Excellence Cluster 264 Topoi

Research Area A – Posters on Research Activities 2007–2009

[1. February 2010] Impressum

Posters on Research Activities 2007–2009 as of: 1. February 2010 edited by

Excellence Cluster 264 Topoi represented by its Director

Prof. Dr. Friederike Fless

Administrative Offices:

Topoi-Haus Dahlem Freie Universität zu Berlin Hittorfstraße 18 14195 Berlin

Topoi-Haus Mitte Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Hannoversche Straße 6 10099 Berlin www.topoi.org

Topoi is the joint responsibility of the Freie Universität Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Partner institutions are the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the German Archeological Institute, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Furthermore Topoi is interlinked with several university institutes as well as other institutions. CONTENT

RESEARCH AREA A: SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

A-I: Central Places and Their Environment Posters • A-I Central Places and Their Environment. Goals, Structure ...... 9 • A-I Central Places and Their Environment. Research Topics, Members, Major Topics ..... 10 • Seats of Residence as Central Places. Superordinate Questions and First Results ...... 11 • Seats of Residence as Central Places. Representative Projects ...... 12 • Sacral Places as Central Places. Temples, Mausoleum, , Pyramids and Rock-cut Tombs ...... 13 • Sacral Places as Central Places. Exaples from Zhetisu, Petra and Dahshur ...... 14 • Central Places in Arid Environments. With a Focus on Water Suplly Systems ...... 15 • Central Places and Periphery ...... 16 • Central Places and Periphery. Case Studies From a Mountain and Steppe Area ...... 17

A-II: Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life Posters • Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life ...... 18 • Mobility in Semiretchye in the 1st Century B.C...... 19 • Complexes of the Copper and Early in the Northern and Western Pontic Region ...... 20 • The Western Globular Amphora Culture. Investigantions into Differentiation in Space and Time and Cultural and Anthropological Identity ...... 21

A-III: Archäometrie/Archäoinformatik Poster • Research Group A-III. Archaeometry – Archaeoinformatics ...... 22 • Archaeoinformatics. Model Building and Simulations ...... 23 • Prospection ...... 24 • How to Disentangle Terrestrial Archives. Two Specialized Geoarchaeological Laboratories for Topoi ...... 25 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

A-I Central Places and Their Environment

GOALS STRUCTURE

The primary interest of the Research Group “Cen- as the respective site factors, and analysing the The core of Research Group A-I is the Graduate tral Places and their Environment” concerns indi- structure of relationships to the surrounding terri- Group Landscapes, where the basic structure for vidual sites that had the character of central plac- tory and the connecting region. The infl uence such projects is a tandem approach. Here a team of two es or were located within limited regions in which central places exerted on the surrounding space will scholarship holders, one from both the archaeolog- networks of settlements were present. Cities, seats be compared in terms of various cultures, regions, ical and the earth sciences, pursues the common of power, and sacred sites are investigated with and social systems. These objectives are explored goal of explaining the functioning and functionality regard to their signifi cance for, and their shaping at the interface of methods and model building in of a defi ned central place and its interactions with infl uence on, the surrounding regions. Our inten- the Earth Sciences and Archaeology. The investi- its environs. The aim of the close collaboration tion is to study the network of relations between gation focuses on the Mediterranean region, the with, and collective training of, the doctoral candi- the central site or settlements in spaces of limited Black Sea area and the adjoining Eurasian steppes. dates is to break down the boundaries of linguistic extension and their surroundings. This involves Our studies include central places for which ade- and methodological competencies. Additionally, reconstructing the development of the respective quate historical sources are available, but also sites individual projects are identifi ed to supplement central site and of the historical landscape, as well from preliterate epochs. the research in the Graduate Group Landscapes.

Position of the suprojects of the research group AI- Central Places and Their Environment

A-I-1: Pyramids of the Steppe - Archaeological and A-I-7: Egypt Lies in Africa - Paleoenvironmental A-I-15: Historical Sources in Dur-Katlimmu, Global Geo-archaeological Investigations in the Land of Reconstruction in Naga, Central Sudan. Climate Change and Climate in Local Perception. Seven Rivers, Kazakhstan. A-I-8: Ancient landscape in the environs of Atar- A-I-16: Monumental Architecture in the Nabatae- A-I-2: Taganrog - Central Sites of an Early Greek neus. an Capital Petra (Jordan): Graves and Palaces. Polis in the Northeastern Black Sea Region. A-I-9: Monti Navegna e Cervia - Geo-Archaeolo- A-I-17: Paleo-Environmental Reconstruction of A-I-3: At the Transition from Late Antiquity to Is- gy and Landscape Development in an Italian Na- the Ancient Landscape at Daschur (Egypt) with lam - Resafa in Syria – Cult Site and Center of tional Park. its Graves, Sanctuaries, and Settlements. Power in Relation to Landscape. A-I-10: Settlement History of the South Harz A-I-18: Punic Settlement Strategies Using the Ex- A-I-4: Felix Romuliana - A Late Ancient Imperial Mountains. ample of Erice Settlements. Palace and its Surroundings. A-I-11: Lossow near Frankfurt/Oder - An Early Iron A-I-20: Topographic-Archaeological Documenta- A-I-6: Archaeological and geoarchaeological in- Age Cult Site of the Ancient Peripheral Zone. tion and Historical Interpretation of the Central vetsigations in the Aleppo region. A-I-13: The Copper Age Tell Settlement Pietrele. Asian „Long Oasis Walls“ Settlements.

Prof. Dr. Brigitta Schütt Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected] 9 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

A-I Central Places and Their Environment

RESEARCH TOPICS THE MEMBERS BUNDLING MAJOR TOPICS

Research plans for the Graduate Group Lands- The core of the Research Group Central Places Research questions focus on the function (reli- capes were determined during an open discus- and their Environment is the Graduate Group gious-military-economic-administrative), scale sion conducted within the Research Group. In the Landscapes, acting jointly with its supervisors (local-regional-supraregional) and locational fi nal determination of research topics and fi elds, and the members of the research group (principal factors of the central place as well as the relati- importance was placed on having a direct connec- researchers). Fellows supplement the personnel onship between the central place and its environs tion to ongoing research projects in the archaeo- infrastructure of the research group. In addition, or urban hinterland. It quickly became evident logical sciences. This has ensured that research the technical infrastructure required to conduct that all of the central places investigated feature and excavation licenses have already been obtai- the research is allocated by Topoi (automobiles, more than one function, emanate on different ned before the start of the respective research. pollen laboratory, diverse instrumentation) and scales and premise various locational factors. In Along with the research plans for the Graduate the Physical Geographical Laboratory (diverse lab outlining the projects, we discerned that the dis- Group Landscapes, this open discussion in Re- and fi eld instrumentation, corer). Additional ex- tribution of the characteristics varies between the search Group A-I also identifi ed “individual pro- pertise is provided by experts invited for lectures, individual sites. On this basis, we identifi ed four jects”. Thematically, these individual projects are discussion rounds or workshops. major topics, and grouped the characteristics of a valuable supplement to the research done in the the sites accordingly. Due to the complex charac- Graduate Group Landscapes. ter of the sites, most of them can be assigned to more than one mamajorjor topic.topic.

