Articles | Volume 69, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-69-55-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-69-55-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Express report
| 
27 May 2020
Express report |
| 27 May 2020
| 27 May 2020
New findings of Middle Stone Age lithic artifacts from the Matmata loess region in southern Tunisia
Dominik Faust
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Sebastian Kreutzer
Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth,
UK
IRAMAT-CRP2A, UMR 5060, CNRS – Université Bordeaux Montaigne,
Pessac, France
Yesmine Trigui
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Maximilian Pachtmann
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Georg Mettig
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Moncef Bouaziz
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Jose Manuel Recio Espejo
Fac. de Ecología, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
Fernando Diaz del Olmo
Dep. de Geografía Física, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
Christoph Schmidt
Chair of Geomorphology, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
Tobias Lauer
Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary
Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Zeljko Rezek
Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary
Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, USA
Alexander Fülling
Geologisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, Germany
Sascha Meszner
Chair of Physical Geography, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
JENA-GEOS-Ingenieurbüro GmbH, Jena, Germany
Related authors
Dominik Faust and Markus Fuchs
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 243–246, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-243-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-243-2021, 2021
Julian Struck, Christopher B. Roettig, Dominik Faust, and Roland Zech
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 66, 109–114, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-109-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-109-2018, 2018
Sebastian Kreutzer, Loïc Martin, Didier Miallier, and Norbert Mercier
Geochronology, 7, 229–246, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-7-229-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-7-229-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate readings on the environmental gamma dose rate are important. Portable gamma-ray detectors, such as those that are NaI- or LaBr3-based, are easy to handle and affordable. Limited information on alternatives, like CZT (cadmium zinc telluride) detectors, is available. We tested CZT detectors and found them suitable for in-field deployment. We used simulations and field tests to evaluate the optimal energy threshold for direct dose rate readings, making the CZT system a reliable alternative.
Christoph Schmidt, Théo Halter, Paul R. Hanson, Alexey Ulianov, Benita Putlitz, Georgina E. King, and Sebastian Kreutzer
Geochronology, 6, 665–682, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-665-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We study the use of zircons as dosimeters using modern techniques, highlighting their advantages such as time-invariant dose rates. We explore the correlation between zircon geochemistry and luminescence properties, observe fast zircon optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) bleaching rates, and assess the potential of auto-regeneration. Low OSL sensitivities require combining natural OSL and auto-regenerated thermoluminescence (TL), with the potential to enhance age accuracy and precision.
Alexander Fülling, Hans Rudolf Graf, Felix Martin Hofmann, Daniela Mueller, and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 203–216, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-203-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-203-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Mühlbach series has been given as evidence for a Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene Aare–Rhine fluvial system in northern Switzerland and southwest Germany. We show that these deposits represent a variety of different units. At the type location, luminescence dating indicates an age of 55 ka, and we interpret the deposits as slope reworking. Beside methodological implications, our studies recommend caution regarding the interpretation of stratigraphic units for which limited data are available.
Felix Martin Hofmann, Claire Rambeau, Lukas Gegg, Melanie Schulz, Martin Steiner, Alexander Fülling, Laëtitia Léanni, Frank Preusser, and ASTER Team
Geochronology, 6, 147–174, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-147-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-147-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We determined 10Be concentrations in moraine boulder surfaces in the southern Black Forest, SW Germany. We applied three independent dating methods to younger lake sediments. With the aid of independent age datasets, we calculated the growth of 10Be concentrations in moraine boulder surfaces.
Mariana Sontag-González, Raju Kumar, Jean-Luc Schwenninger, Juergen Thieme, Sebastian Kreutzer, and Marine Frouin
Geochronology, 6, 77–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-77-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-77-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This is a preliminary study using a synchrotron light source to generate elemental maps, incorporating oxidation states, with a spatial resolution of <1 µm for individual grains within the K-feldspar density fraction. The elemental fingerprint characterizing grains with a signal suitable for infrared radiofluorescence dating reveals high levels of K, Pb, and Ba coupled with low levels of Fe and Ca. In contrast, grains exhibiting higher proportions of Fe and Ca produce an odd signal shape.
