economic development of North Korea. The Moon administration's plan is the paragon of such efforts. In addition, recent detente between the North Korean regime and the US government evokes much hope in its success. There is, hidden behind the veil of hope, apprehension about the crisis of management of cultural heritage in the North Korean region. It is believed that development policies may overwhelm efforts at conservation of cultural heritage, in particular that the hurrying of development projects would provoke insufficient and inappropriate investigation of archaeological sites., If these problems arise, responsibility for their resolution would be carried by South Korean archaeologists and governmental institutes. This paper reviews what the South Korean government has suggested for North Korea's economic recovery and examines what capability the South Korean archaeology sector has for investigating North Korean cultural heritage. It then discusses the scale of investigation needed, and what should beused as precedent in planning substantial excavations when development projects are performed in the North Korean region. Constructing a digital map system for cultural heritage of North Korea is suggested as one of the most urgent tasks precedent to substantial excavations. It is of great importance because we do not currently have any substantial information about the locations and current condition of cultural heritage sites and artifacts in the North Korean region. The mapping of Bronze Age sites in North Korea, conducted as a sort of pilot test, revealed that archaeological sites are densely distributed in several regions, especially Hwanghae-do and Pyoyang Directly-Administrated City, and that there is high potential of discovering new sites.