Martijn van Leusen | University of Groningen (original) (raw)

Landscape archaeology by Martijn van Leusen

Garcia-Molsosa, A. (ed), Archaeology of Mountain Landscapes: Interdisciplinary Research Strategies of Agro-Pastoralism in Upland Regions. IEMA Proceedings 12, 2023

Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail a selection of protohistoric surface sca... more Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail a selection of protohistoric surface scatters and their surroundings in the Maddalena upland basin (600–1,000 masl). Part of the Raganello River basin in the southern Apennines (northern Calabria region, Italy), this area had previously been archaeologically surveyed by the University of Groningen Institute of Archaeology between 2005 and 2008. The new and interdisciplinary investigations consisted of geophysical surveys and geoarchaeological and pedological studies. We here primarily use the work conducted at site RB73 to illustrate how depositional, postdepositional, and current land use processes result in the present expression of a surface scatter or “site” as recorded in the archaeological field survey, demonstrating that long-term slope processes in the flysch geology of typical Apennine upland valleys have a fundamental impact on the preservation and appearance of the archaeological record. We argue that confidence in our theoretical and practical understanding of this record remains unjustified in the absence of carefully designed, integrated geoarchaeological and geophysical work.

ZENODO, 2023

CRMsurv is an unofficial but formal extension of CIDOC_CRM, co-developed in the Semafora project.... more CRMsurv is an unofficial but formal extension of CIDOC_CRM, co-developed in the Semafora project. It models and represents essential data points for integrating archaeological survey data. It is curated using OntoME, a tool for community based FAIR formal ontology data management.
This ontology extends the CIDOC CRM 6.2 ontology data standard for cultural heritage data in order to provide classes and properties necessary to describe unique aspects of the archaeological survey process. It also makes use of classes and properties of the CIDOC CRM extensions CRMArchaeo 1.4.1 and CRMsci 1.2.3. The ontology is intended to support researchers interested in integrating archaeology survey data using the CIDOC CRM.

Paleo-Aktueel, 2022

This article presents the main results of three student-thesis based analyses of data obtained in... more This article presents the main results of three student-thesis based analyses of data obtained in field survey experiments carried out by the last author in Calabria (southern Italy) in 2014. Two separate experiments were conducted to study the differences between individual field walkers, and the ability of the GIA standard fieldwalking protocol to achieve a representative sample of the surface archaeological record. The analyses confirm and quantify the variability between walkers, as well as some of the survey biases that had already been suspected, and provide arguments for improving surveying practice in the Mediterranean. They also alleviate some concern with respect to other parameters, such as sherd size.

Journal of Greek Archaeology, 2020

This article deals with a relatively new form of archaeological research in the Mediterranean reg... more This article deals with a relatively new form of archaeological research in the Mediterranean region – intensive surface survey, coverage of the landscape by teams walking in close order, recording patterns of human activity visible on the landsurface as scatters of pottery and lithics, or building remains. Since 2000, archaeologists from Dutch and Belgian universities working on Mediterranean survey projects have gathered annually to discuss methodological issues in workshops that gradually attracted landscape archaeologists from other European countries and Turkey. On the basis of these discussions, this paper, written by regular workshop contributors and other invited authors with wider Mediterranean experience, aims to evaluate the potential of various approaches to the archaeological surface record in the Mediterranean and provide guidelines for standards of good practice in Mediterranean survey.

CATENA, 2020

Land subsidence has played and is still playing a significant role in coastal wetlands worldwide ... more Land subsidence has played and is still playing a significant role in coastal wetlands worldwide and in palaeogeographical reconstructions of such wetlands. The varying thickness of compaction-prone sediments over a stable subsurface is a key factor in determining its magnitude and in locating the most affected areas. In the coastal low-lying Agro Pontino (Lazio, Italy), subsidence of the past 90 years has been mapped using historical elevation data. Due to the fortunate preservation of distal Avellino tephra (AV-tephra, ca. 1900 cal. BCE) within its marshy strata, discovered a decade ago, detailed palaeogeographical reconstruction of the landscape in preparation for an assessment of its land use suitability in the Early Bronze Age (EBA) was possible. Current altitude variations of water-lain tephra in lake areas assumed to be connected necessitated a closer look at its original deposition altitude and the role of post-depositional subsidence. Recent subsidence patterns proved very useful for distinguishing stable from subsidence-prone areas. Two different EBA palaeo lake environments are distinguished: an inland and a near-coastal lake. The AV-tephra altitude variation within these lakes partly marks differential post-depositional subsidence within these lakes. Calculation of initial ripening of tephra-bearing lake deposits on top of shallowly buried Pleistocene ridges allowed for an estimation of original tephra deposition altitudes and associated lake levels. For the inland lake, a wide lake edge zone between 0.5 and 2 m above current sea level (m asl) was reconstructed, where EBA habitation or land use was possible. At the near-coastal lake, a water level of −1.5 to −1.3 m asl at the time of AV-tephra deposition was constrained. Because tephra deposition occurred here just after marine influence ceased, this altitude range is proposed to be a Relative Sea Level (RSL) index point at the time of AV-tephra deposition. The altitude range is in agreement with RSL models for tectonically stable areas in this region. The importance of subsidence in palaeogeographical, water level and RSL reconstructions in the region is stressed.

IEEE Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (MetroArchaeo), 2018

The morphology of the Agro Pontino (Latina, Italy) has been greatly modified by the fascist recla... more The morphology of the Agro Pontino (Latina, Italy) has been greatly modified by the fascist reclamation (Bonifica), in particular by the subsequent soil subsidence due to the drainage of its peaty lowlands and by massive dredging and land raising. Obviously, this constitutes a strong bias for reconstructing the ancient landscapes. However, pre-reclamation maps can be used to address the problem. In particular, the 1930s maps made by the Italian Military Geographical Institute are of exceptional importance for both the reconstruction of prehistoric and historic landscape, and for detecting the more recent, human-induced changes in its morphology. Unfortunately, the datum of the maps is unknown. In this paper we try to estimate a standard Molodensky transformation to convert the map to the current projections, by surveying points which are unambiguously identifiable both in the terrain and on the maps.

IpoTESI di Preistoria, 2019

(English) Following a synthesis of published archaeological investigations in the territory of Se... more (English) Following a synthesis of published archaeological investigations in the territory of Sezze by the team of the University of Groningen within the Pontine Region Project (PRP), this paper discusses the methodology and first results of two more recent fieldwork projects within the framework of the PRP, both funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO): 1) the Avellino Event Project (AVP) of the universities of Groningen and Leiden that studies the distal effects of the great Bronze Age eruption of mount Vesuvius on the human environment of the Fondi and Pontine plains. 2) the Minor Centres project that studies the development of the settlements of Forum Appi and Ad Medias along the Via Appia in relation with the development of the Roman countryside. Both projects add significantly to the long term reconstruction of the human landscape in the plain south of Sezze as well as open up perspectives on further interdisciplinary work.
(Italian) A seguito della sintesi pubblicata sulle indagini archeologiche nel territorio di Sezze, condotte dall'Università di Groningen sotto l'egida del Progetto della Regione Pontina (PRP), questo documento discute la metodologia e i primi risultati di due progetti di ricerca sul campo più recenti nel quadro del PRP, entrambi finanziati dall'Organizzazione olandese per la ricerca scientifica (NWO): 1) l'Avellino Event Project (AVP) delle Università di Groningen e Leiden che studia gli effetti distali della grande eruzione del Vesuvio risalente all'età del bronzo sull'ambiente umano della pianura di Fondi e della pianura Pontina. 2) il progetto dei Centri Minori che studia lo sviluppo degli insediamenti di Forum Appi e Ad Medias lungo la Via Appia in relazione allo sviluppo della campagna romana. Entrambi i progetti contribuiscono in modo significativo alla ricostruzione a lungo termine del paesaggio umano nella pianura di Sezze e aprono prospettive su ulteriori lavori interdisciplinari.

