Title: Reconstructing animal mobility – Oxygen and carbon isotope analyses applied to animal remains from the site of Mesa Redonda (Seville, Spain)

Abstract: Mobile animal husbandry is a form of mobility that was used in the past and is still used today to cope with the limited availability of green fodder in the immediate vicinity of settlements. To better understand mobile animal husbandry on the prehistoric Iberian peninsula, carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of different animal species from the site of Mesa Redonda will therefore be carried out in this study. The results will then be compared with modern individuals from two sampling locations in the area.

Isotope analysis of well-preserved archaeological tissues allows conclusions to be drawn about an individual's diet and environment. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O ratios in animal teeth and bones provide information about the openness of the landscape, precipitation and altitude. Serial sampling of teeth can be used to trace temporal fluctuations in the isotopic composition of consumed water and food. These fluctuations can be assigned to specific landscapes by comparing the isotope ratios with isoscapes, maps of known spatial isotopic variation.

This study focuses on the south-west of Spain, which includes the Sierra Morena, the Baetic Mountains and the Guadalquivir Basin. Animal teeth from the site of Mesa Redonda, located between the Guadalquivir basin and the Sierra Morena, are analysed, including the species Bos taurus, Equus, and Capra. Additionally, teeth from Los Alcornocales (Baetic Mountains) and Sierra Norte de Sevilla (Sierra Morena) are being analysed, including Cervus, Capra/Ovis, Sus domesticus, and Sus scrofa. The teeth are serially sampled and the δ¹³Cdiet and δ¹⁸Omw ratios in the enamel are determined.

Except for one Equus, all examined individuals from Mesa Redonda show antiphase oscillations of the δ¹³Cdiet and δ¹⁸Omw ratios along the tooth crown, indicating height mobility. Comparisons with the modern sampling locations of Los Alcornocales and Sierra Norte de Sevilla show no significant differences in δ¹³Cdiet ratios between the sites, while there are significant differences in median δ¹⁸Omw ratios and intra-individual spread of δ¹⁸Omw ratios between the sites, attributable to height mobility. Probability maps identify the foothills of the Sierra Morena and Baetic Mountains or the Guadalquivir basin as probable winter habitats for the Bos taurus from Mesa Redonda, with higher altitudes of the Sierra Morena and the Baetic Mountains as probable summer habitats. Capra exhibits less pronounced height mobility, possibly staying near Mesa Redonda. One Equus lacks antiphase oscillations, suggesting year-round habitation in high-altitude regions, while another shows a mobility pattern similar to Bos taurus. 

The study reveals a high degree of mobility in the animal husbandry strategy of Mesa Redonda, aligning with findings on exchange and human mobility in prehistoric Iberia.

Title: Analyses of pottery – Much more than natural science. Examples from Scandinavia and Iceland

Abstract: The lecture will present some results from thin section and ICP analyses of medieval pottery from various locations in Scandinavia and Iceland. The focus of the lecture will be on the fact that natural scientific analyses are not always clear, and that the results must be interpreted and placed in a cultural-historical context. I believe it is important for those who analyses ceramics to have a certain understanding of the archaeological questions and conditions.

Title: Beyond just mobility: Using strontium isotope analyses in archaeology

Abstract: Strontium isotopes (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) are now widely used in archaeology to investigate the movements of past humans and animals. Recent research has also shown the potential of strontium to unravel past diets using both isotope ratios and concentration ([Sr]). This presentation will focus on the work of the Brussels Bioarchaeology Lab in measuring ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ⁸⁸Sr, and [Sr] in cremated bones, tooth enamel, and environmental samples such as plants and soils. 

Using examples from Neolithic to Medieval Belgium, the measurement of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ⁸⁸Sr, and [Sr] will be used to provide insights into salt consumption, socio-economic dietary differences and changes in land use. For the new strontium isotope ratio (δ⁸⁸Sr), experimental work will also be presented that aims to help us understand how this ratio varies in archaeological material. Lastly, environmental mapping of Europe using modern plant samples is being carried out to provide a baseline for archaeological samples. The approach taken by the BBLab will be discussed and how we can use these to better understand both diet and mobility.

Title: Crafting with bones. Tempering strategies in Neolithic pottery production in northeast Italy (6th–5th millennia cal. BCE)

Title: Biomolecular applications to historical archaeology: Case studies from Bonn to Mongolia

Abstract: Biomolecular applications are increasingly becoming pivotal in historical archaeology, providing nuanced insights into past human activities, environmental conditions, and interactions. This presentation explores case studies ranging from Portugal and Germany to Mongolia, demonstrating how techniques such as stable isotope studies, and proteomics, especially when coupled with rigorous anthropological assessment, can enhance our understanding of historical populations. Biomolecular tools have revealed detailed dietary patterns and possible migration histories in both Portuguese (post)medieval sites, as well as in Roman Bonn, while in Mongolia, they have shed light on the pastoralist economies and mobility across vast landscapes during the Mongol Empire. These versatile and interdisciplinary approaches offer new dimensions in interpreting archaeological data, bridging the gap between material culture and biological evidence to reconstruct more comprehensive narratives of the past.

Title: Investigating ceramic production in the early Iron Age site of Duna Feniglia (Orbetello, GR): an archaeometric approach

Title: Broken memories – Glass composition and technology as a reflection of the craftsman knowledge in the 16th century glass workshop Scharfenstein-Süd, Münster valley, Black Forest

Abstract: The process of producing glass from raw materials started in Europe during the 9th century AD. Due to the high demand for wood as a flux and fuel, glassworks were mainly located in forested areas. There are around 300 known glassworks in the forest regions of Baden-Württemberg, dating from the 12th to the 19th century. Although more than 200 of these sites have been found in the Black Forest, there have so far been no excavations and only a few primary archaeometric studies of the glass fragments from stray finds.

The 16th century site of Scharfenstein-Süd (in the Münstertal, near Freiburg) is notable for the large number of surficial glass finds, associated historical documents and preserved kiln structures, due to its remote location in the forest. As part of my ongoing M.A. thesis, a field survey and LA-ICP-MS analysis were carried out to obtain more information on local production, the development of the site and its possible integration into the regional and supra-regional network of Medieval and Early Modern glass.

Title: Geoscience and archaeometry in the preservation of medieval and renaissance heritage: A scientific journey through Ferrara's historical materials