Nora Pfaffner, Annette Kadereit, Volker Karius, Thomas Kolb, Sebastian Kreutzer, and Daniela Sauer
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 1–22, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-1-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present results of the Baix loess–palaeosol sequence, SE France. Reconstructed intense soil formation under warm, moist conditions before and into the last ice age and less intense soil formations in warm (temporarily moist) phases during the generally cold, dry ice age were validated with laboratory and dating techniques. This is particularly relevant as Baix is located in the temperate–Mediterranean climate transition zone, a sensitive zone that is susceptible to future climate changes.
Mathieu Bosq, Sebastian Kreutzer, Pascal Bertran, Philippe Lanos, Philippe Dufresne, and Christoph Schmidt
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4689–4711, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4689-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4689-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
During the last glacial period, cold conditions associated with changes in atmospheric circulation resulted in the deposition of widespread loess. It seems that the phases of loess accumulation were not strictly synchronous. To test this hypothesis, the chronology of loess deposition in different regions of Europe was studied by recalculating 1423 luminescence ages in a database. Our study discusses the link between the main loess sedimentation phases and the maximal advance of glaciers.
Sebastian Kreutzer, Steve Grehl, Michael Höhne, Oliver Simmank, Kay Dornich, Grzegorz Adamiec, Christoph Burow, Helen M. Roberts, and Geoff A. T. Duller
Geochronology, 5, 271–284, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-5-271-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-5-271-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The concept of open data has become the modern science meme. Funding bodies and publishers support open data. However, the open data mandate frequently encounters technical obstacles, such as a lack of a suitable data format for data sharing and long-term data preservation. Such issues are often community-specific and demand community-tailored solutions. We propose a new human-readable data format for data exchange and long-term preservation of luminescence data called XLUM.
Lea Schwahn, Tabea Schulze, Alexander Fülling, Christian Zeeden, Frank Preusser, and Tobias Sprafke
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 72, 1–21, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-1-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-1-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The loess sequence of Köndringen, Upper Rhine Graben, comprises several glacial–interglacial cycles. It has been investigated using a multi-method approach including the measurement of colour, grain size, organic matter, and carbonate content. The analyses reveal that the sequence comprises several fossil soils and layers of reworked soil material. According to luminescence dating, it reaches back more than 500 000 years.
Tabea Schulze, Lea Schwahn, Alexander Fülling, Christian Zeeden, Frank Preusser, and Tobias Sprafke
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 145–162, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-145-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-145-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A loess sequence in SW Germany was investigated using a high-resolution multi-method approach. It dates to 34–27 ka and comprises layers of initial soil formation. Drier conditions and a different atmospheric circulation pattern during the time of deposition are expected as the soil layers are less strongly developed compared to similar horizons further north. Dust accumulation predates the last advance of Alpine glaciers, and no loess deposition is recorded for the time of maximum ice extent.
Michael Dietze, Sebastian Kreutzer, Margret C. Fuchs, and Sascha Meszner
Geochronology, 4, 323–338, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-323-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-323-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The R package sandbox is a collection of functions that allow the creation, sampling and analysis of fully virtual sediment sections, like having a virtual twin of real-world deposits. This article introduces the concept, features, and workflows required to use sandbox. It shows how a real-world sediment section can be mapped into the model and subsequently addresses a series of theoretical and practical questions, exploiting the flexibility of the model framework.
Norbert Mercier, Jean-Michel Galharret, Chantal Tribolo, Sebastian Kreutzer, and Anne Philippe
Geochronology, 4, 297–310, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-297-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-297-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Dosimetric dating methods based on the analysis of luminescence signals emitted by granular minerals extracted from sedimentary deposits now play an important role in the study of the Quaternary. Here we propose a new approach in which the age of the deposit is calculated by combining the equivalent dose and dose-rate distributions. The underlying Bayesian mathematical model and its implementation via an R code are provided, together with the results obtained for a finite set of configurations.
