New Book- Biomolecular Archaeology

Biomolecular Archaeology: An Introduction

Terry Brown and Keri Brown

John Wiley and Sons

ISBN: 978-1-4051-7960-7

2011, 336 pages

From the website:

Illustrated thoroughly, Biomolecular Archaeology is the first book to clearly guide students through the study of ancient DNA: how to analyze biomolecular evidence (DNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) to address important archaeological questions.

• The first book to address the scope and methods of this new cross-disciplinary area of research for archaeologists
• Offers a completely up-to-date overview of the latest research in this innovative subject
• Guides students who wish to become biomolecular archaeologists through the complexities of both the scientific methods and archaeological goals.
• Provides an essential component to undergraduate and graduate archaeological research

ArchaeoLandscapes Europe website

The ArchaeoLandscapes Europe project website has been launched at http://www.archaeolandscapes.eu.

The target of the ArchaeoLandscapes project is to address existing imbalances in the use of modern surveying and remote sensing techniques and to create conditions for the regular use of these strikingly successful techniques across Europe as a whole. It aims to create a self-sustaining network to support the use throughout the Continent of aerial survey and ‘remote sensing’ to promote understanding, conservation and public enjoyment of the shared landscape and archaeological heritage of the countries of the European Union.

There will soon be an opportunity to subscribe to the ArcLand newsletter. In the meantime, one can subscribe to a public calendar which will provide information on upcoming activities of ArchaeoLandscapes Europe and on other related events.

From:
Dr. Axel G. Posluschny M.A.
Project Manager
ArchaeoLandscapes Europe
Roman-Germanic Commission of the
German Archaeological Institute
Palmengartenstr. 10-12
D-60325 Frankfurt/Main
Germany
Email: posluschny@rgk.dainst.de
Url: http://www.archaeolandscapes.eu

Archaeology (and Archaeological Sciences?) and the Global Economic Crisis

Recently, Nathan Schlanger and Kenneth Atichison edited a report of the effects of the global economic crisis on archaeology, published by ACE Project and Culture Lab Editions. While this report mainly focuses on the US and specific countries in Europe, does it reflect worldwide trends in economics and archaeology? Is the field of archaeology suffering major declines due to the economic climate? If so, are these changes permanent or transitory? How can we quantify anecdotal or media evidence? Are the changes destructive or constructive? As archaeologists, we should be aware of how these events have a way of being cyclical.

The report does not specifically address archaeological sciences or archaeometry, but I imagine funding and personnel changes have also affected many of us regardless of employer or institution.

The editors are collecting information on the effects of the global crisis on archaeology for a future publication, so are interested in hearing from the community.

Internet archaeology and the collapse of civilizations

Click below for this fascinating story:



Or, see the video here in YouTube.

Enjoy the beginning of April!

Archaeometric crisis in American archaeology?

Every several years, we see a cogent argument for the need for more archaeomety in archaeology.  A recent plea was made in the SAA Bulletin by David Killick, Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona, and Paul Goldberg, Professor in the Department of Archaeology at Boston University.  The article, entitled

A Quiet Crisis in American Archaeology

can be downloaded with the January 2009 issue of the SAS Bulletin.   You'll find this essay on page 6.  It focuses on issues of innovation, funding, eduction, and training. The poor showing of American archaeometry compared to the situation in Europe is lamented.

Photo: (a youthful?) David Killick
source: University of Arizona

Archaeological science vs. archaeology vs. anthropology

On my recent trip out west, I learned of two academic departments where the cultural anthropologists and archaeologists had split and formed separate departments.  I guess even the best of unions suffer after long relationships.  Kind of too bad, though, with all the fuss we make about using the natural sciences in the service of problems important to the social sciences. And, who gets the office furniture when it's all over?

Always interesting to look at the different situation in Europe, where there are entire departments of archaeology, sometimes with specialties in archaeological science.  I'm hoping to visit Bradford when I am in Europe this coming Spring.  Not only can you get an undergraduate degree in archaeology, but you can also specialize in archaeological science.  Pretty sweet.  I know from the majors in environmental science within my own department that those interdisciplinary majors can be tricky, but if done right with an eye for rigor, there is much to be gained.

