Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pas t Ho r i zo n s
Online journal
of volunteer
archaeology
and training
Editors:
Felicity Donohoe
Maggie Struckmeier
Layout:
Maggie Struckmeier
Graphics
David Connolly
Past Horizons
Traprain House
Luggate Burn
Haddington
East Lothian
EH41 4QA
Contributors:
David Robinson 16 Painted Landscapes
Nick Bury
Nick Brooks The surreal pictographs of the Californian Chumas h h a v e b e e n
Joanne Clarke
recognised as among the most elaborate and exquisi t e e x a m p l e s
Kevin Goodman
Tim Preston of rock-art found anywhere in the United States. A t e a m o f
Annie Evans archaeologists led by David Robinson is carrying o u t a d e t a i l e d
Sergei Vavilov (images) examination of the art using the latest technologies.
Odd-Arild Bugge (images)
Chris Zielecki (images)
Front cover: Los Padres
pictog r a p h with bedrock
morta r s .
© Rick Bury 2010
Note
Past Horizons can give no endorsement
of any listed project or guarantee the
accuracy of the information supplied.
The editors accept no responsibility
for any loss, injury, or inconvenience
sustained by anyone using the resources
contained within this magazine and/or
the websites mentioned herein. When
considering a project, be sure to contact
the director with any questions you might
have about conditions, travel, health
issues, etc. Check for references from
previous participants, seek advice where
possible and select a project that will be
of the greatest benefit to you, the project
and the team.
24 A Refuge in the Desert?
All content is copyright and no
reproduction of text or images is
allowed without prior permission
Nick Brooks and Joanne Clarke have been exa m i n i n g h o w
from the author. prehistor ic populations responded and adapted to sev e r e c l i m a t i c
and environmental changes, specifically the desertifi c a t i o n o f t h e
Past Horizons 2010
Saharan region between about 6000 and 4500 years a g o .
past horizons 2
Contents
44 Medicine Man 36 Lords of the Sea
Re-enactor Kevin Goodman describes The Lofotr Museum is a replica of the largest chieftain’s long-house
the fascinating world of medical history ever found in Scandinavia. The excavation of the long-house revealed
and how research helps him bring much about life in late Iron-Age Northern Norway and showed that the
authenticity to his performance. inhabitants had travelled widely in order to trade.
8 Chum Balam-Nal
The Maya Research Program has been carrying out research at Blue Creek in Belize for many years now. Their main
focus of study centres on why an advanced society such as the Maya collapsed so dramatically. Their plans for the
2010 field season include the excavation of an elite area known as Chum Balam-Nal.
R e g u l a rs
5 Editorial 52 Focus On
The long-term approach. Archaeotek digs in Romania for 2010.
6 News 53 Viewpoint
News stories from around the world. David Connolly discusses illustration and
photography in archaeology.
48 Dig In
Volunteer digs and field schools for 2010. 54 Back Pages
Pseudo archaeology.
50 Dig Cook
Culinary escapades from Annie Evans.
3 past horizons
www.aerial-cam.co.uk
adam@aerial-cam.co.uk
past horizons 4
Th e Lo n g-Term A pproach ...
editorial
Welcome to the l a t e s t i s s u e o f P a s t H o r i z o n s w i t h i t s e x c i t i n g
selection of ar c h a e o l o g i c a l p r o j e c t s f r o m a r o u n d t h e g l o b e .
Immerse yours e l f i n t h e t r o p i c a l w o r l d o f t h e M a y a i n B e l i z e ,
Chumash rock- a r t i n t h e d r y c a v e - s t r e w n l a n d s c a p e o f s o u t h -
central Californ i a , a n d p r e - h i s t o r i c n o m a d i c c a t t l e h e r d e r s i n
the baked heat o f t h e We s t e r n D e s e r t .
Maggie Struckmeier
editor@pasthorizons.com
5 past horizons
A Th a m e s Fo re s h o re M ys ter y
news A s kull, discovered last year in the immediate context of the bu r i a l a n d t h e
m u d of the River Thames foreshore at articulation of the skeleto n m a d e t h i s
t h e Isles of Dogs in London, has been the most likely scenario.
p r o ving something of a mystery.
It proved to be an extremely c h a l l e n g i n g
N i c k Stevens, who came across it excavation. The burial lay v e r y c l o s e
w h i le out walking along the foreshore, to the low tide level and th e t e a m o n l y
i n f o rmed the police immediately who had around an hour to u n c o v e r, l i f t
r e m oved it for further examination. and record the bones. This p r o c e s s w a s
H o wever, deciding it was not a forensic made difficult by the resu l t a n t w a v e s
c a s e, the skull was passed into the care from each passing vessel tha t t h r e a t e n e d
o f t he osteoarchaeology section at the to wash away any expose d m a t e r i a l .
M u seum of London for assessment. Consequently, once the b o n e s w e r e
exposed they were photog r a p h e d a n d
C u r ious as to the skull’s origins, Nick immediately lifted so as not t o l o s e t h e m
r e t u rned to the foreshore in early to the water. Film-maker A n i e s H a s s a n
J a n uary this year with Nathalie Cohen, a was also on hand to record t h e d a y t h e
t e a m leader from the Thames Discovery skeleton was lifted from its g r a v e .
P r o gramme. They re-examined the
a r e a and found parts of the upper torso The skull returned a date o f c a l A D
a n d arm just before the tide came in. 1735–1805 (52.8% probab i l i t y ) . W h y
R e t urning the following day with a this young person was laid t o r e s t h e r e
f u l l team, the rest of the skeleton was in the cold grey mud of the I s l e o f D o g s
e x c avated. will remain a mystery. H o w e v e r, t h e
burial took place in an ar e a t h a t w a s
T h e team members managed to recover largely undeveloped at this t i m e . O l d
a l a rgely complete skeleton of a fairly maps show that the main f e a t u r e s o f
y o u ng individual, probably around 12- interest were a line of mill s s t r e t c h i n g
y e a rs-old, who they are certain had along the western side, Hors e f e r r y H o u s e
b e e n buried at this spot. Although it at the southern tip of the p e n i n s u l a a n d
w a s difficult to see a distinct grave a gallows in between – a gr i m r e m i n d e r
c u t , the body had been placed in a of the harshness of eightee n t h c e n t u r y
h o l e. Changes were noticeable in the London life.
Find out more about the Thames Discover y Programme: http://w w w.thamesdiscover y.org
past horizons 6
red
BATTIFERRO
Find it Her e
7 past horizons
Chu m
Bala m - N a l
E xcavations at Blue Creek , B elize
past horizons 8
B y D r. Th o m as Guderjan and Tim Preston
T
h e M ay a R e s e a r c h P r o g r am (MRP) at Blue Creek was formed 18 years
a g o t o c a r r y o u t r e s e a r c h, survey and excavation to attempt to uncover
m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t the Maya; their origins, their rise to power
an d i n p a r t i c u l a r, t h e i r e v e n t u al decline.
