Results of the archaeological excavations of the site AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova Zemlja

Na trasi buduće dionice autoceste A5 Beli Manastir – Osijek tijekom 2014. i 2015. godine istraživan je lokalitet AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova zemlja. Na istraženome prostoru utvrđena su dva horizonta obitavanja, antički i prapovijesni. Antičkom horizontu, koji je datiran u 3. stoljeće, pripisuju se dvije peći za proizvodnju opeke, dječji grob te ukopi jama s nalazima. Prapovijesnome horizontu pripadaju brojni ukopi jama i kanala od kojih su najznačajniji ukopi jamskih objekata velikih dimenzija, zatim grobovi s ukopom pokojnika u zgrčenome položaju te kanal za regulaciju protoka vode koji dominira prostorom svojom veličinom i razvedenošću. Na osnovi analognih primjera ulomaka keramike i ukrasa te rezultata analize kosturnih ostataka metodom 1⁴C, prapovijesni život na lokalitetu odvijao se kroz neolitičke i eneolitičke kulture.The site of AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova Zemlja was excavated in 2014 and 2015 on the route of the future section of the A5 motorway from Osijek to Beli Manastir. Two horizons were identified, one from antiquity and the other from prehistory. The horizon of antiquity, dated to the 3rd century, is associated with two kilns for producing bricks, a child’s grave, and buried pits with finds. The prehistoric horizon contains numerous buried pits and ditches, particularly large-size pit structures, as well as graves with the dead in a curled position and a ditch regulating the water flow, which dominates the space because of its size and spread. On the basis of analogue examples of fragments of pottery and ornaments and the results of the analysis of skeleton remains by the 14C method, prehistoric life at the site went on through the Neolithic and Eneolithic cultures

Results of the rescue archaeological excavations of the site AN 6 Hermanov Vinograd 1 on the southern bypass route of the city of Osijek

Izgradnja južnoga kolnika južne obilaznice grada Osijeka 2013. godine uvjetovala je zaštitno arheološko istraživanje lokaliteta Hermanov vinograd, budući da je trasa prelazila preko njegovoga sjeverozapadnog ruba. U istraživanjima su, kojima je obuhvaćena do sada najveća površina lokaliteta od 2.670 m2, pronađene brojne arheološke strukture ukopa i slojeva koji ukazuju na arhitektonske cjeline stambenoga i obrambenoga karaktera. Uvidom u stratigrafiju, utvrđene su četiri građevne faze lokaliteta čije je datiranje omogućeno rezultatima radiokarbonske analize starosti kosturnih ostataka iz groba 2. Brojan pokretni arheološki materijal u vidu ulomaka keramike, kućnoga lijepa, keramičkih, koštanih i kamenih predmeta također ukazuju na lokalitet naseobinskoga karaktera sopotskoga kulturnog kruga.The construction of the south lane of the southern bypass of the city of Osijek in 2013 prompted the rescue archaeological excavations of the site of Hermanov Vinograd (Herman’s vineyard), since the route ran across its northwest edge. The excavations, covering the largest area of the site yet (2.670 m2), found numerous archaeological structures of burials and layers pointing to architectural complexes of residential and defensive character. The examination of the stratigraphy identified four construction phases of the site, which were dated after the results of the radiocarbon analysis of the age of bone remains from grave 2. Numerous mobile archaeological materials in the form of potsherds, house daub, pottery, bone and stone objects, also indicate a site with the character of a settlement of the Sopot cultural sphere

BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE 15th –17th CENTURY POPULATION FROM ZRIN, CONTINENTAL CROATIA

The fortress of Zrin is one of the most important and well-known fortifications from the Late Medieval/Early Modern periods in Croatia. However, we have very scant information on the mortality, health, diet, and lifestyle of the people inhabiting the village of Zrin during this period. Recent archaeological excavations conducted around the church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross in Zrin provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about various aspects of the life and death of these people through the analysis of skeletal and dental remains. Archaeological context and direct radiocarbon dates place the recovered burials between the 15th and 17th centuries CE. The analysis of 32 skeletons revealed the presence of eight subadults and 24 adults. Palaeodontological and isotopic data indicate a mixed protein-carbohydrate diet with heavy emphasis on C4-type plants such as millet. The presence of various skeletal indicators of intense physical activity strongly suggests hard labour while performing every-day chores in and around the house. Physiological stress, especially during childhood, was widespread and frequent – it was probably the consequence of the synergistic effect of inadequate diet, metabolic and infectious diseases. Most of the observed injuries were a result of accidents associated with rural lifestyle rather than intentional violence. The studied assemblage is small and fragmented, and therefore, all results and hypotheses based on these results have to be taken with caution

