Article
Anthropology
Canan Cakirlar, Francis J. Koolstra, Salima Ikram
Summary: By critically assessing zooarchaeological evidence, the authors studied the nature and intensity of past human interactions with green, loggerhead turtles and Nile soft-shell turtles in the Eastern Mediterranean. Through species and sex identifications, estimates of relative abundance, and size reconstructions at five coastal archaeological sites, the researchers found a variety of interactions from turtle capture to processing, allowing informative comparisons with present-day distributions of these species across the region.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sureshkumar Muthukumaran
Summary: This paper provides an overview of the transfer of crops from South Asia to the Middle East and the Mediterranean during the period of 3000 to 1000 BCE. It primarily relies on textual sources and examines the implications of this early diffusion for the subsequent spread of tropical and sub-tropical crops in these regions.
VEGETATION HISTORY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Maria Ramos-Garcia, Gloria Guzman, Manuel Gonzalez de Molina
Summary: Organic livestock farming can contribute to the sustainability of agroecosystems, but not all management models have the same impact. This study used energy analyses to assess the efficiency and sustainability of different organic livestock management models, including both economic and agroecological measurements. The results identified the most efficient and environmentally sustainable model for organic beef and pork production in Mediterranean systems, providing valuable insights for public policies.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Marlies Verena Ausserlechner
Summary: Burnt offering sites in the Eastern Alps during the Bronze and Iron Ages reflect the physical and spiritual aspects of human life, revealing a deep connection to nature and a high appreciation for plants as sources of food, materials and energy. The variety and quantity of plant remains at the sites demonstrate a fairly high food plant diversity, with common crops reflecting food trends influenced by climate extremes. The presence of native fruits and nuts at the sites suggests a focus on local agriculture and economy, while the use of certain plants in the offering rites may also indicate symbolic and medicinal significance.
VEGETATION HISTORY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Alicia R. Ventresca-Miller, Shevan Wilkin, Rachel Smithers, Kara Larson, Robert Spengler, Ashleigh Haruda, Nikolay Kradin, Bilikto Bazarov, Denis Miyagashev, Tserendorj Odbaatar, Tsagaan Turbat, Elena Zhambaltarova, Prokopii Konovalov, Jamsranjav Bayarsaikhan, Anke Hein, Peter Hommel, Brendan Nash, Ayushi Nayak, Nils Vanwezer, Bryan Miller, Ricardo Fernandes, Nicole Boivin, Patrick Roberts, Xinyi Liu
Summary: This study examines the pace and locations of millet adoption in northern Asia by analyzing stable carbon isotope data. The results indicate variability in the speed of millet adoption and intensification across different regions.
Article
Immunology
Ho Yin Pekkle Lam, Tina Tu-Wen Chen, Yu-Chuan Tseng, Kai-Chih Chang, Ting-Hua Yang, Shih-yi Peng
Summary: The first epidemiological investigation of G. duodenalis infection in animals in Hualien, Taiwan was conducted, revealing infection rates of 19.87% for cattle and 4.26% for pigs. Assemblage A was detected in pigs, indicating potential zoonotic transmission.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Anthropology
Francesco Iacono, Elisabetta Borgna, Maurizio Cattani, Claudio Cavazzuti, Helen Dawson, Yannis Galanakis, Maja Gori, Cristiano Iaia, Nicola Ialongo, Thibault Lachenal, Alberto Lorrio, Rafael Mico, Barry Molloy, Argyro Nafplioti, Kewin Peche-Quilichini, Cristina Rihuete Herrada, Roberto Risch
Summary: The Late Bronze Age was a highly dynamic period for Mediterranean Europe, with a comparative study covering over half a millennium from Greece to Iberia, revealing broad trends in social organization, trade, transcultural phenomena, and human mobility. The study also examines how interaction networks became a defining aspect of the Middle Sea during this time, influencing communities along its northern shore and highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary research for a better understanding of comparable dynamics.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuno M. Silva, Susanne Kreutzer, Angelos Souleles, Sevasti Triantaphyllou, Kostas Kotsakis, Dushka Urem-Kotsou, Paul Halstead, Nikos Efstratiou, Stavros Kotsos, Georgia Karamitrou-Mentessidi, Fotini Adaktylou, Areti Chondroyianni-Metoki, Maria Pappa, Christina Ziota, Adamantios Sampson, Anastasia Papathanasiou, Karen Vitelli, Tracey Cullen, Nina Kyparissi-Apostolika, Andrea Zeeb Lanz, Joris Peters, Jeremy Rio, Daniel Wegmann, Joachim Burger, Mathias Currat, Christina Papageorgopoulou
Summary: This study investigates mitochondrial diversity in Neolithic Greece, finding genetic homogeneity in maternal line throughout the Neolithic but population discontinuity between Neolithic and present-day Greeks. Along the Danubian expansion axis, there is a substantial decrease in mobility and an increasing contribution of local hunter-gatherer to the gene-pool of farmers.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Natalia Alonso, Guillem Perez-Jorda
Summary: The cultivation of millets (Panicum miliaceum and Setaria italica) in Iberia's Mediterranean zone has multiple origins and development patterns. The earliest traces in the northeast can be traced back to the Bronze Age, while millets in southern and eastern Iberia were influenced by Phoenician culture in the 10th-8th centuries BC. From the 7th century BC onwards, millet cultivation expanded widely.
