Building an Integrated Database of North-Eastern African Archaeological and Heritage Sites for Mapping Complex Social Landscapes

This dataset contains archaeological and heritage sites of the Marmarica region (NE-Libya/NW-Egypt), ranging from the Late Bronze to the Roman times. It has been developed in the framework of the PERAIA project, which aims to analyse the longterm history and interaction patterns along the harsh environments of north-eastern Africa. The records contain accurate geographic location of sites, including place names, typology, chronology, and metadata of documented remains, along with information regarding the environmental and ecological context. Additionally, the dataset accounts for the specificities of the region’s varying environmental conditions and their potential impact on archaeological heritage. All this information associated with each archaeological site was collected from published field data surveys, maps, archaeological reports, and it was subsequently cross-checked with historical aerial photographs and satellite imagery to detect, and to register known and unknown sites within the study area. Regarding the potential reuse of all this data, the dataset is deposited on the project website and linked to Zenodo.Spanish Government FPU17/06503Vice-Rectorate for Research and Knowledge Transfer of the University of Granada PPJIB2020.1

UNA INTRODUCCIÓN A LA INVESTIGACIÓN DE REDES EN ARQUEOLOGÍA: ¿QUÉ ES Y POR QUÉ LA NECESITAMOS?

Network archaeological research is a thriving sub-discipline, in which a wide range of research questions about the human past are studied through relational theory and formal network methods. This paper aims to expose the potential of network archaeological research. To do so, we begin by defining the sub-discipline itself, addressing the importance of each of its constituting elements and what kinds of historical questions can be solved through it. As a result, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of "what" network research is, "what" we can do with it, and, most importantly, “why” we need it.La investigación de redes en arqueología es una subdisciplina en auge, en la que una gran diversidad de preguntas de investigación sobre el pasado humano se estudian a través de la teoría relacional y los métodos formales de redes. Este artículo pretende exponer el potencial de la investigación de redes en arqueología. Para ello, comenzamos definiendo la propia subdisciplina, abordando la importancia de cada uno de los elementos que la constituyen y qué tipo de preguntas históricas pueden resolverse a través de ella. Como resultado, tratamos de que el lector comprenda mejor “qué” es la investigación de redes, “qué” podemos hacer con ella y, lo que es más importante, “por qué” la necesitamos

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk

Properties of the Binary Black Hole Merger GW150914

On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36+5−4M⊙ and 29+4−4M⊙; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. The dimensionless spin magnitude of the more massive black hole is bound to be <0.7 (at 90% probability). The luminosity distance to the source is 410+160−180  Mpc, corresponding to a redshift 0.09+0.03−0.04 assuming standard cosmology. The source location is constrained to an annulus section of 610  deg2, primarily in the southern hemisphere. The binary merges into a black hole of mass 62+4−4M⊙ and spin 0.67+0.05−0.07. This black hole is significantly more massive than any other inferred from electromagnetic observations in the stellar-mass regime

Movilidad, conectividad y redes de intercambio en el Mediterráneo Oriental: el puerto de Kommos como caso de estudio

The Mediterranean is the center of area where a set of cultural landscapes formed and developed throughout space and time. Due to its great spatial and temporal extension, we will limit our scope a regional level, situating ourselves in the Eastern Mediterranean side, during the transformation occurred from the Late Bronze to the early Iron Age. A specific area is taken as a case of study, the settlement of Kommos, Crete. The analysis uses different sources, following a broad theoretical and methological framework from Landscape ArchaeologyEl Mediterráneo es el centro de un área donde se formaron y desarrollaron unos determinados paisajes culturales a lo largo del espacio y un periodo de tiempo determinado. Debido a su gran extensión tanto espacial como temporal, acotaremos nuestro ámbito de estudio a nivel regional situándonos en el Mediterráneo Oriental y en las transformaciones sufridas desde el Bronce Final al inicio de la Edad del Hierro, tomando como caso de estudio un área concreta, el asentamiento de Kommos, Creta. Todo ello, a través de enfoques teóricos y metodológicos que permitan integrar diferentes tipos de fuentes desde la denominada como Arqueología del paisaje