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility

Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000–3000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward (3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.g. Armenia and France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity. At least 7% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region where they were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level of mobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historical period up to the present, mirroring geography. We show that, under standard population genetics models with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of population structure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indicated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by extensive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the Roman Empire’s mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility of ancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history

Results of the archaeological excavations of the site AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova Zemlja

Na trasi buduće dionice autoceste A5 Beli Manastir – Osijek tijekom 2014. i 2015. godine istraživan je lokalitet AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova zemlja. Na istraženome prostoru utvrđena su dva horizonta obitavanja, antički i prapovijesni. Antičkom horizontu, koji je datiran u 3. stoljeće, pripisuju se dvije peći za proizvodnju opeke, dječji grob te ukopi jama s nalazima. Prapovijesnome horizontu pripadaju brojni ukopi jama i kanala od kojih su najznačajniji ukopi jamskih objekata velikih dimenzija, zatim grobovi s ukopom pokojnika u zgrčenome položaju te kanal za regulaciju protoka vode koji dominira prostorom svojom veličinom i razvedenošću. Na osnovi analognih primjera ulomaka keramike i ukrasa te rezultata analize kosturnih ostataka metodom 1⁴C, prapovijesni život na lokalitetu odvijao se kroz neolitičke i eneolitičke kulture.The site of AN 2 Beli Manastir – Popova Zemlja was excavated in 2014 and 2015 on the route of the future section of the A5 motorway from Osijek to Beli Manastir. Two horizons were identified, one from antiquity and the other from prehistory. The horizon of antiquity, dated to the 3rd century, is associated with two kilns for producing bricks, a child’s grave, and buried pits with finds. The prehistoric horizon contains numerous buried pits and ditches, particularly large-size pit structures, as well as graves with the dead in a curled position and a ditch regulating the water flow, which dominates the space because of its size and spread. On the basis of analogue examples of fragments of pottery and ornaments and the results of the analysis of skeleton remains by the 14C method, prehistoric life at the site went on through the Neolithic and Eneolithic cultures

Results of the rescue archaeological excavations of the site AN 6 Hermanov Vinograd 1 on the southern bypass route of the city of Osijek

Izgradnja južnoga kolnika južne obilaznice grada Osijeka 2013. godine uvjetovala je zaštitno arheološko istraživanje lokaliteta Hermanov vinograd, budući da je trasa prelazila preko njegovoga sjeverozapadnog ruba. U istraživanjima su, kojima je obuhvaćena do sada najveća površina lokaliteta od 2.670 m2, pronađene brojne arheološke strukture ukopa i slojeva koji ukazuju na arhitektonske cjeline stambenoga i obrambenoga karaktera. Uvidom u stratigrafiju, utvrđene su četiri građevne faze lokaliteta čije je datiranje omogućeno rezultatima radiokarbonske analize starosti kosturnih ostataka iz groba 2. Brojan pokretni arheološki materijal u vidu ulomaka keramike, kućnoga lijepa, keramičkih, koštanih i kamenih predmeta također ukazuju na lokalitet naseobinskoga karaktera sopotskoga kulturnog kruga.The construction of the south lane of the southern bypass of the city of Osijek in 2013 prompted the rescue archaeological excavations of the site of Hermanov Vinograd (Herman’s vineyard), since the route ran across its northwest edge. The excavations, covering the largest area of the site yet (2.670 m2), found numerous archaeological structures of burials and layers pointing to architectural complexes of residential and defensive character. The examination of the stratigraphy identified four construction phases of the site, which were dated after the results of the radiocarbon analysis of the age of bone remains from grave 2. Numerous mobile archaeological materials in the form of potsherds, house daub, pottery, bone and stone objects, also indicate a site with the character of a settlement of the Sopot cultural sphere

Cranial deformation and genetic diversity in three adolescent male individuals from the Great Migration Period from Osijek, eastern Croatia.