Funde in der Landschaft. Neue Perspektiven und Ergebnisse archäologischer Prospektion, 2019

This paper discusses the challenges of archaeological prospection in two common situations in Med... more This paper discusses the challenges of archaeological prospection in two common situations in Mediterranean mountain landscapes: rock debris slopes and alluvial basins. Burial by subsequent rockfall episodes provides favourable preservation circumstances on debris slopes, but hinders the detection of archaeological remains. Erosive landscape zones are the arenas of multiple depositional and post-depositional processes which may be difficult to recognize in surface artefact distribution data and geophysical datasets. We present case studies from recently concluded research on the formation processes and detection potential of small Metal Age artefact scatters in such situations in the Raganello basin of Calabria (southern Italy). We demonstrate how detailed interdisciplinary work on these kinds of small-scale archaeological traces can reveal unexpected temporal and spatial dimensions of past human activity.

Quaternary International, 2019

The papers presented in this special issue provide an up-to-date overview of relevant aspects of ... more The papers presented in this special issue provide an up-to-date overview of relevant aspects of and current knowledge on distal effects of major volcanic eruptions in pre-industrial societies. Though the emphasis is on the Early Bronze Age Avellino eruption, the set of ideas and methods presented here is exemplary for such studies on early impacts of volcanic eruptions, and illustrates the value of a multidisciplinary approach. Contributions are grouped into four sections: summarising the status quo of archaeological and impact assessment research, discussing comparative cases of distal impacts, and presenting the results of recent Avellino eruption impact studies in South Lazio.

Paleo-Aktueel, 2018

This article reports on the results of survey experiments conducted by a GIA team in 2010 over th... more This article reports on the results of survey experiments conducted by a GIA team in 2010 over the site of a Hellenistic-Roman farm, Q130, located in the foothills surrounding the Sibaritide coastal plain in south Italy. The experiments show that a ‘quick scan’ surface survey method achieves good results in locating the main structures, matching the results of a gradiometer survey conducted simultaneously, and that further useful chronological and functional detail was obtained by ‘total’ survey and in-field classification of the finds. The socio-economic context of this farm site must obviously be sought in the nearby Hellenistic colony of Thourioi and its Roman successor Copiae, but further questions about the character and chronology of the site can only be answered by excavation.

Il Pollino. Barriera naturale e crocevia di culture (RICERCHE Collana del Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Sezione Archeologia XII), 2018

In this paper the authors, who conducted geo-archaeological studies in the Raganello Basin for th... more In this paper the authors, who conducted geo-archaeological studies in the Raganello Basin for the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) since 2005, present four locations of interest in the San Lorenzo Bellizzi surroundings. These sites have yielded a new insight or interesting information about the pre- and protohistory of this area but also illustrate how much research effort is needed to retrieve archaeological evidence that is hidden by ongoing slope processes. The examples cover Middle Palaeolithic (Neanderthal) presence as well as Late Neolithic to Bronze Age use of protected limestone debris slopes and open undulating flysch slopes. In conclusion, an outline of possible future research is given.

Palaeohistoria, 2005

The Groningen Institute of Archaeology has conducted field walking surveys in the northern part o... more The Groningen Institute of Archaeology has conducted field walking surveys in the northern part of the Pontine plain, on the southwestern margins of the Lepine mountains, since 1987. The results of these surveys have only partially been published in accessible journals, and in a number of different formats. Archaeological knowledge and methodology has advanced during that period, and therefore the older studies must be reassessed as well. This article draws together and reassesses all the site-based information that is available from literature and fieldwork, including that of Italian and Dutch studies dating before 1987. All sites are classified according to their observed characteristics, and presented in the catalogue. The classification system itself is explained, and the site patterns are presented and discussed in chronological detail with attention to the biases caused by the variations in land use/land cover and in the intensity of archaeological research across the landscape.

Journal of Field Archaeology, 2017

This paper presents the results of an in-depth multidisciplinary restudy of small Metal Age surfa... more This paper presents the results of an in-depth multidisciplinary restudy of small Metal Age surface scatters recorded in earlier fieldwalking surveys in northern Calabria (Italy). Guided by a stratified sampling approach based on site types and topographic positions, high-resolution surface collections at the selected sites were combined with geophysical surveys, test pits, and soil studies to investigate both archaeological deposits and the site formation processes that have an effect on their detectability. This approach is shown to result in a better definition of archaeological ‘sites’, and to help fill in details of regional exploitation and settlement dynamics at the landscape scale. At this broader scale we are also able to model post-depositional processes and slope dynamics affecting the preservation of the archaeological record. With regard to methodology, our study has enabled the evaluation of diverse archaeological detection methods and the fine-tuning of field strategies for the study of Metal Age remains.

Raganello Basin Studies, volume 2

Understanding how past and current physical landscape processes, both natural and anthropogenic, ... more Understanding how past and current physical landscape processes, both natural and anthropogenic, affect the archaeological record has become one of the main aims of the burgeoning fi eld of Geoarchaeology. But the ideal of effective multidisciplinary research collaboration is hard to achieve. This second volume of the Raganello Basin Studies series demonstrates how intensive collaboration between earth scientists and archaeologists has resulted in a systematic approach to the description and assessment of archaeologically relevant soils and landscape processes in a typical Mediterranean landscape - the basin of the Raganello River in southern Italy. It is both a detailed report on the extensive field studies conducted by the authors in 2012-2014, and a much needed 'how to' guide to the study of landscapes and soils within the framework of landscape archaeological projects in the Mediterranean. The work described here builds on the expertise in Mediterranean soils and landscapes gained by the first author over decades of research, and avoids or explains jargon that would otherwise deter those with a purely humanities background.

Extended abstract available in Archaeologia Polonia vol 53, 2015. pp 417-421

Agricultural terraces are geomorphologic features created by humans. These structures protect far... more Agricultural terraces are geomorphologic features created by humans. These structures protect farming land by reducing soil erosion, they collect water in their hydrological infrastructure, and preserve crops and vegetation. Their construction could however negatively affect underlying soils and archaeology present in those soils. However, if a terrace is constructed on a hill slope without destroying the underlying soil, the agricultural terrace could create a stable environment in regard to erosion, and preserve the underlying soil and potential archaeological remains in it. In order to detect soils within agricultural terraces in Northern-Calabria, Italy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was performed on exposures of four agricultural terraces, two agricultural fields in a non-terraced setting and five natural geomorphological features. Results are the detection of a buried soil horizon which contains archaeological remains dating from the Hellenistic period 60 cm below the surfa...

In this article we present the research history and current archaeological investigations of an a... more In this article we present the research history and current archaeological investigations of an atypical protohistoric settlement in the remote mountain valley of Terra Masseta (Calabria, Italy). Site T115a, occupied between the Late Neolithic and the Iron Age, was discovered in the early 1990’s. In previous years, GIA researchers mapped protohistoric surface remains and documented the section of a gully cutting through the site, but no archaeological features were ever found. Within the Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy project, the current GIA research program into protohistoric settlement and land use in northern Calabria (2010-2015), different geophysical techniques were applied for prospection of subsurface remains. The gully section was also re-investigated and manual augerings were conducted on site. We argue that the systematic integration of multidisciplinary datasets yields new insights into the formation of this remote site.

