THE BEGINNING OF THE IRON AGE AT ARSLANTEPE: A 14C PERSPECTIVE

The Iron Age chronology at Arslantepe is the result of the interpretation of Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions and archaeological data coming from the site and its surrounding region. A new round of investigations of the Iron Age levels has been conducted at the site over the last 10 years. Preliminary results allowed the combination of the archaeological sequence with the historical events that extended from the collapse of the Late Bronze Age empires to the formation and development of the new Iron Age kingdoms. The integration into this picture of a new set of radiocarbon (14C) dates is aimed at establishing a more solid local chronology. High precision 14C dating by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and its correlation with archaeobotanical analysis and stratigraphic data are presented here with the purpose of improving our knowledge of the site’s history and to build a reliable absolute chronology of the Iron Age. The results show that the earliest level of the sequence dates to ca. the mid-13th century BC, implying that the site started developing a new set of relationships with the Levant already before the breakdown of the Hittite empire, entailing important historical implications for the Syro-Anatolian region at the end of the 2nd millennium BC

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

Background: The Franciscan Friary in Montella near Avellino in Southern Italy is of special interest because according to historical sources it was founded by St. Francis himself in AD 1221-1222. Human remains of several hundred individuals interred in the cloister walk have been unearthed during two excavation campaigns conducted in 2007-2008 and 2010. The environs of the friary have remained rural since the foundation preventing much modern contamination. The state of preservation of the skeletons is fair to good making a suite of analyses worthwhile. Results: The skeletons have been examined anthropologically and tissue samples have been subjected to radiocarbon dating, stable isotope measurements and trace element analyses by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Conclusions: The radiocarbon dates are consistent with the historical sources and show that the cemetery in the cloister walk has been in uninterrupted use from the foundation of the friary in AD 1221-1222 and until the cemetery went out of use in AD 1524. The anthropological investigations show that the individuals interred at the friary would have been shorter than other Italians from the same time, and it seems that tuberculosis was more prevalent than leprosy. Isotopic measurements show a mixed agricultural and pastoral diet and none of the individuals were consuming marine protein. Based on the trace element analysis it seems that the people resided mainly at two distinct geographical areas, one of which was Montella. One individual stands out from the rest, because he was born and raised at some third geographical location distinct from Montella and because he sports the second oldest radiocarbon date of AD 1050-1249 (two sigma calibrated range). This date is consistent with the first generation of the founders of the friary-perhaps one of St. Francis' fellow travellers from Assisi

A Holocene tephra layer within coastal aeolian deposits north of Caleta Olivia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina)

In this paper we illustrate the stratigraphy, geochronology, and geochemistry (major, minor, trace elements and Sr-isotopes) of a Holocene tephra layer found within coastal sedimentary deposits north of Caleta Olivia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). The stratigraphic succession comprises beach deposits with basal erosive surface resting on the local substrate (“Formación Patagonia”) followed by a poorly developed paleosoil. The paleosoil is covered by a lenticular fine grained (Mdφ: 5.2, 0.027 mm), well sorted (σφ: 1.2) volcanic ash layer and aeolian sands. The geochemical composition of shard fragments points to an origin from the Hudson volcano, located in the southern Andes, ca. 400 km to the west. The geochemistry, Sr-isotopes and the radiometric constraints (younger than the age of the underlying marine layer dated at ca. 4,100 a cal BP) further allow correlating this tephra with the so-called H2 eruption (ca. 3,900 a cal BP). This finding is of interest owing to the poor preservation potential of tephra within the Late Holocene sedimentary deposits of the Atlantic coast of Patagonia and represents the first finding of H2 eruption in this area, improving our knowledge of the dispersion of the fine-grained distal deposit of the Hudson volcanic explosive activity, thus allowing a better estimate of the eruptive dynamics and the risks associated with the Hudson volcano

Niveles altos del mar durante el Último Máximo Interglacial deducidos mediante muescas de abrasión y márgenes internos de terrazas marinas en Puerto Deseado, Provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina

