Casting new light on the chronology of the loess/paleosol sequences in Lower Austria

Der vorliegende Artikel gibt einen Überblick über neu datierte Abschnitte in bekannten Löss/Paläoboden-Sequenzen Niederösterreichs. Die Ergebnisse der Datierungen im Profil Joching deuten darauf hin, dass es im letzten Hochglazial zur Lösssedimentation kam. Die meisten erfassten Alter sind jedoch älter als das letzte Hochglazial, was auf Erosionsprozesse hindeutet, die zur Abtragung der jüngeren Lösse geführt hat. In dem Abschnitt zwischen ~28 ka and ~35 ka wurden überwiegend Tundragleye gebildet. Eine intensivere interstadiale Bodenbildung ist nicht nachzuweisen. Dieses Ergebnis kann auch für die stratigraphische Einstufung von ‚Stillfried B‘ (sensu Fink) von Bedeutung sein. Der folgende chronologische Abschnitt liegt zwischen ~35 ka and ~57 ka in Lösssedimenten mit eingeschalteten Tundragleyen. Auch dieser Abschnitt ist durch Umlagerungsprozesse charakterisiert. Im Zeitraum von ~57 ka bis ~106 ka befindet sich eine markante Zeitlücke, die vermutlich auf langandauernde und intensive Erosionsprozesse im Untersuchungsgebiet zurückzuführen ist. Die älteste Datierung in den Sedimenten des letzten Glazials mit 106 ± 12 ka befindet sich in Paudorf direkt über dem ‚Stillfried A‘- Komplex (Paudorfer Bodenbildung). Direkt unter diesem Pedokomplex, bzw. vergleichbaren Pedokomplexen treten in Lössablagerungen Alter von 124 ± 2 5 ka (Göttweig-Aigen), 159 ± 20 ka (Paudorf 1), and 170 ± 16 ka (Joching) auf. Darüber hinausgehende Alter konnten in Stratzing, Paudorf 2, Göttweig-Furth und Langenlois nachgewiesen werden

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

Das linearbandkeramische Gräberfeld von Kleinhadersdorf

The publication gives a complete documentation of the old rescue excavations by Josef Bayer and Viktor Lebzelter in 1931 as well as of the systematic investigations of the Neolithic cemetery under the direction of Johannes-Wolfgang Neugebauer and Christine Neugebauer-Maresch between 1987–1991. The burial customs of this early farming population are analyzed together with the grave goods, which comprise an exceptionally large number of grinding stones, as well as ceramics, bone tools, shell ornaments, chert and traces of red ochre. The results of analyses of anthropological remains pertaining to 57 inhumations − more than half of the bodies were oriented SE-NW and the majority buried in a crouched position on the left side − are complemented by 14C-dates and isotope-analyses.Die Publikation bietet sowohl eine vollständige Dokumentation der ersten Notgrabungen von Josef Bayer und Viktor Lebzelter 1931 als auch der systematischen Rettungsgrabungen zwischen 1987–1991 unter der Leitung von Johannes-Wolfgang Neugebauer und Christine Neugebauer-Maresch. Die Bestattungssitten dieser frühen bäuerlichen Bevölkerung werden ebenso eingehend analysiert wie die Grabfunde, die eine ungewöhnlich große Anzahl an Mahlsteinfragmenten und Reibplatten umfassen, weiters Keramik, Knochengeräte, Muschelschmuck, Silex und Spuren von Rötel. Die Resultate der Analysen der anthropologischen Überreste von 57 Körperbestattungen - mehr als die Hälfte der Körper waren SO-NW orientiert und die überwiegende Mehrheit in linker Hockerlage bestattet − werden durch 14C-Datierungen und Isotopen-Analysen ergänzt

Origin and contacts of people buried at the LBK graveyard at Kleinhadersdorf, Austria

In this article we present first information on results of analyses of the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) graveyard of Kleinhadersdorf carried out in recent years. First, we briefly present the excavations and main characteristics of the burials. Analyses of C-, N- and Sr- isotopes, executed with- in a large-scale international project, showed that most of the people were born and lived in the area and gathered food nearby. Only three individuals came from a geologically different region, i.e. the gneiss-granite zone of the Bohemian massif. Adzes and some quern stones were also obtained in this area, while flint raw materials and Spondylus shells for ornaments were procured from other regions.