The Devil is in the Details: a burnt Late Bronze Age hut The Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy pr... more The Devil is in the Details: a burnt Late Bronze Age hut The Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy project investigates small surface scatters from the Bronze and Iron Age, found during field walking surveys in Calabria, Italy. In this article we argue that detailed, multidisciplinary investigations of such ephemeral sites are crucial for our understanding of protohistoric rural society and land use. We illustrate our methodological approach of integrated surface recordings, geophysical methods, small test pits and laboratory studies with the case study of the Late Bronze Age site T231. The implications of this case study for regional settlement models are discussed.

This Landscape Archaeology research project concerns the influence of agricultural terraces on th... more This Landscape Archaeology research project concerns the influence of agricultural terraces on the preservation of cultural/ archaeological soils in the province of Calabria, southern Italy. The study was conducted as part of the Raganello Archaeological Project of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, Rijks Universiteit Groningen and was supervised by dr. Martijn van Leusen of the Groningen Institute of
Archaeology and prof. dr. Erika Guttmann-Bond of the Institute for Geo- and Bioarchaeology, VU University Amsterdam.
In order to examine the influence of agricultural terraces on the preservation of cultural/ archaeological soils, a buried soil was examined on the transition zone of two agricultural terraces and a buried soil was examined at the transition zone of an agricultural terrace and a river valley. Also several soil exposures in a non-agricultural terrace setting were examined.
The exposures were observed and examined in the field; in total 40 sediment samples were taken and 30 samples were analysed at the Sediment Analysis laboratory at the VU University Amsterdam.

Garcia-Molsosa, A. (ed), Archaeology of Mountain Landscapes: Interdisciplinary Research Strategies of Agro-Pastoralism in Upland Regions. IEMA Proceedings 12, 2023

ZENODO, 2023

Paleo-Aktueel, 2022

Journal of Greek Archaeology, 2020

CATENA, 2020

IEEE Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (MetroArchaeo), 2018

IpoTESI di Preistoria, 2019

Funde in der Landschaft. Neue Perspektiven und Ergebnisse archäologischer Prospektion, 2019

Quaternary International, 2019

Paleo-Aktueel, 2018

Il Pollino. Barriera naturale e crocevia di culture (RICERCHE Collana del Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici Sezione Archeologia XII), 2018

Palaeohistoria, 2005

Journal of Field Archaeology, 2017

Raganello Basin Studies, volume 2

Extended abstract available in Archaeologia Polonia vol 53, 2015. pp 417-421

Concluding discussion to V. Mayoral-Herrera et al. (eds), Archaeology and Geomatics: harvesting 1... more Concluding discussion to V. Mayoral-Herrera et al. (eds), Archaeology and Geomatics: harvesting 10 years of training in the Iberian peninsula (2006-2015).

After 20 years of '2.5D' GIS work in Archaeology, we have seen in recent years the first signs th... more After 20 years of '2.5D' GIS work in Archaeology, we have seen in recent years the first signs that researchers are moving on to true 3D (volumetric) spatial representation and analysis - previously the preserve of oil geologists. At the same time, new technology is giving rise to a new boom in '3D' (actually still 2.5D) documentation and visualisation studies. This paper draws attention to the collection, management and analysis of true 3D spatial data from intra-site to landscape-scale contexts, drawing on data deriving from coring, geophysics, excavation, seismics, etc. The authors discuss current possibilities and desirable developments in 3D GIS.

ANEJOS DE AESPA LIX

This brief contribution presents some reflexions on the papers, posters, and proceedings of the 5... more This brief contribution presents some reflexions on the papers, posters, and proceedings of the 5th International Merida conference on Archaeology. Technical and conceptual advances in the use of GIS by archaeologists are discussed in relation to the goals and needs of landscape archaeology, as understood by the author. To allow the reader some assessment of the value of these reflections, I have added some personal background.

BAR INTERNATIONAL SERIES, Jan 1, 1999

European Journal of Archaeology, Jan 1, 1999

Accurate mapping of the 78-ha Roman town of Viroconium (modern-day Wroxeter in Shropshire, UK) in... more Accurate mapping of the 78-ha Roman town of Viroconium (modern-day Wroxeter in Shropshire, UK) in preparation for detailed research and site management proved a task that requires the use of modern information techniques. This article describes the creation of high spatial accuracy maps by the use of GPS-located gradiometer survey data in order to georeference available aerial photographs, and the use of digital processing of aerial photographs to obtain additional information invisible to the unaided eye. A GIS is being used to build a vectorised interpreted map of the town with a spatial error typically less than one metre. The results compare favourably with previous mapping efforts based on traditional methods.

Archaeological Prospection 7(2), 69-80, 2000

This paper provides the overall archaeological context of a geophysical survey carried out at the... more This paper provides the overall archaeological context of a geophysical survey carried out at the Roman town at Wroxeter, including both excavation carried out within the town and survey and excavation within its hinterland. The geophysical survey at Wroxeter was carried out ...

BAR INTERNATIONAL SERIES, Jan 1, 2001

Lock & Stancic 1995, Geographical Information Systems: a European Perspective

Andresen et al. 1993, Computing the Past. Proceedings of the 1992 CAA conference, Aarhus., 1993

Whilst the principles of cell-based cartographic modelling had been worked out by Tomlin (1990), ... more Whilst the principles of cell-based cartographic modelling had been worked out by Tomlin (1990), its application to archaeological research problems had not yet been explored. This article shows how GRASS GIS can be used to 'translate' traditional settlement models into a digital format, and then to to extend and develop digital cartographic analysis making creative use of its inbuilt functions.

FOLD&R Archaeological Survey, 2020

This paper aims to contribute to the improvement of documentation and archiving standards (confor... more This paper aims to contribute to the improvement of documentation and archiving standards (conforming to the FAIR
principles) for systematic Mediterranean archaeological field survey. It reports on the initial stages of work by the authors to
build an extension to the CIDOC CRM ontology to accommodate concepts underlying the description of archaeological field
survey data. We first constructed, based on our own experience as survey directors, a general process model for
archaeological field survey; we then defined the concepts central to such survey practices in consultation with other domain
experts; and we produced a draft conversion of these concepts into CIDOC CRM ‘classes’ with the help of members of the
CRM Special Interest Group. While this work has resulted in a fairly robust conceptual model of field survey as practiced in
the Mediterranean, we also identify and discuss several issues relating to the tension between the desire to enable
comparative analysis of survey databases by improving documentation standards, and the apparent inability of the survey
domain to achieve standardization of field procedures. Although the process of formally agreeing a CIDOC CRM extension
for field survey is a slow one, we believe a global solution to the problem of comparability is worth pursuing over a local,
temporary one. We lay out the steps needed to resolve the remaining conceptual issues, to formalise the CRM extension,
and to implement it in the form of a ‘mapping’ tool.

CAA 2016: Oceans of data. Proceedings of the 44th Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology., 2018

Archaeology, like several other disciplines studying the physical landscape, is inherently about ... more Archaeology, like several other disciplines studying the physical landscape, is inherently about three-dimensional data; that is, about physical objects and volumes and their associated properties. Yet our records of this 3D reality have traditionally perforce been reduced to two dimensions, restricting the subsequent analysis to 2D, or at most 2.5D, as well. GIS have been the tool typically used to manage and analyse these 2D/2.5D spatial data sets since the early 1990s. Within the last decade, technological developments in data capture (such as laser scanning and image based modelling) have begun to generate large quantities of 3D data, giving rise to ‘3D’ as the new buzzword. However, such data can be visually inspected but not spatially analysed in this
form. We believe that what is lacking is a software infrastructure that can encompass both ‘traditional’ 2D and ‘new’ 3D archaeological data in the same 3D environment, and can allow for analysis in three dimensions. We propose here to construct such an infrastructure from pre-existing FOSS4G components, and to create a number of additional bespoke query and report functions in order to achieve the functionality required by archaeological researchers.

