The Use of Wood at the Zamostje 2 Site

Prehistoric sites preserved in the waterlogged environments of northern Europe, the Baltic region, and Russia possess a number of common features related to the specifics of their locations in prehistoric times and the later conditions of their preservation. The lake settlements of the forest zone of European Russia did not undergo any drastic changes in their economy based on hunting and fishing during most of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The importance of fishing can be understood by studying the remains of wooden items from such sites, which include utensils like paddles, floats, and nets, as well as fish traps and other fishing constructions. The comprehensive analysis of wooden artefacts enables not only a detailed reconstruction of woodworking traditions and techniques at the sites, but also the reconstruction of the surrounding landscape, as exemplified by recent studies made at the Zamostje 2 site (Sergiev Posad district, Moscow region, Russia). This article presents the results of these studies. The assemblage of wooden artefacts – with more than 300 items – and fishing structures (fish traps, weirs, and fish screens) found at the Zamostje 2 site currently represents a unique opportunity to assess not only the role of wood in hunter-fisher societies during the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the forest zone of eastern Europe, but also the scientific potential of this fragile find material category

New Evidence of the Fishing Economy of Stone Age Waterlogged Sites in Central and North-Western Russia: The Example of Zamostje 2

Investigations of Stone Age waterlogged sites in eastern Europe pose a great scientific interest due to the excellent preservation of organic materials. Excavations of settlements like Sārnate, Zvidze (Latvia), Šventoji (Lithuania), Purkajasuo (Finland), and Okhta 1 (Russia) are among the best examples of such research. New investigations in 2010–2013 at the peat-bog site of Zamostje 2 (Sergiev Posad district, Moscow region, Russia) were of special interest thanks to the discovery of a specific fishery zone dated to the Late Mesolithic–Early Neolithic periods. Several constructions made of wood were found in this particular part of the settlement: among them two fish traps made of wooden splinters and bound by common reed tapes, mobile fish screens, and 150 wooden piles. These finds, along with wooden, bone, antler, and pine bark artefacts (fish hooks, harpoons, floats, fishnet knots, paddles, etc.) allow us to state that fishery was a basic economic activity at this site. This statement is further supported by a large number of finds, including fish bones and fish scales, found in relevant cultural layers. Similar fishing constructions have been found recently at other sites in European Russia, too. In this article, we present main elements of the fishing economy at Zamostje 2 and some newly-found materials from other sites in central and north-western Russia. We also propose a typology for wooden fishing structures and outline some patterns of fishing strategies for this territory in the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods

Saturation with Sugar of Wet Wood from the Late Mesolithic Site Zamostye 2: preservation and scientific potential

Wooden artifacts more than 8 thousand years old (7th millennium BC), preserved in the waterlogged horizons of peatland settlements, represent an extremely valuable source of information on both human behavior and paleoecology, and at the same time they are a great challenge for archaeologists who are obliged to ensure further preservation of these rapidly decaying finds. Various conservation techniques have been applied to wet wooden artifacts of Mesolithic age from the Zamostye 2 site (Volga-Oka interfluve), affecting a limited number of items. Since 1997, the method of sugar saturation has been actively used by the author (archaeologist) to preserve mass collections. During 5 years (1997–2002), 211 objects of various shapes and purposes were processed. The results and problems received are discussed 20 years after the end of conservation, that allows an objective assessment of all the methods used and their influence on the scientific potential of wooden artifacts

Fishing Nets and String at the Final Mesolithic and Early Neolithic Site of Zamostje 2, Sergiev Posad (Russia)

Altres ajuts: Funding information: O.L. was funded by the Program of FSR SAS no FMZF-2022-0012. M.B.-A. is currently funded by a MSCA-IF-2019 (GA No. 893735) and during part of this research was an Alexander von Humboldt post-doc fellow. R.P. was funded by ICREA Academia Program.The site Zamostje 2, located in Sergiev-Posad district of Moscow (Russia) on the west bank of the Dubna River, has provided two Mesolithic and one Early Neolithic occupations dated from 7000 to 5400 cal BC. Thanks to the waterlogged environment, the site has an exceptional preservation. The site has yielded fishing screens, fishing fences, wooden fishing traps, and several small cordage remains elaborated with plant fibres, pine bark floats, fragments of paddles, and other wooden objects. In this work, we present the study of the fragments of cordage and fishing nets with the objective of providing new insights into the production and use of implements made of plant fibres. We have characterized the production process by analysing the morphological and technical characteristics by carrying out experimentation with plant fibres in order to obtain reference material to recognize them at an archaeological level. The analysis of 82 knots and 23 fragments of strings has allowed to determine that they were elaborated with single threads from 0.5 to 1.5 mm thick, which is noticeably smaller than most examples from other sites. All of them were elaborated with woody bast fibres

Human palaeodiet at Zamostje 2, central Russia:Results of radiocarbon and stable isotope analyses

