Ceramic production in Granada and in the southeast of Iberian Peninsula during the late middle Ages. Clays, tools and pots - some preliminary notes

This work presents the preliminary features of ceramics production in the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula and especially in Granada during the late middle Ages. This research is based on complementary archaeometrical analyses carried out on clays from traditional quarries used in the area, as well as on ceramics that were selected as representative due to their chronology, origin (the area where potters’ workshops were located) and function (tools used by the potters)

Catalan Imitations of the Ligurian Taches Noires Ware in Barcelona (18th\u201319th Century): An Example of Technical Knowledge Transfer

The ware called Taches Noires was developed in Albisola (Liguria, NW Italy) during the 18th century. In just a few years, it spread all over the Mediterranean (Italy, France, Spain, Tunisia, and Greece) and also in the New World (Canada, the Caribbean Islands, and Mexico). The success of the Taches Noires ware was so massive that it was soon copied by Spanish and French workshops. A collection of Catalan imitations and Ligurian imports found in Barcelona were analysed and compared to previously existing data from Barcelona productions, as well as reference samples from Albisola. The study proved the presence of both local imitations and original Albisola imports. The analysis showed a homogeneous product of high technical quality for the Albisola pottery. On the contrary, the local imitations presented a greater diversification in the choice and manipulation of the raw materials, probably related to the existence of different workshops engaged in the manufacturing of these products. Nevertheless, for one of the local groups, ceramists adopted a glaze recipe similar to the one used in Albisola, clearly indicating a direct transfer of knowledge, and possibly of potters, from Albisola to Barcelona

Climate drivers of malaria at its southern fringe in the Americas

In this work we analyze potential environmental drivers of malaria cases in Northwestern Argentina. We inspect causal links between malaria and climatic variables by means of the convergent cross mapping technique, which provides a causality criterion from the theory of dynamic systems. Analysis is based on 12 years of weekly malaria P. vivax cases in Tartagal, Salta, Argentina—at the southern fringe of malaria incidence in the Americas—together with humidity and temperature time-series spanning the same period. Our results show that there are causal links between malaria cases and both maximum temperature, with a delay of five weeks, and minimum temperature, with delays of zero and twenty two weeks. Humidity is also a driver of malaria cases, with thirteen weeks delay between cause and effect. Furthermore we also determined the sign and strength of the effects. Temperature has always a positive non-linear effect on cases, with maximum temperature effects more pronounced above 25C and minimum above 17C, while effects of humidity are more intricate: maximum humidity above 85% has a negative effect, whereas minimum humidity has a positive effect on cases. These results might be signaling processes operating at short (below 5 weeks) and long (over 12 weeks) time delays, corresponding to effects related to parasite cycle and mosquito population dynamics respectively. The non-linearities found for the strength of the effect of temperature on malaria cases make warmer areas more prone to higher increases in the disease incidence. Moreover, our results indicate that an increase of extreme weather events could enhance the risks of malaria spreading and re-emergence beyond the current distribution. Both situations, warmer climate and increase of extreme events, will be remarkably increased by the end of the century in this hot spot of climate change.Fil: Laneri, Karina Fabiana. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Investigaciones y Aplicaciones No Nucleares. Gerencia de Física (cab). División Física Estadística; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Cabella, Brenno. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho. Faculdade de Engenharia; BrasilFil: Prado, Paulo Inácio. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Coutinho, Renato Mendes. Universidad Federal Do Abc; BrasilFil: Kraenkel, Roberto André. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho. Faculdade de Engenharia; Brasi

A particular temper: mineralogical and petrographic characterisation of ceramic fabrics with glauconitic inclusions

This paper focuses on the mineralogical and petrographic characterisation of ceramic fabrics rich in glauconitic pellets, found out in a few local productions of European and Mediterranean sites dated from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. The main distinguishing features of glauconitic inclusions are their rounded shape, dark colour and peculiar chemical composition. During the firing – as also evidenced by a few preliminary experimental tests on glauconitic sediments – the pellets change in colour (from green to red or black in thin section) because of the oxidation of divalent iron and their texture becomes more homogeneous, up to the partial or complete vitrification at moderately high temperatures.Dans cet article, on présente la caractérisation minéralogique et pétrographique des pâtes céramiques riches en pellets glauconitiques, trouvées dans quelques productions locales de sites européens et méditerranéens d’age préhistorique à médiéval. Les plus importants éléments discriminants des pellets glauconitiques sont leur forme arrondie, leur couleur rouge ou noire et leur composition chimique particulière. Durant la cuisson, comme quelques tests préliminaires sur sédiments glauconitiques l’ont confirmé, les pellets changent de couleur (de vert à rouge ou noir en lame mince), à cause de l’oxydation du fer bivalent, et leur texture devient plus homogène, jusqu’à la vitrification partielle ou totale à des températures relativement hautes

Noves dades sobre la producció de ceràmica medieval de Barcelona. La caracterització arqueomètrica del taller del Carrer de Carders