Archaeology, like several other disciplines studying the physical landscape, is inherently about ... more Archaeology, like several other disciplines studying the physical landscape, is inherently about three-dimensional data; that is, about physical objects and volumes and their associated properties. Yet our records of this 3D reality have traditionally perforce been reduced to two dimensions, restricting the subsequent analysis to 2D, or at most 2.5D, as well. GIS have been the tools typically used to manage and analyse these 2D/2.5D spatial data sets since the early 1990s. Within the last decade, technological developments in data capture (such as laser scanning and image based modelling) have begun to generate large quantities of 3D data, giving rise to '3D' as the new buzzword. However, such data can be visually inspected but not spatially analysed in this form. We believe that what is lacking is a software infrastructure that can encompass both 'traditional' 2D and 'new' 3D archaeological data in the same 3D environment, and can allow for analysis in three dimensions. We propose here to construct such an infrastructure from pre-existing FOSS4G components, and to create a number of additional bespoke query and report functions in order to achieve the functionality required by archaeological researchers.

Despite the seemingly endless variation in the approaches taken by archaeologists when conducting... more Despite the seemingly endless variation in the approaches taken by archaeologists when conducting field studies (especially during 'surveys'), on analysis it appears that we all make use of the same set of underlying concepts in designing our research and in documenting our data. Thus, agreeing on a joint 'conceptual reference model' or CRM opens the way to describing individual field datasets in an unambiguous way, allowing effective archiving and exchange of such data without prescribing standards for the fieldwork itself. An international special interest group of CRM specialists and archaeologists has been working towards this goal for several years now. This EAA roundtable brings together those already involved in the design of archaeological CRM, those responsible for the proper archiving of archaeological field data, and those interested in learning about current documentation standards. It aims to foster collaborations and joint national and international funding applications in the area of research data management.
The 'audience' for this roundtable should be those people who already have, or expect to have, responsibility for documenting archaeological field projects, and are interested either to learn about the status quo of the CRM approach, or to collaborate on the formation of a broad group or network of researchers looking to apply the CRM approach (and finding funding to do so).

This report describes the reasons, work done, and results of a pilot study conducted in 2016 with... more This report describes the reasons, work done, and results of a pilot study conducted in 2016 with funding from the Netherlands Royal Academy 'small data projects' scheme. Its goals were to extend the current draft CIDOC CRM (Conceptual Reference Model) extension 'CRMarchaeo' (covering excavations) to field walking surveys as well, to 'map' three existing survey databases held by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology to this extended CRM, and to archive these databases at the DANS national repository. We publish the report now on Academia.edu to inform interested parties of the work done so far; meanwhile we continue efforts to further develop and test the robustness of the draft CRM extension, to improve quality standards in depositing survey archives, and to explore the virtual merger of survey datasets through Linked Open Data.

Palaeohistoria, 2021

We report here on the first two seasons of excavations by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology ... more We report here on the first two seasons of excavations by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (the Netherlands) at two settlement sites in the foothill zone of the Sibaritide coastal plain (northern Calabria, Italy). The work is throwing new light on finds assemblages unique to the transitional period of the Final Bronze Age–Early Iron Age, a poorly understood period in southern Italy, and is helping to resolve methodological questions about the interpretation of non-invasive archaeological and geophysical survey data. The finds so far excavated, supported by radiocarbon dates, form one of the first ‘pure’ FBA–EIA transitional assemblages, and thus contribute to fill a significant typochronological hiatus with wider implications for protohistoric archaeology in the region. It is also becoming clear what long-term effects mechanized ploughing has on slope processes and soil profiles typical for the region, know-ledge that will help us understand the results of the wider field surveys and geophysical investigations conducted since 2000 in the Raganello River basin.

-, 2020

RB228 is an FBA-EIA rural site located in the municipality of Cerchiara di Calabria (CS). It was ... more RB228 is an FBA-EIA rural site located in the municipality of Cerchiara di Calabria (CS). It was discovered in 2010 during surveys by the University of Groningen and was subject to small-scale investigations in 2011 and 2013. The first full excavation season in 2019 showed that a hut has been built on a platform cut into the gentle natural slope. Finds date to ca. 1000 BC. This is the formal report submitted to the regional Soprintendenza per l'archeologia.

-, 2020

The authors' excavations at Monte San Nicola (municipality of Civita, province of Cosenza, IT) we... more The authors' excavations at Monte San Nicola (municipality of Civita, province of Cosenza, IT) were continued in 2019. The goal of the excavation is to fill a pottery typochronological hiatus for this period and region, and to collect extensive geophysical measurements for the 3-dimensional 'forward' modeling of the presumed graves. In addition to the four pit features excavated in 2018 (one oven or small kiln, two rubbish pits, and one pit of an unknown purpose), we have now identified part of a pebble floor and two more pit-like features. This is the full formal report to the Italian regional heritage management authorities.

-, 2019

A pilot excavation was carried out at the presumed FBA/EIA cremation cemetery of Monte San Nicola... more A pilot excavation was carried out at the presumed FBA/EIA cremation cemetery of Monte San Nicola (municipality of Civita, province of Cosenza, IT) by the authors in the summer of 2018. The goal of the excavation was to fill a pottery typochronological hiatus for this period and region, and to collect extensive geophysical measurements for the 3-dimensional 'forward' modeling of the presumed graves. Four pit features, none of them graves, were excavated: one oven or small kiln, two rubbish pits, and one pit of an unknown purpose. This is the full formal report to the Italian regional heritage management authorities.

Verhagen, Ph. Case Studies in Predictive Modeling (ASLU), 2007

Predictive modelling is a technique used to predict archaeological site locations on the basis of... more Predictive modelling is a technique used to predict archaeological site locations on the basis of observed patterns and/or assumptions about human behaviour (Kohler and Parker, 1986; Kvamme 1988; 1990). It was initially developed in the USA in the late 1970s and early 1980s where it evolved from governmental land management projects and is still regularly applied in cultural resources management. In the Netherlands, predictive modelling plays an important role in the decision making process for planning schemes on a municipal, ...

Jerem, E., Redö, F. & Szeverényi, V. (eds.): On the Road to Reconstructing the Past. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology. Proceedings of the 36th International Conference, Budapest, April 2-6, 2008, pp. 301-308., 2011

One of the key problems of predictive modelling is the lack of tools to incorporate and map the u... more One of the key problems of predictive modelling is the lack of tools to incorporate and map the uncertainties of the predictions made. Without explicit description of the varying quality of the archaeological and environmental data, statistical methods risk making inaccurate predictions. Hence, lacking adequate descriptions of bias and error, predictions often rely on expert judgement. But can expert judgement be quantified in such a way, that predictions can be made that will respect the experts’ views, and at the same time refl ect the uncertainties in the experts’ opinions as well as in the available data? This paper reports an investigation into whether expert views can be quantified and incorporated in statistical predictions, for which we tested two potentially useful techniques, Bayesian inference and Dempster-Shafer theory.

