In this paper we argue that, alongside the creation of functional tools, lithic manufacture embod... more In this paper we argue that, alongside the creation of functional tools, lithic manufacture embodied a range of sensory experiences and provided a means through which prehistoric people gained expression and negotiated social strategies. While traditional approaches to lithic scatters provide detailed information about the activities occurring at sites, new research on the social significance of sound in the context of lithic manufacture adds an important dimension to our interpretations. Using data from a Mesolithic site in Caithness, northern Scotland, we draw on techniques developed in auditory archaeology, in which sound is considered a dynamic source of information: a means by which people express themselves. Based on this premise, we discuss ways in which we can move beyond the physical transformation of lithic material, to acknowledging that the process of manufacture resulted in multiple experiences integral to daily life.
This paper focuses on the 5th-millennium BC shift from short-term habitations to permanent tell s... more This paper focuses on the 5th-millennium BC shift from short-term habitations to permanent tell settlements in southern Romania: from the Criş, Dudeşti and Boian to the Gumelniţa Cultures. Archaeological and geomorphologic data suggest that changes in river stability conditioned shifts in settlement and economies.
In this paper, we present: • The nature of the Remediated Places Project itself • The context of ... more In this paper, we present: • The nature of the Remediated Places Project itself • The context of the content that is used in this performance of the Remediated Places Project • The theoretical context of the Remediated Places Project and the performance in terms of digital technologies, hypermedia and New Media creativity, the process of historical construction, and the remediation of places of significance for cultural heritage • An outline of what will happen at the “performance”
Introduction The idea of the remediation of archaeological and heritage places was inspired by th... more Introduction The idea of the remediation of archaeological and heritage places was inspired by the book Remediation by Jay Bolter and Richard Grusin (Bolter and Grusin 1999,168). Remediated Places has nothing to do with the traditional root for the word (remediare – to heal) but is created from “mediate”, with “re” expressing the idea of mediating what has already been mediated by media. It is based in the aesthetic of hypermediacy -the semi-transparency of looking at reality through a window or mirror as seen most recently in the WWW interface style, Mac (and later Windows) interface, and computer games. Hypermediacy has much in common with hyper-reality, discussed by Baudrillard (Baudrillard 1983), not surprisingly since the latter (see below) also appeals to our visual senses. In their book, however, Bolter and Grusin point to some of the social and sensorial causes of the attraction of hypermediated products. Hypermediacy provides an increase in:
ABSTRACT The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Tel... more ABSTRACT The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman River, in the South-East side of Măgura commune (Teleorman County). In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose). The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD. Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose. Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete. As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle. The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.
This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Mă... more This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda)on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence ...
BULETINUL MUZEULUI JUDEŢEAN TELEORMAN. SERIA ARHEOLOGIE (TELEORMAN COUNTY MUSEUM BULLETIN. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERIES), 2018
This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Mă... more This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda) on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence could date to the Mesolithic, followed by the early and developed (late) Neolithic. Starting in 2013, a collaborative research project between Cardiff and Lincoln Universities from the UK and the Teleorman County Museum aims to better understand this chronological sequence and will investigate the palaeoenvironmental and hydrological histories of the Danube and the impact of the river on human communities over time.
The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman Ri... more The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman River, in the South-East side of Măgura commune (Teleorman County).
In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose).
The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD.
Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose.
Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern
side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete.
As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the
sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle.
The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.
In this paper we argue that, alongside the creation of functional tools, lithic manufacture embod... more In this paper we argue that, alongside the creation of functional tools, lithic manufacture embodied a range of sensory experiences and provided a means through which prehistoric people gained expression and negotiated social strategies. While traditional approaches to lithic scatters provide detailed information about the activities occurring at sites, new research on the social significance of sound in the context of lithic manufacture adds an important dimension to our interpretations. Using data from a Mesolithic site in Caithness, northern Scotland, we draw on techniques developed in auditory archaeology, in which sound is considered a dynamic source of information: a means by which people express themselves. Based on this premise, we discuss ways in which we can move beyond the physical transformation of lithic material, to acknowledging that the process of manufacture resulted in multiple experiences integral to daily life.
This paper focuses on the 5th-millennium BC shift from short-term habitations to permanent tell s... more This paper focuses on the 5th-millennium BC shift from short-term habitations to permanent tell settlements in southern Romania: from the Criş, Dudeşti and Boian to the Gumelniţa Cultures. Archaeological and geomorphologic data suggest that changes in river stability conditioned shifts in settlement and economies.
