Curtis RunnelsJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 211-230
Humans evolved in Africa and colonized Eurasia in successive adaptive radiations, establishing themselves in Europe ca. one million years ago. It is assumed that these dispersals were by land through southwest Asia, or secondarily across the Strait of Gibraltar, because early hominins lacked the cognitive faculties and technical skills needed to cross the open Mediterranean.
Nena GalanidouJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 260-267
The prehistory of Greece begins in the Middle Pleistocene, with compelling Lower Palaeolithic (LP) evidence coming from its north. HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS lived around the Petralona Cave in Macedonia, a significant Acheulean presence is known at Rodafnidia on Lesvos, and a very few Large Cutting Tools originate from Kokkinopilos in Epirus and Palaiokastro in west Macedonia.
Sturt W. Manning, Georgia-Marina Andreou, Kevin D. Fisher, Peregrine Gerard-Little, Catherine Kearns, Jeffrey F. Leon, David A. Sewell & Thomas M. UrbanJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.1 (2014), 3-32
The transformations entangled in becoming an urban society are increasingly attracting attention in archaeology, including in the Mediterranean. The place-making entailed in the development of urban settlement represents a fundamental change for a society; it creates over time a new urban mentalité and habitus, such that the urban fabric and place become an active part of social life, and its reproduction.
Laura B. MazowJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.1 (2014), 33-50
Reconstructions of ancient wool-processing techniques have generally been based on the assumption that lanolin was a by-product of the woolen textile industry. However, both ancient and modern sources point to significant procedural differences between the extraction and recovery of lanolin and the preparation of wool for spinning and weaving.
Britt M. StarkovichJournal of Archaeological Science 52 (December 2014), 39-55
This paper evaluates a long sequence of zooarchaeological remains from Klissoura Cave 1 (southern Greece) within the paradigm of evolutionary ecology. The prey choice, central place foraging, and patch choice models are applied to the dataset in order to understand subsistence shifts related to local resource depression and changes in the intensity of site use from the Middle Paleolithic through Mesolithic.
Thomas P. LeppardJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 231-254
It has been suggested that the islands of the Mediterranean were first settled during the Pleistocene. Attention has in particular been paid to recent claims that the occupation of Crete by hominins dates to the Middle Pleistocene.
Nellie Phoca-Cosmetatou & Ryan J. RabettJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 255-259
We are extremely pleased that the topic of hominin island occupation has attracted particular attention in this issue of JMA in the two fascinating and contrasting papers by Runnels and Leppard. These two papers set out to address similar questions, namely: ‘was there an early Palaeolithic human presence on the Mediterranean islands?’ and ‘why has it been so elusive?’
Cyprian BroodbankJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 267-272
The debate over the extent and significance of Palaeolithic maritime activity in the Mediterranean stands in danger of unhelpful polarisation and dumbing down of its crucial subtleties, a process by which we would all turn out to be the long-term losers.
Curtis RunnelsJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 272-274
In the spirit of open discussion advocated by Broodbank, I welcome Leppard’s stimulating contribution, as well as the thoughtful comments of the discussants. It is evident that where my work is concerned some of my colleagues have difficulty accepting parts of the evidence, or find some hypotheses too far reaching.
Thomas P. LeppardJournal of Mediterranean Archaeology 27.2 (2014), 275-278
I am writing this response while sitting in Guam, the largest island in Micronesia. Bathed in sunlight for half the year, drenched by rain the other, surrounded by shallow, productive seas, and tropically verdant, Guam should, accordingly, have been an ideal environment for hominins during Quaternary interstadials.
Loeta Tyree, Floyd McCoy, Jon Frey & Antonia StamosJournal of Field Archaeology 39:2 (May 2014), 180-192
Interpreting cave use, especially from antiquity, requires the perception of subterranean space in all dimensions (floor to ceiling to lateral extent) including spatial variability resulting from geological factors. Subterranean conditions, coupled with variable atmospheric conditions, create a special environment not readily conveyed by conventional mapping techniques limited to two-dimensional floor plans.
Myrto GeorgakopoulouJournal of Field Archaeology 39:1 (February 2014), 67-83
This paper explores the potential of studying metallurgical remains recovered during regional surveys in the reconstruction of past metallurgical practices across a given landscape, using as a case study the relevant finds from the Kythera Island Project.
David Gilman Roman & Mary E. Voyatzis (with appendixes by Apostolos Sarris, George H. Davis, Susan M. Mentzer, Evi Margaritis & Britt M. Starkovich)Hesperia 83:4 (October-December 2014), 569-652
This is the first report on the excavation and survey project at the Peloponnesian Sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion, Arcadia. During 2004 and 2005, topographical, architectural, geological, geophysical, and historical surveys were conducted. From 2006 to 2010, survey work continued, along with the excavation of the upper and lower levels of the sanctuary.
Placée sous la responsabilité de V. Zographaki et d’A. Farnoux, la mission gréco-française de Dréros a accompli six semaines de travaux de terrain pendant l’été 2010 (19 juillet-31 août), accompagnées de deux semaines de préparatifs divers à Néapolis (apothèque, logement). Ces travaux de nettoyage et de fouilles ont porté sur cinq secteurs.
La campagne de 2010 a été consacrée, d’une part, aux études de matériel (celui des deux premières campagnes de fouille sur le site néolithique de Kallamas et celui des fouilles de Sovjan en vue de la publication finale) ; d’autre part, à une nouvelle campagne de prospection dans la zone du lac Maliq (projet PALM), qui a permis d’achever l’exploration de toute la partie Nord du bassin de Korçë.
