UAV-based photogrammetry: Assessing the application potential and effectiveness for archaeological monitoring and surveying in the research on the ‘valley of the kings’ (Tuva, Russia)

The article offers an evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of using UAV-based photogrammetry for updating the planigraphy of well-studied archaeological sites and discovering new ones. The study is based on the data collected in the ‘Valley of the Kings’ in the Republic of Tyva (otherwise called Tuva, Russia). Data analysis using GIS software found 1000 archaeological objects and other, possibly archaeological objects. UAV-based digital photogrammetry has proved informative and effective in our study. In addition to the previously known archaeological objects, it enabled us to detect numerous new archaeological objects, which had been missed in the earlier investigations carried out on the ground. However, this survey technology has been found to have a significant number of limitations as to its applicability in the search for archaeological objects, and it is concluded that UAVs cannot replace archaeological investigations on the ground, particularly as regards identification of objects

The magnetic survey of the early Scythian burial site and settlements in the Turan-Uyuk valley in Tuva

In 2019, Polish archaeologists took part in an expedition of the Hermitage Museum, led by K.V. Chugunov, in Chinge-Tey cemetery, Tuva (Russian Federation). This paper presents the result of magnetic surveys carried out within the so-called western chain of barrows and the around the princely barrow of Chinge-Tey I. This method of non-invasive research is very well suited to the landscape and has produced a significant body of information. Among others, the survey of the western chain identified a stone mantle in barrow 8, which makes it different from other barrows from this group, whose mounds were built of earth. Another important result is the identification of a stone circle surrounding a cult feature (certainly associated with eschatological rituals) known as the northern complex. The presence of the circle came as a surprise for the investigators of the site, as it does not manifest itself at all on the surface of the site. On the other hand, it is worth noting one negative result, which nevertheless allows for some conclusions, namely the lack of detectable anomalies connected with one of the tombs in the vicinity of Chinge-Tey I (barrow 15). Despite being clearly discernible in the landscape, and even more evident in LIDAR images, the barrow is invisible on images produced with a magnetometer. This means that one cannot rule out a possibility that other structures undetectable by magnetic surveys may be present within the investigated part of the cemetery. Nevertheless, one cannot but arrive at the conclusion that the results generated by the magnetic research provide significant information concerning the spatial arrangement of the cemetery and are helpful in planning archaeological excavation

The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes

This is the final version. Available on open access from Nature Research via the DOI in this recordData availability: All collapsed and paired-end sequence data for samples sequenced in this study are available in compressed fastq format through the European Nucleotide Archive under accession number PRJEB44430, together with rescaled and trimmed bam sequence alignments against both the nuclear and mitochondrial horse reference genomes. Previously published ancient data used in this study are available under accession numbers PRJEB7537, PRJEB10098, PRJEB10854, PRJEB22390 and PRJEB31613, and detailed in Supplementary Table 1. The genomes of ten modern horses, publicly available, were also accessed as indicated in their corresponding original publications57,61,85-87.NOTE: see the published version available via the DOI in this record for the full list of authorsDomestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare. However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 BC. Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia and Anatolia, have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 BC, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 BC driving the spread of Indo-European languages. This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium BC Sintashta culture

Insulin receptor-related receptor as an extracellular alkali sensor

17sireservedThe insulin receptor-related receptor (IRR), an orphan receptor tyrosine kinase of the insulin receptor family, can be activated by alkaline media both in vitro and in vivo at pH >7.9. The alkali-sensing property of IRR is conserved in frog, mouse, and human. IRR activation is specific, dose-dependent and quickly reversible and demonstrates positive cooperativity. It also triggers receptor conformational changes and elicits intracellular signaling. The pH sensitivity of IRR is primarily defined by its L1F extracellular domains. IRR is predominantly expressed in organs that come in contact with mildly alkaline media. In particular, IRR is expressed in the cell subsets of the kidney that secrete bicarbonate into urine. Disruption of IRR in mice impairs the renal response to alkali loading attested by development of metabolic alkalosis and decreased urinary bicarbonate excretion in response to this challenge. We therefore postulate that IRR is an alkali sensor that functions in the kidney to manage metabolic bicarbonate excess.mixedDeyev, Igor E; Sohet, Fabien; Vassilenko, Konstantin P; Serova, Oxana V; Popova, Nadezhda V; Zozulya, Sergey A; Burova, Elena B; Houillier, Pascal; Rzhevsky, Dmitry I; Berchatova, Anastasija A; Murashev, Arkady N; Chugunov, Anton O; Efremov, Roman G; Nikol'Sky, Nikolai N; Bertelli, Eugenio; Eladari, Dominique; Petrenko, Alexander G.Deyev, Igor E; Sohet, Fabien; Vassilenko, Konstantin P; Serova, Oxana V; Popova, Nadezhda V; Zozulya, Sergey A; Burova, Elena B; Houillier, Pascal; Rzhevsky, Dmitry I; Berchatova, Anastasija A; Murashev, Arkady N; Chugunov, Anton O; Efremov, Roman G; Nikol'Sky, Nikolai N; Bertelli, Eugenio; Eladari, Dominique; Petrenko, Alexander G