In this paper, we present: • The nature of the Remediated Places Project itself • The context of ... more In this paper, we present: • The nature of the Remediated Places Project itself • The context of the content that is used in this performance of the Remediated Places Project • The theoretical context of the Remediated Places Project and the performance in terms of digital technologies, hypermedia and New Media creativity, the process of historical construction, and the remediation of places of significance for cultural heritage • An outline of what will happen at the “performance”
Introduction The idea of the remediation of archaeological and heritage places was inspired by th... more Introduction The idea of the remediation of archaeological and heritage places was inspired by the book Remediation by Jay Bolter and Richard Grusin (Bolter and Grusin 1999,168). Remediated Places has nothing to do with the traditional root for the word (remediare – to heal) but is created from “mediate”, with “re” expressing the idea of mediating what has already been mediated by media. It is based in the aesthetic of hypermediacy -the semi-transparency of looking at reality through a window or mirror as seen most recently in the WWW interface style, Mac (and later Windows) interface, and computer games. Hypermediacy has much in common with hyper-reality, discussed by Baudrillard (Baudrillard 1983), not surprisingly since the latter (see below) also appeals to our visual senses. In their book, however, Bolter and Grusin point to some of the social and sensorial causes of the attraction of hypermediated products. Hypermediacy provides an increase in:
ABSTRACT The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Tel... more ABSTRACT The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman River, in the South-East side of Măgura commune (Teleorman County). In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose). The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD. Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose. Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete. As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle. The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.
This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Mă... more This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda)on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence ...
BULETINUL MUZEULUI JUDEŢEAN TELEORMAN. SERIA ARHEOLOGIE (TELEORMAN COUNTY MUSEUM BULLETIN. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERIES), 2018
This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Mă... more This paper presents new research in an alluvial basin of the Lower Danube Valley between Turnu Măgurele and Zimnicea in southern Teleorman County. In terms of archaeology, the area had not been previously systematically investigated. During the twentieth century, and especially before the late 1960s to early 1970s, there were major landscape changes as result of massive desiccation and impoundment. Most prehistoric and ancient archaeological finds were previously discovered incidentally. The earliest traces of human activity were identified on the loess terraces bordering the north of the Danube floodplain. Noteworthy is the research focused on the Upper Palaeolithic at Ciuperceni, first carried out in the late 1970s, and then, more recently, between 2006 and 2008. Other prehistoric evidence has been discovered during systematic research around Poiana village (formerly Flămânda) on former Danube terraces and the northern bank of former Lake Bercelui. Importantly, the oldest evidence could date to the Mesolithic, followed by the early and developed (late) Neolithic. Starting in 2013, a collaborative research project between Cardiff and Lincoln Universities from the UK and the Teleorman County Museum aims to better understand this chronological sequence and will investigate the palaeoenvironmental and hydrological histories of the Danube and the impact of the river on human communities over time.
The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman Ri... more The Măgura ’Buduiasca’ site, discovered in 2001, is situated on the lower terrace of Teleorman River, in the South-East side of Măgura commune (Teleorman County).
In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose).
The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD.
Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose.
Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern
side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete.
As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the
sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle.
The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.
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In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose).
The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD.
Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose.
Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern
side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete.
As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the
sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle.
The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.
In 2004 campaign a pit (complex 36) was discovered in which were deposited as offerings three animals: two domestic cattle (an adult and a calf) and a bird (a goose).
The complex is dated most probably to the 4th century AD.
Considering the ’stratigraphical relations’ between the animals’ skeletons, the order of their deposition in the pit can be known: first, the adult cattle, then the calf, and finally the goose.
Cattle parts were deposited in three groups: the legs and the pelvis and a part of the spine in the central-western side; the thorax in the northern side; and the head and neck in the eastern
side. The cow was slaughtered in many parts; the calf was skinned and bent in two; and the goose was complete.
As a whole, this ritual manifestation took part in at least two stages: one of sacrificing, slaughtering and taking of internal organs; and a second of deposition in the pit. Even though for the
sacrificing, we cannot distinguish all of the activities performed on the animals, or the order of activity, or their significance, it is possible to notice (in the deposition stage) three moments in which humans gave special attention: 1) the deposition in the center of the pit of the three legs which had been detached from the adult cattle; 2) the deposition and arrangement of the calf over the neck of the adult cattle; and 3) the deposition and display of the goose on top of the adult cattle.
The ritual depositions of these animals together (and in an almost complete condition) are unknown in the archaeo-zoological literature for this period.