Dominik Faust and Markus Fuchs
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 243–246, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-243-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-243-2021, 2021
Barbara Mauz, Loïc Martin, Michael Discher, Chantal Tribolo, Sebastian Kreutzer, Chiara Bahl, Andreas Lang, and Nobert Mercier
Geochronology, 3, 371–381, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-371-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-371-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Luminescence dating requires irradiating the sample in the laboratory. Here, we address some concerns about the reliability of the calibration procedure that have been published recently. We found that the interplay between geometrical parameters such as grain size and aliquot size impacts the calibration value more than previously thought. The results of our study are robust and allow us to recommend an improved calibration procedure in order to enhance the reliability of the calibration value.
Dirk Mittelstraß and Sebastian Kreutzer
Geochronology, 3, 299–319, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-299-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-299-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Our contribution enhances the infrared radiofluorescence dating technique, used to determine the last sunlight exposure of potassium feldspars in a range of about 600 to 600 000 years backwards. We recorded radiofluorescence images of fine sands and processed them with tailored open-source software to obtain ages from single grains. Finally, we tested our new method successfully on two natural sediment samples. Studies in Earth science will benefit from improved age accuracy and new insights.
Guillaume Guérin, Christelle Lahaye, Maryam Heydari, Martin Autzen, Jan-Pieter Buylaert, Pierre Guibert, Mayank Jain, Sebastian Kreutzer, Brice Lebrun, Andrew S. Murray, Kristina J. Thomsen, Petra Urbanova, and Anne Philippe
Geochronology, 3, 229–245, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-229-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-3-229-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This paper demonstrates how to model optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon ages in a Bayesian framework, using a dedicated software tool called BayLum. We show the effect of stratigraphic constraints, of modelling the covariance of ages when the same equipment is used for a series of OSL samples, and of including independent ages on a chronological inference. The improvement in chronological resolution is significant.
Annette Kadereit, Sebastian Kreutzer, Christoph Schmidt, and Regina DeWitt
Geochronology Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-2020-3, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-2020-3, 2020
Preprint withdrawn
Julian Struck, Christopher B. Roettig, Dominik Faust, and Roland Zech
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 66, 109–114, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-109-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-109-2018, 2018
Related subject area
Geoarchaeology
Great transitions in Donaumoos land reclamation (Bavaria, Germany) since the late 18th century – a palaeohydrological and historical perspective
The Trendermarsch sunken in the Wadden Sea (North Frisia, Germany) – reconstructing a drowned medieval cultural landscape with geoarchaeological and geophysical investigations
The Holocene evolution of the fluvial system of the southern Hessische Ried (Upper Rhine Graben, Germany) and its role for the use of the river Landgraben as a waterway during Roman times
New insights into complex social organization in the southern Caucasus – Late Bronze Age–Early Iron Age settlement patterns in the Shiraki Plain (southeast Georgia)
Lost and potentially found: the location of the “Temple of Hermes” at ancient Bubastis in the Nile Delta
The loess landscapes of the Lower Rhine Embayment as (geo-)archeological archives – insights and challenges from a geomorphological and sedimentological perspective
Late Weichselian–Holocene valley development of the Elbe valley near Dresden – linking sedimentation, soil formation and archaeology
A pedo-geomorphological view on land use and its potential in the surroundings of the ancient Hispano-Roman city Munigua (Seville, SW Spain)
Preface: Special issue “Geoarchaeology of the Nile Delta”
Revisiting the subalpine Mesolithic site Ullafelsen in the Fotsch Valley, Stubai Alps, Austria – new insights into pedogenesis and landscape evolution from leaf-wax-derived n-alkanes, black carbon and radiocarbon dating
Reconstruction of former channel systems in the northwestern Nile Delta (Egypt) based on corings and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)
Sandhills, sandbanks, waterways, canals and sacred lakes at Sais in the Nile Delta
The late Holocene record of Lake Mareotis, Nile Delta, Egypt
Significant depositional changes offshore the Nile Delta in late third millennium BCE: relevance for Egyptology
Implications of geoarchaeological investigations for the contextualization of sacred landscapes in the Nile Delta
Western Mareotis lake(s) during the Late Holocene (4th century BCE–8th century CE): diachronic evolution in the western margin of the Nile Delta and evidence for the digging of a canal complex during the early Roman period
A new look at the Butic Canal, Egypt