9 past horizons
B l u e C r e e k i s l ocated in northwestern Belize, of the Mayan civilisation and i t s e v e n t u a l
c l o s e t o t h e b order with Mexico. It was a collapse.
p o l i ty w i t h a c ity centre incorporating major
m o n u m e n t a l architecture, outlying elite Over the past 18 years much o f t h e p u b l i c
r e s i d e n t i a l z o n es and extensive agricultural architecture at the core or central a r e a h a s b e e n
areas. excavated along with some of t h e e l i t e a n d
non elite residences. The core is m a d e u p o f
O c c u p i e d f o r a relatively long period of time, two large plazas with a number o f a s s o c i a t e d
f r o m t h e M i d d le Preclassic (900-300BC) to buildings along with a ballcourt w h i c h s i t s o n
c i r c a 11 0 0 A D , Blue Creek has been – and top of a large platform.
c o n t i n u e s t o b e – an ideal subject for the study
It was clearly a wealthy city evide n c e d i n s o m e
part by the large quantity of Lat e P r e c l a s s i c
and Early Classic jade found aro u n d t h e s i t e .
It may have supported an estim a t e d 1 5 - 2 0
thousand inhabitants at its heig h t a n d r u l e d
over an area of 100-150 square k i l o m e t r e s .
MAYA TIMELINE
1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 10
1750: 1339: Tutankamun 753: 323:
Minoan Crete and Egyptian New Rome founded Alexander the Great
flourishes Kingdom in Italy conquers Persia
past horizons 10
Chichen Itza
Mayapan
Coba
Belize
Gulf of
Mexico YUCATAN
MEXICO Kalakmul
La Milpa
Blue Creek
Palenque
Lamanai
Carribean Sea
Tikal
BELIZE
GUATEMALA
Copan
HONDURAS
EL SALVADOR
NICARAGUA
Pacific Ocean
S ome a r te fa c t s f o u n d a t B l u e C re e k
BC AD
00 00 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
Birth of Christ 410: 630: 901: 1066: 1348: 1492:
Romans Mohammed Vikings Norman conquest Black Death in Columbus
leave takes Mecca discover of England Europe lands on
Britain Greenland Guanahani
11 past horizons
v o l u n t e e r s f r o m around the world, undertook As part of this project Chum Bala m - N a l w h i c h
s e v e n e x c a v a t i ons in three separate locations lies one kilometre directly south o f t h e c o r e ,
a s w e l l a s c onducting several intensive was surveyed. An earlier survey fr o m 1 9 9 8 h a d
s u r v e y a n d m a p ping operations including two suggested the presence of a larg e h i g h e l i t e
i n t e r e s t i n g s i t e s, Nojol Nah and Grey Fox. courtyard but this had never been e x a m i n e d i n
any great detail.
A l t h o u g h w i t hin the Blue Creek survey
a r e a , N o j o l N ah appears to be a centre of The new survey successfully r e l o c a t e d t h e
m o n u m e n t a l a r chitecture. At the moment its courtyard and clearly shows that t h e a s s o c i a t e d
r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Blue Creek is unclear but it structures, their placement and d i s t r i b u t i o n
m a y b e a s u b urban centre connected to an on the landscape differ significan t l y f r o m t h e
a l l i e d p o l i t y o r even an entirely separate city- ones lying to the north of the core . A s a r e s u l t
s t a t e . E x c a v a t i ons will continue the research of this discovery more resource s h a v e b e e n
i n 2 0 1 0 . G r e y Fox seems to share the same devoted to carrying out excavati o n s a t C h u m
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s as Nojol Nah and is slightly Balam-Nal in the coming years.
s m a l l e r i n s c a l e than Blue Creek but remains
t o b e i n v e s t i g a ted properly. A residential zone, Chum B a l a m - N a l i s
located along the Rio Bravo esca r p m e n t . T h e
N e w a p p r o a c h e s and techniques continue to northernmost border is defined b y a d e e p
c h a l l e n g e p r e v ious theories and have led to ravine cut by seasonal water flow. T h e e a s t e r n
n e w a n d e x c i t i ng discoveries at Blue Creek. border is formed by the escarpme n t i t s e l f . T h e
T h e M R P t e a m acknowledging this new western and southern extents of t h e z o n e h a v e
p o t e n t i a l d e c i d ed to implement a large-scale yet to be defined.
r e - e x a m i n a t i o n of the areas near the core.
Room 2
CBN-13
Room 1
The interior of the CBN-
13 courtyard group platform
measures 12.5 metres north/
stairway south by 16.5 metres east/west.
down
Three of the courtyard structures
CBN 13, 14 and 15 are arranged
CBN-14 phase I wall
CBN-16 in a U-shape that opens to the
east and the escarpment edge.
stairway These structures are oriented
phase II wall
3˚ west of magnetic north. The
down
T h e d i ff e r e n t o r i e n t a t i o n s o f t h e
excavated architecture
proposed architecture structural groups indicate that
excavation limits t h e c o u r t y a r d w as c o n s t r u c t e d
in at least two major phases.
past horizons 12
S t ruc tures 13 ( r i g h t ) a n d 1 4 ( l e f t ) a s s e e n f ro m t h e co u r t yard flo or
Rio H
ondo
La Milpa
t
Gran Cacao
en
l
zu
Rio Azul
m
oA
rp
nt
ca
Ri
me
Dos Hombres
Es
arp
ha
Kinal
t
sc
men
c
Lu
oE
La
carp
av
Br
r Es
rav
er
Guatamala
Rio
iv
Rive
oB
Booth’s R
Ri
th’s
Boo
13 past horizons
Struc t u re s 1 6 a n d 1 7 f o r m a n L- s h a p e to t h e e a s t side of the
cour t ya rd
T h e s i t e a c t u a l ly contains at least two large
c o u r t y a r d g r o u ps, a patio group and a large
a r t i f i c i a l l i n e a r structure measuring over 60
m e t r e s i n l e n g t h. In addition there are many
s m a l l s t r u c t u r es both associated with the
Excavating Burial 2 in Struc ture 13
l a rg e r g r o u p s a nd singularly. Other features
i n c l u d e o v e r 1 5 chultuns (underground storage of the humic overburden and coll a p s e m a t e r i a l
c h a m b e r s ) , c h e ck dams, at least one r eservoir, of one of the courtyard group s CBN-13.
a m o d i f i e d r o c k shelter, and artificial terraces. This courtyard consists of fiv e s t r u c t u r e s
M a p p i n g i n t h e 2010 field season will better arranged in a closed square. A m i n i m u m o f
d e f i n e t h e o v e rall area and locate all of the four additional structures lie outs i d e b u t c l o s e
structures. enough to be considered part of t h e o v e r a l l
group (see pages 12 and 13 for d e s c r i p t i o n ) .
I n 2 0 0 9 , t e a m members Tim Preston and Greg
M a s t r o p i e t r o c onducted a stripping o peration The limited excavations so fa r m a k e s f o r
limited analysis but the scale of c o n s t r u c t i o n
shows that it is one of the most eli t e r e s i d e n t i a l
groups at Blue Creek. It was no t b u i l t a l l a t
once, though, nor does it appear t o f o l l o w a n
overall plan.
past horizons 14
close families but possibly some s o r t o f n o n -
royal elite. Future studies will e n d e a v o u r t o
understand their role.
