Daniel Steiniger - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Daniel Steiniger

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2020

Modern portable and handheld XRF devices (pXRF) allow quick measurement of large geochemical data... more Modern portable and handheld XRF devices (pXRF) allow quick measurement of large geochemical datasets without the necessity for laboratory facilities. Such facilities are rare in Egypt and modern dating techniques which are indispensable in Geoarchaeology to establish a robust chronology are not available, as sample transport is restricted and Egypt does not provide OSL or AMS 14C laboratories. With these preconditions, we evaluate the usability of pXRF geochemical data for the dating of archaeological sediments with machine learning techniques. The sample material was collected via sampling of archaeological sections and profile walls from archaeological excavations in the northwestern Nile delta at the settlement site Buto (Tell el-Fara'in) and Kom el-Gir. Additionally, samples were taken from sediments and cultural layers uncovered from their surroundings using vibracore corings with open steel auger heads. In this methodological approach, we examine the applicability of pXRF methods and test the sample data for distinct geochemical differences between the main settlement phases with multivariate statistical methods. The dating is based on the training of artificial neural networks with pXRF data from archaeological material of well-dated context to date test data of cultural layers within the vibracores. This allows us to link fundamental changes in the landscape with the settlement history of Buto and neighboring tells.

PLoS ONE, 2021

Due to its conflict-ridden recent history, it has been difficult to launch major archaeological p... more Due to its conflict-ridden recent history, it has been difficult to launch major archaeological projects and advanced field research in Afghanistan during the last forty years. Lately, the proliferation of remote sensing methods, especially the increasing availability of satellite imagery, has allowed generating a much-needed impetus for documentation and monitoring of the heritage in Afghanistan. In this study, we present novel site data obtained through an examination of publicly available satellite imagery in the southwestern region of Kandahar. The sites presented here consist of a multitude of cultural heritage such as settlement mounds, architectural remains, religious monuments, fortresses, and traditional water management systems. We also discuss the advantages, as well as the drawbacks of remote sensing surveys for archaeological research in Afghanistan, and share our data to be employed in further research and cultural heritage management in the region.

eDAI-F, 2020

During late summer 2019, archaeological sites and museums in Tajikistan were visited to study pre... more During late summer 2019, archaeological sites and museums in Tajikistan were visited to study prehistoric gemstones and metal artefacts using portable XRF. Besides objects made of gold, silver, lead and copper alloys, jewelry of lapis lazuli and turquoise were examined to establish a geochemical fingerprint. This will help to pinpoint the raw material sources of Chalcolithic and Bronze Age metal and stone trade in Central Asia and beyond. During field surveys in the Pamirs high-altitude mountains, lapis lazuli sources were visited and settlement patterns and former land use, in relation to the lapis lazuli occurrences
were documented. The campaign is part of the DFG-Project »RESAF – Resourcesand Antique Mining in Afghanistan«.

In: Social changes and Trade between the east and the west in Eurasia - Archaeological and Archaeometrical approaches. Proceedings of the International Symposium on ancient Japanese studies, Meiji University, Tokyo 23.02.2019, pp. 13-20, 2019

This paper gives a brief overview about the major lapis lazuli deposits in Eurasia and their pote... more This paper gives a brief overview about the major lapis lazuli deposits in Eurasia and their potential for prehistoric mining, the present state of research for chemical provenance studies of raw material and archaeological artefacts (especially non-invasive pXRF) and the distribution of lazurite in the early Periods of its use (Neolithic – Bronze Age). It formulates specific questions raised by geological and archaeological evidence and the actual state of research.

Magazin Archaologie Weltweit Ausgabe 4-2 2016, 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 24: 2019, 2019

New optical mineralogy and pXRF studies of ceramics from First Dynasty royal tombs at Abydos and ... more New optical mineralogy and pXRF studies of ceramics from First Dynasty royal tombs at Abydos and from Tel Bet Yerah, in the Jordan Valley, reveal a very close correlation between vessels from Egypt and both fired and unfired wares from a potter’s establishment at Tel Bet Yerah, marking the first time that vessels found in Egypt can be attributed a site-specific origin in the Levant. The vessels found in Egypt most likely span the entire First Dynasty, beginning with Djer, whereas the equivalent material from Tel Bet Yerah falls in the EB II/ESL 4 period, radiometrically dated at Bet Yerah to ca. 3100 – 2900 BCE.

e-Forschungsberichte - iDAI.publications, 2018

Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts von Nikolaus Boroffka und Daniel Stein... more Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts
von Nikolaus Boroffka und Daniel Steiniger
AFGHANISTAN
Antiker Bergbau und Kulturelles Erbe
Die Arbeiten der Jahre 2013 bis 2017
The DFG-Project “RESAF – Ressources and antique mining in Afghanistan”,
began in June 2017 as a continuation of the research supported so far by
the German Foreign Ministry. The development of the geo information
systems (GIS) and the database for archaeometallurgy and mining in
Afghanistan are basic aims of the project. Moreover, the documentation
and protection of endangered cultural heritage sites and archaeological
finds are central topics, as well as capacity building in workshops and trai-
nee programmes for Afghani colleagues held in Germany, are crucial to
support sustainable local archaeological work and heritage management
in the country.