T. Bloemers, H. Kars, A. van der Valk & M. Wijnen (eds.): The Cultural Landscape & Heritage Paradox. Protection and Development of the Dutch Archaeological-Historical Landscape and its European Dimension (Landscape & Heritage Studies Proceedings), pp. 431-444., 2010

In ‘post-Malta’ archaeology, the financial, human and technical resources allocated to archaeolog... more In ‘post-Malta’ archaeology, the financial, human and technical resources allocated to archaeology have increased enormously. But at the same time, these resources have to be spent both effectively and efficiently. Archaeological predictive models will tell us where we have the best chances of encountering archaeology. Searching for archaeology in the high probability areas will ‘pay off’, as more archaeology will be found there than in low probability zones. It is a matter of priorities: we cannot survey everything, and we do not want to spend money and energy on finding nothing. And there is also the political dimension: the general public wants something back for the tax-payers’ money invested in archaeology. It is not much use telling politicians to spend money on research that will not deliver an ‘archaeological return’.

But how can we be so sure that the low probability zones are really not interesting? And where do we draw the line between interesting and not interesting? These are difficult choices indeed for those involved in AHM. Archaeologists who do not have to make these choices can criticize the current approach to predictive modelling from the sideline, but do not have to come up with an alternative.

Within the BBO-programme we have been trying to provide such an alternative to the archaeological community (see van Leusen and Kamermans, 2005; Kamermans et al., 2009). However, after five years of research, we have to conclude that we have only been partly successful. In this paper we will shortly explain the research that we have undertaken, and venture to offer some explanations for the lack of success of new approaches to predictive modelling in AHM up to now.

2nd of two edited volumes exploring predictive modelling in archaeology: goals, techniques, stake... more 2nd of two edited volumes exploring predictive modelling in archaeology: goals, techniques, stakeholder issues. The first volume (see elsewhere on this page) reviews the state of affairs circa 2004 and presents a research agenda; the second volume focuses on potential solutions. The PDF made available here is based on the final proofing stage, so small differences with respect to the published version may occur.

H. Kamermans, M. van Leusen and P. Verhagen (eds.), Archaeological prediction and risk assessment. Alternatives to current practice. Leiden University Press, Leiden (ASLU 17), pp. 19-25., 2009

In general, academic archaeologists have always been sceptical of, and sometimes even averse to, ... more In general, academic archaeologists have always been sceptical of, and sometimes even averse to, predictive modelling as practiced in archaeological heritage management (AHM) (see Van Leusen et al. 2005). The models produced and used in AHM are not considered sophisticated enough, and many of the methodological and theoretical problems associated with predictive modelling have not been taken aboard in AHM. At the same time, the production and use of predictive models has become a standard procedure in Dutch AHM (Deeben et al. 1997; 2002; Deeben 2008), and it has clearly attracted interest in other countries as well.
The main reason for using predictive models in AHM is efficiency. In ‘post-Malta’ archaeology, the financial, human and technical resources allocated to archaeology have increased enormously. But at the same time, these resources have to be spent both effectively and efficiently. So why not create and use tools that will allow us to do so? Archaeological predictive models will tell us where we have the best chances of encountering archaeology. Searching for archaeology in the high probability areas will ‘pay off’, as more archaeology will be found there than in low probability zones. It is a matter of priorities: we can’t survey everything, and we don’t want to spend money and energy on finding nothing. And there is also the political dimension: the general public wants something in return for the taxpayers’ money invested in archaeology. It’s not much use telling politicians to spend money on research that will not deliver an ‘archaeological return’. But how can we be so sure that the low probability zones are really not interesting? And where do we draw the line between interesting and not interesting? These are hard choices indeed for those involved in AHM. Archaeologists who don’t have to make these choices have an easy job: they can criticize the current approach to predictive modelling from the sidelines, and don’t have to come up with an alternative.
Within the BBO program we have been trying to provide such an alternative to the archaeological community (Kamermans et al. 2005). However, at the end of the project, we have to conclude that we have only been partly successful. We have done a fair amount of research, published three books and many papers, made the problems with predictive modelling internationally visible but failed to change the procedures of predictive modelling in the Netherlands. In this paper we venture to offer some explanations for the lack of success of new approaches to predictive modelling in AHM in the Netherlands up to now. And finally, we will try to sketch the future of archaeological predictive modelling, for which we can see three distinct scenarios.

Archeobrief 12-3: 27-34

In Nederland is de archeologische wereld vertrouwd geraakt met het gebruik van verwachtingskaarte... more In Nederland is de archeologische wereld vertrouwd geraakt met het gebruik van verwachtingskaarten voor de monumentenzorg. Het maken van verwachtingskaarten, die al vanaf ongeveer 1980 in de Verenigde Staten bestaan, is rond 1990 in Nederland begonnen.Toentertijd al was de belangrijkste motivatie het terugbrengen van de kosten van archeologisch veldonderzoek. In plaats van gebieden volledig te prospecteren, zou kunnen worden volstaan met onderzoeken van de zones met een hoge archeologische ‘potentie’, zoals het toen nog werd genoemd.
Toen de interimwetgeving, die aan de huidige monumentenwet voorafging, aanstaande was, werd de noodzaak tot het voorspellen van archeologische waarden inmiddels zo sterk gevoeld, dat de toenmalige ROB in 1997 de IKAW lanceerde . Daarmee werd in één klap de archeologie op de politieke agenda gezet, en werd voor heel archeologisch en bestuurlijk Nederland inzichtelijk waar er belangwekkende archeologische resten in de grond konden zitten.

1st of a two-volume set. For the companion volume, see elsewhere on this page. Chapters 1 (Introd... more 1st of a two-volume set. For the companion volume, see elsewhere on this page. Chapters 1 (Introduction), 2 (Project Proposal) and 3 (A Baseline for Predictive Modeling in the Netherlands) are available for PDF download.

Leusen, M. van, Deeben, J., Hallewas, D., Zoetbrood, P., Kamermans, H., and P. Verhagen (2005). A baseline for Predictive modelling in the Netherlands.

Leusen, M. van and H. Kamermans (eds.), Predictive Modelling for Archaeological Heritage Management: A Research Agenda. Nederlandse Archeologische Rapporten 29. Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, Amersfoort, pp. 25-92., 2005

J.-F. Berger, F. Bertoncello, F. Braemer, G. Davtian and M. Gazenbeek (eds.), Temps et espaces de l'Homme en société, analyses et modèles spatiaux en archéologie. XXVe Rencontres Internationales d'archéologie et d'histoire d'Antibes. Éditions APDCA, Antibes, pp. 83-92., 2005

Predictive modelling is an important tool for archaeological heritage management (AHM) in the Net... more Predictive modelling is an important tool for archaeological heritage management (AHM) in the Netherlands. Predictive maps play an important role in desk-based assessment, but are also frequently used to influence spatial planning decisions in an early stage. The paper describes the current practice and history of predictive modelling in the Netherlands, and presents the preliminary results of a three year research project into predictive modelling.

W. Börner and S. Uhrlitz (eds.): Workshop 10 Archäologie und Computer. Kulturelles Erbe und Neue Technologien. 7.-10. November 2005. Stadtarchäologie Wien, Vienna (CD-ROM)., 2006

Maschner, H (ed.) 1996, New Methods, Old Problems (CAI Occasional Paper 23). Southern Illinois University., 1996

This chapter, in a volume by Herb Maschner on GIS in modern archaeological research, decribes the... more This chapter, in a volume by Herb Maschner on GIS in modern archaeological research, decribes the state and future of GIS technology in Dutch (European) archaeology, and then goes on to discuss the type of archaeological reasoning that is formalized in locational models, as well as the methodological issues this raised in the early 1990s.