Three individuals dating to the Great Migration Period (5th century CE) were discovered in a pit at the Hermanov vinograd site in Osijek, Croatia. We were inspired to study these individuals based on their unusual burial context as well as the identification of two different types of artificial cranial deformation in two of the individuals. We combine bioarchaeological analysis with radiographic imaging, stable isotopes analysis, and ancient DNA to analyze their dietary patterns, molecular sex, and genetic affinities in the context of the archaeological data and their bioarchaeological attributes. While all three individuals were adolescent males with skeletal evidence of severe malnutrition and similar diets, the most striking observation is that they had major differences in their genetic ancestry. Results of the genetic analyses of the nuclear ancient DNA data for these individuals indicate that the individual without artificial cranial deformation shows broadly West Eurasian associated-ancestry, the individual with tabular oblique-type has East Asian ancestry and the third individual with circular erect-type has Near Eastern associated-ancestry. Based on these results, we speculate that artificial cranial deformation type may have been a visual indicator membership in a specific cultural group, and that these groups were interacting intimately on the Pannonian Plain during the Migration Period

Enamel thickness per masticatory phases (ETMP): A new approach to assess the relationship between macrowear and enamel thickness in the human lower first molar

Many anthropological studies have examined the functional implications of enamel thickness in human dental crowns. Despite limitations, Enamel thickness (ET) values are still used to infer taxonomic attribution in the genus Homo, and to identify mechanisms of functional adaptation against macrowear. However, only a few studies have tried to describe the possible relationship between ET and dental wear patterns in permanent lower first molars (M1) aiming to observe whether an adaptive response to the environmental and cultural context is detectable. The present work aims to investigate a possible signal of ET adaptive response in M1 (wear stage 3; Molnar, 1971) belonging to individuals who lived between the Neolithic (early 6th millennium BCE) and the Bronze Age (second half of the 2nd millennium BCE) in Croatia to identify any signal of change in dental tissue proportions based on archaeologically documented shifts in population structure and subsistence strategies. In order to do so, we explored 3D Average Enamel Thickness (AET) of the entire crown and wear pattern distribution among individuals and across chronological groups. We then described a new method called “Enamel Thickness per Masticatory Phases” (ETMP) involving the creation of virtual sections cutting enamel and coronal dentine in three parts based on masticatory phases, and explored the distribution of 3D AET accordingly. Finally, we performed geometric morphometric analysis on dental crown to ascertain possible morphological differences between Neolithic, Eneolithic, and Bronze Age groups. Results show that Bronze Age individuals differ from previous groups due to 1) higher values of ET in both the entire crown and specifically in the buccal area, 2) to an extensive wear pattern localized on the buccal side, and 3) to the distal extension of the hypoconid together with an extended mesio-distal shape of the crown. These patterns may represent an adaptive response of dental tissue to varying functional demands (e.g. archaeologically documented dietary shift). The study of ETMP therefore offers a more nuanced method, in addition to morphology and macrowear analysis, to document biocultural processes of change over time in archaeological populations through dental tissues

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility

International audienceAncient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European populationstructure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000–3000 years before present, YBP),reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries.However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward(3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals fromEurope and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from theirregion (e.g. Armenia and France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individualheterogeneity. At least 7% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region wherethey were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level ofmobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historicalperiod up to the present, mirroring geography. We show that, under standard population geneticsmodels with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of populationstructure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indi-cated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by exten-sive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the RomanEmpire’s mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility ofancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history

The genomic history of southeastern Europe

Farming was first introduced to Europe in the mid-seventh millennium bc, and was associated with migrants from Anatolia who settled in the southeast before spreading throughout Europe. Here, to understand the dynamics of this process, we analysed genome-wide ancient DNA data from 225 individuals who lived in southeastern Europe and surrounding regions between 12000 and 500 bc. We document a west-east cline of ancestry in indigenous hunter-gatherers and, in eastern Europe, the early stages in the formation of Bronze Age steppe ancestry. We show that the first farmers of northern and western Europe dispersed through southeastern Europe with limited hunter-gatherer admixture, but that some early groups in the southeast mixed extensively with hunter-gatherers without the sex-biased admixture that prevailed later in the north and west. We also show that southeastern Europe continued to be a nexus between east and west after the arrival of farmers, with intermittent genetic contact with steppe populations occurring up to 2,000 years earlier than the migrations from the steppe that ultimately replaced much of the population of northern Europe.Iain Mathieson … Wolfgang Haak … David Reic