Kölner und Bonner Archaeologica, 2016

Forschungen an den Bronzen des Aachener Domes Sebastian Ristow & Daniel Steiniger In: Kölner und ... more Forschungen an den Bronzen des Aachener Domes
Sebastian Ristow & Daniel Steiniger
In: Kölner und Bonner Archaeologica KuBA 6/2016, 143-168.

Eleven biconical vessels from the Copper Age sites Pietrele and Blejeşti (Romania) have been inve... more Eleven biconical vessels from the Copper Age sites Pietrele and Blejeşti (Romania) have been investigated using p-XRF. In most cases, traces of lead could be measured on their surfaces. Samples of slag-like material from two vessels and the clay of one vessel were investigated using laboratory methods, namely SEM, XRD, LIA and optical microscopy. The vessels were obviously used as a kind of crucible in which slag-like remains and galena ore were detected. It still remains unclear as to what final product was gained by smelting galena in this way. The amount of these such vessels in the Pietrele settlement, their appearance as grave goods in Pietrele and Vărăști (Romania), and their supposed occurrence in a number of other Copper Age settlements in Romania and Bulgaria show the significance of this phenomenon. It must have been a widespread and more or less well known practice, an important part of cultural habit during a particular period in the Lower Danube region and likely even farther afield. For the first time, extensive experimentation with lead ore can be shown in a clear chronological horizon, ca. 4400-4300 BCE in southeastern Europe.

A B S T R A C T Excavations at the site of Kul Tepe in the Jolfa region in northwestern Iran have... more A B S T R A C T Excavations at the site of Kul Tepe in the Jolfa region in northwestern Iran have unearthed various archaeological materials from Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic to Achaemenid periods (end of 6th millennium to 3rd century BC). During the Chalcolithic and the Bronze Age most lithic tools used in Kul Tepe were made of obsidian. From the first and second excavation seasons, 53 and 32 obsidian samples were selected and analyzed by pXRF. According to the results, the main source of obsidian for the workshops in Kul Tepe was Syunik, but other sources in the Lake Sevan Basin like Ghegam, Bazenk, Choraphor and Gutansar and the Lake Van region (Nemrut Dağ and Meydan Dağ) were utilized also.

by C. Giardino, G. Occhini, P. Petitti, D. Steiniger (2014)

During the construction of the 'Gürzenichquartier' in 2013/14, archaeological investigation took ... more During the construction of the 'Gürzenichquartier' in 2013/14, archaeological investigation took place in the southern part of the district of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, dedicated to the ruler cult. Retaining walls supporting the terrace sanctuary were studied, and also the infilling to a depth of 9 m between the town-plateau and the Rhine-meadow. The stratified Sigillata provided good evidence for the
chronology of the Roman construction. The diagnostic finds from the Roman layers were studied as part of a student thesis and delivered a terminus post quem for the second expansion phase of the ruler cult
district, after the third quarter of the 1st century A.D. For confirmation of the origin of the Sigillata, chemical analyses were carried out with a portable X-ray fluorescence device. Based on their geochemical fingerprint it was possible to allocate 15 of 18 sherds to their production sites, as indicated by stamps or relief decoration: La Graufesenque, Trier and Rheinzabern. Two pieces without identifying stamps could also be assigned to the production centres of La Graufesenque and Rheinzabern by chemical analysis, while the one last piece seemed most probably to come from Banassac or another nearby source.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2020

Modern portable and handheld XRF devices (pXRF) allow quick measurement of large geochemical data... more Modern portable and handheld XRF devices (pXRF) allow quick measurement of large geochemical datasets without the necessity for laboratory facilities. Such facilities are rare in Egypt and modern dating techniques which are indispensable in Geoarchaeology to establish a robust chronology are not available, as sample transport is restricted and Egypt does not provide OSL or AMS 14C laboratories. With these preconditions, we evaluate the usability of pXRF geochemical data for the dating of archaeological sediments with machine learning techniques. The sample material was collected via sampling of archaeological sections and profile walls from archaeological excavations in the northwestern Nile delta at the settlement site Buto (Tell el-Fara'in) and Kom el-Gir. Additionally, samples were taken from sediments and cultural layers uncovered from their surroundings using vibracore corings with open steel auger heads. In this methodological approach, we examine the applicability of pXRF methods and test the sample data for distinct geochemical differences between the main settlement phases with multivariate statistical methods. The dating is based on the training of artificial neural networks with pXRF data from archaeological material of well-dated context to date test data of cultural layers within the vibracores. This allows us to link fundamental changes in the landscape with the settlement history of Buto and neighboring tells.