D r. Thomas Guderja n is a facult y memb er a t the Universit y of Texas a t Tyler, president of MRP a nd dire c tor
of the Blue Cre ek proje c t. His b o ok , The Nature of an Ancient M aya Cit y : Resources, I nterac tion and
Power at Blue Creek , B elize, summa rises much of the work accomplishe d to da te.
Tim Preston joine d MRP in 2001 as a volunte er a nd has worke d on proje c ts in B elize, Mexico a nd Peru,
b oth as volunte er a nd sta ff memb er. In 2007 he obta ine d a Masters degre e from S a n Fra nc isco Sta te
Universit y base d on excava tions he p er forme d in the Rosita communit y, a n outl ying settlement linke d to
the Blue Cre ek site core. In 2010 Tim will continue his excava tions of Chum Bala m-Nal.
G et I nvolve d
MRP hos t s m u l t i p l e t wo -we e k s e s s i o n s fo r s t u d e nt s a n d vo l u nte e r s
at Blue Cre e k . Eve r yo n e i s a f u l l p a r t i c i p a nt, b e i n g i nvo l ve d w i t h
field exc avat i o n s a n d l a b o rato r y wo r k .
Dates fo r 2 0 1 0 :
S ession 1 : 2 4 M ay - 6 J u n e
S ession 2 : 7 - 2 0 J u n e
S ession 3 : 2 9 J u n e - 1 1 J u l y
S ession 4 : 1 2 - 2 5 J u l y
Cost: A re q u i re d d o n at i o n o f $ 1 7 5 0 p e r s i n g l e s e s s i o n ( $ 1 5 0 0
for stud e nt s ) . E a c h s u b s e q u e nt s e s s i o n i s a n a d d i t i o n a l $ 1 2 0 0 .
I ncludes fo o d a n d a cco m m o d at i o n .
Fo r more details:
We b: http://w w w.mayaresearchprogra m . o rg
E m ail: mr pinquir ies@gmail.com
15 past horizons
© Rick Bury 2010
past horizons 16
Pa inted
L a n dscapes
A rchaeology and the Rock-Ar t
o f South-Central California
Pleito Cave
B y D av i d R o b i nson
Wit h i n t he h id de n in la nd a nd i nt e rior regi ons of Sout h-Central
Califo rn i a, m illi on s o f y ea rs of wind scouri ng and wa t er erosion
have s cu lp te d d isti nc tiv e yel low-a nd-ta n sa ndst one outc rops into
biza rre a nd be gu il ing fo r ms wort hy of a Da li esque ti me scape. The
endl es s fo r ces o f we ath er a nd c l ima t e ha ve cre a te d a menagerie
of ro c ky p i n na cles , h on ey combe d sandst one ca vit i es, a nd sinuous
rock sh el te rs . In d es er t scrub and pa tc hy oak w oodl ands, misshapen
cave m o u ths ap pe ar t o grin a wkwa rdl y in shi ft ing shadow and
ligh t a s the s u n w he els ov e rhe a d, se ason a fte r se a son.
Left: L o s P a d re s p i c t o g r a p h w i t h b e d ro c k m o r t a r s
17 past horizons
California
Si
e
rra
Nevada
Ce
Ne
nt
v
ad
ra
lV
a
San Francisco
M
al
ou
le
y
nt
ai
ns
Arizona
Santa Barbara
Los Angeles
0 300 km
past horizons 18
Ro ck formation, Rattlesnake Shelter, Sierra Madre
( w h er e rock- ar t sites have bee n the fo cus of I f we know little abou t the mak i n g o f th e a r t
e x c a vat ion), sca nt a ttenti on h as b een pa id its elf , w e know ev en les s about the a r c h a e o l o g y
t o i nves tigat ing thes e pai nting s in ter ms of lyi ng q uietly below. This mate r i a l m a y w e l l
t h e archaeologi cal featu res and ma teria ls ho ld vi tal c lues to under s tandi n g b o t h th e
s u rr ounding them . Be caus e of this, we hav e co mmunity and the ar t f ound in t h e i r m id s t .
l it tl e comprehen sion of the c ontext with in Qu ite s imply, while the pages o f r e c e n t
w h i c h these often vibra nt a nd co lourf ul wr itten accounts have been tur ne d w it h k e e n
p a in t ings were m ade, eith er th roughou t over s cholar ly attenti on, few have p l u m e d t h e
1 0 ,0 0 0 year s of ind igeno us p rehis to ry n or de pths of thos e depos its to und e rs t a n d th e
e v e n wi thi n his to rica l time s. de eper huma n his tor y of th e s pac e s w h e r e t h e
ar t once made has s ince endur ed. U n ti l v e r y
P a in t ed on roc k su rface s ab ove the s oils r ecently, tha t is.
a n d s ediments t hat regul arly cont ain qui te
s u rp risi ngly rich arch aeol ogica l rem ains , the Thr ee summers ago, a sma ll te a m o f
a r t hovers as i f in a time less ‘ethn og raphi c’ ar chaeo logis ts f r om as far af ield a s E n g l a n d
p r e s e nt, s epar at ed from the mate rial le ft an d f ro m ne arby in Calif ornia e x c a v a te d a
b e h in d by t he very peop le w ho l i ved and lit tle r ock-a rt s ite c alled Pin w h e e l Ca v e ,
w o r ked ar ound the a rt, an d fr om t hos e who loc ated on a magical place cal le d t h e Wi n d
m u s t have made it. Wo lves Pr es erve f ound in the v e r y h e a rt o f
19 past horizons
S o u t h - C e n t r a l California. This pilot project orange groves and bobbing oil d e r r i c k s n o w
a l s o i n c l u d e d s tudents from both Europe and stand. Old wave cut terraces still c a n b e f o u n d
A m e r i c a , a n d w as exciting in bringing together demarcating the shores of now - d e s i c c a t e d
p e o pl e f r o m s uch diverse backgrounds and lakes due to more than a centur y o f m o d e r n
w a y s o f d o i n g archaeology. agricultural drainage. All aroun d t h e s e n o w
dry lake edges once existed larg e v i l l a g e s o f
the people known as the Yokuts i n o n e o f t h e
most densely-occupied indigenou s r e g i o n s i n
California; the Interior Chumas h l i v e d j u s t
to the south in the San Emigd i o f o o t h i l l s
rising above and overlooking the l a k e s . T h i s
Finds f ro m Pi nw h e e l Ca ve
region, as one of the most heav i l y - i m p a c t e d
ecosystems in the world, is whe r e t h e Wi n d
A t P i n w h e e l C ave, few artefacts were evident Wolves Preserve was created in t h e 1 9 9 0 s i n
o n t h e s u r f a c e beneath the art, and it appeared efforts to preserve and restore nat u r a l h a b i t a t s
t o b e a c l a s s i c example of a hidden shamanic in the onslaught of development a n d m o d e r n
s i t e . H o w e v e r, it was surprising what the population growth.