Towards timing and stratigraphy of the Bronze Age burial mound royal tomb (Königsgrab) of Seddin (Brandenburg, northeastern Germany)
Mapping buried paleogeographical features of the Nile Delta (Egypt) using the Landsat archive
Sediment-filled karst depressions and riyad – key archaeological environments of south Qatar
Preface: Special Issue “Geoarchaeology and past human–environment interactions”
Combining geomorphological–hydrological analyses and the location of settlement and raw material sites – a case study on understanding prehistoric human settlement activity in the southwestern Ethiopian Highlands
Holocene floodplain evolution in a central European loess landscape – geoarchaeological investigations of the lower Pleiße valley in NW Saxony
Neolithic settlement dynamics derived from archaeological data and colluvial deposits between the Baar region and the adjacent low mountain ranges, southwest Germany
Archaeology and agriculture: conflicts and solutions
Fortification, mining, and charcoal production: landscape history at the abandoned medieval settlement of Hohenwalde at the Faule Pfütze (Saxony, Eastern Ore Mountains)
New data from the Middle Palaeolithic Cotencher cave (Swiss Jura): site formation, environment, and chronology
Christoph Zielhofer, Marie Kaniecki, Anne Köhler, Vera Seeburg, Arnela Rollo, Laura Bergmann, Stefanie Berg, Barbara Stammel, Rita Gudermann, William J. Fletcher, Ulrike Werban, Anja Linstädter, and Natascha Mehler
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 105–124, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-105-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-105-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a quantitative reconstruction over a 235-year time frame of the development of the natural Donaumoos fen and Danube River into an anthroposphere. The selected proxies are the Donaumoos drainage ditch length and the Danube surface water area traced through the multi-temporal analysis of old maps. A comparison of quantitative proxies with the state of research from written sources leads to the discovery of potential great transitions in floodplain and peatland transformation.
Antonia Reiß, Hanna Hadler, Dennis Wilken, Bente S. Majchczack, Ruth Blankenfeldt, Sarah Bäumler, Ulf Ickerodt, Stefanie Klooß, Timo Willershäuser, Wolfgang Rabbel, and Andreas Vött
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 37–57, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-37-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-37-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study combines different geophysical and geomorphological methods to estimate how and to what extent human–environment interactions have shaped the coastal region of the Trendermarsch since the High Middle Ages. Our results reveal a drowned, formerly cultivated marshland with different phases of settlement from medieval times onwards and thus presumably illustrate storm-flood-induced reactions in cultivation patterns.
Elena Appel, Thomas Becker, Dennis Wilken, Peter Fischer, Timo Willershäuser, Lea Obrocki, Henrik Schäfer, Markus Scholz, Olaf Bubenzer, Bertil Mächtle, and Andreas Vött
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 179–202, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-179-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-179-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Human intervention in the natural drainage system of the Hessische Ried (Germany) resulted in the transformation of a large wetland into a cultural landscape. In this study, we reconstruct the river network that was used by Romans for transportation and security. We found that the Romans collected water from several smaller rivers to establish the river Landgraben as a navigable waterway. Unexpectedly, larger rivers did not contribute any water to the Landgraben system during Roman times.
Levan Losaberidze, Giorgi Kirkitadze, Mate Akhalaia, Mikheil Lobjanidze, Michael Zimmerman, and Mikheil Elashvili
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 145–158, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-145-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-145-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The study of past environmental changes and their effects on cultures provides key information to reconstruct human–environmental interactions and model how climate change affects cultures and possible avenues of future adaptation. The Shiraki Plain is an uninhabited plain largely devoid of water resources. However, traces of extensive Bronze Age civilization with complex social organization were revealed, featuring the typology of settlements, their ages, and spatial planning.
Philipp Garbe, Amr Abd El-Raouf, Ashraf Es-Senussi, Eva Lange-Athinodorou, and Julia Meister
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 95–99, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-95-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-95-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Geoarchaeological research in ancient Bubastis has concentrated on the western and central parts of the city. Although the “Temple of Hermes” was investigated and roughly located in eastern Bubastis during exploratory excavations in the 19th century, no traces of the temple can be seen on the surface today. Geomorphological surveys carried out in 2023 to determine the possible location of the temple revealed a central area of elevated sandy deposits, providing a suitable area for the building.