Major topics of the ResearchhG Group AICAI- Central t lPl Places and dThi Their Environment E i t

Prof. Dr. Brigitta Schütt Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected] 10 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Seats of Residence as Central Places Superordinate Questions and First Results

The link between governance and a distinct spa- posed. These include environmental conditions tial place is another category of central places. and dynamics (Kaikos Valley, Fig. 2) as well as This connection seems self-evident, thus it was proximity to important strategic communication not previously the focus of historical research. In roads such as rivers, trade routes or cross-region- particular, questions concerning the scale and al roads (Aterneus, Pergamon, Felix Romuliana, of central functions of these seats of resi- Resafa in Roman times, Aleppo). dence were neglected. Additionally, the availability and accessibility of The various projects of Research Group A-I help resources (Felix Romuliana) and connection to a to answer these questions for a period extend- sanctuary (Resafa, Aleppo) greatly infl uence the ing from the third millennium BC to the time of location of a governance seat. Islam (Fig. 1). Furthermore, the wealth of proj- ects provides detailed information on selected Examples of the connection of sacral places and cultures as well as on different systems of gov- residence seats include the ancient Nabataean ernment. The main objective is the analysis of capital of Petra and Aleppo. Especially the latter environmental conditions and their infl uence on helps to understand the link between centrality the location as well as the design of the seat of induced by political and religious conditions. governance. In spite of this, the question how these central places changed the settlement sys- Results of investigations in Aleppo and its en- tem as well as the natural environment should be virons show the fl uctuating infl uence of central adressed. Consequently, the methodology does places with respect to seats of governance and not focus on the seat of residence in the context sanctuaries: just as Aleppo lost its dominant po- Fig. 2: View from the Trajaneum of Pergamon into the Kaikos of architectural characteristics but on its regional litical position during the Late Bronze Age, yet Valley integration and wider-scale importance. The cen- remained a central place, because it retained its tral point of interest is therefore the relative im- ancient religious status. The case of northwest- ment system and natural conditions. Thus, Felix portance of the central place for its environment, ern Syria demonstrates the connection of central Romuliana as the seat of a Roman emperor was considered on different scales. places, communities and political frameworks. probably never a cross-regional central place.

FIRST RESULTS Furthermore, research shows that there is a link By contrast, measures to expand the late ancient between continued occupation and infl uence on pilgrims’ city Resafa, especially regarding water The fi rst comprehensive results show that some existing settlement patterns. For instance, sur- supply, changed the environment permanently. features are of greater importance in the localisa- veys around Felix Romuliana show that the palace tion of seats of governance than previously sup- was occupied too briefl y to infl uence the settle-

Fig. 1: Research projects of the Research Group A-I investigating residence seats as central places

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Wulf-Rheidt Architekturreferat, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut [email protected] +49.(0)30.187711-138 11 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Seats of Residence as Central Places Representative Projects

A-I-3 Resafa - Rusafat Hisham, Syria: trace the development of the palace hinterland, Palaces, Paleoenvironment and water thereby identifying its role within a central place managment systems model on a local level, its nature and function and its infl uence on the surrounding region. The hin- Resafa was founded as a fortress at the eastern terland’s central nature is particularly evident in Roman border in the 1st century AD. At the begin- economic terms, confi rming earlier theories that ning of the 6th century, the fortress became a city metallurgy played a key role in the development of of pilgrimage, as it was said to cover the relics of this region. Felix Romuliana could therefore have the Roman saint Sergios. Because of this sanctu- played a key role on a regional or wider scale, as ary, the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn ʿAbd al-Ma- it lies directly on the East-West axis connecting lik (724-743) decided to take residence in Resafa. the Timok and Morava valley regions. This posi- For about 15 years, the city was the political centre tion suggests that it may have served as a central of the Arabian empire. At least two palaces were place in a network of smaller fortifi ed sites located built and decorated richly with stucco (Fig. 1) and along this route. Furthermore, a reconstruction wall paintings. Gardens and water basins also of settlement patterns via geomorphologicial and served as part of the caliphal representation. This archaeological surveys aims to establish to what is astonishing, given that Resafa is situated in a extent geographical conditions infl uenced the for- dry area. One main goal of the project is therefore mation, development and abandonment of these the reconstruction of environmental conditions settlements from the to the Medieval and the understanding of the water management period. system, based on a hydrological modelling. Initial results show that this system was often changed A-I-8: Ancient Landscapes in the during Resafa’s history, and that it attained its Environs of Atarneus and Pergamon – most effective form during the Umayyad period. Geoarchaeology in the Lower Kaikos Valley A-I-4: The Late Roman Imperial Palace of Felix Romuliana. Reconstructing The Lower Kaikos Valley, situated in Western Tur- natural and archaeological landscape key, is an interesting landscape in which to in- vestigate the development and transformation The research area lies in the valley of the Crni of central places. In prehistoric times, the region Timok river in Eastern Serbia and is focused on a had a decentralized settlement structure. By Hel- late antique fortifi ed palatial complex associated lenistic times, an advanced net of central places with the Emperor Galerius (Fig. 2). The project had developed around the central places of Atar- employs several strategies, including archaeolog- neus and Pergamon. One of the main topics of ical and geomorphological surveys, in order to research is the connection between the system of Fig. 1: Stucco from the islamic residence in Resafa

the Kaikos river as an important communication line and the rise and fall of Atarneus and Pergam- on as important Hellenistic central places. The most prominent question is whether the Greek geographer Strabon was wrong when he stated that Kaikos entered into the Aegean Sea near At- arneus. Because the recent river mouth is located about 20 km southeast of this location. Did the mouth of the Kaikos river system change its lo- cation within the Late Quaternary? And how did landscape evolution and human settlement activ- ity interact? To answer these questions, the proj- ect includes sedimentary and geomorphological investigations and integrates archaeological re- search. As a result, ongoing sediment analyses focus on the identifi cation of different deposit Fig. 2: The late antique imperial palace Felix Romuliana, viewing direction northwest forms and on human impact.

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Wulf-Rheidt Architekturreferat, DAI [email protected] +49.(0)30.187711-138 12 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Sacral Places as Central Places Temples, Mausoleum, Kurgans, Pyramids and Rock-cut Tombs

INTRODUCTION The monumental constructions also had a mean- ing for the living: as a place for gathering, for rit- By sacral places, we understand places where ual ceremonies, as a place of pilgrimage, as me- ritual acts, for example contacts with supreme morial places or as a prominent landmark. Many powers such as divinities, ghosts or ancestors sacral places have a meaning for entire cultures took place. Many ancient cultures believed in an (e.g. the pyramids in Egypt, the kurgans in the afterlife. Monumental tombs and a variety of grave Asian steppe belt). goods support this hypothesis. Nevertheless, the everyday life of ancient people was always accom- Visibility seems to be an important factor for the panied by manifold uncertainties and questions location of sacral places. The burial mounds in the regarding religious aspects: hinterland of Taganrog, as well as the pyramids of Dahshur and the mausoleum in Felix Romuliana, - what relation exists between the living and the were located on exposed relief positions, e.g. hill- dead (fear, worship etc.)? tops or escarpments. - what is beyond the human horizon? - what happens after death? Due to their monumentality, they still document - is there eternal life or rebirth? the existence of ancient cultures that disappeared hundreds or thousands of years ago. Monumental sacral places could be seen as a kind Parco Reginonale Monte Narvegna e Cervia, Republican grave mo- of refl ection of these essential questions. When THE PROJECTS nument (Photo: K. Moede) investigating the royal pyramids of Dahshur, the so-called kurgans in the Asian steppe, the mau- A-I-1: Archaeological and geoarchaeological A-I-9: Monti Navegna e Cervia. Geo-Archaeology soleum of Felix Romuliana in Serbia, or the tombs investigations in the Land of Seven Rivers – and landscape development in an Italian national in Petra, it is evident that the construction of the Kazakhstan. park (Nespolo). monuments differs, but the basic concepts ap- plied by the builders are comparable: A-I-2: Central sites of an early Greek polis in the A-I-16: Monumental architecture in the Nabatae- - to facilitate a physical or spiritual afterlife for the northeastern Black Sea region (Taganrog). an capital Petra: tombs and palaces. deceased - to build a place of memory and, therefore, A-I-4: Felix Romuliana. A late antique imperial pal- A-I-17: Paleo-environmental reconstruction of the - to establish a collective identity. ace and its surroundings. ancient landscape at Dahshur, with its graves, sanctuaries and settlements.