s t u d e n t s f o u n d during excavation and in the
s c r e e n s w h i l e sieving; beautifully crafted © R ick Bur y 2010
a r r o w h e a d s a n d the small flakes from their
r e t o u c h i n g , b u rnt animal bone and charcoal
f r o m c o o k i n g a nd eating, and even tiny shell
a n d c o l o u r f u l glass beads showing a range
o f m a t e r i a l c u l ture from Late Prehis tory and
d u r i n g c o l o n i a l times. Indeed, nearby bedrock
m o r t a r s s h o w e d that acorns, the staple food
o f t h e C a l i f o r nian Indian, were processed
i n s o m e q u a n t ity from the oak woodlands
s u r r o u n d i n g . The archaeology of Pinwheel
C a v e s h o w e d it was anything but a private
s i t e . I t b e c a m e clear that it was as important
a p l a c e i n t h e local environment as it was a
p l a c e f o r p a i n t ing. Perhaps the two — rock-
a r t a n d e n v i r o n ment—were related?
past horizons 20
m o u nt ai ns and m eado ws, cany ons and ope n and how indigenou s peo ple made t h e l a n d s c a p e
la n d s. They are ded icate d to educ ating the their own; a pro cess calle d ‘en c u l tu ra t io n ’.
p u b lic about the env ironm ent and th e r eal Th is pr oject allows st udents the o p p o r t u n it y
b e n e f its of pro tecti ng t hrea tened anima l to be a ctive par ticipa nts i n res e a r c h i n g t h e
a n d plant comm uniti es to preserve wildlif e pas t env iron ment of this un ique l a n d s c a p e i n
d iv e rs ity. E qua lly, t hey a re c oncerne d tha t the hear t of Calif ornia .
w e le arn about t he p ast h uman commu nities
w h o l ived for su ch a long time within thos e Ro ck-ar t is one wa y th at t h e Ch u m a s h
h a b i tats in cl ose, sym bioti c rela tion ships . As encultur ated their sur r oundings , p a rt i c u la r l y,
a r e sult, a partn ershi p has eme rged betwee n of coar s e, rock s urf aces . H o w e v e r, o u r
o u r concern of the arch aeol ogica l env iro nment res ear ch has sho wn that n ot ju st a n y r o c k
o f the past and th e pre serv e’s c oncer n f or th e sur f ace was chos en; the roc k inv a r i a b ly u s e d
o n g oi ng living en viron ment . At t he cor e of this was tha t nea r to relia ble water su p p li e s, a t
p a r t ners hip is a m utua l and dee p commitment ric h r ipar ian zones , o r within o a k w o o d la n d
to e ducation. wher e abund ant acor ns can be g a t h e r e d . To
rea ch th ese place s re quire s a t r e k in t o th e
rug ged ter ra in. Along the way, w e o f te n s e e
amazing wildlif e s uch as deer, e lk , c o y o t e s,
fox es, b obcats , as well as all k i n d s o f b ir d s
includin g r edtail hawk s, fa lcons , a n d g o l d e n
eagles —even the elus ive co ndor v is i te d u s o n
one occ asion .
S t i l l , t h i s d o e s not mean that the art was of the shelters themselves were s o m e t i m e s
s i m p l y a b o u t t h e stomach or in the realm of the considered quite special.
m u n d a n e . L a s t season, in one of the shelters
c o n t a i n i n g r o c k-art, our field school found a For this reason, we have employed a v a r i e t y o f
c a r e fu l l y p l a c e d stone with iridescent facets digital techniques to record them i n t h e h i g h e s t
e m b e d d e d t h r o ughout its natural matrix. It detail possible, including laser s c a n n i n g a n d
w a s n o t m o d i f i ed, but rather a natural object digital photogrammetry. In comb i n a t i o n w i t h
f o u n d l o c a l l y b ut probably considered special our digital mapping, we are ab l e t o c r e a t e
b e c a u s e o f i t s r eflective qualities. computer models of the rock-a r t s i t e , t h e
landscape, and the environment. S t u d e n t s a r e
T h e s e k i n d s o f findings are showing that even trained in all these aspects and c o n t r i b u t e t o
t h o u g h r o c k - a r t sites were places where people the final rendering that allows us t o m o r e f u l l y
u n d e r t o o k d a y -to-day activities, the space reconstruct the archaeological pa s t .
D avid Robinson is a lec turer in archaeolo gy at Universit y of Central Lancashire. He graduated from Universit y of
California S anta Barbara where he first b ecame interested in Chumash ro ck- ar t while work ing on the Kamupau
Projec t (http://w w w.anth.uc sb.edu/projec ts/kamupau). He completed a PhD from the Universit y of Cambridge
(UK ) studying the ro ck- ar t of the Wind Wolves Preser ve in 2006 and has researched ro ck- ar t, gra ffiti, and landscap e
in England, Spain, India and California. He works on b oth prehistoric and historical archaeolo gy, including the
Stonehenge R iverside Projec t, the Tyntesfield World War II Projec t, and, of course, the Enculturating Environments
Projec t.
past horizons 22
G et I nvolved
This is a student- only field school.
The course has three goals:
23 past horizons
A R efuge in the
C limate C h ang e an d Hu m an Ad apt ati on in
Prehistor i c We ster n S a h ar a
I
f y o u h a v e n’t heard of Western Sahara zone and a much smaller area c o n t r o l l e d b y
y o u ’ r e n o t alone. Situated between the Polisario.
M o r o c c o , Algeria and Mauritania, and
r i v e n b y d e c a d es of conflict, Western Sahara The Polisario-controlled areas ar e l a c k i n g i n
i s n o t e x a c t l y on the beaten track. resources and infrastructure, an d o v e r h a l f
of the indigenous Sahrawi popu l a t i o n l i v e s
O f t e n d e s c r i b e d as Africa’s last colony, and in refugee camps near the town o f Ti n d o u f i n
c l a s s i f i e d b y t he United Nations as one of neighbouring Algeria.
t h e w o r l d ’s f e w remaining non-self governing
t e r r i t o r i e s , We s tern Sahara has been the subject These camps are also home to t h e P o l i s a r i o
o f a b i t t e r d i s p ute between Morocco and the government-in-waiting of the s e l f - d e c l a r e d
i n d i g e n o u s P o l isario independence movement Sahrawi Arab Democratic Repub l i c ( S A D R ) ,
s i n c e t h e w i t h drawal of the Spanish colonial a putative state that has been rec o g n i s e d b y a
a u t h o r i t i e s i n 1 975. number of countries, and which i s a m e m b e r
of the African Union.