A detailed geomorphological survey was undertaken in the area of Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina) to reconstruct the Relative Sea-level (RSL) position during the Last Interglacial highstand. The presence of active and well-preserved abrasive notches and inner margins of terraces related to the MIS5e and to the Holocene, measured with DGPS, allowed to accurately estimate the RSL change from the present to the MIS5e highstand at ca. 21 m. The geomorphological and geochronological analyses support the notion of the presence of a significant regional tectonic uplift in the Atlantic Patagonia, which can be locally estimated at ca. 0.12 mm/yr.Se realizó un estudio geomorfológico detallado en la zona de Puerto Deseado (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina) para reconstruir la posición relativa del nivel (RNM) del mar durante el Último Máximo Interglacial. La presencia de muescas de abrasión activas y bien conservadas, y la posición de los márgenes internos de las terrazas relacionadas con el MIS5e y el Holoceno, medido con GPS diferencial, permitió estimar con precisión el cambio RNM desde el presente hasta la transgresión MIS5e en aproximadamente 21 m. Los análisis geomorfológicos y geocronológicos sustentan la noción de la presencia de un significativo levantamiento tectónico regional en la Patagonia Atlántica, que puede estimarse localmente en alrededor de 0,12 mm/año.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Una capa de tefra holocena intercalada en los depósitos eólicos costeros ubicados al norte de Caleta Olivia (Provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina)

In this paper we illustrate the stratigraphy, geochronology, and geochemistry (major, minor, trace elements and Sr-isotopes) of a Holocene tephra layer found within coastal sedimentary deposits north of Caleta Olivia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). The stratigraphic succession comprises beach deposits with basal erosive surface resting on the local substrate (“Formacion Patagonia”) followed by a poorly developed paleosoil. The paleosoil is covered by a lenticular fine-grained (Mdφ: 5.2, 0.027 mm), well sorted (σφ: 1.2) volcanic ash layer and aeolian sands. The geochemical composition of shard fragments points to an origin from the Hudson volcano, located in the southern Andes, ca. 400 km to the west. The geochemistry, Sr-isotopes and the radiometric constraints (younger than the age of the underlying marine layer dated at ca. 4,100 a cal BP) further allow correlating this tephra with the so-called H2 eruption (ca. 3,900 a cal BP). This finding is of interest owing to the poor preservation potential of tephra within the Late Holocene sedimentary deposits of the Atlantic coast of Patagonia and represents the first finding of H2 eruption in this area, improving our knowledge of the dispersion of the fine-grained distal deposit of the Hudson volcanic explosive activity, thus allowing a better estimate of the eruptive dynamics and the risks associated with the Hudson volcano.Este artículo aborda la estratigrafía, geocronología y geoquímica (elementos mayoritarios, minoritarios, trazas e isótopos de Sr) de un nivel de tefra holocena que forma parte de una secuencia de sedimentos costeros ubicados al norte de Caleta Olivia (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina). La secuencia comprende depósitos sedimentarios que se disponen sobre una superficie basal erosiva que suprayace al sustrato local (“Formación Patagonia”), y continúa esta secuencia con un paleosuelo de escaso desarrollo. El paleosuelo está cubierto por una capa lenticular de cenizas volcánicas de grano fino (Mdφ: 5,2, 0,027 mm), bien seleccionada (σφ: 1,2) y arenas eólicas. La composición geoquímica de los shards indica que esta tefra se originó en el volcán Hudson, ubicado en los Andes del sur, a aproximadamente 400 km hacia el oeste. La geoquímica, los isótopos de Sr y las restricciones radiométricas (más joven que la edad de la capa marina que la subyace, fechada en aproximadamente 4.100 a cal AP) permiten correlacionar esta tefra con la denominada erupción H2 de dicho volcán (ocurrida aproximadamente 3.900 a cal AP). Este hallazgo es de interés debido al escaso potencial de preservación de los depósitos de tefra dentro de las secuencias sedimentarias costeras del Holoceno Tardío, en la costa atlántica de Patagonia y representa el primer hallazgo del evento eruptivo H2 en esta área, lo cual contribuye a mejorar el conocimiento sobre la dispersión de la tefra generada por la actividad volcánica explosiva del volcán Hudson, lo que permite una mejor estimación de la dinámica eruptiva y los riesgos asociados con este volcán.Centro de Estudios Integrales de la Dinámica Exógen