Enhancing Archaeological Heritage Management: The PERAIA Project’s Open Data Database and Web Application

This paper underscores the critical need for open data practices in archaeo-historical research, particularly in the face of limited historical data availability, especially in underrepresented regions. Our study was conducted within the framework of the PERAIA project, which introduced an innovative approach by creating an open data database and web application to enhance data accessibility and reusability. This platform offers a comprehensive gazetteer that covers archaeological and heritage sites within the Eastern Mediterranean area (Crete and Marmarica) spanning Late Prehistory and Antiquity. To achieve this, we employed a digital research methodology that integrated legacy data with systematic aerial and satellite imagery analysis. This integration allowed us to identify previously known and unknown sites, enriched with associated (meta)data. Our commitment to open science is embodied in our open data practices. We also make the data accessible through Zenodo, ensuring that such data are available for potential reuse

Landscapes of Movement Along the (Pre)Historical Libyan Sea: Keys for a Socio-Ecological History

This study examines the influence of Human Ecodynamics and Historical Ecology to understand the complexities of historical mobility. Based on Landscape Archaeology, this study considers some of these theoretical principles for studying and reconstructing the movements of past human populations. This discussion is grounded on the example of a research project focused on modelling movement and interaction patterns between the Aegean area (Crete) and northeastern African region (Marmarica) from the Late Bronze to Roman times. The project works with multivariate data representative of the routes and non-human factors that may interplay in biocultural processes. Three key aspects structure this article: (1) the emergence of Human Ecodynamics and Historical Ecology in archaeology, (2) their impact on the theoretical evolution of Landscape Archaeology, and (3) the methodological implementation of these principles through a case study. We specifically discuss the strengths of Human Ecodynamics and Historical Ecology to enhance the conceptualisation of mobility by considering the heterarchical interrelationships between human and non-human agents. Our methodological implementations showcase this by using computational approaches to model human pathways influenced by and in constant relationship with their environment. This research thus highlights the importance of transdisciplinary approaches to studying historical mobility from an archaeological and complex systems perspective

The Role of Aerial Prospection for Monitoring and Preserving Cultural Heritage in Northeastern Africa

Anthropogenic and environmental processes present unique challenges for preserving cultural heritage in North Africa. Large parts of this region are characterised by unfavourable arid and semi-arid conditions and rapid changes to the landscapes caused by heightened regional development (e.g., urban expansion, road building, agricultural intensification, and socio-political conflicts). As a result, we are facing a fast-paced disappearance of heritage sites in regions that are still poorly understood. Following this, the utilisation of Earth observation data through aerial photographs and satellite imagery has emerged as an unmatched tool in the exploration of endangered archaeological heritage. Drawing on this context, this paper underscores the critical significance of incorporating digital research methods, such as remote sensing, GIS, or cartographic analysis, to ensure the evaluation and (digital) preservation of the historical sites along these vulnerable areas. Furthermore, our study seeks to provide new insights into data management and dissemination, fostering open research practices within North African archaeological research

Building an Integrated Database of North-Eastern African Archaeological and Heritage Sites for Mapping Complex Social Landscapes

This dataset contains archaeological and heritage sites of the Marmarica region (NE-Libya/NW-Egypt), ranging from the Late Bronze to the Roman times. It has been developed in the framework of the PERAIA project, which aims to analyse the longterm history and interaction patterns along the harsh environments of north-eastern Africa. The records contain accurate geographic location of sites, including place names, typology, chronology, and metadata of documented remains, along with information regarding the environmental and ecological context. Additionally, the dataset accounts for the specificities of the region’s varying environmental conditions and their potential impact on archaeological heritage. All this information associated with each archaeological site was collected from published field data surveys, maps, archaeological reports, and it was subsequently cross-checked with historical aerial photographs and satellite imagery to detect, and to register known and unknown sites within the study area. Regarding the potential reuse of all this data, the dataset is deposited on the project website and linked to Zenod