W h i le t h e c o n flict has been political rather
t h a n m i l i t a r y i n nature since the UN brokered Unsurprisingly, little is known a b o u t t h e
a c e a s e f i r e a n d promised a referendum on self archaeology of Western Sahar a , a n d v e r y
d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n 1991, the referendum never little research has been condu c t e d i n t h e
m a t er i a l i s e d , a nd Western Sahara is currently territory. However, this situation i s c h a n g i n g
p a r t i t i o n e d b e t ween a Moroccan controlled as the territory begins to open u p t o f o r e i g n
past horizons 24
Canary Islands
Tarfaya Morocco Tindouf
Laayoune
Northern Sector
Boujdour Tifariti
D eser t?
ra
ha
rm
Be
Sa
of
rn
e
Lin
te
es
Southern Mauritania
W
Sector Mauritania
Lajuad
Muyalhet Awaadi
Zoug
Western
Sahara
0 250km
researchers. The Polisario has been particularly In 2002 a team led by the Unive r s i t y o f E a s t
a c t i v e i n e n c o u raging archaeological research Anglia (UEA) carried out an ar c h a e o l o g i c a l
i n t h e a r e a s t h ey control, and the SADR has and palaeo-environmental rec o n n a i s s a n c e
r e c e n t l y p a s s e d a law relating to the t reatment survey in the northern sector of th e P o l i s a r i o -
a n d p r e s e r v a tion of Western Sahara’s controlled areas. The result of t h i s i n i t i a l
a r c h a e o l o g i c a l heritage. survey was the establishment of t h e We s t e r n
Sahara Project, based at UEA. Si n c e 2 0 0 2 t h e
F o r t h e P o l i s ario, archaeology provides a Western Sahara Project has run f i v e s e a s o n s
m e a n s o f e n g a g ing with the wider international of extensive survey and reconnais s a n c e w o r k ,
c o m m u n i t y a n d raising awareness of the and three seasons of excavations a n d i n t e n s i v e
e x i s t e n c e o f We stern Sahara and, by extension, survey.
t h e p r e d i c a m e nt of its people.
While these field seasons have e x p a n d e d o u r
F o r s o m e y e a r s Spanish archaeologists have understanding of the archaeolog y o f We s t e r n
b e e n w o r k i n g i n the Polisario-controlled areas, Sahara in general terms, a key aim o f t h e p r o j e c t
s y s t e m a t i c a l l y cataloguing the many rock is to examine how prehistoric p o p u l a t i o n s
p a i n t i n g s a n d engravings in these areas, and responded and adapted to sev e r e c l i m a t i c
r e c o r d i n g h u n dreds of other archaeological and environmental changes, spe c i f i c a l l y t h e
s i t e s. desertification of the Saharan reg i o n b e t w e e n
about 6000 and 4500 years ago.
25 past horizons
D u r i n g t h i s p e r iod the Sahara was transformed In the eastern and central S a h a r a , w e l l -
f r o m a h u m i d savannah to an arid desert. funded research programmes last i n g f o r m a n y
T h i s t r a n s i t i o n was not smooth, and appears decades have done much to ill u m i n a t e t h e
t o h a v e b e e n c losely linked with episodes of links between past climatic, e n v i r o n m e n t a l
r a p i d g l o b a l c l imate change lasting several and cultural change, although mu c h m o r e w o r k
c e n t u r i e s a n d centred around 5900 and 5200 remains to be done in these reg i o n s . I n t h e
y e a r s a g o . D u ring this period much of the western regions work has been m u c h p a t c h i e r
w o r l d c o o l e d and deserts advanced across and less well resourced, and vas t s w a t h e s o f
t h e n o r t h e r n h e misphere sub-tropical region, desert there remain unexamined b y m o d e r n
w i t h e v i d e n c e of increased aridity apparent archaeological and scientific met h o d s .
i n r e c o r d s f r o m West Africa to China, and in
s o u t h e r n N o r t h America.
past horizons 26
D a t e s a r e f e w and far between, and a map of been neglected by the internatio n a l r e s e a r c h
d a t e d a r c h a e o l ogical sites containing cattle community.
r e m ai n s r e v e a l s a great void over Western
S a h a r a , n o r t h e rn Mauritania and much of The work of the Western Sahara P r o j e c t a i m s
A l g e r i a . T h i s i s not because of the lack of to fill in some of these gaps. One o f t h e m a i n
a r c h a e o l o g i c a l sites associated with cattle, tasks of the project is develop chr o n o l o g i e s o f
w h i c h a r e w i dely depicted in rock-art in climatic and environmental chan g e , a n d u s e
t h e s e a r e a s , a n d which are evident from their these as contexts within which t o i n t e r p r e t
b o n e s a t u n d a t ed sites. Rather, it reflects the the archaeological record.
e x t e n t t o w h i c h this part of the Sahara has
The project addresses cultur a l c h a n g e s
through an examination of mate r i a l c u l t u r e
in the form of worked stone, p o t t e r y, a n d
funerary monuments. Intensive s u r v e y w o r k
around the small settlement of Ti f a r i t i , i n t h e
northern sector of the Polisari o - c o n t r o l l e d
zone, has revealed evidence of oc c u p a t i o n b y
hunters and gatherers between a b o u t 1 0 , 0 0 0
and 8000 years ago, a period of v e r y h u m i d
conditions across most of the Saha r a . E v i d e n c e
of human occupation between abo u t 8 0 0 0 a n d
6000 years ago is scarce, with t h i s h i a t u s
commencing around the time that t h e c o l l a p s e
of the remnant ice sheets over No r t h A m e r i c a
resulted in several centuries o f c o o l , a r i d
conditions. Interestingly, the reo c c u p a t i o n o f
the area around Tifariti sometim e a r o u n d o r
after 6000 years ago coincided w i t h t h e s h i f t
towards permanent aridity acros s t h e S a h a r a
and the northern hemisphere s u b - t r o p i c a l
region at large.
past horizons 28
S tan di ng s tones on an elevated area overlo o k in g the well-veget ated Wad i Tifar i ti
e v i d e n c e a c q u i red to date. For example, two The former indicate that Western S a h a ra w a s
f u n e r a r y m o n u ments near Tifariti excavated part of the wider prehistoric Sah a r a c u l t u ra l
b y t h e p r o j e c t in 2005 contained metal, complex, while the latter sug g e st s m o re
i n d i c a t i n g t h a t these burials date to some localised cultural traits. One p o s si b i l i t y i s
t i m e a f t e r a r o u nd 1000 BCE, the earl iest date that these more regional style s d e v e l o p e d
f o r m e t a l w o r k ing in western Africa. Clearly after the western regions of the S a h a ra h a d
t h e r e g i o n a r o u nd Tifariti was habitable long been separated from the areas to t h e e a s t b y
a f t e r m o s t o f t he rest of the Sahara had dried the expanding desert.
up.
