Publications Archives - CEPAM

Article | The dispersal of domestic cats from North Africa to Europe around 2000 years ago

Tracing the origins of domestic cats (Felis catus) has been limited by a lack of ancient DNA for these animals, as well by their morphological similarity to the African wildcat (F. lybica lybica) and European wildcat (F. sylvestris). De Martino et al. generated low- to medium-coverage genomes for 87 ancient, museum, and modern cats (see the Perspective by Losos). They found that domestic cats are most genetically similar to African wildcats, although there has been widespread gene flow between wild and domestic populations. European samples that cluster with domestic cats only appear in the 1st century CE, suggesting a later dispersal of domestic cats than previously thought. Although broader sampling is needed, this study shows the complexity of population dynamics that is often revealed when looking beyond mitochondrial DNA. —Corinne Simonti

Article | Démarches participatives en archéologie

Lien vers l’article : https://www.prehistoire.org/offres/doc_inline_src/515/SPF%2B22%2BDE9marches%2Bparticipatives%2B0B%2BVigne%2BBAT%2BBD.pdf

En archéologie, comme dans de nombreux domaines de connaissance, émergent de plus en plus de projets de sciences participatives, définis comme « des formes de production de connaissances scientifiques auxquelles des acteurs, non scientifiques professionnels, participent de façon active et délibérée » (Houllier et Merilhou-Goudard, 2016). Ces recherches se caractérisent par le double objectif de produire des connaissances scientifiques (grâce au recueil, à l’analyse ou à

l’enrichissement de données) et de viser un apprentissage et une montée en compétence citoyenne, que ce soit sur le sujet d’étude, sur la méthode scientifique ou plus largement sur la démarche de recherche ou de patrimonialisation. Organisée à l’initiative de la Société préhistorique française dans le cadre de ses Séances, en lien avec la sous-direction de l’Archéologie du ministère de la Culture, la table ronde qui s’est déroulée du 14 au 15 mars 2024 avait pour objet de rendre visible le plus grand nombre possible d’initiatives participatives de recherche et de valorisation du patrimoine archéologique, qu’elles soient préhistoriques ou historiques. Au-delà de cet état des lieux, elle aspirait à croiser les expériences des différents acteurs, à identifier les éventuels freins et à dégager des opportunités. À terme, il s’agira aussi d’aider les institutions à promouvoir l’archéologie participative et à mieux l’intégrer dans leurs stratégies. Cette introduction précise les conditions d’organisation de la table ronde et tente une analyse croisée des études de cas présentées dans ce volume. Il apparaît que les projets existants, très souvent amorcés par des structures associatives, sont plus nombreux et plus divers qu’on ne pouvait l’imaginer, et que l’échantillon réuni ici n’est, de ce fait, pas nécessairement représentatif de ce foisonnement. Quelques pistes sont cependant esquissées en vue de compléter la cartographie nationale et de la rendre plus visible, de stimuler les interactions entre les nombreux acteurs impliqués et de contribuer au développement de ce champ de recherche novateur et prometteur.

Mots-clés : archéologie, recherches participatives, mouvement associatif, citoyenneté, patrimonialisation.

Ouvrage :

Démarches participatives en archéologie – sous la direction de Jean-Denis Vigne, Jean-Pierre Girard, Alexandra Villarroel-Parada, Actes de la Séance de la Société Préhistorique Française, 22, 339p.

https://www.prehistoire.org/515_p_58531/accEs-libre-seance-22-demarches-participatives-en-archeologie.html

Article | Reconstructing Late Holocene Environmental Changes in the Southern Danube Delta (Black Sea, Romania): Implications for Harbours and Navigation Potentialities in Antiquity

Source : https://doi.org/10.1080/14614103.2025.2586268

This paper presents a novel paleo-environmental reconstruction of the Razelm-Golovița lagoon system, focusing on the harbours and navigation conditions of the Greek Archaic settlements of Orgame and Caraburun-Acic Suat. By analyzing three new sedimentary cores, we examine the Late Holocene evolution of the lagoon system, shedding light on previously unexplored aspects of navigation and accessibility. Our findings show that the settlements were positioned along a naturally protected shallow lagoon, which effectively functioned as a natural anchorage, influenced by the flow of the Dunavăț branch, the main distributary of the Danube in Antiquity. While Orgame maintained access to the sea via inlets in the Periteașca littoral spit, Caraburun-Acic Suat remained isolated from the sea due to the Zmeica and Lupilor coastal ridges. Additionally, our reconstruction of the paleo-water column suggests that Bisericuța island may have served as a trans-shipment hub or outer harbour, facilitating the transfer of goods from river mouths or the open sea to smaller draft vessels suitable for navigating the lagoon’s shallow waters.