Pollino-Orsomarso conference, 2019

This poster reports on the July 2019 excavation campaign of a small rural protohistoric site (nam... more This poster reports on the July 2019 excavation campaign of a small rural protohistoric site (named RB228) located in the foothills of the southern Apennines, in the Sibaritide region of Calabria (IT). Following its discovery in 2010 during the RAP regional fieldwalking surveys, the site had already been studied in 2011 and 2013 because of its position inside a modern agricultural terrace; the 2019 campaign uncovered the whole 7x6m platform cut, part of the post-habitation fill composed of soil mixed with finds and a large number of limestone boulders, and a small part of the hut floor. It is intended to continue the excavation in 2020.

This poster, recently presented at the 58o Convegno Internazionale di Studi sulla Magna Grecia, r... more This poster, recently presented at the 58o Convegno Internazionale di Studi sulla Magna Grecia, reports on the pilot excavation and geophysical study of four magnetometer anomalies (pits) dating to the Final Bronze and/or Early Iron Ages. Two anomalies turned out to be rubbish pits, one is a kiln, and one is uncertain.

This poster highlights some of the more significant results obtained by the Rural Life Project, a... more This poster highlights some of the more significant results obtained by the Rural Life Project, a 5-year research program of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology into ephemeral protohistoric scatters recorded earlier in fieldwalking surveys in the Raganello basin (northern Calabria, Italy). Combined earth scientific, geophysical and archaeological studies were conducted at a series of locations that were selected to be representative of rural pre-and protohistoric settlement in typical Mediterranean landscape zones. Whilst more extensive treatments will be found in the volumes of the Raganello Basin Studies (in preparation), this poster focuses on some methodological lessons learned. It answers questions such as 'Which geophysical methods work best for site detection and mapping in these landscapes?', 'What are the typical anomalies encountered?', 'How are these generated from the subsoil features?' and 'How can coring, test pits and computer modelling be most effectively employed to support and test interpretations of geophysical anomalies?'

The Early Bronze Age eruption of the Monte Somma Vesuvius (1995+-10 BC) must have had an enormous... more The Early Bronze Age eruption of the Monte Somma Vesuvius (1995+-10 BC) must have had an enormous impact on the landscape and inhabitants of the Campania region in central Italy. This devastating so-called Avellino (AV) eruption buried the landscape to the north and south of the volcano in a deep layer of volcanic ash. However, forewarned by a small initial eruption, the population was just able to flee the area, taking only bare necessities. A multidisciplinary study involving geology, palaeoecology and archaeology has been set up to test the project's central hypothesis that a significant portion of the refugees decided to resettle in the nearest coastal plains to the north - the Pontine Plain and Fondi Basin of South Lazio. We should be able to detect such a migration by tracing the ecological, demographic and cultural impacts that this immigrant population must have had. This poster presents the results from the environmental studies conducted so far by the Project; more detailed and archaeological results are published in an upcoming special issue of Quaternary International.

Poster presented at the 11th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection, 15-18 Septem... more Poster presented at the 11th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection, 15-18 September 2015, Warsaw

Results are presented here from the non-destructive portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis o... more Results are presented here from the non-destructive portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of ceramic artifacts in Italy, Malta, and Croatia, dating to the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages, with a focus on the advantages and limitations of this method of analysis in identifying local vs. nonlocal pottery and the 'history' of these artifacts’ mobility and socioeconomic significance.

poster presented at the 116th Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, January 8-11, New Orleans, LA. Abstract published in Archaeological Institute of America 116th Annual Meeting Abstracts 38: 88. [ISBN 1-931-909-30-X]

This poster summarizes the approaches taken by the Rural Life Project in investigating protohisto... more This poster summarizes the approaches taken by the Rural Life Project in investigating protohistoric settlement and land use in the upland zone (400-1000m) of the basin of the Raganello River in northern Calabria. It presents early results regarding the site classes 'simple upland impasto scatter' and 'rich upland impasto scatter'.

Archaeological field surveys, especially of the ‚non-site’ or ‚off-site’ kind, aim to produce a ... more Archaeological field surveys, especially of the ‚non-site’ or ‚off-site’
kind, aim to produce a detailed, fair and complete record of the
archaeological remains detectable on the land surface. However, all
practicing survey archaeologists agree that many factors conspire
to reduce the representativity of the samples collected. In the summer of 2014 the authors have conducted field survey
experiments in the Raganello Basin, the Calabrian study area of the
Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA). Field experiments were
conducted to study the variability of standard surface samples in
relation to walker abilities and experience (experiment 1), and to
determine detection curves for different find categories
(experiment 2). This poster reports on the first analyses.

The ideas presented in this poster are part of the Rural Life Project (2010-2015), a multidiscip... more The ideas presented in this poster are part of the Rural Life
Project (2010-2015), a multidisciplinary geoarchaeological project that aims to obtain a better understanding of the thousands of small protohistoric sites that have been mapped in field walking surveys all over the Mediterranean. The project investigates representative sites and their environments with a combination of invasive and noninvasive methods and at a scales ranging from
the intra-site to the microregional.

This poster introduces one of the three geo-archaeological approaches explored by the Hidden Land... more This poster introduces one of the three geo-archaeological approaches explored by the Hidden Landscapes Project (NWO/University of Groningen, 2005-2010). The full system has been published in Feiken's PhD thesis (2014).

Archaeologists have investigated large swaths of the Mediterranean landscape, mainly using ‘topog... more Archaeologists have investigated large swaths of the Mediterranean landscape, mainly using ‘topographical’ and field walking approaches. These methods work well where the archaeological record is easily accessible, but they fail in areas that are difficult of access, not ploughed, or covered by recent sedimentation.
In the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) surveys, conducted since 2000 in the watershed area of the Raganello river (northern Calabria, Italy), field walking has indeed been very successful in the foothill zone - with mostly arable land use - but has met with trouble both in the coastal plain and in the uplands and mountains of the hinterland. In the hinterland, arable fields are scarce, large areas are covered by forest, and the mountains cannot be surveyed by standard methods.
This poster details how experiments were conducted to determine the potential of MS prospection as a complementary method to field walking surveys for the detection of 'hidden' archaeological landscapes.

Since 2000 the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) has conducted annual intensive and system... more Since 2000 the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) has conducted annual intensive and systematic archaeological field walking surveys in the Raganello catchment in northern Calabria (Italy). The primary result of these surveys is a series of high-resolution pottery density maps, known to be distorted by the action of natural and anthropogenic processes on the landscape. However, the effects of these processes on the recovery of archaeological evidence could never be modelled in detail.
In 2005 work began to remedy this and other methodological problems encountered by landscape archaeologists - the Hidden Landscapes project. In collaboration with physical geographers from the university of Utrecht, the PC-Raster software is being used to construct the CALEROS dynamic erosion model. This poster presents our preliminary results in modelling the most important natural process - erosion. Future work will focus on refinement of the model, and on the inclusion of the major anthropogenic process - agricultural terracing and plough erosion.

These are draft guidelines for the documentation of systematic archaeological fieldwalking survey... more These are draft guidelines for the documentation of systematic archaeological fieldwalking surveys, compiled by a working party on behalf of the FIDO community of EAA (European Association of Archaeologists) members. They are intended to improve the design of documentation protocols for future surveys, and thus facilitate the exchange and re-use of survey datasets.

This draft document outlines standards of good practice for systematic fieldwalking surveys in th... more This draft document outlines standards of good practice for systematic fieldwalking surveys in the Mediterranean, in the form of 15 recommendations subdivided in sections covering the research design (A), the primary data recording and collection (B), the finds processing (C), and post-survey data elaboration, publication, storage and archiving (D). These recommendations should be read in conjunction with our paper A Guide to Best Practice in Mediterranean Surface Survey Projects, submitted for publication in Journal of Field Archaeology.