Frank Lehmkuhl, Philipp Schulte, Wolfgang Römer, and Stephan Pötter
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 72, 203–218, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-203-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-203-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Research in loess landscapes provides evidence for the paleoenvironmental settings for past human societies and for the paleoclimate evolution of the past. Archeological and geoscientific investigations must consider different relief settings due to erosion, slope wash, accumulation of sediments and relocation of artifacts. The Lower Rhine Embayment can serve as a blueprint for such research as a typical loess landscape of Central Europe.
Christian Tinapp, Johannes Selzer, Norman Döhlert-Albani, Birgit Fischer, Susann Heinrich, Christoph Herbig, Frauke Kreienbrink, Tobias Lauer, Birgit Schneider, and Harald Stäuble
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 72, 95–111, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-95-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-95-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Excavations by the Saxonian Archaeological Heritage Office were conducted in the Elbe valley between Meißen and Dresden, preceding the construction of two natural gas pipelines. Two important multicultural, prehistoric sites were discovered and examined. Through a multimethod approach, the structure of sediments and soils in combination with the archaeological finds could be deciphered, providing a glimpse into the late Weichselian and Holocene valley development of the upper Elbe.
André Kirchner, Nico Herrmann, Paul Matras, Iris Müller, Julia Meister, and Thomas G. Schattner
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 123–143, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-123-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-123-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Our results indicate that the soils around Munigua currently have the potential for at least limited agricultural use in larger areas and would certainly allow the production of basic agricultural goods, not only today but most likely also in Roman times. Multi-layered colluvial deposits. as well as an excavated Roman hortic Anthrosol, indicate a long-term agrarian utilization of the area. Based on these results we can conclude that the city's economy was by no means focused solely on mining.
Julia Meister, Eva Lange-Athinodorou, and Tobias Ullmann
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 187–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-187-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-187-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This is the preface to the special issue "Geoarchaeology of the Nile Delta: Current Research and Future Prospects", which brings together geoarchaeological case studies from different regions of the Nile Delta.
Michael Zech, Marcel Lerch, Marcel Bliedtner, Tobias Bromm, Fabian Seemann, Sönke Szidat, Gary Salazar, Roland Zech, Bruno Glaser, Jean Nicolas Haas, Dieter Schäfer, and Clemens Geitner
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 171–186, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-171-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-171-2021, 2021
Marina Altmeyer, Martin Seeliger, Andreas Ginau, Robert Schiestl, and Jürgen Wunderlich
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 151–164, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-151-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-151-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Kom el-Gir, an ancient settlement hill in the northwestern Nile Delta, is only one of many so-called tells with a former connection to a watercourse. To establish a detailed reconstruction of this former channel system, this paper presents small-scale investigations of Kom el-Gir’s surroundings using a multi-proxy approach.
Penelope Wilson and Hosni Ghazala
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 129–143, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-129-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-129-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Geophysical and archaeological work at Sais (Sa el-Hagar, Egypt) is analysed to discuss the relationships between the palaeolandscape, the evolving river and floodplain and human cultural activity at the site, where humans have lived since Neolithic times (4000 Before Common Era) until the present. The results show a close correlation with and reliance on the underlying sandhills for settlement and the way in which human activity has subsequently affected the floodplain landscape at the site.
Clément Flaux, Matthieu Giaime, Valérie Pichot, Nick Marriner, Mena el-Assal, Abel Guihou, Pierre Deschamps, Christelle Claude, and Christophe Morhange
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 93–104, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-93-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-93-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Lake Mareotis (NW Nile delta, Egypt) was a gateway between the Nile valley and the Mediterranean during Greco-Roman times. The hydrological evolution of Lake Mareotis was reconstructed using lake sediments and archaeological archives. The data show both a rise in Nile inputs to the basin during the first millennia BC and AD and a lake-level rise of ca. 1.5 m during the Roman period. A high-energy deposit such as a tsunami also possibly affected Alexandria's lacustrine hinterland.