Arran de la troballa d'un taller ceràmic al carrer de Carders de Barcelona, datat entre els segles XII i XIII, s'ha dut a terme la caracterització arqueomètrica de 31 individus per tal de definir les característiques químiques i petrogràfiques de la seva producció. A més, s'han contrastat els resultats amb els obtinguts per a l'altre taller del segle XIII conegut a la ciutat, el del carrer de l'Hospital. L'estudi ha permès de definir el grup de referència (GR) del carrer de Carders, com també indicar l'existència d"individus procedents d'aquesta excavació però que es relacionen amb la producció del carrer de l'Hospital. I a la inversa, l'existència d'individus procedents del carrer de l'Hospital que es relacionen amb el carrer de Carders. Finalment, entre els materials procedents del carrer de Carders s'han identificat dues noves produccions no conegudes anteriorment

Archaeometric analyses of Early and Middle Neolithic pottery from the Pian del Ciliegio rock shelter (Finale Ligure, NW Italy)

The Neolithic site of Pian del Ciliegio is a rock shelter located in the Ponci Valley, at 220 m asl, in the Finalese (Liguria, NW Italy), a well-known karstic area characterised by the existence of several caves with prehistoric occupation. Archaeometric investigations (by optical microscopy and XRPD) were carried out on pottery samples mostly belonging to the Square-Mouthed Pottery Culture and the Impressed Ware Culture found out in the recent excavations of this site. Several fabrics were distinguished among the Square-Mouthed Pottery Culture pottery, suggesting different raw materials sources and production techniques. However, the nature of the mineral inclusions indicates in all cases local or circum-local production (e.g. within a range of a maximum of a few ten kilometres). All Square-Mouthed Pottery fabrics, in fact, contain elements that can be referred to the Palaeozoic metamorphic rocks outcropping in the area. In most cases they are associated with angular sparry calcite inclusions, possibly added as temper, which is a typical feature of other Neolithic pottery production from cave contexts studied in the area. On the contrary the Impressed Ware, although represented by a few sherds, shows a great variability both in fabrics and raw material provenance. Together with different local fabrics (with metamorphites ± calcite), fabrics with ophiolitic inclusions (possibly from Tuscany) and volcanic temper (from Central Italy) were found too. These data confirm and integrate those resulting from the investigation of the neighbouring Arene Candide cave site: a long-distance movement by sea of people and goods, pottery included, during the Early Neolithic is now clearly demonstrated.Le site de Pian del Ciliegio est un abri situé à environ 220 m au-dessus du niveau de la mer dans la vallée du Ponci, qui se trouve dans le Finalese (Ligurie, Italie du nord-ouest), région bien connue par ses nombreuses grottes occupées durant le Néolithique. Plusieurs échantillons de céramiques de la Culture des Vases à Bouche Carrée et de la Culture à Céramique Imprimée (ou Impressa), retrouvées durant les fouilles du site, ont étés analysés par microscopie optique et diffraction de rayons X. Les différents groupes de pâte distingués parmi les céramiques de la Culture des Vases à Bouche Carrée signalent la présence de plusieurs sources de matières premières et de techniques de production. Toutefois, la nature des dégraissants indique en tout cas des productions locales ou circumlocales (c’est-à-dire, entre quelques dizaines de kilomètres maximum). En effet, toutes les pâtes de ces céramiques montrent des inclusions qui peuvent être rattachées aux roches métamorphiques Paléozoïques du Finalese. Très souvent, elles sont associées à de la calcite spathique, probablement ajoutée intentionnellement, qui est une caractéristique des pâtes d’autres productions néolithiques locales. La Céramique Imprimée (ou Impressa), au contraire, même si elle est très peu représentée, montre une grande variabilité en ce qui concerne les pâtes et les zones d’origine. Au côté de différentes pâtes locales (à inclusions de roches métamorphiques ± calcite), on trouve aussi des pâtes à dégraissant ophiolitique (probablement de la Toscane) ou volcanique (de l’Italie centrale). Ces résultats confirment et intègrent les données sur la grotte voisine des Arene Candide: il est maintenant démontré un mouvement de personnes et de biens sur de longues distances, par voie maritime, durant le Néolithique ancien

Breve introduzione alla geologia del Finalese (Savona).

Gli autori descrivono brevemente la geologia dell\u2019area circostante la caverna dell\u2019Arma dell\u2019Aquila, ubicata nell\u2019omonima valle del Finalese. Queste informazioni sono utili alla conoscenza delle caratteristiche delle potenziali materie prime disponibili in zona al fine di interpretare correttamente sia i dati archeometrici desunti dalle analisi delle ceramiche, sia l\u2019utilizzo delle risorse litiche per la produzione di strumenti in pietra.The authors describe the geology of the Finalese area where the cave Arma dell\u2019Aquila opens. The site location is of key importance for the interpretation of the potential lithic raw material sources available to the prehistoric communities that settled in the cave, and the correct interpretation of data achieved from pottery and stone tools archaeometric analyses