European Journal of Archaeology, 14, Jan 1, 2011

This interview covers life and work of Marianne Kleibrink, retired Professor of Classical and Med... more This interview covers life and work of Marianne Kleibrink, retired Professor of Classical and Mediterranean Archaeology at the Groningen Institute of Archaeology. For more than 25 years she conducted and published excavations at Timpone della Motta near Francavilla Marittima (northern Calabria) and at Satricum (south Lazio), documenting the indigenous roots of these proto-urban sites as well as the transformations they underwent when they became incorporated, respectively, in the colonial Greek and Roman spheres. Her experience as, first, a woman making an academic career for herself in Dutch universities and, later, as a foreign archaeologist running long-term projects in Italy, echos those of many others.

Skeptical Inquirer, Jan 1, 1999

Archaeological Prospection, 1998

This paper was presented at the December 15, 2017 Research Day of the Groningen Institute of Arch... more This paper was presented at the December 15, 2017 Research Day of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology. In it we present some preliminary results of a pilot study conducted in June 2017 at the National Archaeological Museum of Sibari (Calabria, Italy) to assess whether pXRF analysis on undiagnostic hand-made pottery can be used to extract useful additional information from sherds encountered in large numbers in field walking surveys across the mediterranean.

This paper presents the Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy project, a multidisciplinary research p... more This paper presents the Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy project, a multidisciplinary research project investigating small protohistoric surface scatters in a river basin at the southern end of the Apennine mountain range (Calabria, Italy). Our aim is a better understanding of the detection, preservation, and interpretation of small Bronze/Iron Age sites, both on a landscape and a site-specific scale. Our investigations are predominantly methodological and include high-resolution re-surveys of surface remains, multiple geophysical techniques, test pits, and pedological studies. With the fieldwork stage of our project finished, we can present some preliminary results and propose a method for the study of small-scale protohistoric land use in similar Meditterranean landscapes.
Ephemeral protohistoric remains are recorded in most Mediterranean landscape archaeology projects, yet they are rarely investigated beyond the mapping stage. In our research area, the Raganello basin in northern Calabria, the majority of the 250 known archaeological sites consists of small (less than 10m diameter) concentrations of poorly preserved handmade pottery, dating to the Bronze and Iron Ages (2000-800 B.C.). These were mapped during more than 15 years of field walking surveys by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology and occur throughout the landscape, from the foothills surrounding an (uninvestigated) coastal
In this paper, we will demonstrate how detailed studies on a small scale increase our understanding of site-specific function and formation, while at the same time being incorporated in a landscape-scale approach. Our targeted site studies integrate datasets from high-resolution re-surveys of known surface scatters, geophysical detection techniques, detailed re-studies of problematic survey material categories, and minimally invasive ground-truthing through corings and test pits. We can extrapolate these local data to a larger scale by sampling representative examples of different site types. This typology is based on landscape zones and properties of material categories. Furthermore, the landscape level of investigations includes large-scale magnetic prospection in different parts of the research area, combined with geomorphological and pedological studies in order to explain post-depositional processes and site preservation. A LiDAR dataset is used for GIS-based analysis of slope processes.
To illustrate our approach we will present a case study of a dense rural settlement pattern in a particular section of the foothill zone, datable to the Final Bronze Age (1100-950 B.C.). Re-surveys of previously investigated areas, combined with re-studies of finds categories, have already increased the number of FBA scatters by more than a third. Magnetic gradiometry prospection revealed the presence of rectangular building-sized anomalies dispersed throughout the area, whereas test pits have confirmed the temporal and spatial association between FBA surface remains and these rectangular structures. The implications of these results for regional heritage management, which is still very site-oriented, will be raised.

This paper discusses on-going efforts by the authors (undertaken as part of two recent NWO-funded... more This paper discusses on-going efforts by the authors (undertaken as part of two recent NWO-funded projects and with financial support from DANS-Easy) to prepare several field survey datasets for archiving. Aim of these efforts is twofold: first, to preserve these datasets for future generations in a stable and reusable manner; and second, to explore possibilities for creating a Linked Open Data version, automatically searchable over the Internet, of these data. We will give an overview of our approach, which entails ‘mapping’ the process of field surveying onto the CIDOC-CRM conceptual framework and extending the CIDOC-CRM itself where needed. Whilst we will here present the first steps in this process with examples from our pilot datasets, the work ultimately aims to allow the ‘mining’ of survey data acquired with different methods by different teams for comparative analyses.

To make optimal use of the money, time and expertise that goes into archeogeophysical survey, geo... more To make optimal use of the money, time and expertise that goes into archeogeophysical survey, geophysicists and archaeologists must ensure that their interactions are truly interdisciplinary - not multidisciplinary as is still often the case. Collaborations must start in the research design phase and continue all through the analysis, synthesis and 'further work' stages of a typical research program. In particular, geophysicists and archaeologists alike must learn what they can from invasive field tests (coring, topsoil stripping, test pits, full excavation) about the true character of a wide range of anomaly types.
I will here present the work of my own landscape archaeological research program in the basin of the Raganello river, in northern Calabria region (Italy) as a model for interdisciplinary work, discussing some of its successes and failures and what we should learn from them. This Rural Life in Protohistoric Italy project has conducted experiments to determine which geophysical mapping methods work in the specific Mediterranean geoenvironment, which types of geological and anthropogenis anomalies occur, and how the latter relate to subsurface archaeological reservoirs. The results point to the need for a joint archeogeophysical research agenda and funding application effort, which will be briefly outlined.

As part of the recent (2014) PhD research of one of us (Feiken) at the University of Groningen (... more As part of the recent (2014) PhD research of one of us (Feiken) at the University of Groningen (NL), the well-known PC-RASTER erosion simulation software developed at the University of Utrecht (NL) has been adapted to include interactions between human and natural processes, and a pilot project has been run to demonstrate its functionality and the issues that still need to be resolved in future work. The study area for the pilot is the hydrological basin of the Maddalena stream, part of the Raganello River Basin in northern Calabria (Italy), and the simulation has been run in 60 timesteps for the period 4000 BC - present. This paper outlines the model underlying the simulation and highlight some results and problems. It is argued that, despite the current limited realism of such simulations, there are good prospects for improvement.

This conference paper addresses some questions relating to the ‘production’, by modern survey tea... more This conference paper addresses some questions relating to the ‘production’, by modern survey teams, of primary evidence about the distribution of lithics across the landscape. The authors conducted an experimental survey in the autumn of 2012 to find out how much of the ‘lithic landscape’ had been left unobserved by the long-term systematic and intensive Raganello Archaeological Project (RAP) multi-period surveys carried out by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology in the basin of this south-Italian river. The experiment consisted of very intensive (25% – 100% coverage) resurveys of selected areas and fields by a team including several very experienced lithics specialists from the universities of Florence, Siena and Groningen, and aimed to answer basic questions such as:
- What is the significance of the occasional single lithics found by the RAP surveys? Are they ‘the tip of the iceberg’ or not? And if so, what kind of iceberg?
- Can we obtain general distribution parameters for the ‘lithics landscape’ from a limited resurveying program based on a stratified sampling scheme?
- Which are the – personal and environmental – factors that have the most significant effect on our ability to detect lithics across the landscape?
The outcome and significance of the experiment is discussed in detail, with special reference to the question of spatial scales as applied to landscape and site studies.