Unlocking the secrets of Western S a h a r a ’s p a s t
T h e r e f u g e h ypothesis might also explain will require much more work in t h e a re a s o f
t h e p e c u l i a r c ombination of central Saharan both archaeology and environme n t a l c h a n g e .
a ff i ni t i e s a n d unique regional characteristics Cultural and environmental chron o l o g i e s n e e d
i n t h e a r c h a e ological record of Western to be established so that we can p l a c e c h a n g e s
S a h a r a , f o r e x ample as seen in the various in human occupation, subsistence st r a t e g i e s,
s t y l es o f f u n e r a ry monuments. funerary practices and social o rg a n i s a t i o n
within their wider contexts.
past horizons 30
groups, and how these changed o v e r t i m e
as the environment evolved. In i t i a l r e s u l t s
indicate that the prehistoric po p u l a t i o n i n
the vicinity of Tifariti at least ha d l i n k s w i t h
neighbouring regions. One of the m o n u m e n t s
excavated in 2005 yielded drilled s h e l l s ( m o s t
probably worn as a necklace) orig i n a t i n g f r o m
the West African coast.
past horizons 32
Volunteers will also have the Volunteer fees make a vital
oppor tunit y to visit rock-ar t sites contr ibution to the costs of field
and other sites of archaeological seasons, which do not make a
and environmental interest while profit. Any fu nds not spent on
not excavating or conduc ting direc t field costs contr ibute to
sur vey wor k . the costs of laborator y analysis
and dating of samples.
Dates: 5-28 November 2010
(precise dates to be confir med) Email N ick Brooks at:
nick .brooks@uea.ac.uk for more
Cost: £240 0 (approx €2760 or infor mation or to apply.
$3880). I ncludes flights from
London and all field expenses Website: http://w w w.nick brooks.
(food, water, accommodation, org/WS/WS ahara.htm for more
trans por t). detailed infor mation.
33 past horizons
U B
Birmingham provides the ideal footing for
anyone wanting to begin a career in
archaeology or the heritage environment.
Along with diverse skills and opportunities
provided, I also got to experience city life
in Britain’s second city. Thanks to the
course, I have been employed in
archaeology since I graduated in 2007.
Campus-based programmes
MA/PG Diploma in Practical Archaeology
MA/PG Diploma in Landscape Archaeology, GIS & Virtual
Environments
MSc in Environmental Archaeology & Palaeoenvironments
MA in Conflict Archaeology
M Phil (B) in Archaeological Practice
past horizons 34
WHS
W O R K H A R D O R S TA RV E
F i n d i t H e re
35 past horizons
Lords of the Sea
Uncovering an I ron -Ag e Ch i e f t a i n’s Lo n g - h o u s e
B y M a g gi e Str u c k m e i e r
past horizons 36
37 P h o to cr ed it:past
S e rghorizons
e i Va v i l ov
Finds from the excavations (clo ck wise, from top lef t):
1. G old foil cultic plaque or ‘gull- gubb e’ depic ting Froy, the go d of
fer tilit y and p eace, embracing G erd, the daughter of a mytholo gical
Norse giant
2. Tating-ware jug made in the R hineland area b et ween late 8th and
early 9th centuries
3. Tor toise bro o ches with dress fittings for a women’s ou ter garment.
4. Highly decorated sword hilt
I t i s e s t i m a t e d that there may have been three This was set to change when, in t h e A u t u m n
L o f o t e n c h i e f d oms; two of them on Vestvågøy of 1981, Frikk Harald Bjerkli, a l o c a l f a r m e r
a n d t h e t h i r d on the neighbouring Island of out ploughing his land, noticed s o m e u n u s u a l
Gimsøy. This way of life was already established pottery and glass coming up i n t h e s o i l .
b y t h e e a r l y c enturies AD, with fishing and Fortunately, he retrieved the i t e m s w h i c h
s m a l l - s c a l e f a rming the main subsistence proved to be a turning point for B o rg h i s t o r y.
a c t i v i t i e s . H o w ever, towards the late Iron Age The fragments represented h i g h s t a t u s
l a rg e r f a r m s w ith a more centralised function European wares, rarely seen in S c a n d i n a v i a
b e g a n t o a p p e a r, indicating a shift in fortunes let alone in Northern Norway.
a n d a c o n c e n t r ation of power.
In response to this discovery te s t t r e n c h i n g
A t t h a t p o i n t t h e Lofoten islands were densely began in the farmer ’s field i n 1 9 8 3 a n d
p o p u l a t e d p u t ting pressure on the scarce recovered more of the distinctiv e R h i n e l a n d
a r a b l e l a n d f o und mainly along the coastal pottery known as Tating ware, a l o n g w i t h a
areas. B o rg , located in the nort heast of wide variety of European glass f r a g m e n t s . I n
Ve s tv å g ø y, s t i l l forms one of these habitable the same location the remains of a t l e a s t f i v e
s p o t s . T h i s t i n y community had been identified buildings were identified with r a d i o c a r b o n
b y a r c h a e o l o g i sts as exhibiting most of the dating indicating a span of 650 y e a r s , l e a n i n g
h a l l m a r k s o f a possible chieftain’s farm with towards late Iron Age. However, t h e r a n g e o f
i t s b o a t h o u s e remains, barrows and vestiges artefacts found, including the imp o r t e d w a r e s ,
o f l o n g - h o u s e s . However, with no evidence of were mainly dated to between th e 6 t h a n d 8 t h
a g r e a t h a l l t h ere was no conclusive proof. centuries.
past horizons 38
���������
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M a p showing lo cation of the Lofoten Islands with trade and colonisation routes
39 past horizons
i n t o f i v e m a i n areas consisting of the living the turf outer walls of any strai n . T h e l o n g -
q u a r t e r s , b a n q ueting hall and storage room, house was completed in 1995 a n d i s n o w
v e s t ib u l e , a n d animal shed. known as the Lofotr Museum.
The ch i e f t a i n’s l o n g - h o u s e co m p l e te d i n 1 9 9 5 a n d op ened as a museum where volunteers can stay for a while an d take par t
in the d a i l y a c t i v i t i e s ra n g i n g f ro m p i c k i n g h e r b s, co ok ing, sailing, cra f t-work and exp erimental archaeolo gy
past horizons 40
A volunteer at Lofotr works the smithy in p erio d costume,
mixing exp erimental archaeolo gy with living histor y
Ph o t o c re d i t : Odd-Arild Bugge
41 past horizons
Ottar may have storerooms o n h e r b e l t .
seemed p a r ticularly In certain s i t u a t i o n s
a d v e n t u r o u s t o the likes she would t a k e o v e r
o f t h e E n g l i s h , but due the functi o n s o f h e r
t o t h e l i m i t a tions of husband an d w a s o f t e n
t h e l a n d i n s upplying effectively i n c h a rg e o f
t h e i r n e e d s it was the farm.
e x p e c t e d o f m en from
these N o rwegian At the age o f 1 5 , y o u n g
c o m m u n i t i e s t o travel men were e n t i t l e d t o
i n s e a r c h o f w ealth and decide how t o u s e t h e i r
o p p or t u n i t y. This, of inherited p r o p e r t y a n d
c o u r s e , m e a n t leaving to bear re s p o n s i b i l i t y
b e h i n d a f a m ily and for their ac t i o n s . T h e y
s l a v e s t o c o n t inue the were giv e n public
y e a r- r o u n d farming tasks tha t included
activities. participatio n i n d e f e n c e
and acts of v e n g e a n c e ,
L i f e o n a n I r on Age and were e x p e c t e d t o
f a r m i n v o l v e d a strict win honour a n d w e a l t h
d e m a r c a t i o n o f roles. for them s e l v e s and
The women were their famil i e s .