Review
Fisheries
Adam J. Andrews, Antonio Di Natale, Dario Bernal-Casasola, Veronica Aniceti, Vedat Onar, Tarek Oueslati, Tatiana Theodropoulou, Arturo Morales-Muniz, Elisabetta Cilli, Fausto Tinti
Summary: Overexploitation has negatively impacted marine fish populations, altering their abundance, behavior, and life-history traits. Understanding the exploitation history is crucial for effective fisheries management and conservation. Research suggests that the Atlantic bluefin tuna has been overexploited since the mid-20th century, with potential intensive exploitation dating back to the 19th century or even ancient times.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Firat Dogan, Bilal Dik, Seval Bilge-Dagalp, Touraj Aligholipour Farzani, Veysel Soydal Ataseven, Gulizar Acar, Ilker Sahinkesen, Aykut Ozkul
Summary: This study investigated the presence of SBV infection in ruminant establishments in Turkey's Eastern Mediterranean region. The results showed a seroprevalence of 29.11% and a virological prevalence of 3.17%. However, no SBV nucleic acid was detected in the Culicoides vectors.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Jose Suarez-Padilla, Victor Jimenez-Jaimez, Jose L. Caro
Summary: By combining Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates with archaeological data, this study investigates the Phoenician presence in southern Iberia and its significance for the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in the Western Mediterranean. The findings contribute to understanding the integration of the Phoenicians into local communities and the mechanisms of colonisation and pre-colonial situations in protohistoric Europe and other world contexts.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. El-Sharkawy, T. Meier, C. Huebscher, S. Lebedev, A. Dannowski, H. Kopp, J. H. Behrmann, A. McGrandle, M. Hamada
Summary: The study reveals the complex geologic structures in the eastern Mediterranean, including typical oceanic and continental lithosphere. Significant differences exist in the crustal thickness and properties between the two basins, providing crucial insights into the evolution of the Earth's lithosphere.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Amir Sandler, Nurit Taitel-Goldman, Vladimir Ezersky
Summary: This study focuses on the reddening of coastal sandy soils and the sources of iron, as well as the accumulation of dust and soil evolution. The dominant iron minerals found in the sandy soils, dust, and beach sand are hematite and goethite. The iron-bearing minerals in dust are transformed in the soil environment to form pedogenic minerals. Ilmenite is identified as an important source of iron.
Article
Anthropology
Elisavet Stamataki, Ioannis Kontopoulos, Kevin Salesse, Rhy McMillan, Barbara Veselka, Charlotte Sabaux, Rica Annaert, Mathieu Boudin, Giacomo Capuzzo, Philippe Claeys, Sarah Dalle, Marta Hlad, Amanda Sengel, Martine Vercautere, Eugene Warmenbol, Dries Tys, Guy De Mulder, Christophe Snoeck
Summary: The study explores variations in ancient pyre technology and body management in the Scheldt and Meuse basins of Belgium during the Metal Ages, revealing differences in cremation practices. These differences may be attributed to various factors such as wood availability, cremation operator skills, and cultural influences. The combination of Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and carbon and oxygen isotope analysis demonstrates the potential for investigating cremation rituals worldwide.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Archaeology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Joe Uziel, Oral Chalaf
Summary: Studies on pork consumption and avoidance during the Iron Age in the southern Levant, in relation to the identity of ancient Israelite populations, reveal that while pork consumption fluctuated in the Northern Kingdom, it remained low in Judah throughout the Iron Age. In Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, excavated sites consistently show low frequencies or absence of pigs, indicating a cultural aversion to pork consumption in that region during this time period.