Bronce Age settlement sites

Mausoleum in Felix Romuliana

Locations of sacral places investigated in Research Group A-I

Prof. Dr. Stephan G. Schmid Klassische Archäologie, Winckelmann-Institut, HU Berlin [email protected] 13 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Sacral Places as Central Places Examples from Zhetisu, Petra and Dahshur

INTRODUCTION Antique authors, e.g. Herodotus described Scyth- architecture of the complex are clearly borrowed ian sacrifi ces that look similar to the investigated from Hellenistic and Roman luxury architecture, The investigation of sacral places plays a major kurgans (Herodotus, The Histories, Book 4, Mel- i.e. the palaces and villae of the Hellenistic kings role in Research Group A -I. Despite dif ferent states pomene, 62). Furthermore he pointed out that and the Roman aristocracy. of research, all monuments are of a high impor- the necropolis of the Sake’s elite built a collective tance for the understanding of the functioning of memory, which plays a major role for the Scythian A-I-16: DAHSCHUR (EGYPT) sacral places. We are focusing on the following culture (Herodotus, The Histories, Book 4, Mel- research questions: pomene, 71 & 127). In such a way these necropoleis The necropolis of Dahshur is situated 30 km south - Are the monuments located in a specifi c land- are not only burial places, but also sacred places of Cairo. The whole cemetery should be under- scape position? for the central identifi cation of the Sakes. stood as a sacred area. The cemetery is domi- - Is the distribution of the monuments random, nated by fi ve pyramids. Two of them were erect- or do patterns exist? ed in the reign of King Snefru (about 2.600 BC), - Where does the building material for the monu- and three pyramid tombs were built in the Middle ments come from? Kingdom (about 1.900-1.800 BC). - Are the various tombs in question only burial As the central element, pyramids were comple- grounds, or do they also have a cultic function? mented by a pyramid temple, a causeway, and a - What kind of natural or socio-economic factors valley temple, and have at least four functions. infl uenced the siting? - Architectural function: Protection of the king’s A-I-1: ZHETISU (KAZAKHSTAN) body and funerary equipment. - Cultic function: Execution of mortuary cult in the The study site of the geoarchaeological investiga- pyramid temples by priests over decades or even tion is located in the Zhetisu region in southeast centuries. Kazakhstan, which is characterized by grave mon- Petra, Wadi Farasa East. Complex of the Soldier tomb from N - Cosmic function: the height and form of a pyra- uments. Theses kurgans are remains of the Sakes (Photo: S. Schmid) mid are related to the sky and the sun. This set- culture, whose members inhabited the area in the ting should enable the spirit of the deceased king early (1st mill. BC). The Sakes belong to A-I-16: PETRA (JORDAN) to fl y to the northern sky and to exist there as a the Scythian culture group of the eastern Eurasian star eternally. steppe belt and are described as warrior nomads. The richly decorated rock-cut façades of tombs - Political function: The erection of a pyramid The research project includes investigation of the are among the most eye-catching elements of the was a project to unite the country. Through their spatial distribution of kurgans. ancient Nabataean capital of Petra (southern Jor- monuments, the socially distant god-kings were dan). Recent archaeological investigations of the always visually present. Thus the political struc- After the late Bronze Age, the mobility of the in- complex of the Soldier tomb in the Wadi Farasa ture was translated into architectural forms and habitants increased. This led to a new perception East revealed that the rock-cut façades are not mapped onto the landscape. of space and utilization of the region. This pro- monuments per se, but an integral part of sophis- cess could be observed by investigating the dis- ticated multifunctional complexes. The organization of the funeral monuments as tribution of burial fi elds and their internal symbolic refl ections of the social organization of structure. The distribution of kurgans and their The central element of the complex is a huge the early pharaonic state as well as the embed- geometric form in the Zhetisu region is compara- peristyle courtyard with freely built colonnades ding of the monuments within the landscape can ble with the kurgan fi elds of north-Pontic regions. on three sides. The two main rooms, both rock- be analyzed at Dahshur in an exemplary fashion. cut, are located on the main axis of the court- yard, i.e. the tomb proper, and a huge triclinium or banquet hall. The material cut away was used to construct the freestanding structures. The main entrance to the complex led through a huge, two- story building, literally squeezed between the two sides of the valley. Within the rooms of the build- ing, remains of lavishly decorated wall paintings, opus sectile fl oors and hypocaust heating instal- lations were found. In other words, the complex, built in the third quarter of the 1st c. AD, shows clear signs of regular use by living people and, thus, of a kind of coexistence between aspects Royal kurgan of the necropolis Asy Saga (Photo: A. Gass) of funeral rituals and daily life. The plan and the Bent Pyramid of King Snefru (Photo: D. Blaschda)

Dr. Wiebke Bebermeier (Postdoctoral Fellow) Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected] 14 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Central Places in Arid Environments With a Focus on Water Supply Systems

INTRODUCTION

Ancient cultures developed a variety of water tech- nologies to sustain permanent settlements in arid and semi-arid environments. Among them were wells and conveyance systems that transported water to the settlements via conduits, channels and aqueducts from perennial water sources such as rivers, dammed reservoirs or groundwater (Wikander, 2000). Additionally, water harvesting, the collection and storing of water, was a common method for water augmentation (Fig. 1). The har- vested water served either for animal husbandry, for irrigation purposes or as drinking water.

This was the case in Resafa and Petra in the Near East as well as in Naga in Northeastern Africa (Fig. 2). In Resafa and Naga, dams and levees, cisterns and surface reservoirs were used to collect, con- Fig. 1: Landscape sketch (center) with examples of traditional water harvesting (surrounding pictures) methods, along with trol and store periodic, concentrated surface run- relevant disciplines (outer terms) off. While this was also the case in Petra, the ex- tensive irrigation and terrace systems of the city’s GOALS APPROACH environs are the focus of the study. The basic conditions required for the systems to Our approach focuses on geoarchaeological The water supply systems were adapted to the work, the extent to which these systems were vul- questions in dryland areas where water availabil- specifi c environmental conditions in drylands, nerable to environmental changes, and the ways ity is the key factor and attempts to answer them where the rainfall character is dominated by er- in which they changed the environment are the using climatic, hydrological and geomorphologi- ratic, high-intensity, short-duration rainfall events primary goals pursued within this major topic. cal methods. For Resafa and Naga, a hydrological over limited areas. This combination generates At the study sites, comprehensive ancient water model is set up to assess water availability and episodic fl oods, whose hydrographs directly cor- technologies typical for the antique central places feasibility of the systems under different climatic respond to the rainfall character (Tooth, 2000). examined occure (Fig. 3). and hydrologic settings (Berking et al., submitted).

50 m A-I-3 N At the Transition from Late An- tiquity to Islam - Resafa in Syria Outfl ow

A I-7 Infl ow Paleoenvironmental Re- construction in Naga, Fig. 3: 3D-Sketch of the Great Hafi r of Naga (with fl ow direction Central Sudan Cistern indicated by grey arrows)

A-I-16 References Monumental Architecture in the Nabataean Capital Petra, Jordan Berking, J., Beckers, B., Schütt, B.: “A comparative ap- proach to estimate the (palaeo-) runoff of two semi-arid watersheds in a geoarchaeological context – a Case study of Naga (Sudan) and Resafa (Syria)”. Geoarcheology, sub- mitted.

Tooth, S. (2000). Process, form and change in dryland ri- vers: a review of recent research: Earth-Science Reviews, Terraces 51, 67-107.

Wikander, O. (ed.) 1999: Handbook of Ancient Water Tech- Fig. 2: Locations of the central places being presented, in the Near East and Northeast Africa nology. Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden.