Only 21 human remains have been identified at Zamostje 2, despite extraordinarily good conditions for organic preservation, and the recovery of thousands of animal bones from layers dating from the Late Mesolithic to the Middle Neolithic (c.6500–4000 cal BC). Almost all the human remains are fragments of the cranium, maxilla, mandible, which are potentially reworked from earlier depositions, uphill or upstream of Zamostje 2, or isolated teeth. Disregarding naturally shed deciduous teeth, these remains have been attributed to between 5 and 14 individuals, ranging in age from 6 to 7 years to mature adult. We report AMS radiocarbon (14C) dating and dietary stable isotopes, δ13C and δ15N, for all the human bones, and δ13C and δ15N values from 63 prehistoric animal bones from Zamostje 2, including 18 fish and 7 dogs. Using the faunal isotope data, we construct isotope signatures for different food groups, which we use to interpret the human δ13C and δ15N values. Based on 14C ages and dietary stable isotopes, we propose that the human bones represent 10–12 individuals, most of whom date to the Late Mesolithic occupation at Zamostje 2; one is somewhat earlier in the Mesolithic, one (probably from the nearby site, Zamostje 1) may date to the Middle Neolithic, and two (one from Zamostje 1, one unprovenanced) date to the Late Neolithic or Eneolithic. The earliest and latest individuals may have obtained most of their dietary protein intake from fish, but Late Mesolithic individuals probably had more mixed diets. Palaeodiet reconstruction is complicated by unusual δ13C and δ15N values for local fish in the Late Mesolithic, which are reflected in δ13C and δ15N values from dogs

Типы конституциональных диатезов у детей с туберкулезной инфекцией

Diathesis or constitutional abnormality is a polygenically inherited tendency of an organism to diseases, objectively recognized by deviations from the normal phenotype. There are 4 types of diatheses: exudative-catarrhal, lymphatic-hypoplastic, neuro-arthritic and allergic. The aim of the work was to identify and determine the frequency of diathesis in children with different course of tuberculosis infection. 225 children aged from 1 to 14 years were examined: 108 children with active forms of tuberculosis; 54 children with residual post-tuberculosis changes; 63 children with latent tuberculosis infection. It was found that among patients with active tuberculosis, children with lymphatic-hypoplastic (17.6 ± 3.7%) and neuro-arthritic diathesis (16.7 ± 3.6%) are most common, and children with allergic diathesis (11.1 ± 3.0% of cases) are less common. Children with lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis often develop a complicated course of tuberculosis (26.3 ± 10.1%), there is a pronounced intoxication syndrome (58.0± 11.3%). The frequency of occurrence of children with allergic diathesis is higher in patients with residual post-tuberculosis changes (29.6 ± 6.2%) and with latent tuberculosis infection (33.3 ± 6.0%) than in patients with active tuberculosis (11.1 ± 3.0%)Diateza sau anomalia constituţională este o tendinţă moştenită poligenic a unui organism către maladii, obiectiv recunoscută prin devieri de la fenotipul normal. Există 4 tipuri de diateze: exudativ-catarală, limfatic-hipoplastică, ne-uro-artritică şi alergică. Scopul lucrării a fost de a identifica şi determina frecvenţa diatezei la copiii cu curs diferit de infecţie cu tuberculoză. Au fost examinaţi 225 de copii cu vârste cuprinse între 1 şi 14 ani: 108 copii cu forme active de tuberculoză; 54 de copii cu modificări reziduale post-tuberculoză; 63 de copii cu infecţie latentă cu tuberculoză. S-a constatat că printre pacienţii cu tuberculoză activă, copiii cu diateză limfo-hipoplastică (17,6 ± 3,7%) şi neuro-artritică (16,7 ± 3,6%) sunt cei mai frecvenţi, iar copiii cu diateză alergică (11,1 ± 3,0% din cazuri) sunt mai puţini. Copiii cu diateză limfatic-hipoplastică dezvoltă adesea un curs complicat de tuberculoză (26,3 ± 10,1%), există un sindrom de intoxicaţie pronunţat (58,0 ± 11,3%). Frecvenţa apariţiei copiilor cu diateză alergică este mai mare la pacienţii cu modificări post-tuberculoase reziduale (29,6 ± 6,2%) şi cu infecţie latentă a tuberculozei (33,3 ± 6,0%) decât la pacienţii cu tuberculoză activă (11,1 ± 3,0%)Диатез или аномалия конституции — полигенно наследуемая склонность организма к заболеваниям, объективно распознаваемая по отклонениям от нормального фенотипа. Выделяют 4 типа диатезов: экссудативно-катаральный, лимфатико-гипопластический, нервно-артритический и аллергический. Целью работы было выявление и определение частоты встречаемости диатезов при различном течение туберкулезной инфекции у детей. Обследованы 225 детей в возрасте от 1 года до 14 лет: 108 детей с активными формами туберкулеза; 54 ребенка с остаточными посттуберкулезными изменениями; 63 ребенка с латентной туберкулезной инфекцией. Выявлено, что среди пациентов с активным туберкулезом наиболее часто встречаются дети с лимфатико-гипопластическим (17,6 ± 3,7%) и нервно-артритическим диатезом (16,7 ± 3,6%), реже дети с аллергическим диатезом (11,1 ±3,0% случаев). У детей с лимфатико-гипопластическим диатезом чаще развивается осложненное течение туберкулеза (26,3 ± 10,1%), наблюдается выраженный синдром интоксикации (58,0± 11,3%). Частота встречаемости детей с аллергическим диатезом выше у пациентов с остаточными посттуберкулезными изменениями (29,6 ± 6,2%) и с латентной туберкулезной инфекцией (33,3 ± 6,0%), чем у пациентов с активным туберкулезом (11,1 ± 3,0%