Das linearbandkeramische Gräberfeld von Kleinhadersdorf

The publication gives a complete documentation of the old rescue excavations by Josef Bayer and Viktor Lebzelter in 1931 as well as of the systematic investigations of the Neolithic cemetery under the direction of Johannes-Wolfgang Neugebauer and Christine Neugebauer-Maresch between 1987–1991. The burial customs of this early farming population are analyzed together with the grave goods, which comprise an exceptionally large number of grinding stones, as well as ceramics, bone tools, shell ornaments, chert and traces of red ochre. The results of analyses of anthropological remains pertaining to 57 inhumations − more than half of the bodies were oriented SE-NW and the majority buried in a crouched position on the left side − are complemented by 14C-dates and isotope-analyses.Die Publikation bietet sowohl eine vollständige Dokumentation der ersten Notgrabungen von Josef Bayer und Viktor Lebzelter 1931 als auch der systematischen Rettungsgrabungen zwischen 1987–1991 unter der Leitung von Johannes-Wolfgang Neugebauer und Christine Neugebauer-Maresch. Die Bestattungssitten dieser frühen bäuerlichen Bevölkerung werden ebenso eingehend analysiert wie die Grabfunde, die eine ungewöhnlich große Anzahl an Mahlsteinfragmenten und Reibplatten umfassen, weiters Keramik, Knochengeräte, Muschelschmuck, Silex und Spuren von Rötel. Die Resultate der Analysen der anthropologischen Überreste von 57 Körperbestattungen - mehr als die Hälfte der Körper waren SO-NW orientiert und die überwiegende Mehrheit in linker Hockerlage bestattet − werden durch 14C-Datierungen und Isotopen-Analysen ergänzt

Das linearbandkeramische Gräberfeld von Kleinhadersdorf

The publication gives a complete documentation of the old rescue excavations by Josef Bayer and Viktor Lebzelter in 1931 as well as of the systematic investigations of the Neolithic cemetery under the direction of Johannes-Wolfgang Neugebauer and Christine Neugebauer-Maresch between 1987–1991. The burial customs of this early farming population are analyzed together with the grave goods, which comprise an exceptionally large number of grinding stones, as well as ceramics, bone tools, shell ornaments, chert and traces of red ochre. The results of analyses of anthropological remains pertaining to 57 inhumations − more than half of the bodies were oriented SE-NW and the majority buried in a crouched position on the left side − are complemented by 14C-dates and isotope-analyses

Radiocarbon Chronology of the Late Palaeolithic Loess Site of Kammern-Grubgraben (Lower Austria). Archaeologia Austriaca|Archaeologia Austriaca Band 100/2016|

The open-air site of Kammern-Grubgraben is one of the rare find sites of Late Pleniglacial times. The stratigraphy comprises five archaeological layers, containing a high range of animal bones in addition to the stone implements. As there is nearly no charcoal preserved, carefully selected bones and teeth were used for radiocarbon dating

Kammern-Grubgraben. Neue Erkenntnisse zu den Grabungen 1985−1994. Archaeologia Austriaca|Archaeologia Austriaca Band 100/2016|

The open-air site of Kammern-Grubgraben is a rare example of a detailed glimpse of Ice-Age hunter-gatherer lifestyles during the latter part of the last glaciation of the northern hemisphere. Archaeological excavations were initially conducted between 1985 and 1990 (A. Montet-White/F. Brandtner) and from 1993 to 1994 (F. Brandtner/ B. Klíma). After the death of F. Brandtner, however, the inventory of the more recent excavations in the collection went without close examination. In a joint project between the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Neugebauer-Maresch, Einwögerer) and the University of Cologne (Richter, Hussain) and University of Erlangen (Maier), this extensive find material was comprehensively documented and inventorised for the first time on behalf of the state of Lower Austria (MAMUZ), its legal owner. The contributions of Haesaerts and Damblon as well as Haesaerts et al. supplement this examination with a re-contextualisation and re-interpretation of the chronostratigraphy obtained during the initial excavations