NEAR EASTERN ARCHAEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ignacio A. Lazagabaster, Natalia Eguez, Micka Ullman, Roi Porat, Ido Wachtel, Uri Davidovich, Nimrod Marom
Summary: By radiocarbon dating mammalian remains from different caves in the Judean Desert, combined with archaeological survey data and bone collagen/apatite delta C-13 values, the study examines the impact of Holocene climate change and human settlement history on local food webs. The results suggest a shift in faunal composition in the late Holocene, attributed to a combination of anthropogenic and climatic factors.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Nimrod Marom, Ignacio A. Lazagabaster, Roee Shafir, Filipe Natalio, Vera Eisenmann, Liora Kolska Horwitz
Summary: This article presents a revised taxonomy of the macromammalian fauna from the Middle Pleistocene site of Oumm Qatafa in the Judean Desert, southern Levant. The findings provide insights into the paleoenvironment of the region and the impact of human activities on the fauna. Comparisons with other Pleistocene sites in the Levant contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of human evolution and intercontinental faunal biogeography.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Abra Spiciarich, Omri Lernau, Lidar Sapir-Hen, Yiftah Shalev, Yuval Gadot
Summary: This paper summarizes the ichthyological evidence for the import and trade of fish into ancient Jerusalem from the Nile River, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Lake of Galilee against the backdrop of social and political developments. The research examines the production and trade of fish based on new assemblages from archaeological excavations in the City of David and the Givati Parking Lot dating from the 8th to 2nd centuries BCE. The findings reveal variations in production techniques by species and the continuity of trade even after the city's destruction. The study also highlights changes in trade and consumption in response to political and cultural shifts in different historical periods.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Maria Novosolov, Dayana Yahalomi, E. Sally Chang, Ivan Fiala, Paulyn Cartwright, Dorothee Huchon
Summary: In this study, we analyzed the mitochondrial genome of Polypodium hydriforme and found that it is circular, contradicting the previous belief that it belongs to the phylum Medusozoa. Our results support the notion that P. hydriforme is closely related to Myxozoa and that the linearization of mitochondrial chromosomes in medusozoans occurred after the divergence of Myxozoa and P. hydriforme. Furthermore, the P. hydriforme mitochondrial genome is one of the largest among metazoan species and is characterized by rapid evolution.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aditya Gupta, Michal Haddas-Sasson, Kfir Gayer, Dorothee Huchon
Summary: The economically important mullets in Israel have been stocked in the Sea of Galilee to increase income and water quality. A study found new species of myxozoan infections in the gill arches and reported infections in the visceral peritoneum and gall bladder of one species of mullet. The parasites may have been contracted in the Mediterranean Sea before introduction into the Sea of Galilee.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalie D. Munro, Roxanne Lebenzon, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: The average body size of human prey animals in archaeological sites is influenced by various factors, including environmental, physiological, and anthropogenic variables. In the southern Levant, the body size of mountain gazelle has changed over time, with the smallest size in the early and middle Epipaleolithic, largest size in the early late Epipaleolithic, and stable size in the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic. The trend is not influenced by sex ratio or climatic factors, but possibly related to human impacts on gazelle populations and their habitats.
Article
Archaeology
Linoy Namdar, Yuval Gadot, George Mavronanos, Boaz Gross, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: Skeletons of ten articulated goats and numerous other caprine remains were found in a destroyed architectural complex in Tel Beth Shemesh, Israel. By examining the demographics of the herd, we gained insights into the local population's economic, cultural, and religious habits. The herd was likely managed for meat, possibly for holiday feasts.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Erez Ben-Yosef
Summary: This study provides valuable insights into the identity and social structure of the local nomadic tribes operating the two main copper production centers in Wadi Arabah between the thirteenth and the ninth century BCE. The analysis of animal remains suggests a continuity in livestock exploitation methods with an economic shift occurring in the late eleventh century, indicating a regional economic flourishing during the late eleventh to ninth century BCE.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Sierra Harding, Omri Lernau, Wim Wouters, Nimrod Marom, Deborah Cvikel
Summary: The production and trade of salted-fish products in the western Mediterranean during the Classical and Roman periods are well-documented. Archaeological findings of fish remains in amphorae from shipwrecks provide evidence for long-distance exchange based on the biogeographical distributions of fish species. A recent study on a shipwreck in Israel revealed evidence of a previously unknown fish-salting operation at the Sea of Galilee during the early Islamic period, as well as the existence of a distribution or trade center for salted fish at Caesarea-Maritima after the transition to Islamic rule. This study highlights the value of archaeozoological methods for understanding production and trade activities that are not well-represented in the archaeological record.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Deirdre N. Fulton
Summary: Studies of dog remains in the Iron Age southern Levant show their unique nature in the archaeological context, contradicting the view that they are 'unclean' or pariah based on certain textual references. Dogs were found to be relatively common in the archaeological record, suggesting their roles as herders, guards, and occasional hunters in village life.
OXFORD JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Abra Spiciarich, Omer Sergi, Karen Covello-Paran, Yoav Tsur, Hannes Bezzel, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: The study of faunal remains from Horvat Tevet site in the Jezreel Valley reveals a complex redistributive apparatus during the Late Iron IIA period. Comparative analyses with contemporary sites in northern valleys of Israel show that Horvat Tevet had an unprecedented agricultural production beyond local needs. Furthermore, intra-site comparison suggests hierarchical distinctions in consumption patterns between elites and the labor force, indicating that Horvat Tevet was an administrative center of a royal Israelite estate.
PALESTINE EXPLORATION QUARTERLY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Federica Montesanto, Racheli Hadjez, Francesco Mastrototaro, Dorothee Huchon, Carmela Gissi, Lion Novak, Noa Shenkar
Summary: The study describes the dispersal of the ascidian species Ascidia virginea from North Europe to warmer regions, highlighting the trend of species introduction through marine vessels and successful establishment in unfavorable environmental conditions. The research provides valuable data for species identification and habitat prediction, emphasizing the need to explore the potential of cold-water species in ports and warmer regions.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Deirdre. N. N. Fulton, Matthew. J. J. Adams, Israel Finkelstein
Summary: This paper examines faunal assemblages from two contemporary sites in the Jezreel Valley, Israel, revealing that the control of resources by the Great Temple in Megiddo impacted the animal economy in neighboring settlements, indicating the presence of a larger regional economic organization.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF OVERSEAS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Daniel Fuks, Nimrod Marom