Experimental Archaeology

Knowing the Drill: Investigating Mesolithic Perforation Technologies Through Experiment, Traceology, and Photogrammetry

Author(s)
Andrew Fitches 1 ✉,
 Ben Elliott 2
Publication Date
Perforations observed in artefacts, such as heavy tools, made from red deer antler indicate that Mesolithic people possessed various means for making holes in osseous materials. Nevertheless, prehistoric perforation technologies are relatively poorly understood. This study argues that a lack of systematic experimental-traceological work, compounded by...

Approaching Pottery Burnishing through Experimental Firings

Author(s)
Georgia Kordatzaki 1
Publication Date
This study assesses the impact of firing on burnished ceramic surfaces. For this task, two main factors related to burnishing were examined and evaluated, the reflection of the ceramics and pottery surface sheen. Macroscopic observations on the burnished surface were made with the naked eye...

Hay is for Horses: Making and Using a Traditional-Style Irish Straw Harness

Author(s)
Rena Maguire 1 ✉,
Robert Johnston 2
Publication Date
The lack of metal lorinery in the archaeological record of early medieval Ireland is addressed through a hypothesis that post-Iron Age bridles were made of straw and rushes, which did not survive deposition. Reconstruction and testing of a straw bridle show the material to be strong and quite suitable for vernacular use.

The Production of Roman Metal Screw Threads - Extended Version

Author(s)
David Sim 1 ✉,
Chris Legg 2
Publication Date
During the Roman period, small metal screw threads were used both as fastenings and to impart motion. This paper, which is an extended version of my previous article, will show that it is possible to produce metal screw threads using very simple technology. The tools and expertise to carry out this work is...

An Experimental Approach to Baking Ancient Roman Placenta

Author(s)
Jake Morton 1 ✉,
Ellen Schlick 2
Publication Date
Cato The Elder (234-149 BC) wrote our oldest extant work of continuous Latin prose, On Farming (de agri cultura), a how-to guide for farming and life that also included many recipes. We were interested in the section on bread recipes in this text, particularly the recipe for the complex, layered placenta due to...

Cross-Contamination via Stone Tool Use: A Pilot Study of Bifacial Butchery Tools

Author(s)
Alexander Whitehead 1 ✉,
Anthony Sinclair 1,
Christopher Scott 1
Publication Date
The pathogenic environment has been a constant shaping presence in human evolution. Despite its importance, this factor has been given little consideration and research. Here, we use experimental archaeology and microscopic analysis to present and support a novel hypothesis on the pathogenic properties of bifacial butchery tools...

Experimental Approach to Flint Shaft Mining: Understanding the Extraction Process and the Technical Gesture at Casa Montero (Madrid, Spain)

Author(s)
Marie-Élise Porqueddu 1 ✉,
Nuria Castañeda Clemente 2,
Javier Baena Preysler 3
Publication Date
Since prehistory, human populations have developed specific knowledge related to the excavating and exploitation of underground resources. These abilities are reflected in the tools used to extract and process raw materials and the use of specific architectural expressions such as rock-cut tombs...

A Scheme of Evolution for Throwing Sticks

Author(s)
Luc Bordes 1
Publication Date
Prehistoric wooden projectiles likely have a complex evolutionary story in a similar way to stone tools, depending on their functions, and the cognitive and physical capabilities of hominins who used them. The technologies of some ancient projectiles (e.g., spears, arrows) can be studied more directly because they were equipped with...

Experiments on Painting Viking Age Woodwork

Author(s)
Nanna Friis Hellström 1 ✉,
Anna Vebæk Gelskov 1,
Sofie Louise Andersen 1,
Henriette Lyngstrøm 1
Publication Date
Traditionally, studies on Viking Age pigmentation have focused on the minerals used to produce colours. The research conducted in this article concerns other factors, that might have influenced painted wood such as surface treatments, outlines, and paint components...

An Experimental Reconstruction of Hair Colours from the Jin and Tang Dynasties (265-907 AD) in China

Author(s)
Bangcheng Tang 1 ✉,
Yan Xue 2,
Yijie Yan 2,
Bo Yuan 2
Publication Date
Hair colours, as a daily cosmetic used in ancient Chinese life, often appear in ancient Chinese medical books, according to types, and can be classified into herbal hair colours and mineral hair colours.