Brian Beckers, Christoph B. Konrad (Doctoral Fellows) Jonas Berking Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected], [email protected] 15 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Central Places and Periphery

The study of central places does not necessarily Positioning along important routes is a significant involve research of urban centres. That central factor for the development of a central place, even sites also can develop in the periphery of densely if it is located in the periphery. Aleppo, for example, settled areas (Aleppo) or far from urban agglom- is at the crossroads of main routes between the erations in a sparsely settled area (Monte San Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates, and from Giovanni, Don delta) is demonstrated by the proj- Anatolia to Palestine and Egypt. The town itself is ects, which cover different cultural areas and land- situated in a narrow river valley at the intersection scape zones (fig. 1). It is not important whether of the periphery of three areas (fig. 3) with fertile the central place is a settlement site, a single sanc- soil and easily accessible groundwater, which are tuary or a construction like the oasis walls of Sog- separated by stony plateaus and which needed to dia. be controlled for the support of a potentially larger Fig. 2: Distribution of the central places (stars) and the settlements urban population. A look at the environs indicates of the indigenous population (white; La Tène Culture) and the im- AREAS OF RESEARCH migrants (black; Przeworsk-Culture) in the Southern Harz area lines of dense human presence and total lack of settlement in pre-Hellenistic antiquity. It is obvious that a central place is necessarily linked to its surroundings. Therefore, the interdisciplinary LOCATION OF CENTRAL SITES investigations do not focus exclusively on the cen- tral site itself. The character and development of Most of the outlying central sites have a charac- the cultural and natural landscape is of primary in- teristic topographical position in relation to their terest regarding "push and pull" factors for central surroundings. They may be located on a moun- sites, the functional integration of the site into the tain, such as the sanctuary of San Giovanni or the existing urban settlement structure, and in terms antique city of Erice, or they may have an elevated of the effects on the restructuring of the landscape. position on a high bank, such as the Lossow en- But the development of an outlying central place is closure or the central settlements along the Don not the sole focus of the research topic; the distur- delta. Also, positioning along strategically or eco- bance of a centralized system as is evident in the nomically important transport or communication southern Harz foreland is also considered. The dif- routes, such as rivers (Southern Harz, Lossow, ferentiated settlement system of this region was Don delta) or intraregional connecting paths disturbed in the 2nd century BC by immigrants (fig. (Monte San Giovanni, Aleppo, Dur Katlimmu) is 2). By archaeological and geoarchaeological means, a characteristic of the given sites. The central the project tries to work out the reasons for the par- function is either religious (Monte San Giovanni, ticular choice of sites by the immigrants, and the in- Lossow, Aleppo) or of a strategic and economic fluence of the immigrants on the centralized settle- nature (Sogdia, Aleppo, Erice). ment system which collapsed around 50 BC.

A-I-10 A-I-11 A-I-2 Settlement System in the Hilltop Enclosure Central Places in the Southern Harz Foreland, of Lossow, northeastern Black Sea Region, Germany Germany Fig. 3: Aleppo in the periphery of its three supply centres In northern Mesopotamia a road system con- nected Dur-Katlimmu with the north but also across the steppe with the capital Ashur imple- mented by road stations like Tell Umm Aqre- be, east to Dur-Katlimmu. 33 villages listed on a stele from Tell Rimah, under the heading of Dur-Katlimmu, correspond to 31 villages disco- vered in a survey of the Wadi Ajij region, forming a five-tier settlement system with Dur-Katlimmu as Central Place and Tell Umm Aqrubba as sub A-I-9 A-I-6 A-I-20 A-I-18 Sanctuary of centre. This “domestication” of the steppe, the Environs of Aleppo, Central Asian Punic Settlement Monte San Giovanni, A-I-15 Syria „Long Oasis Walls“ construction of a canal system as well as of a Strategies - Erice, Italy Assyrian Central Place of Dur-Katlimmu, Settlements, “Royal Road“ system mark the beginning of the Italy Uzbekistan Syria degradation process of the vegetation. Fig. 1: Location of the projects within the research topic “Central Places and Periphery“

Marlen Schlöffel (Doctoral Fellow) Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected] 16 Research Area A Research Group A-I: Central Places and Their Environment

Central Places and Periphery Case Studies From a Mountain and a Steppe Area

VIA DECENTRALITY TO CENTRAL REFUGIUM OR CENTRAL SITE? PLACES – The sanctuary on Investigations in the northeas- Monte San Giovanni, Italy (A-I-9) tern Black Sea Steppe, Southern Russia (A-I-2) The case of the Monte San Giovanni sanctuary raises the question to what extent central places Prior to the transmission of the Greek polis sys- are developed in a sparsely settled area parallel tem to the Black Sea region, a wide variety of set- to the antique and medieval centre of Rome. The tlement patterns existed in the research area with- Monte San Giovanni sanctuary (fig. 1, 2) cannot be in the timeframe 2000-600 BC (fig. 3). Whereas regarded as a central place in terms of Roman ad- during the Middle Bronze Age (3rd mill BC) and ministrative structure: i) it is too small; ii) a supra- the transition from the Bronze to the Iron Age Fig. 2: Monte San Giovanni and its surroundings regional importance has not been proven; and iii) (ca. 1200-600 BC) the few known settlements it is situated between the two Roman provincial are restricted to the areas immediately border- towns Rieti and Carsoli. Definition as a central ing the Azov Sea coast and the Don delta, in the place in the context of the spatial organization of Late Bronze Age (ca. 2100-1200 BC) hundreds of settlements is not applicable here. Nevertheless, settlements are spread all over the steppe. After when focussing on the surrounding region the the collapse of the Late Bronze Age settlement sanctuary takes on a new relevance in terms of system, settlements and are restricted to centrality. Due to natural conditions, it is only the Don delta region where, during all of the pe- Fig. 4: Central settlement (Final Bronze Age) at the Don delta through this region, which is traversed by two of riods studied, the central sites are concentrated tensive settlement are being researched through the most important Roman roads, that different (fig. 3, 4). Through the study of natural and cul- the study of the diversity of the natural and cul- territories and central places (Rieti and Carsoli) are tural "push and pull" factors, analysis will be con- tural landscape and their mutual interactions. linked. The economic resources of these cities only ducted of why it was exactly the Don delta that Geoarchaeological investigations concentrate become usable when they are connected. Addi- served as the focus not only of central sites, but on geomorphology and erosional deposits in the tionally, goods that are produced in the study area also of all settlements in certain periods. Did pos- hinterland of the Don delta to see whether it was are mainly consumed in these cities. Regarding sibilities for central sites to develop in other land- manmade landscape changes or rather changes the supply of goods, the large-scale rural region scape zones exist, especially in the periods where in climatic conditions that caused the system to surrounding the sanctuary could be evenly ranked the entire steppe region was settled? And what collapse. The distribution of graves over various with urban settlements where tools for agriculture is the cause of the unusual situation in the Final landscape zones and the study of settlement are produced and where markets exist. Therefore, Bronze Age in which only central settlement sites form and economic indicators should provide both cities and rural areas are directly and recipro- are known? information on whether landscape changes co- cally dependent on each other. The colonization of the steppe, including its incide only with a change in settlement intensity more arid parts, and the end of this phase of in- or with changes in all aspects of society.