Jean-Daniel Stanley and Sarah E. Wedl
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 83–92, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-83-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-83-2021, 2021
Eva Lange-Athinodorou
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 73–82, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-73-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-73-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
At Buto, Sais and Bubastis in the Nile delta, temples were built on gentle rising mounds surrounded by canals and lakes, representing a perfect fusion of natural and sacred landscapes. The waters served cultic purposes and played an important role in local mythological traditions. The paper aims to reconstruct those sacred waterways, canals and marshes according to recent geoarchaeological and philological research and to assess their impact on the evolution of key mythological narratives.
Maël Crépy and Marie-Françoise Boussac
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 39–52, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-39-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-39-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Based on a new method, this paper proves the presence of several lakes during Greco-Roman antiquity in the Mariut basin and the digging of a canal network (up to 12 km long) in the Roman period to link them to Lake Mareotis. This challenges a 2-century-long scientific tradition according to which Lake Mareotis naturally linked Taposiris Magna to Alexandria during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It is thus a starting point for new analyses of regional archaeology and geoarchaeology.
Robert Schiestl
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 29–38, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-29-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-29-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Butic Canal, a Roman-period artificial waterway transversing the Egyptian Nile Delta, is investigated by means of newly available remote sensing data (the TanDEM-X digital elevation model and Corona satellite imagery). New features of the construction can thus be detected. Adding historical sources, the canal's function(s) and chronology are discussed.
Moritz Nykamp, Jacob Hardt, Philipp Hoelzmann, Jens May, and Tony Reimann
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 1–17, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-1-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-1-2021, 2021
Tobias Ullmann, Leon Nill, Robert Schiestl, Julian Trappe, Eva Lange-Athinodorou, Roland Baumhauer, and Julia Meister
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 69, 225–245, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-69-225-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-69-225-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The contribution highlights the use of Landsat archive data (1985–2019) for the detection of surface anomalies potentially related to buried near-surface paleogeomorphological deposits in the Nile Delta (Egypt). The analyses of selected spectral-temporal metrics showed several anomalies in the immediate surroundings of Pleistocene sand hills (geziras) and settlement mounds (tells) of the eastern Delta, which allowed mapping of the potential near-surface continuation.
Max Engel, Stefanie Rückmann, Philipp Drechsler, Dominik Brill, Stephan Opitz, Jörg W. Fassbinder, Anna Pint, Kim Peis, Dennis Wolf, Christoph Gerber, Kristina Pfeiffer, Ricardo Eichmann, and Helmut Brückner
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 215–236, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-215-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-215-2020, 2020
Hans von Suchodoletz, Stefanie Berg, Eileen Eckmeier, Lukas Werther, and Christoph Zielhofer
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 237–240, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-237-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-237-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this editorial, we give a short state of the art of geoarchaeology, including recent advancements and challenges, and shortly present the seven contributions to our special issue.
Elena A. Hensel, Oliver Bödeker, Olaf Bubenzer, and Ralf Vogelsang
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 201–213, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-201-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-201-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This study combines geomorphological–hydrological analyses with the distribution of archaeological sites and obsidian raw material outcrops within the catchment of the Bisare River, Mt Damota, and Mt Sodicho (southwestern Ethiopian Highlands). The current highly dynamic hydrological system, strong recent sediment erosion, and increased human impact lead to land degradation, resulting in exposure of lithic raw material outcrops and destruction of archaeological material.
Christian Tinapp, Susann Heinrich, Christoph Herbig, Birgit Schneider, Harald Stäuble, Jan Miera, and Hans von Suchodoletz
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 95–105, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-95-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-95-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
It was possible to define the turning point from extremely clayey and organic- rich sedimentation in the Early and Middle Holocene towards the deposition of coarser-grained and less organic overbank fines in the lower Pleiße valley near Leipzig, NW Saxony. This change occurred between 4000 and 3300 BCE more than 1000 years after the beginning of Early Neolithic settlement and was obviously linked with land clearance by the first farmers.