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r milking
t h e c o w s , b a king the Although t h e s e p e o p l e
bread, brewing beer, seemed to e n j o y s t a t u s
preparing meals, and weal t h , events
s p i n n i n g , w e a ving and or circumstance
r a i s i n g t h e children. appeared to have
When young, boys driven them f r o m t h e i r
a n d g i r l s h a d a similar settlements . Iceland
upbringing. They played was fast b e c o m i n g a
together and were popular destination
e x p e c t e d t o t ake part for Norweg i a n s , b e i n g
i n d a y - t o - d a y chores first sett l e d around
w h e r e t h e y acquired the late 9 t h c e n t u r y
t h e s k i l l s n e eded to by a chie f t a i n c a l l e d
r u n a s u c c e s s f ul farm Ingólfur Arnarson.
and maintain the Many chieftains
c o m m u n i t y ; t o keep the quickly fo l l o w e d s u i t ,
society going. accompani e d b y t h e i r
families a n d s l a v e s ,
The women went most prob a b l y d r i v e n
s t r a i g h t f r o m c hildhood by politic a l u p h e a v a l
t o m a r r i a g e a nd were A l o rd p re p a re s to tell tales of his travelsand land pr e s s u r e s .
equipped with a personal
d o w r y. T h i s w a s their first contribution to the Towards the end of the 10th cent u r y t h e f a r m
w e a l t h o f t h e f arm to which they moved, and and long-house at Borg were aba n d o n e d . T h e
i n m a n y w a y s a woman was as valued and precise reasons for his departu r e f r o m t h e
r e s p e c t e d a s a man. She might own her own shores of Lofoten may never be k n o w n , b u t i t
l a n d , a n d w i t h very few exceptions would is likely that this chieftain, in se a r c h o f m o r e
i n h e r i t o n a n equal footing with a man. To security and better opportunities, h a d b o a r d e d
s y m b o l i s e h e r authority and power, she his ship and in the traditional No r w e g i a n w a y
w o u ld w e a r t h e keys to chests, cupboards and and sought greater fortunes overs e a s .
past horizons 42
I f you are viewing this on scr ibd, please
click the link below to view the video
http://w w w.youtube.com/watch?v=hYAwhiIF0H8
G e t I nvo l ve d
Wo rk at Lo fo tr: Volunteer:
The summer season star ts on M ay 1st a nd closes As a volunteer at B org, you live and wor k at the
S eptember 15th. D ur ing the season employees are museum and par ticipate in the ac tivities. You can
needed for full and par t-time wor k as guides and br ing your own Vik ing clothes and appropr iate
handcraf ters. A background in archaeology, histor y equipment for the job you want to do. However, this
and travel or good language sk ills is an advantage. must be approved by the museum for authenticit y.
For all these jobs you must speak English and S end an email with the t ype of wor k you want to do.
applicants who also speak G er man, French, Spanish I nclude infor mation on other sk ills you may have.
or I talian will be shown a preference. When applying For instance, k nowledge of old handicraf ts, mak ing
enclose testimonials showing education and food or, collec ting her bs. The museum wants to
exper ience. R emember to specify which occupation k now more about what you can do and what you
and time per iod you can wor k , and if you want full have done before.
or par t-time employment. Applicants who want to
wor k continuously for more than four weeks will Post your application to: Lofotr Vik ingmuseet,
also be shown a preference. Prestegårdsveien 59, 8360 B østad, Nor way
App lications must be sent in no later than 7 Februar y Email: vik ingmuseet@lofotr.no
each year.
S ee website:
http://w w w.lofotr.no/Engelsk/en_index.html
43 past horizons
M e dicine
M an
A
B y Kevin G oodman
s a re-enactor specialising
i n m e d i c i n e , s u rg e r y a n d
the healing arts, accuracy
a n d a u t h en t i c i t y a r e e x t r e m e l y
important. Fortunately there is a
wealth of medical documentary and
archaeological material available for
research. Presenting that material in
a way that is accessible, enjoyable
and at the same time educational is
all part of the challenge of the job.
past horizons 44
1 2 th ce nt u r y mu ral f ro m A n ag n i , I tal y, de pi c ti n g early phy s icians G alen and H ipp o crates
Zo d i a c M a n f ro m J o h n d e Fox to n’s Lib er
Co sm o g ra p h i a e, 1 4 0 8
45 past horizons
A r c h a e o l o g i c a l evidence shows that Pre-
h i s t o r i c p e o p l es had already amassed a
w e a l t h o f m e dical knowledge particularly
i n t he r e a l m s of herbal treatments a nd some
t y p e s o f s u rg e r y. The study of human remains
f r o m e x c a v a t i o ns reveal a great number of
m e d ic a l i n t e r v entions. For example, painful
h e a d a c h e s m i g ht be dealt with by trepanation
o f t h e s k u l l i n o rder to relieve pressure on the
b r a i n . E v i d e n c e for this has been found dating
a s f a r b a c k a s t h e Neolithic period. Performing
a t r e p a n a t i o n p rocedure is not without danger
b u t t h e e v i d e nce shows that many people
s u r v i v e d t h e o r deal nonetheless.
past horizons 46
h a m m e r. W h i l e these particular injuries were
f a t a l , t h e s k e l e t on’s jaw showed signs of being
p r e v i o u s l y s m ashed and successfully reset.
T h i s w o u l d h a v e been achieved by supporting
t h e j a w i n a s l i ng tied around the head, whilst
h o l d i n g t h e m o uth open with pieces of wood
t o a l l o w f e e d i ng. It is most likely that a
c o m p r e s s o f c o mfrey would have been applied
t o h e a l t h e b o n es.
M o re I n fo r m at i o n
Kevin Goodman’s passion for re-enactment/historical interpretation
developed from applying his love for bushcraft, history and
archaeology. Based in Dudley, West Midlands, Engl and, he now
tra vels around the country appearing at festivals, museums and sites
of historic interest portraying the wiseman, surgeon or physician.
He regularly appears at schools and societies giving presentations
on a variety of historical subjects including medicine, surgery and
the healing arts from Prehistory to the Renaissance.
47 past horizons
Di g I n
A se l e c t i o n o f a r c h a e o l o g i cal and
con s e r v a t i o n p r o j e c t s a r o u nd the world.
Contact : info@iafs.ie
Web: http://www.iafs.ie/index.html
I s rae l Te l B u r na
Located in southern Israel along the banks of Nahal Guvrin. The Shephela (foothills) served as
a border between the kingdoms of Judah and the Philistines in the Iron Age, an d was known as
the breadbasket of the south due to its suitability for growing grapes and olives. The prominent
summit is a result of the fortifications that enclosed the upper city and are still visible today.