Niveles altos del mar durante el Último Máximo Interglacial deducidos mediante muescas de abrasión y márgenes internos de terrazas marinas en Puerto Deseado, Provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina

A detailed geomorphological survey was undertaken in the area of Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina) to reconstruct the Relative Sea-level (RSL) position during the Last Interglacial highstand. The presence of active and well-preserved abrasive notches and inner margins of terraces related to the MIS5e and to the Holocene, measured with DGPS, allowed to accurately estimate the RSL change from the present to the MIS5e highstand at ca. 21 m. The geomorphological and geochronological analyses support the notion of the presence of a significant regional tectonic uplift in the Atlantic Patagonia, which can be locally estimated at ca. 0.12 mm/yr.Se realizó un estudio geomorfológico detallado en la zona de Puerto Deseado (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina) para reconstruir la posición relativa del nivel (RNM) del mar durante el Último Máximo Interglacial. La presencia de muescas de abrasión activas y bien conservadas, y la posición de los márgenes internos de las terrazas relacionadas con el MIS5e y el Holoceno, medido con GPS diferencial, permitió estimar con precisión el cambio RNM desde el presente hasta la transgresión MIS5e en aproximadamente 21 m. Los análisis geomorfológicos y geocronológicos sustentan la noción de la presencia de un significativo levantamiento tectónico regional en la Patagonia Atlántica, que puede estimarse localmente en alrededor de 0,12 mm/año.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

The beginning of the Iron Age at Arslantepe: a 14C perspective

The Iron Age chronology at Arslantepe is the result of the interpretation of Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions and archaeological data coming from the site and its surrounding region. A new round of investigations of the Iron Age levels has been conducted at the site over the last 10 years. Preliminary results allowed the combination of the archaeological sequence with the historical events that extended from the collapse of the Late Bronze Age empires to the formation and development of the new Iron Age kingdoms. The integration into this picture of a new set of radiocarbon (14C) dates is aimed at establishing a more solid local chronology. High precision 14C dating by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and its correlation with archaeobotanical analysis and stratigraphic data are presented here with the purpose of improving our knowledge of the site’s history and to build a reliable absolute chronology of the Iron Age. The results show that the earliest level of the sequence dates to ca. the mid-13th century BC, implying that the site started developing a new set of relationships with the Levant already before the breakdown of the Hittite empire, entailing important historical implications for the Syro-Anatolian region at the end of the 2nd millennium BC

New strategies in mortar characterization and radiocarbon dating

Radiocarbon dating was used on mortars exploiting the C uptake during the carbonation process, where the atmospheric CO2 signal is absorbed by reaction with lime putty, and then it is converted back into CaCO3-binder containing the signature of the construction time. The CaCO3-binder must be isolated from other carbonate sources and contaminants such as delayed hydraulic and secondary alteration products which could affect the dating process [1]\u2013[3]. An appropriate mineralogical characterization of the mortar greatly enhances the understanding of the reaction history of the material allowing the preliminary assessment of the \u201cdateability\u201d of the binder, and afterwards, the choice of the needed pretreatments for a reliable radiocarbon dating. In this paper, our procedures in mortar characterization, binder isolation and innovative treatments of the fine binder fraction in order to obtain a suitable dateable material are shown

I Materiali Leganti della Cappella degli Scrovegni e dell\u2019Arena: Analisi e Datazioni

Nel presente contributo si riportano i principali risultati analitici dello studio di caratterizzazione effettuato sui materiali leganti pertinenti alla Cappella degli Scrovegni e allo scavo archeologico dell\u2019Arena Romana di Padova e delle rimanenze degli edifici costruiti in epoche successive nell\u2019area di studio. L\u2019indagine \ue8 stata volta a determinare le caratteristiche minero-petrografiche, microchimiche e microstrutturali dei materiali analizzati al fine di individuare eventuali relazioni e differenze tra i leganti utilizzati in intervalli cronologici e contesti strutturali distinti, nonch\ue9 ad operare determinazioni cronologiche assolute sui materiali stessi, e per estensione agli edifici ed elementi strutturali di pertinenza, attraverso la datazione al radiocarbonio delle frazioni leganti