Fig. 1: Overview of the study area Monte San Giovanni with sites for Fig. 3: Location of central sites within the research area over different periods of time archaeological and geoarchaeological research

Marlen Schlöffel (Doctoral Fellow) Geographische Wissenschaften, Physische Geographie, FU Berlin [email protected] 17 Research Area A Research Group A-II: Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life

Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life

Research Group A-II investigates the genesis and purely archaeological research DFG BMBF Paläogenetik Mainz spread of spatially oriented and spatially effec- approaches, a concept for iso- Prof. Dr. J. Burger Principal Researchers Prof. Dr. H. Parzinger tive innovations (wagons and draft animals, early tope-chemical and paleogenet- Prof. Dr. W. Schier Arbeitsgruppe Paläogenetik herding, mounted nomadism) and their concom- ic analyses was drawn up with Doktorandin Sandra Wilde Paläogenetische Untersuchungen itant demographic, social historical, and cultural the goal of detecting various zu den Bevölkerungsstrukturen- der nordpontischen Steppe zwischen 3500 - 300 v. Chr. historical phenomena and consequences. Geo- levels of population movement. Leitung der Nachwuchsgruppe graphically, the focus is on the steppe belt north The paleogenetic investiga- Dr. Elke Kaiser Arbeitsgruppe Paläogenetik Doktorandin of the Black Sea, the adjoining areas, and select- tions will be carried out in the Martina Unterländer Populationsgenetik früher eisenzeitlicher Bevölkerungen ed regions of Central Asia, because a high level framework of a complemen- Zentralasiens of mobility can be assumed for these semi-arid tary BMBF project, while the Promotionsstipendium Promotionsstipendium Promotionsstipendium Promotionsstelle „Die westliche „Äneolithisch- „Mobilität von Mensch und „Archäologische Gruppierungen spaces in relatively early times. Mounted nomad- isotope-chemical component Kugelamphorenkultur“ frühbronzezeitliche Haustier im Licht stabiler und paläogenetische Netzwerke Manfred Woidich M.A. Grabformen im nord- und Isotopen“ im westlichen Eurasien“ ism is defi nitely proven for the Scythian and Sa- of Research Group A-II is part westpontischen Raum“ Claudia Gerling M.A. Christine Schuh M.A. Ivo Popov M.A. kian and the somewhat more recent Hunno-Sar- of Topoi. The doctoral projects matian period in the 1st century B.C. For the older in Topoi are all part of A-II’s Structure of the paleogenetic investigations of the complementary projects of Topoi- periods that will be investigated here, such as the research work. C. Gerling pre- Research Group A-II and of the project fi nanced by the BMBF late 4th and entire 3rd centuries B.C., a subsis- pares and measures samples tence economy based on specialized animal hus- for isotope analyses at the University of Bristol. in the Eurasian steppe region and beyond. The bandry and mobile herding is postulated, but has The results of the measurements serve as the ba- archaeological background suggested concen- not yet been archaeologically proven. Certain cul- sis for their evaluation in the light of the archaeo- trating on the northern Pontic region and adjoin- tural phenomena and innovations are discernible logical facts. I. Popov and M. Woidich are work- ing areas for the three periods between 3500 and over a vast area during these periods; thus far, ing on desiderata in cultural groups that were in 2000 B.C. Here it was possible to take recourse this has been controversially explained with mod- contact with the northern Pontic region in the 3rd to already excavated skeletal material as well as els of diffusion or migration on the basis of purely century B.C. and thereby ensure that the results to make use of freshly excavated graves. Because archaeological evidence. expected in A-II are contextualized within the larg- individuals from old excavations in Semirechye er area. They are supervised by E. Kaiser, who is are often poorly preserved, we relied on the new- STRUCTURE also responsible for the overall evaluation at the ly excavated graves from H. Parzinger’s subproj- conclusion of the project. ect. To enable comparison, natural scientists also The Research Group’s collaborative project in- analyzed numerous contemporaneous burials in vestigates demographic and socio-economic RESULTS the southern Siberian region and select burials processes of transformation in the steppe zones from southern Ukraine. west and east of the Urals in connection with his- Where possible, the samples required for the torically important cultural innovations in four dif- isotope-chemical and paleogenetic analyses are Because of the markedly laborious procedure re- ferent time periods (3500-3000 B.C.; 3000-2500 taken from the same individuals. In 2009, sam- quired for the preparation of old DNA and the B.C.; 2500-2000 B.C.; 800-200 B.C.). Along with ples were taken from more than 200 individuals use of a new, promising sequencing procedure, no presentable paleogenetic results are ready yet. However, C. Gerling is already presenting the fi rst results of her measurements.

Conferences

Dec. 2-3, 2009 Workshop “Mobility and Knowledge Transfer from a Diachronic and Interdisciplinary Perspective”.

March 24-26, 2010 (in preparation) International Conference “Migrations in Prehisto- ry and Early History. Stable Isotopes and Popula- tion Genetics – New Answers to Old Questions?” Lecture Series “Isotope-chemical Investigations in Archaeology”: E. Stephan (Constance), D.T. Map with the burial mound sites from which samples were taken (blue: time periods 1-3 red: time period 4-1 central Ukraine; 1 eastern Price (Madison, Wisconsin), G. Gruppe (Munich), Ukraine; 3 middle Volga area; 4 Kalmykia; 5 Olennyi; 6 southwest Ukraine; 7 Bulgaria; 8 Hungary; 9 Uivar; 10 Scythian kurgans in southern Ukraine; 11 Sakian graves in Semirechye; 12 Scythian graves of Arzhan and others) A.W.G. Pike (Bristol).

Dr. Elke Kaiser, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Wolfram Schier Prähistorische Archäologie, FU Berlin [email protected] 18 Research Area A Research Group A-II: Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life

Mobility in Semiretchye in the 1st Century B.C.

Semiretchye in southeastern Kazakhstan is one of necropolises apparently adhered to fi xed, land- the most important site regions in the European scape-oriented rules steppe belt, with countless archaeological lega- • New knowledge about the Sakian culture’s be- cies left by mounted nomadic groups (the Saks) ginning, development, end, and relationship to of the Scythian period. Only very few (Besšatyr, the subsequent and Hunnic period Issyk) of the thousands of burial mounds (kur- • Registration of the patterns of mobility of the gans) have thus far been studied; and all of these mounted nomadic population of this region excavations are old and do not meet modern • Effects of changes in landscape and climate on methodological standards. The increased popu- the use of land in Semiretchye lation of Semiretchye beginning in the 1st century B.C. is associated with fundamental changes in RESULTS all areas of life: groups that were still settled in In 2008 and 2009, fi eld campaigns (together with Topographical plan of the necropolis of Žuan-Tobe, Kazakhstan the 2nd century B.C. become mobile, livelihoods the FHTW Berlin) in the necropolises of Žuan- and ways of life change, and entirely new living Tobe and in the burial grounds near Kegen sur- Necropolises near Kegen spaces are sought out and appropriated or struc- veyed a number of kurgans of various forms and In the 2009 fi eld campaign, additional kurgans tured in new ways. Simultaneously, for the fi rst sizes. This was the basis for the creation of 3-D farther to the southeast near the town of Kegen time in the history of Semiretchye, close contacts models that are fi tted into the topographic charts were investigated. A gigantic grand kurgan of earth develop with Iran and northwestern China, con- of the necropolises. Excavations were also carried towered in the center of the high plateau near Ke- nections that will later develop into a northern out on both sites. gen, which is an entirely different kind of land- branch of the Silk Road. These transformations, scape from that investigated in 2008 in the much their causes, and their consequences will be in- Necropolis Žuan-Tobe lower-situated Žuan-Tobe. Studied in 2009, the vestigated. The burial mounds of the necropolis are arranged Kegen kurgan consisted of rammed earth, and its along several north-south lines, as was apparently exterior was clad with mud bricks. A rising path APPROACH typical for the Sakian period. All are round, except was laid out on the side of the mound’s outer • Systematic registration of Sakian burial for one square kurgan in each row. Geomagnet- contour; it led to a platform that was rearranged mounds and necropolises ic investigations (together with the Bavarian State in modern times. Whoever may have been bur- • Targeted excavation of selected kurgans Offi ce for Monument Preservation) and archaeo- ied within, this monumental mound was clearly • Gathering of new, well-documented anthropo- logical investigations of kurgans 8 and 9 display also a cult or ritual site. Two smaller kurgans in logical sample material for isotope-chemical the actual structure of the kurgans: rammed earth the environs, dating from the last centuries B.C. and paleogenetic analyses with layers of stones. Four phases of construction in the Hunno-Sarmation period (Xiongnu), were • Systematic surveys and investigations of can be distinguished. The kurgans were girded by excavated. changes in landscape and climate (in connec- placement of stones that enable the reconstruction Despite later plundering, they provided accompa- tion with Research Group A-I) of the contours of the grave constructions, other- nying, datable fi nds and well-preserved bone ma- wise blurred by erosion and plowing over. Kurgan 8 terial (including deformed skulls), which will be of ISSUES was square in the manner of a low pyramid, while crucial importance for a comparison with skeletal • The structure, dating, and function of these kurgan 9 was round. Both had burial chambers remains from the Sakian period and for the ques- grave constructions and the structure of the that have been plundered. tion of migration from the east or southeast at the end of the Sakian period. Isotope-chemical and paleogenetic analyses of this material have not yet begun, but C. Gerling has already achieved interesting results for the burial grounds of Berel‘.