Article | Oases of the world: Urgent call to save key archives for cultural and biological diversity

source : https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-02118-7

Oases are key to humanity’s settlement in drylands in the past, today, and in the future. They form complex geo-bio-cultural systems of pivotal importance. Present climatic, economic, and social changes may lead to the demise of tangible and intangible values in and of oases, potentially affecting 500 million people. We aim at raising awareness of the accelerating threat to oases and argue for immediate action to protect this unique system.

Article | Can we detect soil salinity in ancient arid agricultural soils? A geoarchaeological, physico-chemical and micromorphological investigation (Oasis of Masafi, UAE)

source : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105475

Abstract

Oases are key agricultural landscapes in semi-arid to hyper-arid regions. They are currently threatened by socio-economic shifts, decreasing water-soil resources and rising salinity issues. In the UAE, the Masafi oasis has been farmed for millennia, prompting questions about how ancient societies managed salinity. To assess current salinity, we collected surface water samples and salt efflorescences in the oasis. To analyse how agricultural and hydraulic practices influence salt accumulation and leaching processes, we studied a Reference Pit in a plot in which we collected soil samples and a continuous core for a 3-month laboratory experiment of reconstructed irrigation practices. Sedimentological, physico-chemical and micromorphological analyses were performed before and after irrigation. Results were confronted with similar analyses processed in an Archaeological Pit in which ancient cultivated soils were identified. Findings show that Masafi soils currently face salinity-sodicityproblems. Salt accumulation was also found in ancient soils. These traces may have been preserved thanks to the burial of these soils under thick non-cultivated sediments and gully deposits, along with reduced irrigation and increased evaporation. Changes in salt composition over time suggest shifts in water quality, highlighting the role of both natural and human-driven processes in the long-term evolution of oasis agriculture.

Ouvrage | Ancestralité et autochtonie. Une recherche pluridisciplinaire sur la mémoire des origines

Comment la mémoire des origines participe-t-elle à la construction des identités et des territoires ? Cette interrogation, qui traverse les individus et les sociétés dans la longue durée, est abordée dans ce volume en questionnant le rapport aux origines autour de deux formes d’appartenance : l’ancestralité (comme rapport aux origines familiales) et l’autochtonie (comme rapport aux origines géographiques). La problématique de la mémoire des origines, parce qu’elle associe une analyse critique de la notion d’origine et une réflexion sur l’expression spatiale des identités individuelles et collectives, nécessite une approche résolument pluridisciplinaire. L’ouvrage regroupe ainsi les contributions d’historiens spécialistes des différentes périodes, d’archéologues, d’anthropologues, de politistes et de juristes afin de confronter les concepts et les méthodes autour d’un objet partagé. Ce choix a permis de multiplier les contextes d’analyse — avec une attention particulière portée aux enjeux de mémoire liés au fait colonial (antique, moderne et contemporain) — et de confronter différentes manières de faire vivre cette mémoire des origines, à travers des mots, des objets, des lieux.

Ancestralité_autochtonie_couverture

Ouvrage | Waterscapes Archaeology. Multi-Scalar Human-Environment Interactions in Coastal Lagoons

This volume presents the proceedings of the Session 20, Waterscapes archaeology: multi-scalar human-environment interactions in coastal lagoons, held at 7th International Landscape Archaeology Conference, 10 – 15 September 2022, Iași – Suceava, România and online. It brings together a collection of interdisciplinary studies examining the historical, ecological, and socio-economic significance of coastal lagoons across different regions and historical periods. The chapters explore long-term human interactions with these dynamic ecosystems, focusing on themes such as resource exploitation, settlement patterns, and paleo-environmental reconstructions. Special attention is given to the adaptive strategies developed by past societies in response to environmental changes. In light of contemporary challenges such as climate change and habitat degradation, the volume underscores the importance of integrating historical insights with modern conservation practices for the sustainable management of these vulnerable ecosystems.