Om te leren hoe archeologie als wetenschap bedreven wordt is het leuk en instructief te kijken na... more Om te leren hoe archeologie als wetenschap bedreven wordt is het leuk en instructief te kijken naar gevallen waarin de 'spelregels' van de wetenschap al dan niet bewust overtreden worden. In deze presentatie uit 2006 (geschikt voor leerlingen en studenten) bespreek ik aan de hand van een reeks voorbeelden basisbegrippen uit de wetenschappelijke methodologie.

Despite the seemingly endless variation in the approaches taken by archaeologists when conducting... more Despite the seemingly endless variation in the approaches taken by archaeologists when conducting field studies (especially during 'surveys'), on analysis it appears that we all make use of the same set of underlying concepts in designing our research and in documenting our data. Thus, agreeing on a joint 'conceptual reference model' or CRM opens the way to describing individual field datasets in an unambiguous way, allowing effective archiving and exchange of such data without prescribing standards for the fieldwork itself. An international special interest group of CRM specialists and archaeologists has been working towards this goal for several years now. This roundtable brings together those already involved in the design of archaeological CRM, those responsible for the proper archiving of archaeological field data, and those interested in learning about current documentation standards. It aims to foster collaborations and joint national and international funding applications in the area of research data management. The 'audience' for this roundtable should be those people who already have, or expect to have, responsibility for documenting archaeological field projects, and are interested either to learn about the status quo of the CRM approach, or to collaborate on the formation of a broad group or network of researchers (formal or informal) looking to apply the CRM approach (and finding funding to do so). We therefore cordially invite you to contact us if you want to participate. Please send us an email at thaas2@uni-koeln.de.

Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail protohistoric land use in a river basin ... more Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail protohistoric land use in a river basin in southern Italy, which had previously (2000-2010) been archaeologically surveyed by the University of Groningen Institute of Archaeology. The investigations aimed at fine-tuning archaeological prospection methods for ephemeral archaeological remains and at mitigating consistent research biases in the study of protohistoric settlement and land use. One of these biases is caused by a strong focus on 'sites' and/or elevated-density peaks in the archaeological surface record. Although our research was primarily focused on prospection methods for exactly such locations, one of our methodological experiments was to apply magnetic-based geophysical techniques to explore the detection of archaeological features without an apparent surface expression. We targeted three different landscape zones with potentially different archaeological remains: the limestone-derived soils in the foothill zone bordering on a coastal plain (100-400m asl), the silty soils of conglomerate-based marine terraces (<500m), and the generally erosive upland valley with soils on schists and marls (700-1000m). In the foothill zone, exploratory magnetic gradiometry in a transect across the intensively field walked agricultural area Contrada Damale revealed that there are various evidently anthropogenic features without an associated surface artefact scatter. Some of these features have direct parallels with archaeologically relevant anomalies detected on known protohistoric sites, such as rectangular structures. On the highest marine terrace, the Monte San Nicola hilltop, large-scale magnetometry survey resulted in a set of circular pit-like anomalies which after intensive re-survey appeared to be related to diffusely distributed pottery dating to the Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age. These are probably the remains of unobtrusive cremation graves. In the upland Contrada Maddalena, large-scale on-and off-site magnetic gradiometry did not result in archaeological features, but a few seemingly natural magnetic anomalies turned out to be caused by complex geological processes which are relevant to our understanding of the archaeological surface record. In all three landscape zones, we conducted long transects of magnetic susceptibility measurements to determine the geological background in order to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural magnetic anomalies. In this paper, we argue that in landscape archaeological research it is important to look beyond our classifications of site and off-site, and apply prospection techniques on a regional level. Besides the detection of remains without a surface record, geophysical surveys can help improve our understanding of site formation processes and help us explain the gaps in our surface distribution maps.

From 2011-2014, the authors have investigated in detail an upland basin in the southern Apennines... more From 2011-2014, the authors have investigated in detail an upland basin in the southern Apennines (600-1000m a.s.l.) which had previously been surveyed by the University of Groningen. The investigations consisted of geophysical surveys, geo-archaeological and pedological studies. In this paper, we present the results of our interdisciplinary work conducted on site RB73. This small protohistoric ceramic scatter was discovered during field walking survey in the lower part of a cultivated field, above an agricultural terrace. Subsequent magnetic gradiometry survey on the whole field did not result in structural features associated with this surface scatter, but a sinuous anomaly was recorded running from the upper part of the field to the terrace. Manual augering across the field and two test pits provided subsurface context to the surface material and the geophysical data, revealing a surprisingly deep stratigraphy from at least the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period. Slanting anthropogenic deposits alternating with more or less sterile layers occur not only near the surface ceramic scatter, but throughout the field. The sinuous magnetic anomaly, initially thought to be related to natural pedological phenomena, appeared to be associated with surfacing anthropogenic deposits. We will explore the depositional, post-depositional and current land use processes that have resulted in the present situation and the expression of the surface site. We will discuss how the integration of geo-archaeological and geophysical work have provided us with a completely different view on the formation of site RB73 and the land use history of this upland valley than we did on the basis of our surface artefact recordings.

Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Dec 31, 2011

Leiden University Press eBooks, 2009

The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe where predictive models, used to predict ar... more The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe where predictive models, used to predict archaeological site location in order to guide future developments in the modern landscape, play an important role in cultural heritage management. While many scholars consider the application of predictive models for this purpose highly controversial, the contributors to this volume bring together their insights into strategic research in developing new methods for predictive modelling and applied, interdisciplinary 'action research' focusing on how the models are, or should be, used by stakeholders in cultural heritage management in the Netherlands.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

The greatest part of the documents concerning the last reclamation scheme of the Pontine Plain is... more The greatest part of the documents concerning the last reclamation scheme of the Pontine Plain is now stored in a section of the state archive and in the archive of the Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Agro Pontino, both located in Latina (Italy). Detailed plans of the realised buildings, infrastructures as well as thousands of pictures of the environments before the reclamation scheme are available to the public. These data can be used to reconstruct the ancient landscape before the major changes which occurred after the spread of mechanical vehicles for earthmoving in the 1970s. The reconstruction maps can be used to set the proper background for the archaeological research in the area.

Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie, Dec 1, 2020

This article discusses the consequences of the Early Bronze Age eruption of the Monte Somma-Vesuv... more This article discusses the consequences of the Early Bronze Age eruption of the Monte Somma-Vesuvius that devastated the proximal areas around the volcano around 1900 BC and must have caused a crisis as the substantial population sought refuge elsewhere. In particular, it investigates the hypothesis that refugees fled north along the Tyrrhenian coast and settled in the Pontine coastal plain, which lay at the basis of the NWO Open Competition program The Avellino Event. Based on new environmental reconstructions of the Pontine plain and on the available archaeological evidence both there and in the buried landscapes near the Vesuvius itself, its suitability for Early Bronze Age settlement and land use is assessed in detail. The article concludes that though suitable, the population density of the Pontine plain remained very low until at least the Middle Bronze Age, some 150 years after the eruption.

TMA37, 2007

This article reports on a new system for landscape classification being developed by the authors,... more This article reports on a new system for landscape classification being developed by the authors, that is largely based on physical geographical criteria, and is especially intended for use in conjunction with field walking surveys as a part of landscape archaeological projects. The need for a landscape classification system, the reasons for rejecting various alternative systems, as well as the criteria for the new multiscalar classifications, are explained. By way of example, the classes resulting from a landscape mapping at two scales – 1 in 25,000 and 1 in 10,000 – are described using one of the authors’ fieldwork areas in southern Italy. This research is one aspect of wider geoarchaeological studies being conducted from 2005 to 2009 by the Hidden Landscapes project at the Groningen Institute of Archaeology.