Kurgan 1 with the mud brick structure, recognizable in detail. Map of important sites of fi nds from the Sakian and Hunnic periods in Semiretchye Kegen, Kazakhstan

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Herrmann Parzinger Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz [email protected] 19 Research Area A Research Group A-II: Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life

Burial Complexes of the Copper and Early Bronze Age in the Northern and Western Pontic Region

LOCATION AND PERIOD BURIAL COMPLEXES - CULTURAL ATTRIBUTION Based on the similarities and differences in phe- nomena and situations, two powerful culture-his- The analyses and characterization of the burial torical areas can be distinguished in the Northern complexes of the Copper and Early Bronze Age and Western Pontic region: a Balkan-Danubian in the Northwestern and Western Pontic Region and a East European steppe region. Strong mu- serve as the basis for the systematization of the tual relations between these areas can be seen in main problems. According to present-day archae- the Copper Age and they remain important dur- ological sources, many of the problems are re- ing the Bronze Age and also in subsequent his- lated to contacts and infl uences between these torical periods. regions and to historical and cultural processes in Southeastern Europe. The actual number of exca- vated graves, more than 300 in the Western Pon- Plachidol necropolis, Dobrich District, excavated by I. Panayotov tic Region, will be used in further research and and V. Dergachov. Barrow 1, grave 1, an adult female (c. 25 years) was buried. Traces of four disc-wheels were found in the four cor- analyses. ners of the burial pit

Most of the characteristic features relating to OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH burial practices are common to the Yamnaya cul- tural and historical community along the Dan- The formation and development of the cultural- ube, along the river and to a great extent historical communities of the nomadic stock- along the river as well. Specifi cs involve breeding tribes is a long and complex process. the relevant quantitative parameters indicating The existence of fl at and tumular necropolises the number of graves per burial mound, planning is a prerequisite for tracing prehistoric links be- and orientation. These specifi cs are studied as re- tween the Northern and Western Pontic region gionally differentiating tendencies, in addition to and for searching for answers to certain ques- study of the use of locally produced ceramics in tions. What kinds of interactions can be observed Research area the rites and their inclusion among the grave fur- between these two regions from the Neolithic to The so-called Transitional Period (3500-3100 BC) niture. the Bronze age? What was the role of Yamnaya and especially its second half (the Proto-Bronze culture in this context? Stage) is represented in Bulgaria by the Pevets culture, a southern descendant of the Černavoda For this analysis, I chose the following approach: I culture of Southern Muntenia and Dobrudzha. Groups, and combinations: identifi cation of clus- The appearance of the earliest bronze objects is ters and a search for connections between them. an important indicator of the proto-Bronze stage. Statistical analysis of the accumulated material and the forming of groups based on common The Early Bronze Age in the Lower Danube is repre- indicators. The next step is the analysis of the sented by several cultural groups: EBA 1a-c (3100- groups, types of burial, for example, inhumation, 2750 BC) by Černavoda III – Celei – Zimnicea, cremation or cenotaph. Orlea-Sadovec and Ezerovo and EBA 2-3 (2750- 2100 BC) by the Coţofeni – Glina – Černavoda II – Additional divisions could be made according to Ezerovo – Yamnaya. the orientation of the skeleton, position of the skeleton, grave form, grave furniture and radio- The prolonged development of the Chalcolith- carbon dates (аt least 15 new radiocarbon dates ic cultures Cucuteni - Tripolye along the rivers would be obtained and used in the analysis). Prut and Dniester and connected cultures such Analysis of connections: regional and chronologi- as Usatovo in the Northwestern Black Sea area cal, between groups, inter-group relations, indi- accounted for the chronological and spatial con- cators that defi ne sustainable groups and identifi - tinuity of contacts with steppe cultures. Bear- cation of the exact parameters under which there ing this in mind, major changes are observed, is the least likelihood of erroneous data, and fi - especially during the late stages of these cultures, nally: correlation of the data and comparison of which preceded and were partially synchronous the results with those complexes, around 300 in Flat grave with four individuals from Zagortsi, Nova Zagora with the Early Bronze Age cultures in the Balkans. District, recently excavated by St. Alexandrov number, from northwestern part of the present- day Ukraine.

Ivo Popov (Doctoral Fellow) Prähistorische Archäologie, FU Berlin [email protected] 20 Research Area A Research Group A-II: Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life

The Western Globular Amphora Culture Investigations into Differentiation in Space and Time and Cultural and Anthropological Identity

THE GLOBULAR AMPHORA CULTURAL AND ANTHROPOLOGI- CULTURE CAL IDENTITY

The sites of the Globular Amphora culture (GAC) Which observations can offer indications for in- can be found across broad swaths of Central and vestigations concerning the cultural and anthro- Eastern Europe. Between 3100 and 2700 BC, its pological identity of this late Neolithic population? distribution area extended from the Elbe-Weser- region in the west to the Dniepr in the east. Nat- During the expansion of the GAC within the area ural expansion barriers include the Baltic Sea in being researched, a discernible transition from the north and, roughly speaking, the German and collective burials towards individual graves took Czech lower mountain ranges in the south, as place. This change in tradition offers one oppor- well as the arc of the Carpathian Mountains. An tunity to obtain an insight into the awareness of internal differentiation into three subgroups has identity demonstrated by the people concealed been established through previous research into behind this archaeological complex. The expens- this extensive archaeological complex. For the es of grave constructions and the individual con- Western GAC, which covers the areas west of the fi guration of grave furniture seem to indicate a Elbe River, the last comprehensive study was car- hierarchically structured society. ried out in 1938. Since then, only regional studies A further highly interesting aspect is the connec- Sites of the Western Globular Culture (after Preuss 1998) and have been pursued. The number of known sites tion between some human burials and cattle buri- the distribution areas of the contemporary neighbouring cultural has increased dramatically since then. Currently als or deposits. In particular, regularly observed groups at 3000 BC there are 900 sites in the project database, which deposits consisting of two animals in antithetic can be used as a foundation for any further mod- crouched position, which are widely interpreted as THE WORKING HYPOTHESIS ern analyses. a harnessed bovine team, seem to be characteris- tic of the time period for the GAC. These fi ndings What were the reasons for the GAC’s integration underline the extraordinary status enjoyed by do- with other local groups and its widespread expan- mestic animals, which is often used to argue that sion? the agricultural practices of the GAC were mainly One possibility could be the desire to access local based on cattle breeding. raw materials, such as salt, amber, copper or fl int. Individual interactions with contemporary neigh- Or perhaps it was the complementary system of bouring cultural groups reveal the problems agriculture? The agricultural system in question caused by the use of the term ‘cultural group’ in permitted the opening up of previously unpopu- connection with the GAC. Perhaps the GAC could lated areas with less fertile soils. With the climat- be described as a Neolithic parallel society, which ic decline, it offered the local cultural groups the gradually integrated into the indigenous cultural acceptable alternative of subsistence agriculture, environment through sharing of settlements and which then caused the further expansion of the

Globular Amphoras from Saxony-Anhalt with different ornamenta- burial sites with local cultural groups. At the same GAC in those regions. tion elements and technics (after Beier 1988) time, the GAC clearly isolated itself and developed its own separate settlement clusters. DIFFERENTIATION IN SPACE AND TIME

