Gone with the wind? Research on abandonment processes as part of Neolithic ways of life in Göbekli Tepe

While most archaeological research is focused on the reasons for starting cultural activities (such as building a house, setting up a settlement, starting to produce a groundstone), my PhD project “Neolithic ways of life” is concerned with the end of settlements. Within the framework of the study fields Landscape Archaeology and Archaeology of Abandonment, I analyse the processes of abandonment at the PPN A+B hill site Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Anatolia. With the slow advent of agriculture and animal husbandry during the Neolithization, the site was abandoned at the end of the 9th millennium BCE.The site is famous for its large circular structures which are equipped with monolithic T-shaped pillars that were built by groups who lived from foraging. Far less is known about Göbekli Tepe as a settlement, nine hectares densely covered with round and rectangular buildings with sets of domestic activities of daily life.My research focuses on architectural analysis such as re-modelling and re-use of buildings, a detailed study of the room fills in combination with the development of a systematic sampling strategy, to examine continuities and discontinuities of abandonment practices in Göbekli Tepe.In my presentation, I will stress the importance of abandonment studies inarchaeology and give methodological examples for how I identify abandonment in the archaeological record. The importance of small-scale excavations cannot be overestimated in this context. Furthermore, I will provide insights into my dissertation project, my fieldwork at Göbekli Tepe and first preliminary results.The talk has the aim to discuss the potential of small-scale or micro-archaeology and its contribution to questions concerning the end of habitations and whole settlements. By examining these processes in detail, the diversity of and the (in-)stability in settlement practices can be reconstructed, refining our understanding of past societies

Studying the Use of Earth in Early Architecture of Southwest and Central Asia

Using case studies from Aşıklı Höyük, Çatalhöyük, Boncuklu Tarla, Göbekli Tepe (all Turkey), and Monjukli Depe (southern Turkmenistan), this study presents a framework for in-depth research on prehistoric earthen architecture in southwestern and central Asia. It demonstrates the challenges and potential for innovative and comparative studies based on interdisciplinary approaches and the use of architectural, microstratigraphic, and microarchaeological analyses. Furthermore, it sheds new light on issues related to various aspects of building continuity which is commonly recognised as a very important phenomenon in the Neolithic but could have different facets. The study attempts to discuss the reasons behind the local decisions to use and recycle specified building materials. In addition, it evaluates – in relation to particular sites – the usefulness of specific analyses for reconstruction of daily, seasonal, or annual practices. Advanced analyses of floors and fire installations, for instance, can contribute not only to the identification of indoor and outdoor surfaces but also to a better understanding of activity areas and the intensity of use within particular spaces. Variations and different combinations of mudbrick, mortar, and plaster recipes allow for insights into how earth and sediment material were used to mark collective and individual identity through the performance of a building. Recognising reused materials and features allows us to trace further the nature of prehistoric societies and local architectural dialects

Moisture origin as a driver of temporal variabilities of the water vapour isotopic composition in the Lena River Delta, Siberia

In the context of the Arctic amplification of climate change affecting the regional atmospheric hydrological cycle, it is crucial to characterize the present-day moisture sources of the Arctic. The isotopic composition is an important tool to enhance our understanding of the drivers of the hydrological cycle due to the different molecular characteristics of water stable isotopes during phase change. This study introduces 2 years of continuous in situ water vapour and precipitation isotopic observations conducted since July 2015 in the eastern Siberian Lena delta at the research station on Samoylov Island. The vapour isotopic signals are dominated by variations at seasonal and synoptic timescales. Diurnal variations of the vapour isotopic signals are masked by synoptic variations, indicating low variations of the amplitude of local sources at the diurnal scale in winter, summer and autumn. Low-amplitude diurnal variations in spring may indicate exchange of moisture between the atmosphere and the snow-covered surface. Moisture source diagnostics based on semi-Lagrangian backward trajectories reveal that different air mass origins have contrasting contributions to the moisture budget of the Lena delta region. At the seasonal scale, the distance from the net moisture sources to the arrival site strongly varies. During the coldest months, no contribution from local secondary evaporation is observed. Variations of the vapour isotopic composition during the cold season on the synoptic timescale are strongly related to moisture source regions and variations in atmospheric transport: warm and isotopically enriched moist air is linked to fast transport from the Atlantic sector, while dry and cold air with isotopically depleted moisture is generally associated with air masses moving slowly over northern Eurasia

Temporary Working Groups

Information about and documents of the Temporary Working Groups of NFDI4Object

Moisture origin as a driver of temporal variabilities of the water vapour isotopic composition in the Lena River delta, Siberia

In the context of the Arctic amplification of climate change affecting the regional atmospheric hydrological cycle, it is crucial to characterize the present-day moisture sources of the Arctic. The isotopic composition is an important tool to enhance our understanding of the drivers of the hydrological cycle due to the different molecular characteristics of water stable isotopes during phase change. This study introduces 2 years of continuous in situ water vapour and precipitation isotopic observations conducted since July 2015 in the eastern Siberian Lena delta at the research station on Samoylov Island. The vapour isotopic signals are dominated by variations at seasonal and synoptic timescales. Diurnal variations of the vapour isotopic signals are masked by synoptic variations, indicating low variations of the amplitude of local sources at the diurnal scale in winter, summer and autumn. Low-amplitude diurnal variations in spring may indicate exchange of moisture between the atmosphere and the snow-covered surface. Moisture source diagnostics based on semi-Lagrangian backward trajectories reveal that different air mass origins have contrasting contributions to the moisture budget of the Lena delta region. At the seasonal scale, the distance from the net moisture sources to the arrival site strongly varies. During the coldest months, no contribution from local secondary evaporation is observed. Variations of the vapour isotopic composition during the cold season on the synoptic timescale are strongly related to moisture source regions and variations in atmospheric transport: warm and isotopically enriched moist air is linked to fast transport from the Atlantic sector, while dry and cold air with isotopically depleted moisture is generally associated with air masses moving slowly over northern Eurasia

Near-surface atmospheric vapour and oceanic surface water isotopic compositions calibrated data from POLARSTERN cruises, 2015-2017

Here, we present a new isotopic dataset of near-surface water vapour and oceanic surface water continuously surveyed from the Polarstern research vessel during a period of two years from 2015-06-29 to 2017-07-01. The dataset covers areas spanning from the North Pole to the coasts of Antarctica in the Atlantic sector. Water vapour observations have been measured continuously on-board using a Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer from a 29 m elevation above the sea level. The oceanic water has been sampled on a daily basis and later analyzed for water isotopic composition at the Alfred Wegener Institut laboratory in Potsdam, Germany. These observations contribute to better understand the creation of the first water vapour isotopic signal during oceanic evaporation. They reveal that the vapour deuterium excess within the atmospheric boundary layer is not modulated by wind speed, contrary to the commonly used theory, but controlled by relative humidity and sea surface temperature only. In sea ice covered regions, the sublimation of deposited snow on sea ice is also revealed as a key process controlling the local water vapour isotopic composition

NFDI4Objects

Platform for the participatory preparation of a proposal "NFDI4Objects" within the context of the NFDI and repository for files during the project's duration