Tel Burna has never been excavated before.
Contact: shai.itzick@gmail.com
Web: http://telburna.wordpress.co m
The project aims to advance material investigations of the peoples and cultures of the Altai
Mountains, a crucial region between the nomads of the Mongolian steppes and the Silk Road
area within present-day northwest China. Excavations will focus on a Xiongnu (3rd century
BC - 1st century AD) cemetery in the high mountains and investigate several preceding Bronze
A ge monuments within the vicinity of the Tsenkher River. The Khovd project addresses a
set of research questions that investigate patterns of subsistence and mobility in both local
communities and the larger region in order to understand integration and interaction.
Contact: millerbk@sas.upenn.ed u
Web: http://silkroadfoundation.org/archaeology/khovd
past horizons 48
E n g l a n d B i n c hester R oman Excavations
Binchester Fort, known to the Romans as Vinovia, will be the site of a major new project
exploring the archaeology of the fort, the attached vicus and the landscape in which they lie.
Between 2009 and 2014 teams from the archaeology departments at Durham University and
Stanford University will work in close co-operation with the archaeology section of Durham
County Council to better understand this important site.
Contact: binchester-devore@stanford.edu
Web: http://humanitieslab.stanford.edu/Binchester/Home
J o rd a n K h i r b at al-M udayna
Wadi ath-Thamad flows southwest into the Wadi Majib just north of its confluence with the Dead
Sea. This wadi system forms the border of a triangular area that includes the Moabite city of
Dibon, the capital of Mesha. A series of fortified sites along the Wadi ath-Thamad may indicate
a northern frontier between the Moabites and the Israelites who had conquered part of Moab in
the 9th century BC. Khirbat al-Murdayna, an Iron Age tell site with a Nabatean settlement at its
foot, was chosen for a long-term investigation project in this frontier region.
Contact: wadithamad@wlu.lc a
Web: http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=296&p=308 3
This workshop is dedicated to the use of geophysical, aerial photography and other remote
sensing methods as they apply to the identification, evaluation, conservation and protection
of archaeological resources. The workshop will present lectures on the theory of operation,
methodology, processing and interpretation with hands-on use of the equipment in the field. To
be held at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota.
Contact: steve_de_vore@nps.go v
Web: http://www.nps.gov/history/mwa c
The 2010 field season will take place at the late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age settlement
site at Piatra Tomii in Alba County. The research this year will continue to investigate flint
mining techniques used during the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age as well as flint processing
workshops at the settlement, particularly related to the methodology and equipment used by the
Cotofeni people.
Contact: cerc_de_arheologie@uab.ro
Web: http://cartproject.22web.net
49 past horizons
Recipes for Archaeologists
1 cup seeded and chopped dates Combine dates, sugar, butter and water in a saucepan.
60 grams butter (2 ozs) Stir over heat until sugar is dissolved but do not allow
1 cup brown sugar to boil. Remove from heat. Transfer to a mixing bowl
¾ cup water and allow to cool. Stir soda, lightly beaten egg and
½ teaspoon bi-carb soda (baking soda) nuts into cooled date mixture, then ad d sifted flours.
1 egg lightly beaten Put into a greased and floured loaf tin and cook for
½ cup walnuts roughly chopped approximately one hour in a moderately slow oven at
1 cup self raising flour 170 degrees. If a skewer is inserted into the centre of
½ cup plain flour the cake comes out clean, the cake is ready. It can be
served with a scrape of butter.
This cake will cut into about 10 slices.
1 kg dried mixed fruits (e.g. sultanas, raisins, Combine dried mixed fruit, butter, sugar, brandy and
currants, mixed pe el, glace cherries, glace water in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat
apricots) without boiling until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil,
250 grams butter reduce heat and simmer very gently, covered for ten
1 cup brown sugar minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room
½ cup brandy temperature. Grease a 23cm round or deep 19cm square
½ cup water cake tin. Line base and sides with two thicknesses of
5 eggs lightly beaten baking paper.
1 tabl espoon treacle (or golden syrup or maple
syrup) Add eggs, treacle and citrus zest to cooled fruit mix and
2 teaspoons grated orange rind mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredien ts and combine
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind thoroughly. Put into the cake tin and smooth the top.
1¾ cups plain flour Tap tin on the bench to remove air bubbles. Bake in a
1/3 cup self raising flour slow 160 degree oven for 1½-2 hours. Halfway through
½ half teaspoon bi-carb soda (baking soda) cooking time place a sheet of aluminium foil on the
top of the cake to stop the top from burning. Leave to
cool in tin. A small amount of brandy or rum can be
poured on top of the hot cake as soon a s it comes from
the oven. This cake is very rich and will keep for two
weeks in an airtight container.
It will cut into about 25 slices.
1 cup rolled oats Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl.
1 cup plain flour Combine the butter and syrup in a saucepan and stir
1 cup sugar over gentle heat until melted. Mix soda with boiling
¾ cup desiccated coconut water in a cup and add to butter syrup mixture. It will
125 grams (4ozs) butter froth. Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place
2 tablespoons golden syrup (or maple syrup) teaspoonfuls on a greased baking tray, allowing room
½ teaspoon bi-carb soda (baking soda) for spreading. Bake in a slow oven for 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon boiling water Loosen and cool on trays.
This makes approximately 25 biscuits.
51 past horizons
Fo cus on Romania
If you’re looking for an interesting archaeol ogical experience this summer
then why not check out some of Romania’s fascinating opportunities?
Past Horizons take s a look at what’s on offer from Canadian group
Archaeological Techniques and Research Center (Archaeotek).
Dates: First session 16 May - 12 June, second session 13 June - 10 July 2010
Cost: $1475 per session (maximum five students per workshop). Accommodation: double or triple occupancy
rooms
Web: http://www.archaeotek.org/bronze_age_osteology_workshop
past horizons 52
Viewpoint
G e t P rofessional Help
Whilst reading the Painted Landscapes article (page 16) in t h i s i s s u e o f
Past Horizons , it struck me just how beautiful and creativ e t h e u s e o f
language can be. There has always been a lot of importanc e p l a c e d o n
the written word within archaeology, but when trying to con v e y c o m p l e x
i d e a s , g o o d i l l ustration and photography are also tremendously important.
I l l u s t r a t i o n i s starting to suffer the same fate. For example, someone can pick u p a p e n c i l
a n d d r a w a s p i dery sketch of an artef act, and no-one seems to object. Archaeolog y s h o u l d b e
a b o u t t r y i n g t o communicate ideas to a wider audience but this insistence in cutti n g s t a n d a r d s
i s e x t r e m e l y d a maging to the discipline.
David Connolly is the direc tor of Br itish Archaeological Jobs and R esources (BA JR)
Web: http://w w w.bajr.org
53 past horizons
Back Pages Pseudo Archaeology
S o m e t i m e s f i c t ion is stranger than the truth. A selec tion of videos which high l i g ht w h at
h a p p e n s w h e n lack of evidence doesn’t get in the way of a good stor y. Enjoy...