Why does the differentiation in space and time of the GAC constitute one of the main research objectives? Research into this question can provide new evi- dence for the expansion of the GAC over such a vast territory. After classifying all the different kind of fi nds, mapping via ArcGIS will reveal regional elements and types. For the chronological differ- entiation, the correspondence analyses will prove the proper method to investigate the changes in The burial complex of the Globular Amphora culture at Zauschwitz in Saxony with a human double grave, a triple cattle deposit and a cha- shape and decoration of ceramics. racteristic set of grave furniture (after Coblenz/Fritzsche 1962)

Manfred Woidich (Doctoral Fellow) Prähistorische Archäologie, FU Berlin [email protected] 21 Research Area A Research Group A-III: Archaeometry – Archaeoinformatics

Research Group A-III Archaeometry – Archaeoinformatics

Both archaeoinformatic and archaeometric re- cal laboratory, physical geography laboratory, 3D search yield a lot of information on past, spatially Laser Scanner, IBM Power 5. orientated human activities. COMMUNICATION/ COMMON AIMS ACTIVITIES

The goal of Research Group A-III is to integrate Communication within the research group is facil- archaeometric and archaeo-informatic research itated during regular meetings attended by the re- within Topoi, to bring researchers together and searchers. External communication takes place in to make the research visible. The group, which the ‘archaeometrical colloquium‘ which features has existed since 2009, does not focus on a par- public lectures on recent developments within ticular research question, but rather focuses on archaeometry. In the last year, three workshops Refi red samples from wheel-made pottery generating synergetic processes between the dif- were held. In February, a conference on „Poten- ferent research strategies. tials, Perspectives and Future Tasks of archaeo- The samples represent a larger series of samples One major effect is the identifi cation of space-re- metric Research in Germany“ will take place. Reg- with the same colour and thermal behaviour re- lated research questions to which archaeometric ular workshops are held on GIS-based analysis fi red at temperatures between 1000° and 1200°C. and archaoinformatic research can give impor- within Topoi. In thin-sections the differences between the four tant answers. Results obtained by the research groups have different clays cannot be seen, because typical in- The research group is closely connected to the been presented at national and international con- clusions are lacking. other research groups in research area A and co- ferences. Part of the project in the last year involved the operates with the other research areas as well. evaluation of a newly available portable spec- trometer for X-ray fl uorescence analysis (Niton STRUCTURE Archaeoanalytics XL3t 900 GOLDD). The great advantage of the spectrometer is that analyses can be carried out The projects are divided into three groups: A-III-3 ECONOMIC SPACE. anywhere – no laboratory is needed. ARCHAEOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF Measurements clearly showed the chemical dif- Archaeoanalytics: WHEEL-MADE POTTERY ferences between the ten different clays. The pre- A-III-3 Archaeometric analysis of wheel-made pot- cision and accuracy of the data was compared tery The distribution of ceramics can yield important with data from WD-XRF and proved reasonable, A-III-7 Palynological Laboratory; Physical Geogra- information about the centres of production and at least for some ten elements. PXRF data mea- phy Laboratory areas in which the products were distributed or sured at fresh cracks in the sherds, without tak- traded. Archaeometric analysis has a high po- ing samples, agreed suffi ciently with WD-XRF Archaeoinformatics: tential for assisting in the determination of such data from powdered samples and can be used A-III-1 Climate Modelling ‘economic spaces‘, as it can identify the specifi c with care for a larger series of sherds as a non- A-III-4 GIS-based comparative Analysis of Land ‘fi ngerprint‘ of the raw mate- destructive method of chemical classifi cation. Use in Mountainous Environments rials: the clay used for ancient A-III-6 Fundamental research on stratigraphical pottery is characterized by modelling its refi ring behaviour, its chemical composition Prospection: and by the inclusions A-III-2 Geophysical Prospection seen in thin-sections. A-III-5 Remote Sensing Wheel-made germanic pottery from the 4th A lot of cooperation takes place between these century AD from Eas- groups: prospection data are analysed by means tern Germany of archaeoinformatics, soil samples from project A-III-6 are analysed in the geography laboratory, The project involves analysis of wheel-made pot- The distribution of the ten identifi ed clays (Numbers) within the new techniques of analysis for ceramics are test- tery of the late Iron Age (c. 250-50 BC) and of the archaeological sites tested show that some clays occur also in far ed in the geography laboratory, etc. Roman period in the barbaricum (c. 200-400 AD). distant sites Ten different clays have been detected indicating Various laboratories and instruments belong to different workshops for wheel-made pottery in The distribution of the different clays clearly the group or are available to its members, such Brandenburgia. This is illustrated in the above ex- proved that ceramics were traded at distances of as, e.g. geophysical equipment (geomagnetic; ample by small fragments of four samples refi red more than 100 km – a completely new result for georadar), octocopter, GIS laboratory, palynologi- at 1200°C. the region.

Prof. Dr. Michael Meyer PD Dr. Gerwulf Schneider, Dr. Malgorzata Daszkiewicz Prähistorische Archäologie, FU Berlin Excellence Cluster Topoi [email protected] [email protected], [email protected] 22 Research Area A Research Group A-III: Archaeometry – Archaeoinformatics

Archaeoinformatics Model Building and Simulations

A-III-1 CLIMATE MODELLING A-III-4 GIS-BASED COMPARATIVE The micro-region was analysed by means of an ANALYSIS OF LAND USE IN MOUN- ad hoc survey strategy which integrated extensive The project „Climate Modeling“ aims at advanc- TAIN ENVIRONMENTS and intensive fi eld survey with non-destructive ing scientifi c understanding of climatic conditions Remote Sensing methods (see project A-III-5) as and their impacts on the civilizations of the Medi- Project A-III-4 deals with a comparative analysis well as by applying GIS-based techniques. This terranean region in the last 6000 years. To sup- of the long term use of mountain landscapes, and leads to GIS-based models of long-term settle- port as many projects of A-I and A-II as possible, includes two case studies (Val d’ Hérémence, ment patterns: questions related to spatial orga- a model chain has been developed that has been Alps - CH and Westharz – D). nization, site catchment and movement can be optimized to meet the needs of Topoi. addressed in an interdisciplinary manner. The potential of a computational model is related to Janina Körper employs different techniques, uti- its reproducibility and implementability, both of lizing global general circulation models to ana- which make hypotheses comparable. lyze climate change over the last 6000 years. Analysis of these simulations focuses on potential A-III-6 GIS-BASED METHODOLO- vegetation change. Moreover, for example, in GICAL FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH cooperation with A-I-7, extreme value statistics analysis is performed and extended by statistical The aim of project A-III-6 is the development of downscaling conducted by Sebastian Wagner, a the potential of 3D GIS (Geographical Information senior fellow. Systems) applications in archaeology. In particu- lar, the project is focused on the application and In conjunction with hypotheses related to the Example of simulated land use around a site: a cumulative topo- development of spatial statistics in a 3D space. decline of the Meroitic culture, results based on graphy-based cost surface from the site has been calculated and used in a further stage as a basis for models of agro-pastoral lan- the statistically downscaled monthly mean pre- duse within a defi ned catchment cipitation changes indicate that climate was ap- parently not the main driver. However, extreme The fi rst systematic fi eldwork campaign was car- value statistics reveal that during the time of the ried out in August 2009 in the alpine micro-re- Meroitic culture in Naga about 2000 years ago, gion. The research focuses on the long term agro- extreme rainfall events may have occurred more pastoral population dynamics from the Neolithic regularly than today. to pre-industrial times, by addressing questions of continuity and off-site activities.

Fig. 1: 3D Point Clouds of stratigra-phical layers (Source: VIAS Vienna)

For this reason, data (both visible and invisible, such as physical and chemical soil content) are acquired using quantitative methods. Measure- ments of archaeological stratigraphy are hence performed via 3D laser scanner (Fig. 1) in order to calculate 3D GIS models (Fig. 2).