The transmission of pottery technology among prehistoric European hunter-gatherers

Human history has been shaped by global dispersals of technologies, although understanding of what enabled these processes is limited. Here, we explore the behavioural mechanisms that led to the emergence of pottery among hunter-gatherer communities in Europe during the mid-Holocene. Through radiocarbon dating, we propose this dispersal occurred at a far faster rate than previously thought. Chemical characterization of organic residues shows that European hunter-gatherer pottery had a function structured around regional culinary practices rather than environmental factors. Analysis of the forms, decoration and technological choices suggests that knowledge of pottery spread through a process of cultural transmission. We demonstrate a correlation between the physical properties of pots and how they were used, reflecting social traditions inherited by successive generations of hunter-gatherers. Taken together the evidence supports kinship-driven, super-regional communication networks that existed long before other major innovations such as agriculture, writing, urbanism or metallurgy

Los incisivos de castor utilizados como instrumentos de trabajo. Rastros de uso experimentales para una aplicación arqueológica: el caso de Zamostje 2 (Rusia)

[EN] The use ot teeth, both from human and other animals, as instruments for working other raw materials has a wide record at archaeological and ethnographical level. The case study of the present work -the incisive teeth of beaver- is very interesting for the wide geographical territory envolved as well as for the ample chronological interval that relates to the technological development of these tools. The experi-mental work that has been carried out with beaver mandibles had the aim of reproducing the teeth use wear so to be able to utilise this set as a referente collection to compare with archaeological material from Zaostje 2 (Russia). These tools are very common in this area of the Russian plain in all settlements were there are Mesolothic cultural layers overlain by Neolithic deposits.[ES] El uso de los dientes, tanto humanos como de diversos animales, como instrumentos de trabajo tiene un amplio registro tanto a nivel arqueológico como etnográfico. El caso que nos ocupa en este trabajo -los incisivos de castor- resulta llamativo por el amplio territorio geográfi co donde se localizan y el amplio espectro cronológico que ocupa el desarrollo tecnológico de esos instrumentos. La experimentación que hemos llevado a cabo con mandíbulas de castor tenía como objetivo el reproducir huellas de uso en la superfi cie de los incisivos para usarlas de modelos comparativos con los materiales arqueológicos de Zamostje 2 (Rusia). Estos instrumentos son muy comunes en los yacimientos con niveles mesolíticos (con continuidad en los del neolítico) en todo este área geográfi ca de la llanura rusa.Este trabajo se inserta dentro del Proyecto I+D+I (HAR2008-04461/HIST): Recursos olvidados en el estudio de grupos prehistóricos: el caso de la pesca en sociedades meso-neolíticas de la llanura rusa. Financiado por Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCI) del gobierno de España. Los materiales arqueológicos han sido analizados en el Laboratorio de Traceología y Arqueología Experimental ‘S.A. Semenov’ del Instituto de la Cultura Material de la Academia de Ciencias en San Petersburgo, gracias al disfrute de una beca de intercambio “Marina Bueno” (CSIC) en el 2005. Esta experimentación ha sido posible gracias a Ernesto L. Piana y al grupo de biología del Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (Ushuaia-Tierra del Fuego-Argentina) por habernos proporcionado las mandíbulas de castor para la experimentación.Peer Reviewe

Subsistence strategies on the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic lake settlement Zamostje 2 in Volga-Oka region: Evidence of fishing

Materials of the multilayer wetland site Zamostje 2 are key to study the human cultural history of the Volga-Oka interfluve in Central Russia due to the diversity and completeness of the material culture, on the one hand, and encompass large information potential of fragile organic remains preserved in the waterlogged conditions, on the other hand. The existence of the lake settlement in the broad framework of ca. 7000–4300 cal BC includes the period of distribution of the first ceramics and development of ceramic production among hunter-fisher-gatherers. The purpose of this paper to synthesize the data obtained by natural scientific methods on the reconstruction of the paleolandscape and animal and plant resources, as well as compare them with archaeological evidence of hunting and, in particular, fishing practices. New data from the fishing zone and geological structure of the microregion have been brought. This analysis creates a context for adaptation of various multidisciplinary studies and fuels discussions of paleoecological and cultural events characteristic for the Upper Volga region in the period under consideration.The studies were carried out thanks to financial support from Programme of FSR SAS No. 0184-2014-0008 and 0184-2019-0008, Projects of RFBR No. 11-06-00090 а, 11-06-10030 k, 12-06-10013 k, 13-06-10007 k, 13-06-12057 ofi-m, Proyecto I+D+I HAR 2008 – 04461/Hist Ministerio de ciencia e inovación, España 2009–2011 (Dir. I. Clemente Conte) and Sergiev-Posad State History and Art Museum-Preserve.Peer reviewe