PLoS ONE, 2021

Due to its conflict-ridden recent history, it has been difficult to launch major archaeological p... more Due to its conflict-ridden recent history, it has been difficult to launch major archaeological projects and advanced field research in Afghanistan during the last forty years. Lately, the proliferation of remote sensing methods, especially the increasing availability of satellite imagery, has allowed generating a much-needed impetus for documentation and monitoring of the heritage in Afghanistan. In this study, we present novel site data obtained through an examination of publicly available satellite imagery in the southwestern region of Kandahar. The sites presented here consist of a multitude of cultural heritage such as settlement mounds, architectural remains, religious monuments, fortresses, and traditional water management systems. We also discuss the advantages, as well as the drawbacks of remote sensing surveys for archaeological research in Afghanistan, and share our data to be employed in further research and cultural heritage management in the region.

eDAI-F, 2020

During late summer 2019, archaeological sites and museums in Tajikistan were visited to study pre... more During late summer 2019, archaeological sites and museums in Tajikistan were visited to study prehistoric gemstones and metal artefacts using portable XRF. Besides objects made of gold, silver, lead and copper alloys, jewelry of lapis lazuli and turquoise were examined to establish a geochemical fingerprint. This will help to pinpoint the raw material sources of Chalcolithic and Bronze Age metal and stone trade in Central Asia and beyond. During field surveys in the Pamirs high-altitude mountains, lapis lazuli sources were visited and settlement patterns and former land use, in relation to the lapis lazuli occurrences
were documented. The campaign is part of the DFG-Project »RESAF – Resourcesand Antique Mining in Afghanistan«.

In: Social changes and Trade between the east and the west in Eurasia - Archaeological and Archaeometrical approaches. Proceedings of the International Symposium on ancient Japanese studies, Meiji University, Tokyo 23.02.2019, pp. 13-20, 2019

This paper gives a brief overview about the major lapis lazuli deposits in Eurasia and their pote... more This paper gives a brief overview about the major lapis lazuli deposits in Eurasia and their potential for prehistoric mining, the present state of research for chemical provenance studies of raw material and archaeological artefacts (especially non-invasive pXRF) and the distribution of lazurite in the early Periods of its use (Neolithic – Bronze Age). It formulates specific questions raised by geological and archaeological evidence and the actual state of research.

Magazin Archaologie Weltweit Ausgabe 4-2 2016, 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 24: 2019, 2019

New optical mineralogy and pXRF studies of ceramics from First Dynasty royal tombs at Abydos and ... more New optical mineralogy and pXRF studies of ceramics from First Dynasty royal tombs at Abydos and from Tel Bet Yerah, in the Jordan Valley, reveal a very close correlation between vessels from Egypt and both fired and unfired wares from a potter’s establishment at Tel Bet Yerah, marking the first time that vessels found in Egypt can be attributed a site-specific origin in the Levant. The vessels found in Egypt most likely span the entire First Dynasty, beginning with Djer, whereas the equivalent material from Tel Bet Yerah falls in the EB II/ESL 4 period, radiometrically dated at Bet Yerah to ca. 3100 – 2900 BCE.

e-Forschungsberichte - iDAI.publications, 2018

Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts von Nikolaus Boroffka und Daniel Stein... more Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts
von Nikolaus Boroffka und Daniel Steiniger
AFGHANISTAN
Antiker Bergbau und Kulturelles Erbe
Die Arbeiten der Jahre 2013 bis 2017
The DFG-Project “RESAF – Ressources and antique mining in Afghanistan”,
began in June 2017 as a continuation of the research supported so far by
the German Foreign Ministry. The development of the geo information
systems (GIS) and the database for archaeometallurgy and mining in
Afghanistan are basic aims of the project. Moreover, the documentation
and protection of endangered cultural heritage sites and archaeological
finds are central topics, as well as capacity building in workshops and trai-
nee programmes for Afghani colleagues held in Germany, are crucial to
support sustainable local archaeological work and heritage management
in the country.

Kölner und Bonner Archaeologica, 2016

Forschungen an den Bronzen des Aachener Domes Sebastian Ristow & Daniel Steiniger In: Kölner und ... more Forschungen an den Bronzen des Aachener Domes
Sebastian Ristow & Daniel Steiniger
In: Kölner und Bonner Archaeologica KuBA 6/2016, 143-168.