What are some academic models or departments that you think make for good training for the archaeological sciences? Feel free to comment below.

Magnetism and archaeology

Archaeomagnetic sampling in the Podere Funghi

2009 Joint Assembly
American Geophysical Union
The Meeting of the Americas

24–27 May 2009
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The scientific program can be viewed online.

Yours truly has co-convened the following session for the Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism section:

Magnetism and Other Geophysical Techniques Applied to Archaeology

Conveners: R Sternberg, Franklin & Marshall College; A Chauvin, Université de Rennes; S Lengyel, Illinois State Museum

Session description: Magnetism is used in archaeology in several ways: archaeomagnetism, or the remanent magnetization of archaeological materials; use of magnetic properties for determining archaeological provenance; magnetic surveying at archaeological sites, and use of magnetic susceptibility on the surface and subsurface at archaeological sites. This session invites submissions on any of these topics, especially involving novel approaches, or the application of other geophysical methods to archaeology.

The presentations in this program:

Monday Morning, 25 May, 8 am - posters

Archaeomagnetic Study performed on Early Medieval Buildings from western France
A Chauvin, P Lanos, P Dufresne, S Blain, P Guibert, C Oberlin, C Sapin

Near Surface Magnetic Survey for Investigating the Cultural Relics in Suchon, Gongju, Korea
M R Islam, K Tiampo, M Suh, T F Abdallatif

Magnetic Susceptibility of Ancient and Modern Potsherds Using a Fast, Cheap and Portable Probe
P W Glover

Magnetic Fingerprinting of Central Mediterranean Obsidian Source Groups
I Weaver, R Sternberg, R H Tykot

Tuesday Morning, 26 May, 10:30 am – oral presentations

European Archaeomagnetism: Progress and Problems
M E Evans, G Hoye

Regional Archeomagnetic Model for Europe for the Last 3000 Years: Application to Dating.
F Pavón-Carrasco, M L Osete, J M Torta, L R Gaya-Piqué

The Mesoamerica Secular Variation Curve. A continuous research since 1999.
A M Soler-Arechalde, C I Caballero-Miranda, A Gogichaichvili, L Beramendi-Orosco, G Gonzalez-Hernández, J Urrutia-Fucugauchi

Dating Post-Medieval Archaeology: Which Global Geomagnetic Field Model to use?
A Lodge, N Suttie, M Korte, M Hill, R Holme

The Donegal Sign Tree: A Local Legend Confirmed with Holographic Radar and 3-D Magnetics
T Bechtel, M Cassidy, M Inagaki, C Windsor, L Capineri, P Falorni, A Bulleti, S Valentini, G Borgioli, S Ivashov, A Zhuravlev, V Razewig, I Vasiliev, E Bechtel

3-D Modelling of Magnetic Data from an Archaeological Site in Northwestern Tlaxcala State, Mexico
R E Chavez, D L Argote, G Cifuentes, A Tejero, E Camara

Archaeometric Prospection Using Electrical Survey Predictive Deconvolution (ESPD)
P W Glover

Other archaeologists in the U.S. National Academy of Sciences

"The National Academies perform an unparalleled public service by bringing together committees of experts in all areas of scientific and technological endeavor. These experts serve pro bono to address critical national issues and give advice to the federal government and the public. "

I compiled the list below of NAS members who are archaeologists/paleoanthropologists, with affiliation, year of election, and area of specialty when given.

What would be the equivalent honor in other countries?

By the way, we're working on setting up a directory of SAS members by specialty.