Jan Johannes Miera, Jessica Henkner, Karsten Schmidt, Markus Fuchs, Thomas Scholten, Peter Kühn, and Thomas Knopf
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 75–93, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-75-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-75-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates Neolithic settlement dynamics by combining archaeological source criticism and archaeopedological data from colluvial deposits. It is shown that the distribution of Neolithic sites in the Baar region is distorted by superimposition due to erosion. Furthermore, the preservation conditions for pottery are limited by weathering effects. By complementing archaeological data with phases of colluviation we are able to point out settlement dynamics throughout the Neolithic.
Richard Vogt and Inga Kretschmer
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 68, 47–51, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-47-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-68-47-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Soils are an important source of geoarchaeological information. The archaeological soil archive is extremely endangered by intensive agriculture. Different approaches for problem-solving strategies that derive from daily practice in cultural heritage management are described.
Johann Friedrich Tolksdorf, Matthias Schubert, Frank Schröder, Libor Petr, Christoph Herbig, Petr Kočár, Mathias Bertuch, and Christiane Hemker
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 67, 73–84, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-67-73-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-67-73-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This case study provides a reconstruction of settlement and land-use history since the 13th century CE in a small valley in the Ore Mountains (Saxony). Archaeological evidence shows settlement activities with a strong building and mining activities that also triggered local soil erosion. After the abandonment of the site in the middle of the 15th century CE and a reafforestation, later land use in the area occurred in the form of charcoal production.
Judit Deák, Frank Preusser, Marie-Isabelle Cattin, Jean-Christophe Castel, and François-Xavier Chauvière
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 67, 41–72, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-67-41-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-67-41-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Provided here are novel data concerning site formation processes and Middle Palaeolithic human presence at Cotencher cave (Switzerland). A local glaciation around 70 ka was followed by ice-free conditions, when artefacts and faunal remains were displaced by solifluction processes. Evidence of local glacier development around 36 ka is also presented. This interdisciplinary study contributes new elements for the understanding of climatic changes and human passage in the central Jura Mountains.
Cited articles
Aouadi-Abdeljaouad, N. and Belhouchet, N.: Middle Stone Age in Tunisia:
Present status of knowledge and recent advances, in: Modern Origins, edited by: Hublin, J. J. and
McPherron, S., Vertebrate Paleobiology and
Paleoanthropology, Springer, Dordrecht, 143–155, 2017.
Coudé-Gaussen, G. and Rognon, P.: Paléosols et loess du
Pleistocène supérieur de Tunisie et d'Israël, Quaternaire,
1986.
Coudé-Gaussen, G. and Rognon, P.: The Upper Pleistocene Loess of Southern Tunisia. A Statement, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 13, 137–151, 1988.
Frouin, M., Huot, S., Kreutzer, S., Lahaye, C., Lamothe, M., Philippe, A.,
and Mercier, N: An improved radiofluorescence single-aliquot regenerative dose
protocol for K-feldspars, Quat. Geochronol., 38, 13–24,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quageo.2016.11.004, 2017.
Huntley, D. J., Godfrey-Smith, D. I., and Thewalt, M. L. W.: Optical dating of
sediments, Nature, 313, 105–107, https://doi.org/10.1038/313105a0, 1985.
Reyss, J.-L., Valladas, H., Mercier, N., Froget, L., and Joron, J.-L.:.
Application des méthodes de la thermoluminescence et des
déséquilibres dans la famille de l'uranium au gisement
archéologique d'El Akarit, in: El Akarit Un Site Archéologique Du
Paléolithique Moyen Dans Le Sud De La Tunisie. Editions Recherche sur
les Civilisations, Paris, 357–363, 2007.
Trautmann, T., Krbetschek, M. R., Dietrich, A., and Stolz, W.: Investigations of
feldspar radioluminescence: potential for a new dating technique,
Radiat. Meas., 29, 421–425, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(98)00012-2, 1998.
Trautmann, T., Krbetschek, M. R., Dietrich, A., and Stolz, W.: Feldspar
radioluminescence: a new dating method and its physical background, J. Lumin., 85, 45–58, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-2313(99)00152-0, 1999.