Eleven biconical vessels from the Copper Age sites Pietrele and Blejeşti (Romania) have been inve... more Eleven biconical vessels from the Copper Age sites Pietrele and Blejeşti (Romania) have been investigated using p-XRF. In most cases, traces of lead could be measured on their surfaces. Samples of slag-like material from two vessels and the clay of one vessel were investigated using laboratory methods, namely SEM, XRD, LIA and optical microscopy. The vessels were obviously used as a kind of crucible in which slag-like remains and galena ore were detected. It still remains unclear as to what final product was gained by smelting galena in this way. The amount of these such vessels in the Pietrele settlement, their appearance as grave goods in Pietrele and Vărăști (Romania), and their supposed occurrence in a number of other Copper Age settlements in Romania and Bulgaria show the significance of this phenomenon. It must have been a widespread and more or less well known practice, an important part of cultural habit during a particular period in the Lower Danube region and likely even farther afield. For the first time, extensive experimentation with lead ore can be shown in a clear chronological horizon, ca. 4400-4300 BCE in southeastern Europe.

A B S T R A C T Excavations at the site of Kul Tepe in the Jolfa region in northwestern Iran have... more A B S T R A C T Excavations at the site of Kul Tepe in the Jolfa region in northwestern Iran have unearthed various archaeological materials from Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic to Achaemenid periods (end of 6th millennium to 3rd century BC). During the Chalcolithic and the Bronze Age most lithic tools used in Kul Tepe were made of obsidian. From the first and second excavation seasons, 53 and 32 obsidian samples were selected and analyzed by pXRF. According to the results, the main source of obsidian for the workshops in Kul Tepe was Syunik, but other sources in the Lake Sevan Basin like Ghegam, Bazenk, Choraphor and Gutansar and the Lake Van region (Nemrut Dağ and Meydan Dağ) were utilized also.

by C. Giardino, G. Occhini, P. Petitti, D. Steiniger (2014)

During the construction of the 'Gürzenichquartier' in 2013/14, archaeological investigation took ... more During the construction of the 'Gürzenichquartier' in 2013/14, archaeological investigation took place in the southern part of the district of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, dedicated to the ruler cult. Retaining walls supporting the terrace sanctuary were studied, and also the infilling to a depth of 9 m between the town-plateau and the Rhine-meadow. The stratified Sigillata provided good evidence for the
chronology of the Roman construction. The diagnostic finds from the Roman layers were studied as part of a student thesis and delivered a terminus post quem for the second expansion phase of the ruler cult
district, after the third quarter of the 1st century A.D. For confirmation of the origin of the Sigillata, chemical analyses were carried out with a portable X-ray fluorescence device. Based on their geochemical fingerprint it was possible to allocate 15 of 18 sherds to their production sites, as indicated by stamps or relief decoration: La Graufesenque, Trier and Rheinzabern. Two pieces without identifying stamps could also be assigned to the production centres of La Graufesenque and Rheinzabern by chemical analysis, while the one last piece seemed most probably to come from Banassac or another nearby source.

Palilia 33, 2021

For some considerable time right up to the present, almost all specialists have been dealing at v... more For some considerable time right up to the present, almost all specialists have been dealing at various different regional levels with the topics of the conference published here. The expansion of the source material in the last decades has led to a comprehensive understanding of early metallurgy and its role in social, economic and settlement-structure terms. Despite this far-reaching progress, concrete questions are emerging more and more clearly that can only be answered at international and interdisciplinary levels. It is precisely this international communication that the conference on which the present volume is based has attempted to set in motion so as to address these complex questions. This publication pulls together and sets out the state of research on the topic at the beginning of the 21st century for the entire Central and Western Mediterranean regions.

The Calcolithic allegorizes the transition from the Stone Age to the Metal Ages. A famous example... more The Calcolithic allegorizes the transition from the Stone Age to the Metal Ages. A famous example is the socalled “iceman” from the Similaun glacier in the Alps, which had flint and copper tools with him. Italy plays an important role in the archaeological discussion of the expansion of early metallurgy in the central Mediterranean. „Remedello“, „Rinaldone“ and „Gaudo“ are crucial termini in many hypothesis. Besides the widespread daggers, made either of flint or copper, a multitude of pottery types and decorations are found in a variable pattern of complex burial forms, which spread across the whole Apennine peninsula. New alternative research approaches allow gradually to ask important questions without relying on obsolete models of archaeological culture, typological evolution, or typochronological sequence. With the development of a classification that is based on a representative spectra of finds from the period, it is possible present an new and reliable fundament for further interpretation and the development of explanatory models.

Dissertation 2007 at the Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg im Breisgau (in German)

Edited by Judith Thomalsky and Nikolaus Boroffka