Robert McCormick Adams
University of California, San Diego
1970
Middle East: Long-term socioeconomic, environmental, and demographic perspectives. History of technology

Juan Luis Arsuaga
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
2002

Berhane Asfaw
Rift Valley Research Service
2008

Ofer Bar-Yosef
Harvard University
2001
Eurasian prehistory, hunter-gatherers, stone technology Cro-Magnons, Neanderthals, origin of agriculture, Near East, China

Lewis Binford
Southern Methodist University
2001

Jane Buikstra
Arizona State University
1987
bioarchaeology, funerary archaeology,paleodemography, paleopathology, forensic anthropology

Robert Carneiro
American Museum of Natural History
1999
cultural evolution, origin of chiefdoms and states, Amazonian ethnology

Michael Coe
Yale University
1986
archaeology and ethnology of Mesoamerica and Southeast Asia

Linda Cordell
School for Advanced Research
2005

Robert Drennan
University of Pittsburgh
2004
archaeology, chiefdoms, complex society, Mesoamerica, Colombia, China, regional settlement analysis, household archaeology

Kent Flannery
University of Michigan
1978
prehistoric archaeology and human ecology, origins of agriculture, sedentary life, social inequality, rise of archaic states

George Frison
University of Wyoming
1997
Paleoindian archaeology, taphonomic study of human animal kills, experimental archaeology, high altitude archaeology

R. C. Green
University of Auckland
1984
Pacific cultural history, Oceania archaeology, geoarchaeology, ethnohistory, historical linguistics, biological anthropology

Henry Harpending
University of Utah
1996

Frank Hole
Yale University
1981

Patrick Kirch
University of California, Berkeley
1990

Richard Klein
Stanford University
2003
paleoanthropology, paleolithic archaeology, evolution of human behavior

David Lordkipanidze
Georgian National Museum
2007

C. Owen Lovejoy
Kent State University
Anthropology
2007

Linda Manzanilla
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
2003
early urban societies in Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Andean Region, domestic archaeology in early urban developments

Joyce Marcus
University of Michigan
1997
social and political evolution, origins of complex societies, comparative chiefdoms and states

Rene Millon
University of Rochester
2001

Michael Moseley
University of Florida
2000
Andes, geoarchaeology, natural disaster

James O'Connell
University of Utah
2006

Mehmet Ozdogan
Istanbul University
2005
Prehistoric archaeology, Neolithic, emergence of food producing economies, history of archaeology, politics and archaeology

David Pilbeam
Harvard University
1992
human and ape evolution, climate, habitat, faunal change, history of paleoanthropology, evolutionary developmental biology

Dolores Piperno
Smithsonian Institution
2005
archaeology, human ecology, tropical forest plant exploitation and domestication, Quaternary environments

Stephen Plog
University of Virginia
2007

Colin Renfrew
University of Cambridge
1996
prehistoric archaeology, explanation of culture change, prehistoric Greece, archaeological theory

Jeremy Sabloff
University of Pennsylvania
1994
archaeology, ancient Maya civilization, pre-industrial urbanism, settlement patterns

Romuald Schild
Polish Academy of Sciences
1998
flint and ochre mining

Elwyn Simons
Duke University
Anthropology
1981

Bruce Smith
Smithsonian Institution
2003
North American archaeology, origins of agriculture, plant domestication

Charles Spencer
American Museum of Natural History
2007
archaeology

David Thomas
American Museum of Natural History
1989

Phillip Tobias
University of the Witwatersrand
1987
paleo-anthropology, physical anthropology of the living, hominin brains, water, longevity, human population movements

Erik Trinkaus
Washington University
1996
evolution, human biology, Pleistocene, paleontology, neandertals, modern humans

Alan Walker
Pennsylvania State University
2003

Patty Jo Watson
Washington University
1988
archaeology, cave and ethno-archaeology, anthropology

Fred Wendorf
Southern Methodist University
1987
North African prehistory, pleistocene geology, early humans, paleolithic and neolithic lithic technology and typology

Tim White
University of California, Berkeley
2000
human evolution, paleontology, zooarchaeology, geology, human osteology

Elizabeth Wing
University of Florida
2006
zooarchaeology, incipient domestication, prehistoric fishing

Henry Wright
University of Michigan
1994
cultural evolution, hierarchy, regional networks, chiefdoms, early civilizations, mesopotamia, madagascar, north america, china

Douglas Yen
Australian National University
1985
ethnobotany, agricultural origins, genetics of domesticated plants, Oceania