Maison d’edition: Archaeopress Archaeology
Source: 10.32028/9781803279534

Article | Topological Data Analysis and Multiple Kernel Learning for Species Identification of Modern and Archaeological Small Ruminants

source : https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.181

The faunal remains from numerous Holocene archaeological sites across southwest Asia frequently include the bones of various wild and domestic ungulates, such as sheep, goats, ibexes, roe deer and gazelles. These assemblages may provide insight into hunting and animal husbandry strategies and offer palaeoecological information on ancient human societies. However, the skeletons of these taxa are highly similar in appearance, which presents a challenge for accurate identification based on their bones. This paper presents a case study to test the potential of topological data analysis (TDA) and multiple kernel learning (MKL) for inter-specific identification of 150 3D astragali belonging to modern and archaeological specimens. The joint application of TDA and MKL demonstrated remarkable efficacy in accurately identifying wild species, with a correct identification rate of approximately 90%. In contrast, the identification of domestic species exhibited a lower success rate, at approximately 60%. This low rate of identification of sheep and goat species is attributed to the morphological variability of domestic breeds. Moreover, while these methods assist in clearly identifying wild taxa from one another, they also highlight their morphological diversity. In this context, TDA and MKL could be invaluable for investigating intra-specific variability in domestic and wild animals. These methods offer a means of expanding our understanding of past domestic animal selection practices and techniques. They also facilitate an investigation into the morphological evolution of wild animal populations over time.

Article | BPChAr—a Benzene Polycarboxylic Acid database to describe the molecular characteristics of laboratory-produced charcoal: Implications for soil science and archaeology

Source : https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321584

The benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method is a technique to characterise the aromaticity and aromatic condensation of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in charred residues. As a molecular marker for polycondensed aromatic moieties, the analysis of BPCAs in archaeological contexts has great potential as a means of detecting and characterising charred residues where past fire traces are not evident. Despite the increased frequency of applications and significant developments since the method’s inception, no central database of BPCA results for modern charcoal pyrolysed under controlled laboratory conditions exists. Limited sample sizes in previous research have restricted the ability to precisely quantify the effects of combustion temperature, precursor feedstocks, pyrolysis parameters (e.g., oxygen availability), and methodological aspects (e.g., chromatography) on resultant BPCA profiles. To remedy this, we present the BPChAr database, which contains a total of 236 BPCA results on modern lab-produced charcoal. Through statistical analyses of the gathered data, we quantify the relationship between combustion temperature and resultant BPCA profiles, and construct random forest models to predict combustion temperature in unknown samples. Our findings show that additional variables hypothesised to play a role in shaping BPCA results — such as precursor feedstock type, oxygen availability during pyrolysis, and chromatographic separation method — have statistically significant implications for resultant BPCA profiles. Our analysis nuances these observations, highlighting at what charring temperatures and for what variables these concomitant parameters should be factored into the interpretation of BPCA results. Random forest models are also developed to predict precursor feedstock (hardwoods, softwoods, and grasses) in unknown samples, though further work is required to refine the accuracy of this model. The BPChAr database constitutes a fundamental tool for modern PyC research, and provides a baseline for future work aimed at employing the BPCA method in palaeoenvironmental and archaeological research.

Article | New Sediment Record of Late Pleistocene-Holocene Wind Dynamics, Hydro-Sedimentary Processes and Climate Change in the al-Hajar Mountains (Oasis of Masafi, UAE).

Source : ⟨10.5334/oq.143⟩

In arid environments, continental records of climate change are rare. In southeast Arabia, where most of the landscape is dominated by the ophiolithic al-Hajar mountains, palaeoclimatic data are mainly derived from sedimentary records on the piedmonts. In the mountains themselves, where human occupation could have prevailed during periods of climatic stress, sedimentary archives are weakly preserved. Recent studies have revealed the existence of thick but under-explored sedimentary archives in oases. In order to evaluate their potential as palaeoenvironmental records, we develop a geomorphic, sedimentological and mineralogical approach in the oasis of Masafi (UAE). Results allow us to identify sediment sources and deposition modes over the last 18 ka. Late Pleistocene deposits are comprised of quartz-rich aeolian sands from the Rub’al-Khali while Early to Mid-Holocene deposits (10–7.5 ka) are calcite-rich loess probably originating from the Persian Gulf, deposited on the slope upstream of the oasis and later remobilized during humid periods. Late Holocene records (after 2.7 ka) are more complex to interpret with the onset of anthropogenic activities. While sediment connectivity between the slope and the oasis still occurred up until the last 2 ka through the channelling of runoff water and gullying, we witness shifting soil management strategies and reduced sediment supply from the slopes after that date. As a conclusion, our results reveal complex morphoclimatic and anthropogenic processes in the oasis but its high potential as an archive of ancient climate change and alluvio-aeolian processes if studied with caution.