Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

Body size, dental pathology and maternal genetic diversity of ancient horses in the eastern Baltic Sea region and western Russia

This study examines body size, dental pathology, and maternal genetic diversity of ancient horses in the eastern Baltic Sea region and western Russia to better understand horse domestication timelines and patterns.

No genetic evidence yet for hinnies at Mazongshan (400-160 BCE), northwestern China

The paper reanalyzes ancient DNA data from Mazongshan and finds that four specimens previously identified as hinnies are actually donkeys, removing genetic evidence for hinnies at the site.

Ancient DNA reveals early use of melons in China's Song Dynasty

This study uses ancient DNA from Song Dynasty melon seeds to show they were likely consumed as fresh or culinary fruits, not sweet dessert melons, and supports their introduction from the Asian domestication pool.

Walrus Population-specific Marine Reservoir Offsets (ΔR) for Calibration of Radiocarbon Dates: Implications for Arctic Chronologies and Medieval Trade

This paper provides population-specific marine reservoir offsets (ΔR) for walrus-derived radiocarbon dates, revealing inter-population variability and refining Arctic chronologies and medieval trade timelines.

Developmental plasticity and genetic selection shaped cereal evolution in the Early Holocene southern Levant

This study shows that increased grain size in early cereals was a plastic response to environmental conditions, not genetic selection for cultivation.

Bone collagen hydrogen isotopes as tracers of local palaeoclimate: The Aurignacian from Isturitz cave (France) as a case study

The paper evaluates bone collagen hydrogen isotopes as a proxy for paleoclimatic reconstruction using samples from Isturitz Cave, finding progressive δ2H depletion linked to increasing aridity.

Neotaphonomic characteristics of vertebrate site formation in underwater caves

This study compares bone preservation in wet and dry underwater cave environments using taphonomic analysis of domesticated animal remains from two sites in South Australia.

Sedimentary ancient DNA metagenomic analysis provides new insights into farming in central Norway from the Bronze Age to late Medieval period

This study uses sedimentary ancient DNA metagenomics to analyze land use and environmental changes at an archaeological site in central Norway from the Bronze Age to the late Medieval period.

Ecology and demographic structure of an extinct ibex population in Upper Palaeolithic Italian Alps

The paper analyzes extinct ibex population ecology and demographics using multidisciplinary methods on teeth from Riparo Dalmeri, revealing local origins, sex-specific diets, and seasonality changes.

Old Goats: 3,000 years of genetic connectivity of the domestic goat in Ireland

The paper uses genetic and proteomics analysis on archaeological remains to trace genetic connectivity and inbreeding in Irish goats over 3,000 years.

The role of climatic anomalies in agricultural instability and settlement abandonment in northeastern Germany during the Migration Period

This study examines how climatic anomalies during the Migration Period affected agriculture and settlement patterns in northeastern Germany.

Paleogenomics suggest domesticated camelid herding and wild camelid hunting in early pastoralist societies in the Atacama Desert

This study uses paleogenomic data to show that early pastoralist societies in the Atacama Desert used both domesticated and wild camelids, with evidence suggesting hunting rather than herding.

MALDI Deamidation Score (MDS): A Fast and Flexible Method for Assessing Deamidation in ZooMS Data and Its Application to the Denisova Cave Bone Assemblage

The paper introduces MDS, a method for assessing deamidation in ZooMS data, demonstrating its application to Denisova Cave bone assemblage to reveal time-varying deamidation patterns across peptides.

Convolutional Neural Networks and Outline Analyses forArchaeobotanical Studies of Domestication and Subspecific Identification

This study compares convolutional neural networks and geometric morphometrics for identifying plant taxa in archaeobotanical samples, finding CNNs outperform EFT even with small datasets.

New methods on the block: Taxonomic identification of archaeological bones in resin-embedded sediments through palaeoproteomics

This paper demonstrates the successful retrieval of palaeoproteomic data from bone fragments in resin-impregnated sediment blocks, enabling microstratigraphic taxonomic identification of Pleistocene faunal remains.

Early transatlantic movement of horses and donkeys at Jamestown

The paper uses archaeological and isotopic analysis to show that domestic horses and donkeys were transported to Jamestown, Virginia in 1606, with evidence of their use and consumption during the 'Starving Time' and the presence of a donkey with mixed European and West African ancestry.

An unclean slate, discrepancies between food input and recovered protein signal from experimental foodcrusts

The paper investigates discrepancies between input food composition and recovered protein signals in experimental foodcrusts, highlighting biases in residue analysis.

Reconstructing life history of the 18th century priest from Prozorje, Croatia: bioarchaeological and biochemical approaches

This study uses stable isotope analysis of dentine to reconstruct the dietary changes and life history of an 18th-century priest from Croatia, linking them to seminary admission timing.

DNA from cetariae fish remains confirms sardine (Sardina pilchardus) use and local population continuity in Northwestern Iberia since Roman times

Differences in isotopic compositions of individual grains and aggregated seed samples affect interpretation of ancient plant cultivation practices

This study compares isotopic variation in single grains versus aggregate samples of charred barley to assess their impact on interpreting ancient cultivation practices.

DateBack, an evolving open-access repository of Phoenix archaeobotanical data supporting new perspectives on the history of date palm cultivation

DateBack compiles and standardizes archaeobotanical data on date palms, revealing cultivation timelines and regional disparities in the history of date palm use.

Stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) reveal divers manuring practices of rye (Secale cereale) in northern Europe since 1500 years

This study uses stable isotope analysis of rye to reveal historical manuring practices in northern Europe from 1500 years ago to the late medieval period.

VARIATION IN GAME AND DOMESTIC ANIMAL RATIOS IN THE 7TH - 5TH MILLENNIA BCE IN THE LOWER VOLGA REGION

The paper analyzes changes in game and domestic animal ratios in the Lower Volga region from the 7th to 5th millennia BCE, showing shifts in hunting practices and domestication over time.

A multidisciplinary investigation into whether Andean caravans reached the southern lowlands of the Parana-Plata basin during pre-Columbian times

The paper investigates whether Andean caravans reached the southern lowlands of the Parana-Plata basin during pre-Columbian times using multidisciplinary methods and finds no evidence of llama presence.

Fifteenth century CE Bolivian maize reveals genetic affinities with ancient Peruvian maize

This paper analyzes ancient Bolivian maize genomes to show genetic affinities with ancient Peruvian maize, suggesting targeted breeding strategies for improved growth by the 15th century.

Productivity of the eelgrass biotope and the resilience of fisher-hunter-gatherers in prehistoric Denmark

This study uses isotopic analysis of marine vertebrate remains to show the critical role of eelgrass biotopes in the diet and subsistence strategies of prehistoric fisher-hunter-gatherers in Denmark.

Interactions between Trypillian farmers and North Pontic forager-pastoralists in Eneolithic central Ukraine

The paper analyzes a bone fragment from a Trypillian site in Ukraine, showing dietary and genetic evidence of interaction between Trypillian farmers and North Pontic forager-pastoralists.

Can growth in captivity alter the calcaneal microanatomy of a wild ungulate?

This study tests if changes in mobility during a wild boar's life alter calcaneal microanatomy, finding that population differences outweigh locomotor effects.

Human-Plant Coevolution: A modelling framework for theory-building on the origins of agriculture

The paper presents a computational model to explore the mechanisms and factors driving the origins of agriculture by simulating human-plant coevolution.

Ancient DNA analysis of food remains in human dental calculus from the Edo period, Japan

The paper uses DNA metabarcoding on dental calculus from Edo-period humans to identify food species, revealing plant and fungal taxa and lifestyle insights.