Simulated potential vegetation map for the Mediterranean Region 6000 years ago. Fig. 2: Anticipated virtual model incorporating measured data de- Biome classifi cation from Prentice et al. (1992) picted as red points

A-III-1: A-III-4: A-III-6: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Fischer, Dipl. Met. Janina Körper Jun.-Prof. Silvia Polla Undine Lieberwirth M.A. Meteorologie, Weltraumwissenschaften, FU Berlin Klassische Archäologie, FU Berlin Topoi – GIS and Databases, FU Berlin [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 23 Research Area A Research Group A-III: Archaeometry – Archaeoinformatics

Prospection

A-III–2 GEOPHYSICAL FORUM In most surveys, geomagnetic mapping is the stan- dard method used. For larger surveys, we employ The geophysical forum provides skills and exper- a fast, multi-channel, GPS-controlled device. The tise in archaeological prospecting methods used evaluation of new prospection technologies in- to unravel the structure of archaeological sites cludes comparison of electrical and low-frequen- and to provide guidance for later excavations. The cy electromagnetic measurements taken at the geophysical methods are employed as an inte- same sites. For the non-destructive prospection gral part of a research strategy in various projects of separate archaeological structures, we mostly within Research Area A. As every project has its employed electrical resistivity tomography and own characteristics, close cooperation is needed ground-penetrating radar. between archaeologists, geographers, and geo- In geoarchaeology, mostly 2D sections using elec- physicists to conduct a feasibility study and to trical imaging and seismic profi ling yield good im- Octocopter in the air develop a survey design for a specifi c locality. ages of the natural environment of archaeological sites. If high resolution imaging of near-surface The major advantage is the sophisticated internal sediment structures is essential, GPR measure- stabilisation system, which enables the operator ments are also used. to fl y the Octocopter at speeds of up to 6 m/s without requiring too much training. The use of 8 A-III-5 HIGH-RESOLUTION motors, rather than the Quattrocopter’s 4 motors, SURFACE ANALYSIS increases security in the event of malfunction. The whole system, with all accessories, including Aerial photos with very high spatial resolution are charger and ground station, can be transported important tools in archaeology. Documentation easily in a box. In 2009, an effi cient work plan for of archaeological excavations can be performed the use of the Octocopter in the fi eld was set up, Ground Penetrating Radar and Geomagnetics in the fi eld. Both in an effi cient way. Also, the assessment of the and comprehensive owner manuals have been instruments are supplied by TOPOI and used in many projects wider surroundings of archaeological sites can written to ensure proper use of the Octocopter. provide interesting information on the interac- Geophysical methods used for archaeological tion between human activity and a physical re- prospecting are mainly shallow geophysical tech- gion. For this purpose, Topoi’s remote-controlled niques, including magnetic gradiometry surveys, Octocopter enables researchers to take photos at magnetic susceptibility measurements, electrical the desired spatial and temporal resolution, thus resistance surveys, electrical imaging, tomogra- allowing digital elevation models to be generated. phy and ground penetrating radar. Often, special This is a big advantage in comparison to classical technical equipment and knowledge is essential aerial photos taken from airplanes. The Octocop- to the unravelling of archaeological secrets. Our ter has an overall weight of around 1.3 kg and a research in geophysical prospecting in archaeol- payload of 0.3 kg for a small camera. Its recharge- ogy is applied in the following major fi elds: able lithium ion batteries allow for a fl ight time of • Large-scale geophysical surveys 17 minutes. This limits the fl ight height to around • Detailed tomography surveys 400 m. Neolithic Tell Pietrele, fotographed by the octocopter • Geoarchaeology Another focus of the work was calibration of the camera, and photogrammetrical analysis of the photos. The Octocopter was utilised at two test sites in Pietrele (Romania) and the Harz Moun- tains, where precise digital terrain models with a high spatial resolution were created of the area. The Octocopter has proven to be a very interest- ing tool for archaeological applications and will be used intensively in 2010.

Geomagnetic survey in Urbach region of the South Harz Moun- tains (A-I-10) The geomagnetic map is superimposed onto the sa- tellite picture(area in fi gure 1: 500 m x 300 m). In the magnetic map, several archaeological features are present, from localised iron-age pits to neolitic earthworks as well as linear structures caused by natural processes and human activities.

A-III-2: Prof. Dr. Georg Kaufmann, Burkart Ullrich A-III-5: Dr. Hans-Peter Thamm Geophysik, Geologische Wissenschaften, FU Berlin Fernerkundung und Geoinformatik, [email protected], [email protected] Geographische Wissenschaften, FU Berlin [email protected] 24 Research Area A Research Group A-III-7: Physical Geography and Pollen Laboratories

How to Disentangle Terrestrial Archives Two Specialized Geoarchaeological Laboratories for Topoi

HF-POLLEN LAB PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LAB

Our new pollen laboratory was established in July The laboratory for Physical Geography is a well 2009. It was specially designed to use Hydrofl u- established laboratory which specializes in the oric (HF) acid to achieve the best results when analysis of sediment samples from terrestrial ar- extracting pollen grains and spores from various chives such as sections, drillings (Fig. 2), test pits, types of terrestrial archives to obtain information etc. All necessary sample preparation techniques on former land-use and climatic conditions. HF (e.g. drying, separation, sieving, homogenization, is also used to prepare total digestions of spe- digestion etc.) are available in the lab (Fig. 3). cifi c samples (f.e. to analyze the composition of The lab is equipped with the following analytical ancient ceramics). In addition, our laboratory has equipment: the facilities required to gather botanical remains • ICP-OES for element (Ca, Mg, P, etc.) quantifi - like fruits and seeds from sediments. Acting as a cation service supplier, we offer our capabilities to every • SEM-EDX for structural and material analyses Topoi project that possesses appropriate archives (Fig. 5) and artefacts. Projects like A-I-1, A-I-2, A-I-9 and • XRD to determine the mineralogical composition A-I-10 are already being provided with sample • Mobile XRF for element quantifi cation preparation for pollen analyses. Other projects • Carbon Analyzer to determine carbon (Fig. 7) like A-I-17 and research area A-III are interested in • UV-VIS Photometer for element quantifi cation. future cooperation. Several projects (e.g. A-I-10 and research area A-III) are in need of total diges- Fig. 2 and 3: Drilling core SB03 (above) from the Harz-Foreland tion capabilities. (Project AI-10) with Holocene and Late Pleistocene sediments and an Analytical fl owchart (below) Workfl ow pollen preparation:

More than a dozen steps and two days of con- ditioning are necessary to prepare a sediment SEM-EDX sample of 1 ml to produce a suitable microscopic Fig. 5: The Scanning-Electron-Microscope with Energy-Dispersive- preparation: X-ray detection

Fig. 6: Example of the geochemichal and mineralogic results from drilling core SB03 from the Harz-Foreland (Project A-I-10) Microscope

Carbon-Analyzer

Fig. 1: After preparation the samples are analyzed at 500 – 1000 x Fig. 4: Data from both preparation lines will be combined into mul- Fig. 7: The Carbon Analyzer used in the determination of organic Magnifi cation. This may take ca. 1-4 d/sample ti-proxy diagrams (example data: L. Shumilowskikh, Th. Felauer) and inorganic carbon contents

Dr. Philipp Hoelzmann, Dr. Frank Schlütz Physische Geographie, Geographische Wissenschaften, FU Berlin [email protected], [email protected] 25 Host Universities Participating Universities

Freie Universität Berlin Technische Universität Berlin

Topoi Building Dahlem Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Technik Hittorfstraße 18 Berlin D-14195 Berlin phone: +49.30.838-57271 Central European University, Budapest fax: +49.30.838-53770 Partner Institutions Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Berlin-Brandenburgische Topoi Building Mitte Akademie der Wissenschaften Hannoversche Straße 6 D-10099 Berlin Deutsches Archäologisches phone: +49.30.2093-99073 Institut fax: +49.30.2093-99080 Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte

Stiftung Preußischer Kultur­besitz [email protected] www.topoi.org